Patent ID: 9188337
Filing Date: 2015-11-17
Classification: F23R

Abstract:
1. A system for providing compressed air to fuel injectors within a combustor, the system comprising: an annular liner defining a combustion chamber within a casing of the combustor; a flow sleeve assembly having an inner sleeve radially spaced from and circumferentially surrounding the liner, an outer sleeve radially spaced from and circumferentially surrounding the inner sleeve, the inner sleeve being fixedly connected to the outer sleeve and forming a void therebetween, wherein the liner and the inner sleeve define an annular flow passage therebetween, the flow sleeve assembly further comprising a plurality of fuel injectors circumferentially spaced around and extending radially through the outer sleeve, the inner sleeve, the annular flow passage and the liner, each fuel injector having an inlet defined along an outer surface of the outer sleeve; an upstream end of the flow sleeve assembly directly connected to the casing of the combustor, the outer sleeve, the inner sleeve, and the void therebetween all extending from the upstream end to the plurality of fuel injectors located downstream from the upstream end; a distribution manifold that extends continuously circumferentially around the outer sleeve, the distribution manifold having a forward wall axially spaced from an aft wall and an outer wall that extends axially between the forward wall and the aft wall, the outer wall substantially parallel with and radially spaced from the outer surface of the outer sleeve, the forward and aft walls being fixedly connected directly to the outer surface of the outer sleeve, wherein the forward wall, the aft wall and the outer wall define an annular flow passage within the distribution manifold and wherein the inlet of each fuel injector is disposed within the annular flow passage; and a plurality of openings circumferentially spaced along the outer wall of the distribution manifold, wherein each opening defines a fluid passage into the annular flow passage, wherein a first portion of an inner surface of the outer wall is radially spaced from the outer surface of the outer sleeve at a first radial height at a first circumferential location along the outer sleeve and a second portion of the inner surface of the outer wall is radially spaced from the outer surface at a second radial height at a second circumferential location along the outer sleeve, the second radial height is greater than the first radial height.