Trapped vortex cavity staging in a combustor

A gas turbine engine combustor assembly comprising:

• a radial inflow combustor downstream of a compressor, the combustor disposed axially about a central axis and including a combustor liner having defined therein a combustion chamber for a downstream flow of a main fluid;
• an annular trapped vortex cavity located at an upstream end of the combustor liner and defined between an annular aft wall, an annular forward wall, and a circular radially outer wall formed therebetween, the annular trapped vortex cavity including a cavity opening at a radially inner end of the annular trapped vortex cavity spaced apart from the circular radially outer wall and extending between the annular aft wall and the annular forward wall;
• at least one additional trapped vortex cavity located on the combustor liner and spaced axially downstream from the annular trapped vortex cavity, the at least one additional trapped vortex cavity defined between an annular aft wall, an annular forward wall, and a circular radially outer wall formed therebetween, the at least one additional trapped vortex cavity including a cavity opening at a radially inner end of the cavity spaced apart from the circular radially outer wall and extending between the annular aft wall and the annular forward wall;
• and
• a respective plurality of fuel injectors and a respective plurality of air injectors disposed in the respective circular radially outer wall of each of the annular trapped vortex cavity and the at least one additional trapped vortex cavity, the respective pluralities of fuel injectors and the respective pluralities of air injectors configured tangentially relative to the respective circular radially outer walls to provide for injection of air and fuel to form a respective annular rotating trapped vortex of a fuel and air mixture within each of the annular trapped vortex cavity and the at least one additional trapped vortex cavity,
• wherein the annular trapped vortex cavity and the at least one additional trapped vortex cavity are staged radially spaced apart;
• and
• wherein each annular rotating trapped vortex of the fuel and air mixture at the respective cavity openings of the annular trapped vortex cavity and the at least one additional trapped vortex cavity is substantially perpendicular to the downstream flow of the main fluid.

A gas turbine engine comprising:

• a compressor section;
• a combustor section;
• a turbine section, wherein the compressor section, the combustor section and the turbine section are configured in a downstream axial flow relationship about a central axis, the combustor section comprising a combustor assembly comprising:
• a radial inflow combustor including a combustor liner having defined therein a combustion chamber for a downstream flow of a main fluid;
• at least two annular trapped vortex cavities located on the combustor liner and staged axially and radially spaced apart, each of the at least two annular trapped vortex cavities defined between a respective annular aft wall, a respective annular forward wall, and a respective circular radially outer wall formed therebetween;
• a respective cavity opening at a radially inner end of each of the at least two annular trapped vortex cavities spaced apart from the respective circular radially outer wall and extending between the respective annular aft wall and the respective annular forward wall;
• a plurality of fuel injectors and a plurality of air injectors disposed in the respective circular radially outer wall of each of the at least two annular trapped vortex cavities, the respective pluralities of fuel injectors and the respective pluralities of air injectors configured tangentially relative to the respective circular radially outer walls to provide for injection of air and fuel to form a respective annular rotating trapped vortex of a fuel and air mixture within each annular trapped vortex cavity of the at least two annular trapped vortex cavities, and
• wherein each annular rotating trapped vortex of the fuel and air mixture at the respective cavity openings of each of the at least two annular trapped vortex cavities is substantially perpendicular to the downstream flow of the main fluid.