The subject matter disclosed herein relates to a burner for a turbomachine. More specifically, the disclosure is directed to a front panel of a burner which is integrally formed.
Turbomachines, such as gas turbine engines, typically comprise an inlet section, a compression section, one or more burners, a combustion chamber, and a turbine section. The inlet section may include a series of filters, cooling coils, moisture separators, and/or other devices to purify and otherwise condition a working fluid (e.g., air) entering the gas turbine. The working fluid flows downstream from the inlet section to a compressor section where kinetic energy is progressively imparted to the working fluid to produce a compressed working fluid at a highly energized state. The compressed working fluid is mixed with a fuel from a fuel supply to form a combustible mixture within one or more burners. The combustible mixture is burned by the one or more burners to provide combustion gases having a high temperature and pressure to a combustion chamber. The combustion gases flow through a turbine of a turbine section wherein energy (kinetic and/or thermal) is transferred from the combustion gases to rotor blades, thus causing a shaft to rotate and produce work. For example, the rotation of the shaft may drive the compressor to produce the compressed working fluid. Alternately or in addition, the shaft may connect the turbine to a generator for producing electricity. Exhaust gases from the turbine flow through an exhaust section that connects the turbine to an exhaust stack downstream from the turbine. The exhaust section may include, for example, a heat recovery steam generator for cleaning and extracting additional heat from the exhaust gases prior to release to the environment.
The burners of such turbomachines typically adjoin the combustion chamber via a front panel of the burner. The front panel may also include damping features. A seal segment can be attached and welded to the front panel of the burner. The seal segment may be used to connect the front panel of the burner to a membrane seal and to an inner carrier to form a burner plenum.
Constructing and assembling the seal segment and the front panel of separate parts can introduce limitations into the design of the burner plenum. For example, the seal segment may conflict with or constrain the possible locations for the damping features on some front panels.
Accordingly, it is recognized in the art that there is a need for improved front panels for burners which provide sealing features and damping features.
Aspects and advantages are set forth below in the following description, or may be obvious from the description, or may be learned through practice.
In one example embodiment of the present disclosure, a front panel for a burner of a turbomachine is provided. The turbomachine defines an axial direction, a radial direction perpendicular to the axial direction, and a circumferential direction extending around the axial direction. The front panel includes a frame comprising an outer portion extending along the circumferential direction from a first side portion to a second side portion. The frame also includes an inner portion spaced apart from the outer portion along the radial direction by the first side portion and the second side portion. The inner portion of the frame extends along the circumferential direction from the first side portion to the second side portion. The front panel also includes a rim extending around a central aperture within the frame. The rim extends from the frame along the axial direction and is configured to join with a downstream end of the burner. The front panel also includes a seal segment connected to the inner portion of the frame. The frame, the rim, and the seal segment are all integrally formed as a single unitary body.
In another example embodiment of the present disclosure, a turbomachine is provided. The turbomachine defines an axial direction, a radial direction perpendicular to the axial direction, and a circumferential direction extending around the axial direction. The turbomachine includes a compressor, a turbine, a combustor disposed downstream from the compressor and upstream from the turbine, and a burner disposed downstream from the compressor and upstream from the turbine. The burner is connected to a front panel. The front panel of the burner includes a frame comprising an outer portion extending along the circumferential direction from a first side portion to a second side portion. The frame also includes an inner portion spaced apart from the outer portion along the radial direction by the first side portion and the second side portion. The inner portion of the frame extends along the circumferential direction from the first side portion to the second side portion. The front panel also includes a rim extending around a central aperture within the frame. The rim extends from the frame along the axial direction and is configured to join with a downstream end of the burner. The front panel also includes a seal segment connected to the inner portion of the frame. The frame, the rim, and the seal segment are all integrally formed as a single unitary body.
These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present technology will become better understood with reference to the following description and appended claims. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the technology and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the technology.
A full and enabling disclosure of the of various embodiments, including the best mode thereof to one skilled in the art, is set forth more particularly in the remainder of the specification, including reference to the accompanying figures, in which:
Reference will now be made in detail to present embodiments of the disclosure, one or more examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The detailed description uses numerical and letter designations to refer to features in the drawings. Like or similar designations in the drawings and description have been used to refer to like or similar parts of the disclosure.
As used herein, the terms “first,” “second,” and “third” may be used interchangeably to distinguish one component from another and are not intended to signify location or importance of the individual components. The terms “upstream” (or “forward”) and “downstream” (or “aft”) refer to the relative direction with respect to fluid flow in a fluid pathway. For example, “upstream” refers to the direction from which the fluid flows, and “downstream” refers to the direction to which the fluid flows. The term “radially” refers to the relative direction that is substantially perpendicular to an axial centerline of a particular component, the term “axially” refers to the relative direction that is substantially parallel and/or coaxially aligned to an axial centerline of a particular component, and the term “circumferentially” refers to the relative direction that extends around the axial centerline of a particular component.
The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.
As used herein, terms of approximation, such as “generally,” or “about” include values within ten percent greater or less than the stated value. When used in the context of an angle or direction, such terms include within ten degrees greater or less than the stated angle or direction. For example, “generally vertical” includes directions within ten degrees of vertical in any direction, e.g., clockwise or counter-clockwise.
Each example is provided by way of explanation, not limitation. In fact, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that modifications and variations can be made without departing from the scope or spirit thereof. For instance, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment may be used on another embodiment to yield a still further embodiment. Thus, it is intended that the present disclosure covers such modifications and variations as come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents. Although exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be described generally in the context of a combustion system for a land based power generating gas turbine for purposes of illustration, one of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate that embodiments of the present disclosure may be applied to any style or type of combustor for a turbomachine and are not limited to combustors or combustion systems for land based power generating gas turbines unless specifically recited in the claims.
Referring now to the drawings,
In some embodiments, for example as illustrated in
During operation, air flows through the inlet and into the compressor 14 where the air is progressively compressed, thus providing compressed air to the burner 16. The burner 16 may be at least partially surrounded by an outer casing 34 such as a compressor discharge casing. The compressor discharge casing 34 may at least partially define a high pressure plenum that at least partially surrounds various components of the combustor 18. The compressor discharge casing 34 may be in fluid communication with the compressor 14 so as to receive the compressed air therefrom.
At least a portion of the compressed air is mixed with a fuel within the burner 16 and burned to produce combustion gases 30. The combustion gases 30 flow from the burner 16 into and through the combustor 18 and to the turbine 20, wherein energy (kinetic and/or thermal) is transferred from the combustion gases 30 to one or more rotor blade(s) (such as a single rotor blade in the illustrated example where the turbine 20 is a single stage high pressure turbine), thus causing shaft 21 to rotate. The mechanical rotational energy may then be used for various purposes such as to power the compressor 14 and/or to generate electricity. The combustion gases 30 exiting the turbine 20 may then, in some embodiments, be exhausted from the gas turbine engine 10 via the exhaust section 28, while in other embodiments, e.g., as illustrated in the
As illustrated in
The frame 102, the rim 112, and a seal segment 116 are all integrally formed as a single unitary body. For example, in some embodiments, the frame 102, the rim 112, and the seal segment 116 may be integrally formed as a single unitary body by forming the components in an additive manufacturing process. In additional embodiments, the frame 102, the rim 112, and the seal segment 116 may be integrally formed as the single unitary body using any suitable method, such as by casting the frame 102, the rim 112, and the seal segment 116, or by forming the frame 102, the rim 112, and the seal segment 116 using additive manufacturing techniques such as, but not limited to, direct metal laser melting (DMLM), selective laser sintering (SLS), or other suitable techniques.
The front panel 100 may also include one or more dampers 118, e.g., resonators, such as Helmholtz resonators, disposed in and around the frame 102. For example, the dampers 118 may also be integrally formed with the single unitary body, which also includes the frame 102, the rim 112, and the seal segment 116, as described above. As may be seen in the section views of
As best seen in
Additionally, in at least some embodiments, the seal segment 116 may also include one or more dampers 118 integrated therewith, e.g., one or more dampers 118 may be directly integrated into the seal segment 116. For example, as may be seen in
As best seen in
Forming the frame 102, the rim 112, the seal segment 116, and the dampers 118 integrally as a single unitary body provides numerous advantages, many of which will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. For example, such advantages include promoting flexibility and cooling of the seal segment 116, e.g., the slits 121 may increase flexibility of the seal segment 116 and thereby provide increased life of the seal segment 116. Additionally, integration of the various parts, including direct integration of one or more dampers 118 into the seal segment 116, may resolve or avoid potential conflicts with locating multiple parts in the same or close positions, e.g., locating the seal segment 116 where a damper 118 should be (or vice versa).
This written description uses examples to disclose the invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. For example, the exemplary description in the foregoing pertaining to the inner corners of the aft frame can also be implemented at one or more outer corners of the aft frame as well as or instead of the inner corner(s). Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they include structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal language of the claims.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
5253471 | Richardson | Oct 1993 | A |
5396759 | Richardson | Mar 1995 | A |
7413053 | Wasif et al. | Aug 2008 | B2 |
9097184 | Stryapunin et al. | Aug 2015 | B2 |
10215418 | Metternich et al. | Feb 2019 | B2 |
10220474 | Theuer et al. | Mar 2019 | B2 |
10221769 | Imfeld et al. | Mar 2019 | B2 |
10228138 | Theuer et al. | Mar 2019 | B2 |
10260749 | Harding | Apr 2019 | B2 |
10859270 | Imfeld et al. | Dec 2020 | B2 |
20090042154 | Riemer et al. | Feb 2009 | A1 |
20110005233 | Sadig | Jan 2011 | A1 |
20110314825 | Stryapunin et al. | Dec 2011 | A1 |
20150075168 | De Jonge | Mar 2015 | A1 |
20150113990 | Eroglu | Apr 2015 | A1 |
20150377487 | Tonon | Dec 2015 | A1 |
20160076772 | Metternich | Mar 2016 | A1 |
20160102864 | Metternich et al. | Apr 2016 | A1 |
20170096919 | Imfeld | Apr 2017 | A1 |
20180080653 | Imfeld | Mar 2018 | A1 |
20180156460 | Theuer et al. | Jun 2018 | A1 |
20180156461 | Theuer | Jun 2018 | A1 |
20200370478 | Biagioli et al. | Nov 2020 | A1 |
20210080106 | Hakim Doisneau et al. | Mar 2021 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country |
---|---|---|
3296638 | Mar 2013 | EP |
2913588 | Sep 2015 | EP |
2913588 | Sep 2015 | EP |
2005090304 | Apr 2005 | JP |
2005090304 | Apr 2005 | JP |
2013144070 | Oct 2013 | WO |
Entry |
---|
Alstom, GT24/GT26 Gas Turbine, Clean/High Performance/Flexible, 2007, pp. 1-20 (Year: 2007). |
Alstom, GT24/GT26 Gas Turbine, Clean/High Performance/Flexible, 20 Pages. |
European Search Report Corresponding to Application No. 20206289 dated Mar. 5, 2021. |
European Patent Office, Extended EP Search Report for corresponding EP Application No. 20206289.9, dated Mar. 15, 2021. |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
20210140638 A1 | May 2021 | US |