The present application claims priority to Indian Patent Application No. 202111028347, filed Jun. 24, 2021, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
The present disclosure relates to a swirler for an engine. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a swirler-ferrule assembly.
A combustor of an engine may include a swirler and a ferrule for centering a fuel nozzle within the swirler. The swirler and the ferrule may introduce an air flow to the combustor for mixing with a fuel flow from the fuel nozzle. The swirler may be a radial swirler. The swirler may include a primary swirler vane and a secondary swirler vane. The primary swirler vane may include a primary air passage and the secondary swirler vane may include a secondary swirler passage. Air may flow through each of the primary swirler passage, the secondary swirler passage, and a purge air passage through the ferrule. The air flows may mix with the fuel flow through the fuel nozzle. The fuel to air mixture may be provided to a combustor.
According to an embodiment, a swirler-ferrule assembly includes a radial swirler including: (a) a primary swirler vane having a primary air passage; and (b) a secondary swirler vane having a secondary air passage, a fuel nozzle configured to deliver fuel to a combustor, a ferrule connected to the radial swirler, the ferrule configured to center the fuel nozzle in the radial swirler. and a surface feature having a trailing end and a distal end, the surface feature being located on the primary swirler vane and configured to direct an air flow through the primary air passage away from a recirculation zone located upstream of the primary swirler vane. The fuel nozzle is axially aligned with the trailing end of the surface feature or is located axially downstream of the trailing end of the surface feature.
According to an embodiment, a swirler-ferrule assembly includes a radial swirler including: (a) a primary swirler vane having a primary air passage; and (b) a secondary swirler vane having a secondary air passage, a fuel nozzle configured to deliver fuel to a combustor, a ferrule connected to the radial swirler, the ferrule configured to center the fuel nozzle in the radial swirler, and a surface feature comprising a plurality of grooves, the surface feature being located on the radial swirler or the ferrule and configured to direct a primary air flow through the primary air passage away from a recirculation zone located upstream of the primary swirler vane.
Additional features, advantages, and embodiments of the present disclosure are set forth or apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description, drawings, and claims. Moreover, it is to be understood that both the foregoing summary of the disclosure and the following detailed description are exemplary and intended to provide further explanation without limiting the scope of the disclosure as claimed.
The foregoing and other features and advantages will be apparent from the following, more particular, description of various exemplary embodiments, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numbers generally indicate identical, functionally similar, and/or structurally similar elements.
Various embodiments are discussed in detail below. While specific embodiments are discussed, this is done for illustration purposes only. A person skilled in the relevant art will recognize that other components and configurations may be used without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.
The swirler-ferrule assemblies of the present disclosure may reduce the interaction of the ferrule air flow with the primary swirler vane air flow by providing surface features within the swirler and/or the ferrule. This may reduce flow instabilities inside the swirler. Additionally, the surface features may limit or prevent a fuel-air mixture flow into a low velocity region formed between the primary swirler forward face inner diameter and the ferrule plate, thus, reducing the risk of auto-ignition and flame holding. The surface feature may include a curved surface on the primary swirler vane that may guide the air flow. The surface feature may include a plurality of grooves on the primary swirler vane and/or the ferrule that may guide the air flow. The fuel nozzle may be located at least aligned with a trailing edge of the surface feature or may be located downstream of a trailing edge of the surface feature so as to eliminate a recirculation zone within the swirler.
An air flow AP may flow through the primary air passage 20 of the primary swirler vane 16. An air flow AS may flow through the secondary air passage 22 of the secondary swirler vane 18. The swirler 10 may be a radial-radial swirler as the air flow AP and the air flow AS may enter the swirler 10 in a radial direction. A curved lip 19 may separate the primary air passage 20 from the secondary air passage 22 as the air AP and the air flow AS enter the swirler 10 and flow into the passage 26. The curved lip 19 may be a venturi or flow splitter. An air flow AF may flow through the plurality of passages 24 of the ferrule 14. The air flow AF through the ferrule 14 may be an axial purge air flow.
As the air flow AF through the ferrule 14 and the fuel flow through the fuel nozzle 12 interact with the air flow AP through the primary swirler vane 16, instabilities 28 may be present in the resulting flow. The instabilities 28 may generate a dead zone for flow, e.g., a zone with very low flow rates as compared to the flow rate through the swirler 10 and the ferrule 14. The instabilities 28 may generate local vortex structures that may be inherently aerodynamically unstable. There may be recirculation bubbles generated behind (e.g., forward of) the air flow AP because of interaction of the ferrule flow and primary vane flow and geometric features. A recirculation zone or bubble may pull fuel into the recirculation zone, which may result in burning of the fuel within the recirculation zone, reducing the life of the swirler component of the combustor. The recirculation zone may be a region between an exit of the primary swirler vane 16 and an exit of the plurality of passages 24 (e.g., an exit of the purge airflow). Such a recirculation zone causes instabilities due to the interaction of the swirling air flow AP and the axial air flow AF.
With continued reference to
The first inner surface 121 of the primary swirler vane 116 may be the surface feature 125. The second point 121b may be an axially aftmost point of the surface feature 125 and a radially innermost point of the surface feature 125. That is, the second point 121b may be axially aft of the first point 121a and the second point 121b may be radially inward of the first point 121a. The air flow AP through the primary swirler vane 116 may be guided by the surface feature 125 into the passage 126. The surface feature 125 directs the air flow AP over the venturi surface of the lip 119. This may eliminate the recirculation zone present behind the primary swirler vane 116.
With continued reference to
The first inner surface 221 of the primary swirler vane 216 may be a surface feature 225. The surface feature 225 may gradually expand the primary air passage 220 toward a tip of the fuel nozzle (now shown). The third point 221c may be axially forward of the first point 221a and axially aft of the second point 221b. The third point 221c may be the radially innermost point of the surface feature 225. The air flow AP1 through the primary swirler vane 216 may be guided by the surface feature 225 (e.g., by the first inner surface 221) into the passage 226. The air flow AP2 may enter the passage 226 in a manner similar to, or the same as, the air flow AP flowing through the primary swirler vane 16 of
With continued reference to
The first inner surface 321 of the primary swirler vane 316 and the second lip 327 may together form a surface feature 325. Both the first inner surface 321 and the second lip 327 may guide the air flow through the primary swirler vane 316. That is, the first inner surface 321 may guide the air flow AP1 from a swirler inlet to the passage 326. The second lip 327 may guide the air flow AP1 on a forward surface 327a and may guide the air flow AP2 on an aft surface 327b toward the passage 326.
The second point 321b may be an axially aftmost of the first inner surface 321 and radially innermost point of the first inner surface 321. The terminal end 327c of the second lip 327 may be an axially aftmost point of the second lip 327 and radially innermost point of the second lip 327. The second point 321b may be the radially innermost point of the surface feature 325. The terminal end 327c may form the axially aftmost point of the surface feature 325. That is, the second point 321b may be radially inward of the first point 321a and the second lip 327. The terminal end 327c may be axially aft of the second point 321b. The surface feature 325 may guide the air flow AP2 along the second inner surface 323, which may be a venturi surface of the first lip 319. The surface feature 325 may cause the air flow AP1 to control a fuel flow from entering into the recirculation zone and/or from returning upstream toward the primary swirler vane 316. The second lip 327 may operate as a splitter on the primary swirler vane 316. The second lip 327 may assist in isolating a high swirling primary air flow (e.g., AP2) from a lower swirling air flow (e.g., AP1) that is intended to purge the fuel flow at the fuel nozzle tip.
Any of the swirlers of
The ferrule 414 may be connected to the swirler 410 or integral with the swirler 410. As shown in
The primary swirler vane 416 may include the first wall 415 and the second wall 417 with the primary air passage 420 extending therebetween. The second wall 417 may include a forward surface 417a. The forward surface 417a may include a surface feature 413 thereon. Although shown on the forward surface 417a, the surface feature 413 may be present on the aft surface of the second wall 417, the forward surface of the first wall 415, the aft surface of the first wall 415, the forward surface of a third wall 421, an aft surface of the ferrule 414, or any combination thereof. The surface feature 413 may include a plurality of grooves 423 between flat portions 425 of the forward surface 417a.
The plurality of grooves 423 may be tangential grooves on the forward face (e.g., forward surface 417a) of the swirler 410. The plurality of grooves 423 may create a tangential flow across the forward surface 417a. This may avoid low velocity regions in the cavity formed between the ferrule plate and the forward surface 417a of the swirler 410. The flow generated through the plurality of grooves 423 may suppress the unstable flow in the recirculation zone. The plurality of grooves 423 may be any of the plurality of grooves 423 described with respect to
The second lip 427 may be a wedge lip. The second lip 427 may de-couple the flow interaction between the ferrule 414 and the primary swirler vane 416 at an exit of the primary swirler vane 416. This may avoid auto-ignition of the fuel-air mixture. For example, the second lip 427 may deflect the air flow from the ferrule to delay the interaction with the primary air flow AP. The second lip 427 may have a length that is a percentage of the distance between the inner diameter of the ferrule 414 and an inner diameter of the primary swirler vane 416.
The aft surface of the ferrule 414 (e.g., the surface of the ferrule plate) and/or the forward surface 417a (e.g., the surface on which surface feature 413 is present) may include an anti-wear coating.
The plurality of grooves 423 in
The ferrule 514 may be connected to the swirler 510 or integral with the swirler 510. As shown in
The primary swirler vane 516 may include the first wall 515 and a second wall 517 with the primary air passage 520 extending therebetween. The second wall 517 may include a forward surface 517a. The forward surface 517a may include a surface feature 513 thereon. Although shown on the forward surface 517a, the surface feature 513 may be present on the aft surface of the second wall 517, the forward surface of the first wall 515, the aft surface of the first wall 515, the forward surface of a third wall 521, an aft surface of the ferrule 514, or any combination thereof. The surface feature 513 may include a plurality of grooves 523 between flat portions 525 of the forward surface 517a. The surface feature 513 may be arranged in any of the manners described with respect to
The ferrule 714 may include a plurality of passages 724 for providing a purge air flow AF to the passage 726. Each of the plurality of passages 724 may include an axial portion 724a and an angled portion 724b. The axial portion 724a may extend through the ferrule 714 in a generally axial direction from a forward side of the ferrule 714 to an aft side of the ferrule 714. The angled portion 724b may extend radially inward from an exit of the axial portion 724a. The angled portion 724b may be defined between an angled surface 727a of a lip 727 and an outer surface 712a of the fuel nozzle 712. The angled portion 724b may be oriented in a tangential manner. Thus, the air flow AF through the ferrule 714 may have an axial direction at the inlet and a tangential or a radial (or other angled) direction at the outlet (e.g., through angled portion 724b). This may reduce the direct flow impact from the axial ferrule flow on the primary swirler vane flow. That is, the lip 727 may deflect the air flow from the plurality of passages 724 of the ferrule 714 to delay the interaction with the primary air flow through the primary swirler vane 716.
Although not shown, a surface feature may be present on a forward surface of a wall of the primary swirler vane, an aft surface of a wall of the primary swirler vane, a forward surface of a wall of the secondary swirler vane, an aft surface of a wall of the secondary swirler vane, an aft surface of the ferrule, or any combination thereof. The surface feature may be arranged in any of the manners described in
The swirler-ferrule assemblies of
The swirler-ferrule assemblies of
The swirler-ferrule assemblies of
The swirler-ferrule assemblies of
The swirlers of the present disclosure may be radial-radial (e.g., rad-rad) swirlers. That is, the air flow may enter the primary swirler vane and the secondary swirler vane and exit the primary swirler vane and the secondary swirler vane in a radial direction. An axial air flow purge system (e.g., through axial passages in a ferrule) may be provided in conjunction with the radial-radial swirler.
In the swirler-ferrule assemblies of the present disclosure, the fuel nozzle may be downstream of a trailing end of the surface feature. That is, a distal, aftmost surface of the fuel nozzle may be located at the same axial location or at a downstream axial location (e.g., aft of) the trailing end of the surface feature.
Any of the surface features of the present disclosure and/or the surfaces upon which the surface features are present may include an anti-wear coating. An anti-wear coating may be provided on the ferrule plate (e.g., an aft or forward face of the ferrule plate) and/or the swirler forward face. The anti-wear coating may improve the life of the ferrule and/or enhance the life of the ferrule, the swirler, and/or the ferrule-swirler assembly.
The swirler-ferrule assemblies of the present disclosure may reduce the interaction of the ferrule air flow with the primary swirler vane air flow by providing surface features within the swirler and/or the ferrule, as compared to swirlers without the described surface features. This may reduce flow instabilities inside the venturi region of the swirler. Additionally, the surface features may limit or prevent a fuel-air mixture flow into a low velocity region formed between the primary swirler forward face inner diameter and the ferrule plate, thus, reducing the risk of auto-ignition and flame holding.
Further aspects of the present disclosure are provided by the subject matter of the following clauses.
A swirler-ferrule assembly including a radial swirler including (a) a primary swirler vane having a primary air passage, and (b) a secondary swirler vane having a secondary air passage, a fuel nozzle configured to deliver fuel to a combustor, a ferrule connected to the radial swirler, the ferrule configured to center the fuel nozzle in the radial swirler, and a surface feature having a trailing end and a distal end, the surface feature being located on the primary swirler vane and configured to direct an air flow through the primary air passage away from a recirculation zone located upstream of the primary swirler vane, wherein the fuel nozzle is axially aligned with the trailing end of the surface feature or is located axially downstream of the trailing end of the surface feature.
The swirler-ferrule assembly of any preceding clause, further comprising an anti-wear coating on the surface feature.
The swirler-ferrule assembly of any preceding clause, the surface feature is a ramp that is curved radially inward in an aft direction and axially in the aft direction from the trailing end of the surface feature to the distal end.
The swirler-ferrule assembly of any preceding clause, the ferrule including a plurality of purge-air passages, each of the plurality of purge-air passages configured to intersect the surface feature between the trailing end and the distal end.
The swirler-ferrule assembly of any preceding clause, further including a lip having a venturi surface, the lip extending between the primary air passage and the secondary air passage, wherein the surface feature is configured to guide the air flow through the primary air passage toward the venturi surface.
The swirler-ferrule assembly of any preceding clause, wherein the surface feature is a ramp that is curved radially inward in a forward direction and axially in the forward direction from the trailing end to an intermediate point of the surface feature and is curved radially inward in an aft direction and axially in the aft direction from the intermediate point to the distal end.
The swirler-ferrule assembly of any preceding clause, the ferrule comprising a plurality of purge-air passages, each of the plurality of purge-air passages configured to intersect the surface feature between the trailing end and the distal end.
The swirler-ferrule assembly of any preceding clause, wherein the surface feature is a first lip, the first lip extending within the primary swirler vane and being curved radially inward in an aft direction and axially in the aft direction from the trailing end of the surface feature to the distal end of the surface feature, and wherein the primary swirler vane includes a ramp surface.
The swirler-ferrule assembly of any preceding clause, further including a second lip having a venturi surface, the second lip extending between the primary swirler vane and the secondary swirler vane, wherein the first lip divides the air flow through the primary swirler vane into a first air flow guided along the ramp surface of the primary swirler vane and a second air flow guided along the venturi surface.
A swirler-ferrule assembly including a radial swirler including (a) a primary swirler vane having a primary air passage, and (b) a secondary swirler vane having a secondary air passage, a fuel nozzle configured to deliver fuel to a combustor, a ferrule connected to the radial swirler, the ferrule configured to center the fuel nozzle in the radial swirler, and a surface feature comprising a plurality of grooves, the surface feature being located on the radial swirler or the ferrule and configured to direct a primary air flow through the primary air passage away from a recirculation zone located upstream of the primary swirler vane.
The swirler-ferrule assembly of any preceding clause, further including a lip having a venturi surface, the lip extending between the primary swirler vane and the secondary swirler vane.
The swirler-ferrule assembly of any preceding clause, wherein the plurality of grooves are oriented in a radial direction.
The swirler-ferrule assembly of any preceding clause, the ferrule having an aft surface, the surface feature being located on the aft surface.
The swirler-ferrule assembly of any preceding clause, wherein the plurality of grooves are oriented in a tangential direction.
The swirler-ferrule assembly of any preceding clause, the primary swirler vane having a first wall and a second wall, the primary air passage extending between the first wall and the second wall, wherein the surface feature is located on a forward surface of the second wall, the surface feature further comprising an annular gap between a first radially inner surface of the second wall and a second radially inner surface at which the plurality of grooves begin.
The swirler-ferrule assembly of any preceding clause, the primary swirler vane having a first wall and a second wall, the primary air passage extending between the first wall and the second wall, wherein the surface feature is located on a forward surface of the second wall.
The swirler-ferrule assembly of any preceding clause, further including a lip extending from the second wall, wherein the lip is configured to deflect an air flow from the ferrule away from the primary air flow.
The swirler-ferrule assembly of any preceding clause, the lip extending radially inward from a second wall inner diameter and ending radially outward of a ferrule inner diameter.
The swirler-ferrule assembly of any preceding clause, further including a plurality of purge air passages, wherein each purge air passage of the plurality of purge air passages includes an axial portion defined in the ferrule and a tangential portion defined between the lip and an outer surface of the fuel nozzle.
The swirler-ferrule assembly of any preceding clause, further including a lip extending from the primary swirler vane, wherein the lip is configured to deflect an air flow from the ferrule away from the primary air flow.
The swirler-ferrule assembly of any preceding clause, further including a plurality of purge air passages, wherein each purge air passage of the plurality of purge air passages includes an axial portion defined in the ferrule and a tangential portion or a radial portion defined between the lip and an outer surface of the fuel nozzle.
Although the foregoing description is directed to the preferred embodiments, it is noted that other variations and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the disclosure. Moreover, features described in connection with one embodiment may be used in conjunction with other embodiments, even if not explicitly stated above.
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