U.S. patent number 3,702,058 [Application Number 05/106,041] was granted by the patent office on 1972-11-07 for double wall combustion chamber.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Westinghouse Electric Corporation. Invention is credited to Carl W. Carlson, Serafino M. De Corso.
United States Patent |
3,702,058 |
De Corso , et al. |
November 7, 1972 |
DOUBLE WALL COMBUSTION CHAMBER
Abstract
A combustion chamber for a gas turbine power plant of the
step-liner type including a plurality of annular double wall
step-liner portions. The portions are of various sizes and are
arranged concentrically and in order of increasing size from the
upstream end toward the downstream end of the chamber. Each double
wall liner portion includes an alternating smooth wall member and a
serpentinous wall member. In one step, the smooth wall member is
the radially inner wall and an overlapping portion of the
serpentinous wall member is the radially outer wall. In the
adjacent larger step, the serpentinous wall member is the radially
inner wall and an overlapping portion of a larger diameter smooth
wall member is the radially outer wall. The effect of this
construction is to provide a combustion chamber capable of
withstanding higher burning temperatures.
Inventors: |
De Corso; Serafino M. (Media,
PA), Carlson; Carl W. (Holmes, PA) |
Assignee: |
Westinghouse Electric
Corporation (Pittsburgh, PA)
|
Family
ID: |
22309157 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/106,041 |
Filed: |
January 13, 1971 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
60/757; 60/39.37;
60/759; 60/796 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F23R
3/08 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
F23R
3/04 (20060101); F23R 3/08 (20060101); F02g
003/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;60/39.65,39.66,39.32,39.31,39.37 ;431/352 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
229,934 |
|
Feb 1944 |
|
CH |
|
759,489 |
|
Oct 1956 |
|
GB |
|
998,755 |
|
Jul 1965 |
|
GB |
|
Primary Examiner: Hart; Douglas
Claims
We claim as our invention:
1. In a combustion chamber arranged for admission of fuel to the
upstream end thereof and discharge of hot gaseous products from the
downstream end thereof, an elongated tubular wall structure of a
step-liner construction incrementally increasing in cross sectional
area in downstream direction and having a double wall, said double
wall comprising, serpentinous wall members and smooth wall members,
said smooth wall members being disposed adjacent each other in such
a manner that upstream smooth wall members are circumferentially
smaller than adjacent downstream smooth wall members and a
serpentinous wall member overlaps adjacent smooth wall members to
form said tubular double wall structure, said serpentinous and
smooth wall members being so disposed that an upstream portion of
each of said serpentinous members enwraps and fastens to a
downstream portion of a smooth wall member and telescopes within
and fastens to an upstream portion of an adjacent smooth wall
member, whereby said combustion chamber has a double wall
throughout said elongated tubular step liner structure.
2. The structure recited in claim 1, wherein the adjacent smooth
members have ends which are substantially radially aligned.
3. The structure recited in claim 1, wherein
the serpentinous members have ends which are substantially radially
aligned.
4. The structure recited in claim 1, wherein the serpentinous wall
members partially define an array of first passageways, generally
extending in the axial direction, to permit cooling fluid to
convectively cool the enwrapped smooth wall member and gaseous
products within the combustion chamber and the adjacent downstream
smooth wall members.
5. The structure recited in claim 4, wherein the cooling fluid also
convectively cools the portion of the serpentinous wall members
enwrapping the downstream portion of the smooth wall members.
6. The structure recited in claim 4, wherein the cooling fluid
further film cools the adjacent serpentinous wall members
telescoping in the upstream portion of the smooth wall members.
7. The structure recited in claim 4, wherein the serpentinous wall
members partially define an array of second passageways generally
extending in the axial direction to permit cooling fluid to
convectively cool the serpentinous wall members and the enwrapped
smooth wall member, and furthermore to allow cooling fluid to
provide a cooling film of fluid adjacent the downstream portion of
the smooth wall members.
8. The structure recited in claim 1 wherein there is no substantial
overlap between adjacent smooth wall members.
9. The structure recited in claim 1 wherein there is no substantial
overlap between adjacent serpentinous wall members.
10. The structure recited in claim 1, having a primary combustion
zone adjacent the downstream end thereof.
11. The structure recited in claim 10, and further comprising an
array of primary air inlet apertures disposed in the primary
combustion zone.
12. The structure recited in claim 1 and further comprising an
array of apertures disposed adjacent the upstream end of the
combustion chamber for admitting air thereto, said apparatus being
formed jointly in the smooth and serpentinous member.
13. The structure recited in claim 12, wherein each of the
apertures is wholly formed in a smooth wall member and partially
formed in adjacent serpentinous wall members.
14. The structure recited in claim 1, wherein the serpentinous wall
members are tubular and are comprised of elements having a
substantially trapezoidal shaped cross-section.
15. The structure recited in claim 14, wherein the trapezoidal
shaped elements jointly define inwardly and outwardly depressed
portions the outer surfaces of which contacts the adjacent smooth
wall members.
16. In a gas turbine power plant comprising combustion apparatus
having an outer casing structure, said casing structure at least
partially defining a pressurized plenum chamber,
a plurality of combustion chambers disposed in an annular array
within said casing structure, the centers of said chambers being
equidistant from each other in an annular direction,
each of said combustion chambers having a tubular double wall
structure of step-liner construction, incrementally increasing in
cross sectional area in downstream direction,
said double wall structure comprising serpentine wall members and
smooth wall members,
said smooth wall members being disposed adjacent each other in such
a manner that upstream smooth wall members are circumferentially
smaller than adjacent downstream smooth wall members and a
serpentinous wall member overlaps adjacent smooth wall members to
form said tubular double wall structure, said serpentinous and
smooth wall members being so disposed that an upstream portion of
each of said serpentinous members enwraps and fastens to a
downstream portion of a smooth wall member and telescopes within
and fastens to an upstream portion of an adjacent smooth wall
member, whereby said combustion chamber has a double wall
throughout said tubular step liner structure.
17. The structure recited in claim 16, wherein the adjacent smooth
members have ends which are substantially radially aligned.
18. The structure recited in claim 16, wherein
the serpentinous members have ends which are substantially radially
aligned.
19. The structure recited in claim 16, wherein the serpentinous
wall members partially defines a first array of passageways
extending generally in an axial direction to provide fluid
communication between the plenum chamber and the combustion
chamber,
said first passageways permitting cooling fluid to convectively
cool the enwrapped smooth wall member and the enwrapping
serpentinous member,
and said passageways being arranged to permit said cooling fluid to
provide a fluid film between hot combustion gases within the
combustion chamber and the adjacent serpentinous wall members
telescoped within the smooth wall member and to produce a fluid
film between the hot combustion gases and the enwrapped smooth wall
members.
20. The structure recited in claim 19, wherein the serpentinous
wall members partially defines a second array of passageways
extending generally in an axial direction,
said passageways permitting cooling fluid to convectively cool the
serpentinous wall members and telescoped with the smooth wall
members,
and furthermore, to allow the cooling fluid to provide a film of
cooling fluid adjacent the enwrapped smooth wall members.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
One serious problem in gas turbine power plants is reliable
combustion chambers or combustors, capable of withstanding high
temperatures for extended periods of time.
Historically, a substantial step forward was taken when the
step-liner type combustion chamber having corrugated spacer members
between adjacent liners was disclosed by E. F. Miller, U.S. Pat.
No. 2,610,467, issued on Sept. 16, 1952, and assigned to the
present assignee. In this now well known construction, cooling air
is admitted from the plenum chamber through axially extending
spaces in the corrugated members, to provide a flow of relatively
cool air to insulate the inner surface of the combustion chamber
wall from the hot combustion gases. Other improvements on this
construction are disclosed in the following patents: S. Way, U.S.
Pat. No. 2,448,561 patented on Sept. 7, 1948; W. L. Christensen,
U.S. Pat. No. 2,537,033, patented Jan. 9, 1951; R. A. Sforzine,
U.S. Pat. No. 2,549,858, patented Apr. 24, 1951; and E. A. DeZubay
et al., U.S. Pat. No. 2,573,694, patented Nov. 6, 1951, all of the
preceding patents being assigned to the present assignee.
Of course, the higher the temperature of the combustion chamber
walls during normal operation, the more subject the chambers are to
thermal stress and strain. This requires constant maintenance
programs whereby combustion chambers must be periodically inspected
to ensure their operating reliabilities. More recently, because of
the advent of larger gas turbine power plants, it has become
desirable to operate the plants at higher and higher temperatures.
Furthermore, because of the economy involved, it is more desirable
to burn heavy residual fuels, which are high in contaminants,
rather than the purer fuels, such as No. 2 distillate fuel.
However, residual fuels radiate substantially more heat to the
combustor walls, so that combustor life and reliability is
substantially reduced.
One such solution to enable combustion chambers to operate at
higher temperatures is the refractory or ceramic combustion
chamber. But as of now, the high velocities and violent pulsations
in the combustion chambers have prevented the use of refractories
in combustors in commercial applications.
Another such solution is to introduce more cooling air to the
combustor walls. However, this decreases the overall efficiency of
the turbine and has an adverse effect on the temperature
distribution pattern of the gases when it is introduced to the
turbine blades since there is a large temperature differential
between the blade tips where the cooler air is and the blade
centers causing serious thermal stress and strain.
It would be desirable, then, to design a combustion chamber which
would operate at higher temperatures for extended periods of time,
or in the alternative operate at cooler temperatures than present
combustors operating at normal conditions, so that it would be
subjected to fewer thermal stress and strains than present
combustors. This in turn would require less periodic inspections
since its reliability would be substantially increased. It would
further be desirable to design a combustor that would be economical
to construct and easy to assemble.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The following disclosure relates to a combustion chamber structure
for a gas turbine and more particularly to an improved apparatus of
this type.
A gas turbine power plant has a compressor section, in which is
disposed at least one combustor or combustion chamber, and a
turbine section. The combustion chamber is of the step-liner type
and is comprised of a plurality of double wall portions. The double
wall portions are of stepped configuration, each of the portions
being of greater diameter than the preceding portion from the
upstream to the downstream end of the combustor. Each liner portion
includes an alternating smooth wall member and a serpentinous or
corrugated wall member.
In one step or portion, the axially extending smooth wall forms the
radially inner wall and a partially telescoping or overlapping
serpentinous wall member forms the radially outer wall. One part of
the serpentinous member overlaps approximately half of the smaller
diameter smooth member and approximately one-half of the
serpentinous member extends in a downstream axial direction. A
second larger diameter smooth wall member, in turn overlaps the
extending half of the adjacent serpentinous member, to
cooperatively form a second double wall portion.
The adjacent ends of the alternating smooth members of the wall
portions are approximately aligned in a radial direction relative
to the axial centerline of the combustor. The alternating
serpentinous members are also radially aligned at their adjacent
ends.
Each serpentinous member partially forms an annular array of
convoluted axially extending passageways to provide fluid
communication between the compressor section and the chamber within
the combustor.
Compressor air used to cool the combustor walls enters the
convoluted passageways from the compressor, and the air flow
through these passageways cools the outer surface of the radially
inner wall of the smooth member of the double wall stepped liner,
by convection. After flowing through the convoluted passageways,
thereby cooling a portion of the radially inner double wall
step-liner, the air flows along the inner surface of the larger
diameter upstream smooth wall member to provide a cool film of air
to thereby insulate the smooth wall from the hot combustion
gases.
The double wall construction enables the cooling air to provide
multiple functions: (a) to cool each double wall portion of the
step-liners by convective cooling and (b) to cool each double wall
portion by providing a cool film or air to insulate the inner wall
surface from the hot combustion gases. A greater cooling effect is
achieved when compared to present temperatures of combustion
chambers, or, in the alternative where higher combustion chamber
temperatures must be handled, the construction permits a more
efficient utilization of available cooling air to enable operation
at the higher temperatures. One U.S. Patent disclosing dual/cooling
in a combustion chamber is No. 3,545,202.
Further advantages of this combustion chamber construction is that
approximately the same man-hours are required for constructing this
combustor relative to prior combustors, and there is substantially,
no increase in the cost associated therewith.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an axial sectional view of a portion of the upper half of
a gas turbine power plant provided with combustion apparatus
incorporating the invention;
FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the combustion apparatus
illustrated in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line III--III in FIG. 2;
and
FIG. 4 is a view in perspective of a portion of the combustion
apparatus illustrated in FIG. 2.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to the drawings in detail and especially to FIG. 1, there
is shown a portion of a gas turbine power plant 10 having
combustion apparatus generally designated 11. However, the
combustion apparatus may be employed with any suitable type of gas
turbine power plant. The power plant 10 includes an axial flow air
compressor 12 for directing air to the combustion apparatus 11 and
a gas turbine 14 connected to the combustion apparatus 10 and
receiving hot products of combustion therefrom for motivating the
power plant.
Only the upper half of the power plant and combustion apparatus has
been illustrated, since the lower half may be substantially
identical and symmetrical about the centerline or axis of rotation
RR' of the power plant.
The air compressor 12 includes, as well known in the art, a
multi-stage bladed rotor structure 15 cooperatively associated with
a stator structure having an equal number of multi-stage stationary
blades 16 for compressing the air directed therethrough to a
suitable pressure value for combustion in the combustion apparatus
11. The outlet of the compressor 12 is directed through an annular
diffusion member 17 forming an intake for the plenum chamber 18,
partially defined by a housing structure 19. The housing 19
includes a shell member of circular cross-section, and as shown of
cylindrical shape, parallel with the axis of rotation RR' of the
power plant 10, a forward dome-shaped wall member 21 connected to
the external casing of the compressor 12 and a rearward annular
wall member 22 connected to the outer casing of the turbine 14.
The turbine 14, as mentioned above, is of the axial flow type and
includes a plurality of expansion stages formed by a plurality of
rows of stationary blades 24 cooperatively associated with an equal
plurality of rotating blades 25 mounted on the turbine rotor 26.
The turbine rotor 26 is drivingly connected to the compressor rotor
15 by a tubular connecting shaft member 27, and a tubular liner or
fairing member 28 is suitably supported in encompassing stationary
relation with the connecting shaft portion 27 to provide a smooth
air flow surface for the air entering the plenum chamber 18 from
the compressor diffuser 17.
Disposed within the housing 19 are a plurality of tubular elongated
combustion chambers or combustors 30 of the telescopic step-liner
type. The combustion chambers 30 are disposed in an annular
mutually spaced array concentric with the centerline of the power
plant and are equally spaced from each other in the housing 19. The
chambers 30 are arranged in such a manner that their axes are
substantially parallel to the outer casing 19 and with the
centerline RR' of the power plant 10. It is pointed out that this
invention is applicable to other types of combustors such as the
single annular basket type, shown and described in the Miller
patent, previously cited or the can-annular type having composite
features of the canister and annular types.
Since the combustors 30 may be substantially identical, only one
will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, each combustor 30 is
comprised of three sections: an upstream primary portion 32, an
intermediate secondary portion 33 and a downstream transition
portion 34.
The forward wall 21 of the combustion apparatus 11 is provided with
a central opening 36 through which a fuel injector 37 extends. The
fuel injector 37 is supplied with fuel by a suitable conduit 38
connected to any suitable fuel supply (not shown) and may be of the
well known atomizing type formed in a manner to provide a
substantially conical spray of fuel within the primary portion 32
of the combustion chamber 30. A suitable electrical igniter 39 is
provided for igniting the fuel and air mixture in the combustor
30.
In the primary portion 32 of the combustor 30 are a plurality of
liner portions 42 of circular cross-section and in the example
shown, the liner portions are cylindrical. The portions 32 are of
stepped construction, each of the portions having a circular
section of greater circumference or diameter than the preceding
portion from the upstream to the downstream end of the combustor to
permit telescopic insertion of the portions. Some portions 42 have
an annular array of apertures 44 for admitting primary air from
within the plenum chamber 18 into the primary portion 32 of the
combustor to support combustion of fuel injected therein by the
fuel injector 37. The combustor further includes the intermediate
portion 33 which is provided with a plurality of annular rows of
apertures 46 for admitting secondary air from the plenum chamber 18
into the combustor 30 during operation, to cool the hot gaseous
products and make it adaptable to the turbine blades 24 and 25. The
transition portion 34 is provided with a forward portion 48 of
cylindrical shape disposed in encompassing and slightly overlapping
relation with the intermediate portion 33 as shown by the locking
spring structure 47 (FIG. 2). The transition portion 34 is also
provided with a rearward tubular portion 49 that progressively
changes in contour from circular cross-section at the jointure with
the cylindrical portion 48 to arcuate cross-section at its outlet
end portion 50. The arcuate extent of the outlet 50 is such that,
jointly with the outlets of the other combustors 30, a complete
annulus is provided for admitting the hot products of combustion
from the combustors to the blades 24 and 25 of the turbine 14,
thereby to provide full peripheral admission of the motivating
gases to the turbine 14.
In accordance with the invention, the liner portions 42 of the
combustor 30 are substantially comprised of a plurality of double
walled portions 52 (for example five). Each of the portions 52 have
a circular cross-section of greater diameter than the preceding
portion, from the upstream to the downstream end of the combustor
relative to the flow of air therethrough. The double wall
construction of the liner portions 42, as shown, is confined to the
primary portion of the combustor 30 although it is not limited
thereto.
Another way of viewing the double wall portions 52 is that each of
the portions includes alternating smooth and corrugated or
serpentinous wall members 54 and 56, respectively, which overlap
each other approximately to the center of each respective member.
The resulting plurality of the double wall portions form the
primary portion of the combustor 30.
As best seen in FIGS. 2 and 4, each double wall portion 52 includes
an alternating smooth wall member 54 and a serpentinous or
corrugated wall member 56. The smooth wall member 54 shown is an
elongated tubular or cylindrical member (FIGS. 2 and 3) and each
serpentinous member 56 is in the form of circumferentially
corrugated rings comprised of generally trapezoidal shaped elements
57 (FIG. 3).
Referring to one of the first upstream step-liners 42a, the double
wall portion 52 is comprised of an axially extending smooth wall
member 54, which forms the radially inner wall of the double wall
52, and a larger diameter telescoping serpentinous wall member 56
which overlaps approximately one-half of the smooth wall member 54.
Approximately one-half of the serpentinous member 56 overlaps the
smaller diameter smooth member 54 and the other half of the
serpintinous member 56 extends in a downstream axial direction.
Therefore, the double wall portion of the step liner 42a comprises
a radially inner wall formed of a smooth wall member 54 and a
radially outer wall formed of a serpentinous member 56.
An adjacent second step liner 42b is larger in diameter than the
step liner 42a. The inner wall is comprised of the half of the
serpentinous member 56 which extends beyond the step 42a in an
axial direction. A second larger diameter smooth wall member 54
overlaps the axially extending serpentinous wall member 56. The
second larger diameter smooth wall member 54 overlaps approximately
one-half of the serpentinous member 56 and approximately one-half
of the smooth member extends in a downstream axial direction.
Therefore, the second double wall portion 52 is comprised of a
radially inner wall of a serpentinous member 56 and a radially
outer wall of a smooth member 54 to cooperatively form the second
step liner portion 42 b.
The adjacent downstream end 61 of the first corrugated member 56
and the adjacent upstream end 62 of the second corrugated member 56
are substantially aligned in a radial direction relative to the
axial centerline of the combustor 30 and do not overlap in the
preferred embodiment. Furthermore, the adjacent downstream end 63
of the first smooth member 54 and the adjacent upstream end 64 of
the second smooth member 54 are also substantially radially aligned
at their adjacent ends and do not overlap.
The subsequent larger diameter downstream liner portions 42 are
substantially similar to the first two liner portions 42a and 42b
previously described. Each liner portion includes an alternating
smooth wall member 54 an alternating serpentinous wall member 56
with one part of the serpentinous member overlapping approximately
half of the smaller diameter smooth member and the other half
extending in a downstream axial direction. In the alternate step,
the larger diameter smooth wall member overlaps approximately
one-half of the upstream adjacent serpentinous member to
cooperatively form another double wall portion 52. In the
subsequent step portions 42 the adjacent ends of the alternating
smooth members are substantially radially aligned and the adjacent
ends of the serpentinous members are also substantially radially
aligned.
As best seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, the trapezoidal shaped elements 57
of the serpentinous member 56 have inwardly depressed portions 66,
which contact the smaller diameter smooth wall member 54, and
outwardly depressed portions 67, which are in spaced relation with
the inner wall member or smooth member 54. In the second step-liner
portion 42b (FIG. 2) the outwardly projecting portions 67 contact
the outer or smooth wall member 54 and the inwardly depressed
portions 66 are in spaced relation therefrom and form the inner
wall of the double wall portion 52.
As best seen in FIG. 4, the serpentinous members 56 are securely
fastened to the smaller diameter smooth wall member 54 by any
suitable means 69, preferably by spot welding at a plurality of
points of contact. The larger diameter smooth wall members 54 are
in turn securely fastened by any suitable means 70, preferably by
spot welding at a plurality of points of contact to the smaller
diameter serpentinous member 56 along the outwardly depressed
portions 67, which are substantially flattened to receive a more
rigid spot weld. Only one annular row of spot welds are used to
allow for thermal expansion of the members 54 and 56 in an axial
direction.
The outwardly depressed portions 67 in the serpentinous member 56
cooperatively with the smooth wall portion 54 in the first
step-liner portion 42a, form a plurality of axial passageways 72 to
provide for entry of cooling air indicated by arrow E in FIGS. 2
and 4 from the plenum chamber 18 (FIG. 1) into the combustion
chamber 30.
Referring to the second step-liner portion 42b, a second plurality
of axial passageways 74 are jointly defined by the outer smooth
wall member 54 and the inwardly depressed portions 66 of the
serpentinous member 56. These passageways 74 also provide for entry
of cooling air indicated by arrows G from the plenum chamber 18
into the combustion chamber 30.
As previously described, a plurality of apertures 44 are provided
within the primary portion 32 of the combustor 30. As best shown in
FIGS. 2 and 4, the apertures 44 are partially formed in both the
smooth and serpentinous wall members 54 and 56, respectively. In
the preferred embodiment, each aperture 44 is wholly formed in the
smooth member 54 as indicated by 44a and partially formed in the
serpentinous members 56 as indicated in 44b. Furthermore, each
aperture 44 is in registry with one of the passageways 72, so that
a portion of the air from the plenum chamber entering the combustor
through aperture 44 is also directed through axial passageway 72
for cooling purposes.
In operation, air is compressed in the compressor 12 (FIG. 1) and
flows into the plenum chamber 18 within the casing 19. A portion of
the pressurized air enters through the primary air apertures 44
where it is mixed with fuel to form a combustible mixture. The hot
products of combustion then move to the intermediate portion 33 of
the combustor 11 where secondary air enters the air inlet apertures
46 to cool the gaseous products. The air then is directed through
the transition portion 34 through the outlet 50 to turn the turbine
rotor structure 26, the shaft 27 and compressor rotor structure
15.
As previously mentioned under "Background Of The Invention," one of
the most serious problems with the combustors is to design them to
withstand high temperatures for extended periods of time. The
cooling of the combustor is as follows. The compressor air from the
plenum chamber 18 (FIG. 1) enters the convoluted axial passageways
72 in a first step-liner portion 42a because of the pressure drop
between the plenum chamber and the combustor. As the air flows
through the passageways 72 the air convectively cools the inner
smooth wall member 54 (or the downstream half) and also
convectively cools the outer serpentinous wall member 52 (or the
upstream half) as indicated by the arrows E in FIG. 2. The air then
continues to flow into the second step-liner portion 42b, where it
film cools the serpentinous inner wall member 56 (or the downstream
half) and the air continues to flow to the adjacent downstream
portion to provide an insulating film cooling blanket for the
smooth radially inner wall member 54 (or the downstream half). This
multiple cooling technique is similar in subsequent step-liner
portions 42 as indicated by cooling air represented by arrows F
entering convoluted axially extending passageways 72 and
convectively cooling the radially inner smooth wall 54, the outer
serpentinous wall member 56 and then continuing to provide film
cooling for the serpentinous member and the subsequent downstream
smooth wall member 54 of the double wall portions 52.
Additional cooling air represented by arrows G (best seen in FIGS.
2 and 4) enters the axially extending passageways 74 in the second
step 42b to provide convective cooling for the larger diameter
smooth wall member 54 and the inner serpentinous member 56 and film
cooling for the downstream smooth wall member 54. This multiple
cooling function is similar in subsequent step-liner portions.
In large commercial gas turbines, typical tests have indicated that
combustors burning No. 2 distillate fuel had an average temperature
in the primary portion of approximately 1,600.degree.F. Laboratory
tests have indicated using the double wall combustor disclosed
herein, that the average temperature in the same primary portion
were approximately 1,000.degree.F. under similar testing
conditions. This means that the double wall combustor during actual
operating conditions runs at approximately 600.degree.F. cooler
than present combustors which represents a decrease of about 361/2
percent when compared to present combustors.
Furthermore, this reduction in temperature of 600.degree.F. is
estimated to extend the useful operating life of the combustors of
approximately five times when compared to conventional combustors,
while the increase in cost involved in building the double wall
combustor relative to the conventional combustor is almost
negligible.
As previously mentioned, it is more economical to switch to heavy
fuels (those with high hydrocarbon contents and impurities) rather
than burn conventional No. 2 distillate fuel. However, since heavy
residual fuels radiate substantially more heat than No. 2
distillate fuel, combustor walls become hotter and combustor life
is correspondingly substantially reduced. As an example, it is not
uncommon for combustor wall portions to reach 1,900.degree.F. while
burning heavy residual fuels. Using the double wall combustor
construction, the wall temperature of the combustors can be kept
within present operating temperatures and have useful lives equal
to that of conventional combustors.
Another advantage to the double wall combustor, is that no
additional cooling air is needed to cool the walls and the
temperature distribution pattern of the gases introduced to the
turbine blades are not effected thereby. Alternately, to maintain
the same temperature of the combustor walls, the amount of
compressor air could be substantially reduced thereby increasing
the overall efficiency of the turbine because of the reduction in
back work.
An additional advantage of the double wall combustor is that since
the combustor walls are cooler, the pressurized air within the
plenum chamber is also kept cooler resulting in a cooler outer
casing structure.
What is disclosed then, is a double wall combustor that provides
multiple cooling functions: (a) convectively cools each double wall
portion, and (b) film cools each double wall portion. The double
wall combustor runs substantially cooler when compared to present
temperatures of combustors or in the alternative can operate at
substantially higher temperatures without having a corresponding
decrease in combustor life. When operated at normal conditions, the
combustor has an increase of useful life of five times that of
present combustors, with substantially no increase in construction
cost associated therewith. Finally, the temperature distribution
pattern of the hot combustion gases are not affected by the double
wall construction.
Since numerous changes may be made in the above-described
construction, and different embodiments of the invention may be
made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, it is
intended that all the matter contained in the foregoing description
or shown in the accompanying drawings, shall be interpreted as
illustrative and not in a limiting sense.
* * * * *