Combustion chamber with variable oxidizer intakes

A generally annular combustion chamber for a gas turbine engine, the combustion chamber having an outer wall, an inner wall and an upstream end wall connecting the outer and inner walls, and comprising:

• a) at least one fuel injector assembly located on the upstream end wall to inject fuel and allow oxidizer to pass into the combustion chamber, the fuel injector assembly having an oxidizer intake swirler with a control diaphragm movable between maximum and minimum flow positions;
• b) control means operatively connected to the control diaphragm to move the control diaphragm between its maximum and minimum flow positions;
• c) a complementary oxidizer intake orifice in the upstream end wall located adjacent to one of the outer and inner walls so as to communicate with the combustion chamber;
• d) a closure plate slidably attached to the upstream end wall so as to move in a generally radial direction with respect to the generally annular combustion chamber movable between an open position wherein the complementary oxidizer intake orifice is open and a closed position wherein the complementary oxidizer intake orifice is closed;
• and,
• e) connecting means mechanically connecting the closure plate and the control diaphragm such that, when the control diaphragm is in its maximum flow position the closure plate is in its closed position and when the control diaphragm is in its minimum flow position, the closure plate is in the open position.