Abstract:
Embodiments of the present invention include a unique gas turbine engine and a unique dome panel assembly for a gas turbine engine combustor. Other embodiments include apparatuses, systems, devices, hardware, methods, and combinations for gas turbine engines, gas turbine engine combustor systems and dome panel assemblies for gas turbine engine combustion system. Further embodiments, forms, features, aspects, benefits, and advantages of the present application shall become apparent from the description and figures provided herewith.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application 61/291,113, filed Dec. 30, 2009, and is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to gas turbine engines, and more particularly, to a dome panel assembly with bifurcated swirler flow for a gas turbine engine combustor. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Gas turbine engine combustor systems remain an area of interest. Some existing systems have various shortcomings, drawbacks, and disadvantages relative to certain applications. Accordingly, there remains a need for further contributions in this area of technology. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    Embodiments of the present invention include a unique gas turbine engine and a unique dome panel assembly for a gas turbine engine combustor. Other embodiments include apparatuses, systems, devices, hardware, methods, and combinations for gas turbine engines, gas turbine engine combustor systems and dome panel assemblies for gas turbine engine combustion system. Further embodiments, forms, features, aspects, benefits, and advantages of the present application shall become apparent from the description and figures provided herewith. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0005]    The description herein makes reference to the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views, and wherein: 
           [0006]      FIG. 1  schematically depicts a non-limiting example of a gas turbine engine in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  is a cross section depicting a non-limiting example of a dome panel assembly in a gas turbine engine combustor in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  depicts a non-limiting example of a dome panel in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0009]    For purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings, and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nonetheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is intended by the illustration and description of certain embodiments of the invention. In addition, any alterations and/or modifications of the illustrated and/or described embodiment(s) are contemplated as being within the scope of the present invention. Further, any other applications of the principles of the invention, as illustrated and/or described herein, as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention pertains, are contemplated as being within the scope of the present invention. 
         [0010]    Referring now to the drawings, and in particular,  FIG. 1 , a non-limiting example of a gas turbine engine  10  in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention is schematically depicted. In one form, gas turbine engine  10  is an axial flow machine, e.g., an air vehicle propulsion power plant. In other embodiments, gas turbine engine  10  may be a centrifugal flow machine or a combination axial centrifugal flow machine. It will be understood that embodiments of the present invention include various gas turbine engine configurations, for example, including turbojet engines, turbofan engines, turboprop engines, and turboshaft engines having axial, centrifugal and/or axi-centrifugal compressors and/or turbines. 
         [0011]    In the illustrated embodiment, gas turbine engine  10  includes an engine core  12 . Engine core  12  includes a compressor  14  having a plurality of blades and vanes  16  with outlet guide vanes (OGV)  18 , a diffuser  20 , a combustor  22  and a turbine  24 . Diffuser  20  and combustor  22  are fluidly disposed between OGV  18  of compressor  14  and turbine  24 . Turbine  24  is drivingly coupled to compressor  14  via a shaft  26 . Although only a single spool is depicted, it will be understood that the present invention is equally applicable to multi-spool engines. In various embodiments, gas turbine engine  10  may include, in addition to engine core  12 , one or more fans, additional compressors and/or additional turbines. 
         [0012]    During the operation of gas turbine engine  10 , air is supplied to the inlet of compressor  14 . Blades and vanes  16  compress air received at the inlet of compressor  14 , and after having been compressed, the air is discharged via OGV  18  into diffuser  20 . Diffuser  20  reduces the velocity of the pressurized air from compressor  14 , and directs the pressurized air to combustor  22 . Fuel is mixed with the air and combusted in combustor  22 , and the hot gases exiting combustor  22  are directed into turbine  24 . 
         [0013]    Turbine  24  includes a plurality of blades and vanes  28 . Blades and vanes  28  extract energy from the hot gases to generate mechanical shaft power to drive compressor  14  via shaft  26 . In one form, the hot gases exiting turbine  24  are directed into a nozzle (not shown), which provides thrust output the gas turbine engine. In other embodiments, additional turbine stages in one or more additional rotors may be employed, e.g., in multi-spool gas turbine engines. 
         [0014]    Referring now to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , aspects of a non-limiting embodiment of combustor  22  are described. In one form, combustor  22  is an annular combustor. In other embodiments, other combustor configurations may be employed, such as can combustors and can-annular combustors. Combustor  22  includes a dome panel assembly  30  and a combustion liner  32 . Combustion liner  32  includes an inner wall  34  and an outer wall  36 . Inner wall  34  and outer wall  36  are spaced apart in the radial direction to form an annulus extending around the centerline of engine core  12 . In one form, dome panel assembly  30  is coupled to inner wall  34  and outer wall  36 . Dome panel assembly  30  and combustion liner  32  define a combustion chamber  38 . In some embodiments, inner wall  34  and outer wall  36  are structured to permit cooling air  40  to flow through inner wall  34  and/or outer wall  36  into combustion chamber  38  in order to prevent excess temperatures in inner wall  34  and/or outer wall  36 . For example, some embodiments of inner wall  34  and/or outer wall  36  include film and/or impingement cooling passages (not shown). 
         [0015]    In one form, dome panel assembly  30  includes a dome panel  42 , a plurality of swirler systems  44 , a flow splitter  46  and a shroud  48 . Dome panel  42  is defined by an outer periphery  50 , an inner periphery  52 , and includes a plurality of openings  54  ( FIG. 3 ). Each opening  54  is adapted to receive a swirler system  44 . In other embodiments, dome panel  42  may include only a single opening  54  for one or more swirler systems  44 . Each swirler system  44  is adapted to receive a fuel injector  56 . Fuel injector  56  has a centerline  58 . 
         [0016]    In one form, each swirler system  44  includes an inner band  60 , an outer band  62  and a plurality of swirler vanes  64 . Inner band  60  pilots fuel injector  56  within swirler system  44 . Swirler system  44  is piloted within opening  54  of dome panel  42  by outer band  62 . Swirler vanes  64  are positioned within the annulus formed by inner band  60  and outer band  62 , and extend between inner band  60  and outer band  62 . In one form, inner band  60 , outer band  62  and swirler vanes  64  are integrally formed together as a unitary structure, e.g., a casting. In other embodiments, one or more of inner band  60 , outer band  62  and swirler vanes  64  are individually formed and assembled together to yield each swirler system  44 . 
         [0017]    During the operation of gas turbine engine  10 , an airflow  66  enters swirler system  44 . Flow splitter  46  is positioned downstream of swirler vanes  64  to bifurcate airflow  66  into a bifurcated flow  68  and a bifurcated flow  70 . In one form, inner band  60 , outer band  62 , swirler vanes  64  and flow splitter  46  combine to form two swirlers, e.g., swirlers  44 A and  44 B, wherein swirler  44 A is perimetrically disposed around fuel injector  56 , and wherein swirler  44 B is perimetrically disposed around swirler  44 A. 
         [0018]    Shroud  48  is positioned downstream of flow splitter  46 . In one form, flow splitter  46  and shroud  48  are integrally formed together as a unitary structure. In other embodiments, flow splitter  46  and shroud  48  may be discrete components. In another form, swirler system  44 , flow splitter  46  and shroud  48  are integrally formed together as a unitary structure. In still other embodiments, one or more of swirler system  44 , flow splitter  46  and shroud  48  may be formed as discrete components and assembled together. 
         [0019]    Shroud  48  is structured to deflect bifurcated flow  68  and bifurcated flow  70 . In particular, shroud  48  includes a deflector surface  72  for deflecting bifurcated flow  68 , and includes a deflector surface  74  for deflecting bifurcated flow  70 . The shapes of deflector surface  72  and deflector surface  74  may be selected to meet the needs of the particular application, and are not limited to the shape depicted in  FIG. 2  or any other particular shape. Deflector surface  72  is structured to direct bifurcated flow  68  into a first direction  76  having a component that is inward toward centerline  58  of fuel injector  56 . In some embodiments, the inner swirling air of bifurcated flow  68  may reduce combustor-generated smoke, and may increase combustor efficiency. The direction  76  of bifurcated flow  68  may be selected to meet the needs of the particular application, and is not limited to the direction depicted in  FIG. 2 . Deflector surface  74  is structured to direct bifurcated flow  70  into a second direction  78  with a component that is outward from centerline  58  of fuel injector  56 . In one form, bifurcated flow  70  is directed toward both inner wall  34  and outer wall  36  of combustion liner  32 . In some embodiments the outer swirling air of bifurcated flow  70  cools metallic surfaces of combustor  22 , e.g., dome panel  42  and combustion liner  32 , and may also extend lean blowout limits. The direction  78  of bifurcated flow  70  may be selected to meet the needs of the particular application, and is not limited to the direction depicted in  FIG. 2 . In other embodiments, bifurcated flow  68  and/or bifurcated flow  70  may be additionally directed toward other locations. 
         [0020]    Embodiments include a gas turbine engine, comprising: a compressor; a turbine, a combustor fluidly disposed between the compressor and the turbine, including: a swirler system adapted to receive a fuel injector; and a flow splitter positioned to bifurcate an airflow exiting the swirler system into a first bifurcated flow and a second bifurcated flow. 
         [0021]    In a refinement, the combustor includes a shroud positioned downstream of the flow splitter and structured to deflect at least one of the first bifurcated flow and the second bifurcated flow. 
         [0022]    In another refinement, the shroud includes a first deflector surface for deflecting the first bifurcated flow, and wherein the shroud includes a second deflector surface for deflecting the second bifurcated flow. 
         [0023]    In yet another refinement, the shroud is structured to direct the first bifurcated flow into a first direction. 
         [0024]    In still another refinement, the first direction is inward toward a centerline of the fuel injector. 
         [0025]    In a further refinement, the shroud is structured to direct the second bifurcated flow into a second direction. 
         [0026]    In a yet further refinement, the second direction includes a component that is outward from a centerline of the fuel injector. 
         [0027]    In a still further refinement, the combustor includes a dome panel having an opening adapted to receive the swirler system. 
         [0028]    In another refinement, the combustor includes a combustion liner having an outer wall coupled to the dome panel and an inner wall coupled to the dome panel, and wherein the second direction is towards the outer wall and towards the inner wall. 
         [0029]    Another embodiment includes a dome panel assembly for a gas turbine engine combustion system, comprising: a dome panel having an opening; a swirler system disposed in the opening and adapted to receive a fuel injector; and a flow splitter positioned to bifurcate an airflow exiting the swirler system into a first bifurcated flow and a second bifurcated flow. 
         [0030]    In a refinement, the dome panel assembly includes a shroud positioned downstream of the flow splitter and structured to deflect the first bifurcated flow and the second bifurcated flow. 
         [0031]    In another refinement, the shroud includes a first deflector surface for deflecting the first bifurcated flow, and wherein the shroud includes a second deflector surface for deflecting the second bifurcated flow. 
         [0032]    In yet another refinement, the shroud is structured to direct the first bifurcated flow inward toward a centerline of the fuel injector and to direct the second bifurcated flow outward from a centerline of the fuel injector. 
         [0033]    In still another refinement, the shroud and the flow splitter are integrally formed together as a unitary structure. 
         [0034]    In yet still another refinement, the swirler system includes a first swirler perimetrically disposed around the fuel injector; and a second swirler perimetrically disposed around the first swirler. 
         [0035]    In further refinement, the swirler system is a unitary structure. 
         [0036]    Embodiments include a dome panel assembly for a gas turbine engine, comprising: a dome panel having an opening; means for swirling air, wherein the means for swirling air is disposed in the opening, and wherein the means for swirling air is positioned adjacent to a location for a fuel injector; and means for bifurcating an airflow exiting the means for swirling air into a first bifurcated flow and a second bifurcated flow. 
         [0037]    In a refinement, the dome panel assembly further comprises means for deflecting the first bifurcated flow and the second bifurcated flow. 
         [0038]    In another refinement, the means for deflecting directs the first bifurcated flow inward toward a centerline of the fuel injector and directs the second bifurcated flow outward from a centerline of the fuel injector. 
         [0039]    In yet another refinement, the means for bifurcating and the means for deflecting are integrally formed together as a unitary structure. 
         [0040]    In still another refinement, the means for swirling air, the means for bifurcating and the means for deflecting are integrally formed together as a unitary structure. 
         [0041]    While the invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiment(s), but on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims, which scope is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent structures as permitted under the law. Furthermore it should be understood that while the use of the word preferable, preferably, or preferred in the description above indicates that feature so described may be more desirable, it nonetheless may not be necessary and any embodiment lacking the same may be contemplated as within the scope of the invention, that scope being defined by the claims that follow. In reading the claims it is intended that when words such as “a,” “an,” “at least one” and “at least a portion” are used, there is no intention to limit the claim to only one item unless specifically stated to the contrary in the claim. Further, when the language “at least a portion” and/or “a portion” is used the item may include a portion and/or the entire item unless specifically stated to the contrary.