US 6,094,916 A · Dry low oxides of nitrogen lean premix module for industrial gas turbine engines

Abstract

The present invention relates generally to a lean premix module for an industrial gas turbine engine to satisfy increasingly stringent environmental requirements. A combustion system of the present invention employs a lean premix technique to meet the engine operability requirements and high power emission targets without the use of combustor diluent injection or post combustor exhaust treatment. A lean premix combustion mode is utilized to minimize primary zone combustion temperatures and limit the oxides of nitrogen production during high power engine operation. In one form of the present invention, the lean premix combustion is carried out in an off centerline silo combustor having a plurality of lean premix modules positioned parallel within a common liner. The lean premix modules receive the air from the compressor into a radial swirler and the fuel is dispensed along the radial swirler in order to be premixed with the air. A nozzle having a converging-diverging section is utilized to accelerate the fluid flow in the converging portion to prevent flashback, and in the diverging portion to expand the fluid flow to induce a centrally located recirculation zone. In another form of the present invention, the lean premix module is located inline in a can-annular combustion system.

Claims37

Dependent claims

A gas turbine engine, including:

a combustor having at least one substantially can shape combustion chamber;
a plurality of lean premix modules associated with each of said at least one combustion chamber, each of said modules having a centerline defining an axial direction and comprising a radial inflow swirler having a plurality of vanes oriented to accelerate a flow through said vanes;
and
at least one fueling pathway positioned axially along said radial swirler, said at least one fueling pathway includes a plurality of dispensing apertures adapted to dispense a fuel axially along said swirler.

1 more element

A combustor assembly for receiving fuel from an external source and air from a compressor, comprising:

a combustion housing having an upstream end;
and
a lean premix module connected to said upstream end of said combustion housing, said module having a centerline defining an axial direction and comprising:
a radial inflow swirler fixed relative to said module and having an upstream end, an inlet, an outlet, and a plurality of vanes defining a plurality of flow channels therebetween, at least one of said channels having a varying cross-sectional width, said radial inflow swirler utilizing said plurality of vanes to swirl the fuel and air in one direction, each of said plurality of vanes has a trailing edge, and wherein said swirler defining between said trailing edges a hollow core extending substantially an entire axial length of said swirler and an entire radial length between said trailing edges;
and
a fueling pathway positioned axially along said swirler for delivering fuel across said swirler, said fueling pathway having an outlet located upstream of said outlet of said swirler.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Dry low oxides of nitrogen lean premix module for industrial gas turbine engines

Life of this patent

Dry low oxides of nitrogen lean premix module for industrial gas turbine engines

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims37