# US 2014/0190174 A1 · Micromixer assembly for a turbine system and method of distributing an air-fuel mixture to a combustor chamber > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0190174 A1 - Document ID: US20140190174A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/735,448 - Filed: 2013-01-07 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-07 - Assignees: General Electric Company - Applicants: General Electric Company - Inventors: Patrick Benedict Melton; Gregory Allen Boardman - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140190174A1 ## CPC - F23R 3/286: {having fuel-air premixing devices (F23R3/30 takes precedence)} - F23R 3/46: Combustion chambers comprising an annular arrangement of {several essentially tubular} flame tubes within a common annular casing or within individual casings - F23R 2900/00018: Manufacturing 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) ## Abstract A micromixer assembly for a turbine system includes a plurality of pipes each having an inlet for receiving an airflow from an annulus defined by an inwardly disposed liner and an outwardly disposed sleeve, each of the plurality of pipes also including an outlet for dispersing an air-fuel mixture into a combustor chamber. Also included is a first portion of each of the plurality of pipes. Further included is a second portion of each of the plurality of pipes, the second portion comprising the inlet for receiving the airflow. Yet further included is at least one fuel receiving path in communication with at least one of the first portion and the second portion. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A micromixer assembly for a turbine system comprising: a plurality of pipes each having an inlet for receiving an airflow from an annulus defined by an inwardly disposed liner and an outwardly disposed sleeve, each of the plurality of pipes also including an outlet for dispersing an air-fuel mixture into a combustor chamber; a first portion of each of the plurality of pipes; a second portion of each of the plurality of pipes, the second portion comprising the inlet for receiving the airflow; and at least one fuel receiving path in communication with at least one of the first portion and the second portion. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The micromixer assembly of claim 1, wherein the first portion comprises a relatively linear region and the outlet, wherein the second portion comprises the at least one fuel receiving path and a curved region for redirecting the air-fuel mixture toward the first portion, and wherein the first portion extends from the second portion to the outlet. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The micromixer assembly of claim 2, wherein the airflow is redirected from the inlet to the second portion at an angle of about 90° to about 180°. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The micromixer assembly of claim 1, wherein the second portion is disposed at least partially within a fuel plenum proximate an endcover of a combustor assembly. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The micromixer assembly of claim 1, wherein a fuel plenum is defined at least partially by a casing, an endcover of a combustor assembly and a cap structure that each of the plurality of pipes extend through. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The micromixer assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one fuel receiving path comprises at least one hole. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The micromixer assembly of claim 6, wherein the at least one hole is disposed at a location of the second portion upstream of a curved region of the second portion. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The micromixer assembly of claim 6, wherein the at least one hole is disposed at a location within a curved region of the second portion. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The micromixer assembly of claim 6, wherein the at least one hole is disposed at a location of the second portion downstream of a curved region of the second portion. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The micromixer assembly of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the micromixer assembly is formed by a casting process. ### Claim 11 A micromixer assembly for a turbine system comprising: a plurality of pipes each having an inlet for receiving an air-fuel mixture from an annulus defined by an inwardly disposed liner and an outwardly disposed sleeve, each of the plurality of pipes also including an outlet for dispersing the air-fuel mixture into a combustor chamber; a first portion of each of the plurality of pipes, the first portion comprising a relatively linear region and the outlet; and a second portion of each of the plurality of pipes, the second portion comprising the inlet for receiving the air-fuel mixture and a curved region for redirecting the air-fuel mixture toward the first portion. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The micromixer assembly of claim 11, further comprising a fuel injector arrangement disposed at least partially in the annulus for providing the air-fuel mixture prior to entry into the inlet. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The micromixer assembly of claim 12, wherein the fuel injector arrangement comprises at least one airfoil having at least one aperture for injecting a fuel into an airflow flowing throughout the annulus toward an endcover of a combustor assembly. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The micromixer assembly of claim 11, wherein the first portion extends from the second portion to the outlet. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The micromixer assembly of claim 14, wherein the air-fuel mixture is redirected from the inlet to the second portion at an angle of about 180°. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The micromixer assembly of claim 11, wherein at least a portion of the micromixer assembly is formed by a casting process or an additive metal process. ### Claim 17 A method of distributing an air-fuel mixture to a combustor chamber comprising: routing an airflow from an annulus defined by an inwardly disposed liner and an outwardly disposed sleeve to a curved region of a pipe; redirecting an air-fuel mixture to a relatively linear region of the pipe; and dispersing the air-fuel mixture into the combustor chamber through an outlet of the pipe. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, further comprising introducing a fuel to the airflow at a location within the pipe, thereby forming the air-fuel mixture within the pipe. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, further comprising introducing a fuel to the airflow within the annulus prior to routing of the air-fuel mixture to an inlet of the pipe. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein the fuel is introduced to the airflow with a fuel injector arrangement comprising at least one airfoil-shaped region.