# US 12,516,814 B2 · Combustor assembly with fastened combustor liner and head > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,516,814 B2 - Document ID: US12516814B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/772,375 - Filed: 2024-07-15 - Published: 2025-02-13 - Granted: 2026-01-06 - Earliest claimed: 2023-08-08 - Assignees: ROLLS-ROYCE plc - Applicants: ROLLS-ROYCE plc - Inventors: Stephen C. Harding; Paul A. Hucker; Iain Morgan - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12516814B2 ## CPC - F23R 3/002: {Wall structures (F23R3/02 and F23R3/007 take precedence)} - F01D 25/243: {Flange connections; Bolting arrangements (F01D25/265 takes precedence)} - F23R 3/50: Combustion chambers comprising an annular flame tube within an annular casing (toroidal combustion chambers F23R3/52) - F23R 3/60: Support structures; Attaching or mounting means - F23R 2900/00016: Retrofitting in general, e.g. to respect new regulations on pollution - F23R 2900/00017: Assembling combustion chamber liners or subparts - F23R: GENERATING COMBUSTION PRODUCTS OF HIGH PRESSURE OR HIGH VELOCITY, e.g. GAS-TURBINE COMBUSTION CHAMBERS (fluidised bed combustion apparatus specially adapted for operation at superatmospheric pressures F23C10/16) - F01D: NON-POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, e.g. STEAM TURBINES (machines or engines for liquids F03; non-positive displacement pumps F04D) ## Abstract The present disclosure relates to a combustor assembly for a gas turbine engine. The combustor assembly comprises a combustor liner, a combustor head, a cowl and a fastener. The combustor liner and the cowl define a cavity. The combustor liner has an integral lug that extends into the cavity from a wall of the combustor liner. The fastener extends into the combustor liner lug to fasten the combustor head to the combustor liner. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A combustor assembly for a gas turbine engine, the combustor assembly comprising a combustor liner, a combustor head, a cowl and a fastener, wherein: the combustor liner and the cowl define a cavity, wherein the combustor liner includes a radially outer annular wall and a radially inner annular wall defining the cavity therebetween, wherein the radially outer annular wall and the radially inner annular wall define a combustion chamber of the cavity on a side of the combustor head remote from the cowl; the combustor liner has an integral combustor liner lug that extends radially into the cavity from one or more of the radially outer annular wall or the radially inner annular wall of the combustor liner toward the other of the radially outer annular wall or radially inner annular wall; and the fastener extends axially into the integral combustor liner lug to fasten the combustor head to the combustor liner, wherein the cowl is arranged axially adjacent to the combustor head, wherein an aft surface of the combustor head and an aft surface of the cowl each abut a forward surface of the integral combustor liner lug. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The combustor assembly of claim 1, wherein the fastener extends through the integral combustor liner lug to fasten both the combustor head and the cowl to the integral combustor liner lug. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The combustor assembly of claim 1, wherein at least 70% of the volume of the fastener is located within the external profile defined by the cowl and the combustor liner. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The combustor assembly of claim 1, wherein the combustor assembly annularly extends around a centreline; and the fastener is elongate along a length direction parallel with the centreline. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The combustor assembly of claim 1, wherein the combustor assembly annularly extends around a centreline; the forward surface of the integral combustor liner lug lies on a mating plane; and a normal to the mating plane is substantially parallel to the centreline. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The combustor assembly of claim 1, wherein a head aperture is formed between the aft surfaces of the cowl and the combustor head; a lug aperture is formed in the forward surface of the integral combustor liner lug; and the fastener extends into both the head aperture and the lug aperture. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The combustor assembly of claim 6, wherein the combustor head and the cowl together form a head structure; the integral combustor liner lug extends into a corresponding recess defined by the head structure; and the head aperture opens into the recess defined by the head structure. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The combustor assembly of claim 1, wherein the combustor assembly annularly extends around a centreline; and the cowl and the combustor liner each define a respective sealing face, and wherein the sealing face of the combustor liner abuts the sealing face of the cowl throughout the annular extent of the combustor assembly. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The combustor assembly of claim 8, wherein each sealing face lies on a sealing plane; and a normal to the sealing plane is substantially parallel with the centreline. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The combustor assembly of claim 1, wherein the fastener defines a male thread, and the combustor head and the cowl are fastened with respect to the combustor liner by means of the male thread engaging a female thread, and wherein the female thread is defined by or located inside the integral combustor liner lug; or the female thread is defined by a nut located outside of the integral combustor liner lug. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The combustor assembly of claim 10, wherein the fastener is configured to be withdrawn from the female thread through an access hole formed in the cowl. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The combustor assembly of claim 1, wherein the fastener is one of a plurality of fasteners, the integral combustor liner lug is one of a plurality of integral combustor liner lugs, and wherein: each integral combustor liner lug extends into the cavity from the wall of the combustor liner; and each fastener extends into a respective integral combustor liner lug to fasten the combustor head to the combustor liner. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) A gas turbine engine comprising the combustor assembly of claim 1. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The combustor assembly of claim 1, wherein the cowl includes a radially outer portion arranged adjacent to the integral combustor liner lug extending from the radially outer annular wall of the combustor liner and a radially inner portion arranged adjacent to a second integral combustor liner lug extending from the radially inner annular wall of the combustor liner, and wherein a portion of the radially outer portion of the cowl directly abuts the integral combustor liner lug extending from the radially outer annular wall and wherein a portion of the radially inner portion of the cowl directly abuts the second integral combustor liner lug extending from the radially inner annular wall. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The combustor assembly of claim 14, wherein the combustor head includes an aperture, and wherein the radially outer portion and the radially inner portion of the cowl are arranged radially outwardly and radially inwardly of the aperture, respectively, and wherein a second fastener extends at least partially through the radially inner portion of the cowl and into the second integral combustor liner lug. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The combustor assembly of claim 1, further comprising: a heat shield arranged on the side of the combustor head away from the cowl, wherein the cowl includes a first portion that extends at least partially radially inwardly and the combustor head includes a second portion that extends at least partially radially outwardly, and wherein the integral combustor liner lug is located axially between the heat shield and the first and second portions. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The combustor assembly of claim 16, wherein the first and second portions of the cowl and the combustor head each define at least part of the aft surfaces of the cowl and combustor head which face the heat shield, wherein the heat shield defines a forward surface, and wherein a liner lug receiving space is defined between the aft surfaces of the first and second portions and the forward surface of the heat shield. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The combustor assembly of claim 17, wherein the fastener is located radially inwardly of a radially outer terminal end of the heat shield.