Patent ID: 6240731
Filing Date: 2001-06-05
Classification: F23C,F23D,F23R,Y02E

Abstract:
A combustor for a gas turbine engine comprising:first and second sidewall sections connected to a dome end wall to form an elongated combustion chamber having an upstream end and a downstream end;said dome wall being disposed at the upstream end of the combustion chamber and having a predetermined dome height;a fuel injector/air swirler assembly mounted in the dome wall for injecting a fuel air spray into the combustion chamber, said fuel injector/swirler assembly being configured to produce a fuel-rich highly mixed fuel-air spray pattern with uniform distribution;side sidewalls containing a first and second array of air inlets configured for introducing airflow into the combustion chamber sufficient to cause rapid combustion and a rapidly resulting lean-fuel air mixture;said first array of air inlets being disposed to direct air inflow into the fuel-air spray pattern in the combustion chamber and positioned a predetermined distance downstream from said dome wall, said predetermined distance being greater than 0.75 times said dome height; andsaid second array of air inlets being disposed to direct air inflow into the fuel-air spray pattern in the combustion chamber and positioned downstream from said first array;said fuel injector/air swirler assembly comprises:a fuel delivery passage having a discharge outlet for discharging fuel;a first airflow swirler having a first outlet disposed to provide swirling air to discharging fuel, said first swirler being an axial inflow swirler configured to swirl air in a first angular direction;a second airflow swirler having a second outlet disposed to provide swirling air to discharging fuel, said second swirler being a radial inflow swirler configured to swirl air in said first angular direction;said first and second outlets being positioned to provide swirling air to fuel at said discharge outlet to produce a downstream-flowing fuel air mixture; anda third airflow swirler having a third outlet disposed to provide swirling air to said fuel air mixture, said third swirler being a radial inflow swirler configured to swirl air in said first angular direction.