Abstract:
An example turbomachine assembly includes a plurality of fuel spraybars spaced about a turbine exhaust inner case of the turbomachine. At least one fuel injector assembly is associated with each of the fuel spraybars. The at least one fuel injector assembly may include a fuel nozzle having a fuel delivery conduit. The at least one fuel injector assembly includes a seal member that is biased away from the fuel nozzle in a direction. The fuel nozzle is configured to limit movement of the seal member in the direction.

Description:
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
       [0001]    This invention was made with government support under Contract No. N00019-02-C-3003 awarded by the United States Navy. The Government has certain rights in this invention. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    This disclosure relates generally to sealing a spray bar fuel nozzle with a seal and, more particularly, to retaining the seal. 
         [0003]    Turbine machines may include augmentors or “afterburners” to provide an increase in thrust. Within an augmentor section of a turbomachine, fuel is sprayed into a core stream. The fuel ignites to produce the desired additional thrust. The fuel is delivered to the core stream upstream of a flame holding device. Spraybars contain nozzles that deliver the fuel. 
         [0004]    The spraybars typically positioned within some flow deflecting structure, such as a trailing edge boxes of vanes. A cooling flow of air moves through these structures. Nozzles mounted to the spraybars deliver fuel through holes in the structure to the hot gas path. Seals associated with each nozzle limit movement of air from inside the structure to the hot gas path. Supporting these seals is often difficult. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0005]    A turbomachine assembly according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a plurality of fuel spraybars spaced about a turbine exhaust inner case of the turbomachine. At least one fuel injector assembly is associated with each of the fuel spraybars. The at least one fuel injector assembly includes a fuel nozzle having a fuel delivery conduit. The fuel injector assembly includes a seal member that is biased away from the fuel nozzle in a direction. The fuel nozzle is configured to limit movement of the seal member in the direction. 
         [0006]    In a further non-limiting embodiment of the foregoing turbomachine assembly, the fuel nozzle may include radially extending tabs that limit movement of the seal member in the direction. 
         [0007]    In a further non-limiting embodiment of either of the foregoing turbomachine assemblies, the direction may be perpendicular to a direction of flow through the spraybar. 
         [0008]    In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing turbomachine assemblies, the seal member may include a bore that receives the fuel nozzle. 
         [0009]    In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing turbomachine assemblies, the seal may include at least one pass-through groove and at least one truncated groove. 
         [0010]    In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing turbomachine assemblies, the plurality of fuel spraybars may be positioned within a trailing edge box. 
         [0011]    In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing turbomachine assemblies, the fuel nozzle may be configured to deliver fuel through windows in the trailing edge box. 
         [0012]    A turbomachine assembly according to another exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a fuel nozzle having a fuel delivery conduit, a seal having a bore configured to receive a portion of the fuel nozzle, and a tab configured to contact a groove floor to limit withdrawal of the fuel nozzle from the bore. 
         [0013]    In a further non-limiting embodiment of the foregoing turbomachine assembly, the fuel nozzle may include the tab and the seal may include the groove floor. 
         [0014]    In a further non-limiting embodiment of either of the foregoing turbomachine assemblies, the fuel nozzle may include the groove floor and the seal may include the tab. 
         [0015]    In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing turbomachine assemblies, the tab and the fuel nozzle may be portions of the same monolithic component. 
         [0016]    In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing turbomachine assemblies, the fuel nozzle may be configured to deliver fuel through the fuel delivery conduit to a hot gas flow path of a turbomachine. 
         [0017]    A method of securing a fuel injector seal assembly according to another exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, placing a fuel nozzle within a bore of a seal, and selectively limiting withdrawal of the fuel nozzle from the bore based on the circumferential position of the fuel nozzle relative to the bore. 
         [0018]    In a further non-limiting embodiment of the foregoing method of securing an injector nozzle seal, the method may include contacting a tab of the fuel nozzle against a groove floor of the seal during the selective limiting. 
         [0019]    In a further non-limiting embodiment of the foregoing method of securing an injector nozzle seal, the method may include contacting a tab of the seal against a groove floor of the fuel nozzle during the selective limiting. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
         [0020]    The various features and advantages of the disclosed examples will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the detailed description. The figures that accompany the detailed description can be briefly described as follows: 
           [0021]      FIG. 1  is a schematic side view of an example turbomachine. 
           [0022]      FIG. 2  shows a circumferential array of spraybars from an augmentor section of the turbomachine of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0023]      FIG. 3  shows a spraybar from the array of  FIG. 2 . 
           [0024]      FIG. 4  shows the spraybar of  FIG. 3  within a trailing edge box. 
           [0025]      FIG. 5  shows a close-up view of Area  5  in  FIG. 4 . 
           [0026]      FIG. 6  shows a rear view of the spraybar of  FIG. 4  within the trailing edge box and with a portion of the trailing edge box removed. 
           [0027]      FIG. 7  shows a side view of the spraybar of  FIG. 4  within the trailing edge box and with a portion of the trailing edge box removed. 
           [0028]      FIG. 8  shows an exploded view of a fuel nozzle assembly of the spraybar of  FIG. 3 . 
           [0029]      FIG. 9  shows a section view of the fuel nozzle assembly of  FIG. 8  interfacing with the trailing edge box of  FIG. 4 . 
           [0030]      FIG. 10  shows a front view of a face seal of the  FIG. 8  fuel nozzle assembly. 
           [0031]      FIG. 11  shows a section view of the face seal at line  11 - 11  in  FIG. 10 . 
           [0032]      FIG. 12  shows a section view of the face seal at line  12 - 12  in  FIG. 10 . 
           [0033]      FIG. 13  shows a perspective view of the face seal of  FIG. 10 . 
           [0034]      FIG. 14  shows a section view of the fuel nozzle assembly of  FIG. 8  at a beginning stage of installation. 
           [0035]      FIG. 15  shows a section view of the fuel nozzle assembly of  FIG. 8  at a later stage of installation than  FIG. 14  and with a biasing member removed for clarity. 
           [0036]      FIG. 16  shows the section view of  FIG. 14  at a later stage of installation than  FIG. 15  and with a biasing member removed for clarity. 
           [0037]      FIG. 17  shows a section view at a later stage of installation than  FIG. 16  and with a biasing member removed for clarity. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0038]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , an example turbomachine  10  includes a fan section  12 , a compression section  14 , a combustor section  16 , a turbine section  18 , an augmentor section  20 , and an exhaust section  22 . The compressor section  14 , combustor section  16 , and turbine section  18  are generally referred to as the core engine. An axis A extends longitudinally through the turbomachine  10 . 
         [0039]    Although depicted as a two spool gas turbine engine in the disclosed non-limiting embodiment, it should be understood that the concepts described herein are not limited to use with such two spool designs. That is, the teachings may be applied to other types of turbomachines and gas turbine engines, including three spool architectures. 
         [0040]    In the example engine  10 , flow moves from the fan section  12  to a bypass flowpath. Flow from the bypass flowpath generates forward thrust. The compressor section  14  drives flow along a core flowpath. Compressed air from the compressor section  14  communicates through the combustor section  16 . The products of combustion expand through the turbine section  18 . 
         [0041]    In some examples, the turbomachine  10  may incorporate a geared architecture  24  that allows a fan of the fan section  12  to rotate at a slower speed than a turbine that is driving the fan. The geared architecture  24  may include an epicyclic geartrain, such as a planetary geartrain, or some other gear system. 
         [0042]    Referring now to  FIGS. 2 to 7  with continuing reference to  FIG. 1 , the augmentor section  20  of the example engine  10  includes an inner turbine exhaust case  26 , an outer turbine exhaust case  30 , and an annular array of vanes  34  extending radially therebetween. Each of the vanes  34  houses a spraybar  38  within a trailing edge box  42  of the vane  34 . The spraybar  38  supports a plurality of fuel injector assemblies  46  at varied radial positions. 
         [0043]    During operation of the engine  10 , fuel moves from the inner turbine exhaust case  26  through the spraybar  38 . Other examples introduce fuel to the spraybars  38  from other areas of the engine  10 . The fuel exits the spraybar  38  at the fuel injector assemblies  46 . The fuel moves from the fuel injector assemblies  46  through windows  50  in the trailing edge box  42  of the vane  34 . The fuel is in a hot gas flow path of the engine  20  after moving through the windows  50 . The fuel is ignited to provide additional engine thrust. 
         [0044]    Cooling air moves through the trailing edge box  42  of the vane to cool the spraybar  38  and surrounding structures. Each of the fuel injector assemblies  46  includes a face seal member  54  that limits leakage of cooling air through the windows  50  into the hot gas flowpath. Such leakage causes inefficiencies, as is known. 
         [0045]    Referring now to  FIGS. 8 to 13 , in addition to the seal member  54 , the example fuel injector assemblies  46  include a fuel nozzle  58  and a biasing member, such as a spring  62 . The fuel nozzles  58  each include a fuel delivery conduit  66  that directs fuel from the spraybar  38  into the hot gas flowpath. The fuel delivery conduit  66  delivers fuel in a direction that is generally perpendicular to the direction of flow through the spraybar  38 . In this example, the fuel delivery conduit  66  of the fuel nozzle  58  directs fuel circumferentially, and the main portion of the spraybar  38  directs flow radially. 
         [0046]    The seal member  54  includes a bore  70  extending from a seal face  74  of the seal member to an opposite side of the seal member  54 . The bore  70  extends along an axis A′. The bore  70  receives the fuel nozzle  58 . 
         [0047]    The seal member  54  includes two pass-through grooves  78  at an outer perimeter of the bore  70 . The pass-through grooves  78  extend the length of the bore  70  from the seal face  74  to the opposing surface of the seal member  54 . 
         [0048]    The seal member  54  includes two truncated grooves  82  at an outer perimeter of the bore  70 . The truncated grooves  82  differ from the pass-through grooves  78  as the truncated grooves  82  each terminate a groove floor  84  rather than extending the length of the bore  70 . 
         [0049]    In this example, the pass-through grooves  78  are disposed at opposing circumferential positions. Similarly, the truncated grooves  82  are disposed at circumferentially oppose positions. The pass-through grooves  78  and the truncated grooves  82  are distributed circumferentially about the perimeter of the bore 70 every 90 degrees. 
         [0050]    Tabs  88  or ears extend from an outer surface  92  of the fuel nozzle  58 . In the example, the tabs  88  must be circumferentially aligned with the pass-through grooves  78  for the fuel nozzle  58  to be received within the bore  70 . The tabs  88  prevent the bore  70  of the seal member  54  from receiving the fuel nozzle  58  when the tabs  88  are not circumferentially aligned with the pass-through grooves  78 . 
         [0051]    Referring now to  FIGS. 14 to 17 , an example installation procedure for installing the seal member  54  on the fuel nozzle  58  includes circumferentially aligning the pass-through grooves  78  with the tabs  88 , and then moving the seal member  54  toward the spraybar  38  and against a biasing force of the spring  62  in a direction D. The seal member  54  is moved far enough so that the tabs  88  protrude completely beyond the seal face  74 . 
         [0052]    The seal member  54  is then rotated 90 degrees about the axis A′ of the bore  70  until the tabs  88  are aligned with the grooves  82 . In this example, the seal member  54  is rotated 90 degrees. The force opposing the biasing force of the spring  62  is then removed causing the spring biasing force of the spring  62  to move the seal member  54  opposite the direction D. The tabs  88  then contact the groove floors  84 . This contact prevents the spring biasing force from causing the fuel nozzle  58  to move completely out of bore  70 . The tabs  88  contacting the groove floors  84  thus prevent the fuel nozzle  58  from withdrawing from the bore  70 . 
         [0053]    Referring again to  FIGS. 4 to 7 , the spraybar  38  having the assembled seal member  54  is then placed within the trailing edge box  42 . The seal face  74  contacts an inner surface  96  of the trailing edge box  42  to limit movement of air from an interior of the trailing edge box  42  to the hot gas flow path. 
         [0054]    Features of the disclosed examples include a fuel nozzle assembly supporting a seal without the use of a separate supporting component. 
         [0055]    The preceding description is exemplary rather than limiting in nature. Variations and modifications to the disclosed examples may become apparent to those skilled in the art that do not necessarily depart from the essence of this disclosure. Thus, the scope of legal protection given to this disclosure can only be determined by studying the following claims.