The present application relates generally to gas turbine engines and more particularly relates to a joint between adjacent annular can combustors to promote mixing of the respective combustion streams downstream thereof before entry into the first stage of the turbine.
Annular combustors often are used with gas turbine engines. Generally described, an annular combustor may have a number of individual can combustors that are circumferentially spaced between a compressor and a turbine. Each can combustor separately generates combustion gases that are directed downstream towards the first stage of the turbine.
The mixing of these separate combustion streams is largely a function of the free stream Mach number at which the mixing is taking place as well as the differences in momentum and energy between the combustion streams. Moreover, a stagnant flow region or wake in a low flow velocity region may exist downstream of a joint between adjacent can combustors due to the bluntness of the joint. As such, the non-uniform combustor flows may have a Mach number of only about 0.1 when leaving the can combustors. Practically speaking, the axial distance between the exit of the can combustors and the leading edge of a first stage nozzle is relatively small such that little mixing actually may take place before entry into the turbine.
The combustor flows then may be strongly accelerated in the stage one nozzle to a Mach number of about 1.0. This acceleration may exaggerate the non-uniformities in the flow fields and hence create more mixing losses downstream thereof. As the now strongly nonuniform flow field enters the stage one bucket, the majority of mixing losses may take place therein as the wakes from the can combustor joints may be mixed by an unsteady flow process.
There is thus a desire therefore for an improved combustor design that may minimize mixing loses. Such reduced mixing loses may reduce overall pressure losses without increasing the axial distance between the combustor and the turbine. Such an improved combustion design thus should improve overall system performance and efficiency.
The present application and the resultant patent thus provide a mixing joint for adjacent can combustors. The mixing joint may include a first can combustor with a first combustion flow and a first wall, a second can combustor with a second combustion flow and a second wall, and a flow disruption surface positioned about the first wall and the second wall to promote mixing of the first combustion flow and the second combustion flow.
The present application and the resultant patent further provide a method of limiting pressure losses in a gas turbine engine. The method may include the steps of positioning a mixing joint with a flow disruption surface on a number of can combustors, generating a number of combustion streams in the can combustors, substantially mixing the combustion streams in a low velocity region downstream of the can combustors, and passing a mixed stream to a turbine.
The present application and the resultant patent further provide a gas turbine engine. The gas turbine engine may include a number of can combustors, a mixing joint positioned between each pair of the can combustors, and a turbine downstream of the can combustors. The mixing joint may include a flow disruption surface thereon.
These and other features and improvements of the present application will become apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art upon review of the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the several drawings and the appended claims.
Referring now to the drawings, in which like numerals refer to like elements throughout the several views,
The gas turbine engine 10 may use natural gas, various types of syngas, and/or other types of fuels. The gas turbine engine 10 may be any one of a number of different gas turbine engines such as those offered by General Electric Company of Schenectady, New York and the like. The gas turbine engine 10 may have different configurations and may use other types of components. Other types of gas turbine engines also may be used herein. Multiple gas turbine engines, other types of turbines, and other types of power generation equipment also may be used herein together.
As is shown in
Referring again to
The embodiments of the mixing joint 150 described herein are for purposes of example only. Any other mixing joint geometry or other type of flow disruption surface 155 that encourages mixing of the combustion flows 125, 135, 145 from adjacent can combustors 110 before entry into the turbine 160 may be used herein. Different types of flow disruption surfaces 155 may be used herein together. Other components and other configurations also may be used herein.
It should be apparent that the foregoing relates only to certain embodiments of the present application and that numerous changes and modifications may be made herein by one of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the general spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the following claims and the equivalents thereof.
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