Patent ID: 8590313

Claim:
An annular precision counter-swirl combustor comprising: an outer combustor liner; an inner combustor liner substantially concentric with said outer combustor liner and defining an annular combustor interior extending longitudinally from a forward end to an aft end; a bulkhead portion at said forward end of the combustor interior; a fuel nozzle mounted to an engine case, and operatively connected in said bulkhead portion; a swirler for mixing fuel and air operatively connected in said bulkhead portion; at least one air inlet per fuel nozzle on each said combustor liner, each said air inlet including a chute for directing a passage of air through said air inlet into said interior of said combustor; and an airfoil shaped strut directly securing at least said bulkhead portion and said outer liner of said combustor to the engine case, wherein one of said air inlets in said outer and inner combustor liners is laterally offset on a first side of said swirler and the other of said air inlets is laterally offset to a second side opposite of said first side of said swirler, such that said air inlets co-operate to provide a passage of air opposing a direction of swirl of fuel and air created by said swirler, and said strut preventing movement of said air inlets relative to said fuel nozzle and swirler, and precisely locating said air inlets to create a uniform mixture of fuel and air in said combustor and a uniform temperature profile of combustion products exiting said combustor through said aft end, and an area and a location of an air inlet that is substantially aligned with said strut are determined such that air flow through said air inlet aligned with said strut is substantially the same as air flow through an air inlet not aligned with said strut.