Patent ID: 7464552
Filing Date: 2008-12-16
Classification: F02C,F05D,F23M,F23R

Abstract:
1. An acoustically stiffened fuel supply system for a turbine engine comprising: at least one turbine engine combustion chamber; a fuel supply passage for receiving a pressurized gas fuel therein, the passage having an outlet adapted to discharge fuel into the combustion chamber, the fuel supply passage being defined at least in part by a t-shaped pipe having an open inlet end, an opposing open outlet end and an open branch end disposed therebetween, the t-shaped pipe having an internal passage, wherein the fuel in the passage has an associated volume velocity wave and an associated pressure wave, the pressure wave being substantially 90 degrees out of phase with the volume velocity wave; a plug having a plurality of openings therein, the plug being secured to the branch end so as to substantially close the open branch end, the plug including an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein the inner surface includes at least one baffle extending therefrom, whereby the baffle reduces grazing flow of fuel over the inner surface of the plug; and a housing enclosing at least a portion of the branch end so as to define a volume therebetween, wherein the openings permit fluid communication between the internal passage of the t-shaped pipe and the volume and wherein the openings are the only manner of fluid communication with the volume, whereby a resonator assembly is formed, wherein the resonator shifts the pressure wave in the fuel supply passage such that a pressure antinode occurs substantially at the outlet, whereby the volume velocity wave amplitude of the fuel is reduced at the passage outlet, such that the combustion oscillations in the combustor that are attributable to the fuel passage are suppressed.