Torch igniter cooling system
AssigneeDelavan Inc.
InventorsJason Ryon, Lev Alexander Prociw
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An embodiment of a torch igniter for a combustor of a gas turbine engine comprises a combustion chamber oriented about an axis, a cap defining an axially upstream end of the combustion chamber and oriented about the axis, a tip defining an axially downstream end of the combustion chamber, a structural wall coaxial with and surrounding the igniter wall, an outlet passage defined by the igniter wall within the tip, and a cooling system. The cooling system comprises an air inlet formed within the structural wall, a first flow path disposed between the structural wall and the igniter wall, and an aperture extending through the igniter wall transverse to the flow direction. The aperture directly fluidly connects the first flow path to the combustion chamber.
Claims18
A torch igniter for a combustor of a gas turbine engine, the torch igniter comprising:
- a combustion chamber oriented about an axis, the combustion chamber having axially upstream and downstream ends defining a flow direction through the combustion chamber along the axis;
- a cap defining the axially upstream end of the combustion chamber and oriented about the axis, wherein the cap is configured to receive a fuel injector and a glow plug;
- a tip defining the axially downstream end of the combustion chamber;
- an igniter wall extending from the cap to the tip and defining a radial extent of the combustion chamber;
- a structural wall coaxial with and surrounding the igniter wall;
- an outlet passage defined by the igniter wall within the tip, wherein the outlet passage fluidly connects the combustion chamber to the combustor of the gas turbine engine;
- and
- a cooling system comprising:
- an air inlet formed within the structural wall and configured to intake a flow of air from a compressor section of the gas turbine engine;
- a first flow path disposed between the structural wall and the igniter wall and extending from the air inlet to the cap, wherein the first flow path is configured to receive a first portion of the air taken in by the air inlet and the first flow path comprises:
- a first section surrounding the combustion chamber;
- and
- a second section disposed within the cap, wherein the second section has a first subsection configured to first flow air toward an axially upstream end of the cap and a second subsection configured to then turn the flow of air at the axially upstream end of the cap to flow toward a downstream end of the torch igniter;
- and
- an aperture extending transverse to the flow direction through the igniter wall, wherein the aperture directly fluidly connects the second subsection to the combustion chamber.
A method of cooling a torch igniter for a combustor in a gas turbine engine, the method comprising:
- intaking a flow of air from a compressor section of the gas turbine engine at an air inlet formed in a structural wall of the torch igniter, wherein the structural wall extends coaxially with and surrounds an igniter wall, the igniter wall defining a combustion chamber within the torch igniter;
- flowing a first portion of the air through a first flow path disposed between the structural wall and the igniter wall, wherein the first flow path extends from the air inlet toward a cap defining an upstream end of the torch igniter and the first flow path comprises:
- a first section surrounding the combustion chamber;
- and
- a second section disposed within the cap, wherein the second section has a first subsection configured to first flow air toward an axially upstream end of the cap and a second subsection configured to then turn the flow of air at the axially upstream end of the cap to flow toward a downstream end of the torch igniter;
- and
- flowing the first portion of the air from the second subsection into through an aperture that directly fluidly connects the second subsection to the combustion chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.