Gas turbine combustor having poppet valves for air distribution control
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorRobert A. Corr, II
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A poppet valve system for controlling the air distribution within the combustor of a gas turbine. The cylindrical combustor includes a concentric combustion lining where air and fuel are mixed and burned near a flame holder, and a dilution air manifold that injects dilution air into the combustion lining downstream of the flame holder. Air enters the dilution air manifold and the liner mixing zone through openings that can be closed by poppet valves. Each poppet valve is operated to close either an opening in the combustion liner to the mixing zone or a corresponding opening in the dilution air manifold. The volume of air mixing with fuel in the mixing zone is controlled by operation of the poppet valves.
Claims7
A gas turbine having a compressor, a combustor receiving compressed air from said compressor, and a turbine receiving combustion gases from said combustor, wherein said combustor comprises;
- a casing coupled to said gas turbine for receiving air from the compressor and for exhausting heated combustion gases to said turbine;
- a combustor liner mounted within said casing and having zones for mixing fuel and air, combusting the fuel/air mixture and for dilution air, said liner having at least one mixing air entry hole upstream of said zone for mixing fuel and air, said air entry hole being substantially perpendicular to a flow of air into said zone for mixing fuel and air, and said combustor liner having a dilution air entry hole downstream of said zone for combusting the fuel/air mixture;
- an air distribution manifold receiving air from said casing through a poppet valve opening and directing air into said zone for dilution air in said liner;
- and
- a poppet valve slidably mounted in said casing between said poppet valve opening in said air distribution manifold and said mixing air entry hole in said liner, said poppet valve moving linearly between said poppet valve opening and mixing air entry hole, and said poppet valve alternatively sealing said poppet valve opening and mixing air entry hole.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.