# US 2026/0201806 A1 · Combustor with additively manufactured combustor body having cooling path with inlet at aft frame > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2026/0201806 A1 - Document ID: US20260201806A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 19/421,247 - Filed: 2025-12-16 - Published: 2026-07-16 - Earliest claimed: 2025-01-14 - Assignees: GE Vernova Infrastructure Technology LLC - Applicants: GE Vernova Infrastructure Technology LLC - Inventors: Christian Xavier Stevenson; Christopher Michael West; Richard Martin DiCintio; Cameron Michael Clark; Ronnie Ray Pentecost - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20260201806A1 ## CPC - F01D 9/023: {Transition ducts between combustor cans and first stage of the turbine in gas-turbine engines; their cooling or sealings} - B22F 5/009: {of turbine components other than turbine blades (of turbine blades B22F5/04)} - F23R 3/002: {Wall structures (F23R3/02 and F23R3/007 take precedence)} - F23R 3/60: Support structures; Attaching or mounting means - B22F 10/28: Powder bed fusion, e.g. selective laser melting [SLM] or electron beam melting [EBM] - B22F 12/45: Two or more - B33Y 80/00: Products made by additive manufacturing - F05D 2230/22: by sintering - F05D 2230/234: Laser welding - F05D 2230/30: with deposition of material - F05D 2230/53: by integrally manufacturing a component, e.g. by milling from a billet or one piece construction - F23R 2900/00018: Manufacturing combustion chamber liners or subparts - F23R 2900/03043: Convection cooled combustion chamber walls with means for guiding the cooling air flow - F01D: NON-POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, e.g. STEAM TURBINES (machines or engines for liquids F03; non-positive displacement pumps F04D) - B22F: WORKING METALLIC POWDER; MANUFACTURE OF ARTICLES FROM METALLIC POWDER; MAKING METALLIC POWDER (making alloys by powder metallurgy C22C); APPARATUS OR DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR METALLIC POWDER - 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) - B33Y: ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING, i.e. MANUFACTURING OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL [3D] OBJECTS BY ADDITIVE DEPOSITION, ADDITIVE AGGLOMERATION OR ADDITIVE LAYERING, e.g. BY 3D PRINTING, STEREOLITHOGRAPHY OR SELECTIVE LASER SINTERING - F05D: INDEXING SCHEME FOR ASPECTS RELATING TO NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, GAS-TURBINES OR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS ## Abstract A gas turbine system combustor has an additively manufactured (AM) combustor body including a one-piece member having a plurality of parallel, metallurgically bonded metal layers in a transition portion of a combustion liner. An aft frame at an aft end of the transition portion has an inner end integral with the combustion liner partially defining a circumferentially extending passage and an outer end distal from the inner end. Circumferentially spaced ribs extend forward from the aft frame outer end on a transition portion exterior surface. A flow sleeve integral with the circumferentially spaced ribs has an aft end with a curved portion defining, with the aft frame inner end, a circumferential inlet to the circumferentially extending passage. The aft frame can be part of an AM aft frame structure with integral transition and flow sleeve portions that can be attached to the combustion liner and flow sleeve. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An additively manufactured (AM) aft frame structure for a combustor, the AM aft frame structure having a one-piece member including: a combustion liner portion having a transition portion with a forward end and an aft end; an aft frame at an aft end of the transition portion, the aft frame including an inner end integral with the combustion liner portion and an outer end distal from the inner end; a first flow sleeve portion having a forward end and an aft end, wherein the first flow sleeve portion extends circumferentially around the transition portion and is radially spaced therefrom, and wherein the aft end of the first flow sleeve portion is axially spaced apart from the outer end of the aft frame; a circumferentially extending passage defined between the combustion liner portion and the first flow sleeve portion; and a circumferential inlet to the circumferentially extending passage defined between the aft end of the first flow sleeve portion and the aft frame; wherein the aft end of the first flow sleeve portion includes a curved portion that curves away from the aft end of the transition portion of the combustion liner portion to define a forward end of the circumferential inlet; and wherein the AM aft frame structure further includes a plurality of parallel, metallurgically bonded metal layers. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The AM aft frame structure of claim 1, wherein the circumferentially extending passage decreases in size as the circumferentially extending passage extends from the circumferential inlet toward the forward end of the first flow sleeve portion. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The AM aft frame structure of claim 1, wherein a pinch point having a minimum distance between the transition portion and the first flow sleeve portion is positioned axially between the forward end of the first flow sleeve portion and the aft end of the first flow sleeve portion; wherein the circumferentially extending passage decreases in size as the circumferentially extending passage extends from the circumferential inlet to the pinch point; and wherein the circumferentially extending passage increases in size as the circumferentially extending passage extends from the pinch point toward the forward end of the first flow sleeve portion. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The AM aft frame structure of claim 3, wherein a cross-sectional area of the circumferentially extending passage at the pinch point is determined based on a predefined pressure ratio. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The AM aft frame structure of claim 3, wherein the circumferential inlet has an opening size that is a first distance D1 that is a minimum distance between the curved portion of the aft end of the first flow sleeve portion and the outer end of the aft frame; wherein the pinch point occurs where there is a second distance D2 that is the minimum distance between an exterior surface of the transition portion of the combustion liner portion and an inward facing surface of the first flow sleeve portion; wherein the circumferentially extending passage has an exit at the forward end of the first flow sleeve portion; and wherein a third distance D3 between the exterior surface of the transition portion of the combustion liner portion and the inward facing surface of the first flow sleeve portion at the exit is from about 5% larger than the second distance D2 to about 25% larger than the second distance D2. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The AM aft frame structure of claim 3, wherein the circumferential inlet has an opening size that is a first distance D1 that is a minimum distance between the curved portion of the aft end of the first flow sleeve portion and the outer end of the aft frame; wherein the pinch point occurs where there is a second distance D2 that is the minimum distance between an exterior surface of the transition portion of the combustion liner portion and an inward facing surface of the first flow sleeve portion; and wherein the first distance D1 is up to about 400% larger than the second distance D2. ### Claim 7 (depends on 3) The AM aft frame structure of claim 3, wherein the first flow sleeve portion includes a linear portion between the pinch point and the curved portion. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The AM aft frame structure of claim 1, wherein the curved portion curves at least 90° away from the combustion liner portion. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The AM aft frame structure of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of circumferentially spaced ribs extending from the forward end of the transition portion toward the aft frame on an exterior surface of the combustion liner portion, thereby defining a plurality of cooling passages in the circumferentially extending passage. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The AM aft frame structure of claim 9, wherein the plurality of circumferentially spaced ribs extends through the circumferential inlet to the inner end of the aft frame, and a radially inner edge of each rib of the plurality of circumferentially spaced ribs is radially spaced from the exterior surface of the combustion liner portion in the circumferential inlet. ### Claim 11 An additively manufactured (AM) combustor body having a one-piece member including: a transition portion of a combustion liner, wherein the transition portion includes a forward end and an aft end opposite the forward end; a flow sleeve around the transition portion and separated from the transition portion by a sleeve gap that defines at least one cooling passage between the flow sleeve and the transition portion; an aft frame including an inner end integral with the combustion liner and an outer end distal from the inner end; a plurality of circumferentially spaced ribs extending forward from the inner end of the aft frame on an exterior surface of at least part of the transition portion and extending radially from the at least part of the transition portion to the flow sleeve, wherein the ribs of the plurality of circumferentially spaced ribs are integral with the flow sleeve; a circumferentially extending passage defined partially within the inner end of the aft frame, by the flow sleeve, and by the transition portion, wherein the plurality of circumferentially spaced ribs define a plurality of cooling passages within the circumferentially extending passage; wherein the flow sleeve has an aft end that curves away from the transition portion to define a forward end of a circumferential inlet of the circumferentially extending passage; and wherein the AM combustor body further includes a plurality of parallel, metallurgically bonded metal layers. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The AM combustor body of claim 11, wherein the aft frame includes an intermediate portion between the inner end and the outer end thereof, and further comprising a plurality of circumferentially spaced openings defined circumferentially between the plurality of circumferentially spaced ribs aft of the aft end of the flow sleeve and defined axially between the intermediate portion and the aft end of the flow sleeve, wherein the plurality of circumferentially spaced openings is in fluid communication with the circumferentially extending passage. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The AM combustor body of claim 11, wherein the flow sleeve surrounds the exterior surface of the transition portion and extends axially from a forward end of the transition portion toward an aft end of the transition portion. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The AM combustor body of claim 11, wherein the circumferential inlet has an opening size that is a first distance D1 that is a minimum distance between the curved portion of the aft end of the flow sleeve and the outer end of the aft frame; wherein a pinch point of each cooling passage occurs where there is a respective second distance D2 that is a minimum distance between an exterior surface of the transition portion of the combustion liner and an inward facing surface of the flow sleeve; wherein a cross-sectional area of each respective cooling passage at each respective pinch point is determined based on a respective predefined pressure ratio; and wherein the first distance D1 of the circumferential inlet is larger than the second distance D2 up to about 400% larger than the second distance D2. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The AM combustor body of claim 14, wherein the flow sleeve diverges from the exterior surface of the transition portion from the pinch point of each cooling passage of the plurality of cooling passages to the forward end of the transition portion. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The AM combustor body of claim 11, wherein the aft end of the flow sleeve curves through at least 90 degrees. ### Claim 17 A gas turbine (GT) system, comprising: a compressor section; a combustion section operatively coupled to the compressor section; and a turbine section operatively coupled to the combustion section, wherein the combustion section includes at least one combustor including: an additively manufactured (AM) combustor body including a one-piece member including: a transition portion of a combustion liner; an aft frame at an aft end of the transition portion, the aft frame including an inner end integral with the transition portion, an outer end distal from the inner end, and a circumferentially extending passage partially defined within the inner end; a plurality of circumferentially spaced ribs extending forward from the inner end of the aft frame on an exterior surface of the transition portion of the combustion liner; and a flow sleeve integral with the plurality of circumferentially spaced ribs and further defining the circumferentially extending passage with the transition portion; wherein the flow sleeve includes an aft end curving at least 90 degrees away from the exterior surface of the transition portion to define a circumferential inlet between the aft end of the flow sleeve and the outer end of the aft frame; and wherein the AM combustor body further includes a plurality of parallel, metallurgically bonded metal layers. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The GT system of claim 17, wherein the flow sleeve converges toward the transition portion from an aft end thereof to a pinch point forward thereof and diverges from the transition portion from the pinch point to a forward end of the transition portion. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The GT system of claim 18, further comprising a plurality of cooling passages defined by the plurality of circumferentially spaced ribs, an inner surface of the flow sleeve, and an exterior surface of the transition portion, each cooling passage having a respective cross-sectional area at a respective pinch point defined by a predefined pressure ratio between the circumferential inlet and an exit of the respective cooling passage, and each respective pinch point occurs at a respective minimum distance D2 between an exterior surface of the transition section of the combustion liner and an inward facing surface of the flow sleeve. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The GT system of claim 17, wherein the aft end of the flow sleeve curves at least 180 degrees away from the exterior surface of the transition portion.