ARTICLE AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING AN EXPANDED COMBUSTOR LINER
20250189128 ยท 2025-06-12
Inventors
Cpc classification
F23R2900/00018
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F23R3/002
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F02C3/14
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F23R2900/00017
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
International classification
F23R3/00
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
Abstract
A method of manufacturing a nested combustor liner includes manufacturing a nested combustor liner into a green state including a plurality of annular interior walls radially adjacent to one another and circumferentially surrounding an exhaust duct aperture and a plurality of annular exterior walls radially adjacent to one another and radially spaced apart from and circumferentially surrounding the plurality of annular interior walls and an ignitor wall attached to a first annular interior wall at a first interior end, extending radially toward and attached to a first annular exterior wall at a first exterior end. The method includes assembling the plurality of annular interior walls and the plurality of annular exterior walls, forming an assembled combustor liner. The method includes densifying the assembled combustor liner.
Claims
1. A combustor liner, comprising: a plurality of extended annular interior walls circumferentially surrounding an exhaust duct aperture, wherein each of the plurality of extended annular interior walls is radially adjacent to and axially extended from at least one other of the plurality of extended annular interior walls and a first annular interior wall includes a first interior flange extending radially away from the exhaust duct aperture and wherein a second annular interior wall has a second interior flange extending radially inward toward the first annular interior wall; a plurality of extended annular exterior walls radially spaced apart from and circumferentially surrounding the plurality of annular interior walls, wherein each of the plurality of extended annular exterior walls is radially adjacent to and axially extended from at least one other of the plurality of extended annular exterior walls and a first annular exterior wall includes a first exterior flange extending radially away from the first annular interior wall and wherein a second annular exterior wall has a second exterior flange extending radially inward toward the first annular exterior wall; an ignitor wall attached to a first interior wall end of the first annular interior wall and attached to a first exterior wall end of the first annular exterior wall; a first compressible seal compressed between the first annular interior wall and the second annular interior wall and between the first interior flange and the second interior flange; and a second compressible seal compressed between the first annular exterior wall and the second annular exterior wall and between the first exterior flange and the second exterior flange.
2. The combustor liner of claim 1, wherein the plurality of extended annular interior walls, the plurality of extended annular exterior walls, and the ignitor wall include nickel or a nickel-based alloy.
3. An assembly for a turbine engine, comprising: a plurality of interior walls of a combustor liner arranged axially along an exhaust duct aperture, each of the plurality of interior walls circumscribing the exhaust duct aperture, the plurality of interior walls including a first interior wall and a second interior wall, the second interior wall radially adjacent and projecting axially out from the first interior wall, the first interior wall comprising a first interior flange projecting radially outward away from the exhaust duct aperture, the second interior wall comprising a second interior flange projecting radially inwards towards the exhaust duct aperture, and the first interior flange axially engaged with the second interior flange; a plurality of exterior walls of the combustor liner arranged axially along the exhaust duct aperture, each of the plurality of exterior walls circumscribing the plurality of interior walls, the plurality of exterior walls including a first exterior wall and a second exterior wall, the second exterior wall radially adjacent and projecting axially out from the first exterior wall, the first exterior wall comprising a first exterior flange projecting radially outward away from the exhaust duct aperture, the second exterior wall comprising a second exterior flange projecting radially inwards towards the exhaust duct aperture, and the first exterior flange axially engaged with the second exterior flange; and an endwall attached to and extending radially between one of the plurality of interior walls and one of the plurality of exterior walls.
4. The assembly of claim 3, wherein the endwall is attached to the first interior wall and the first exterior wall.
5. The assembly of claim 3, further comprising an interior seal element disposed axially between and contacting the first interior flange and the second interior flange.
6. The assembly of claim 5, wherein the interior seal element is compressed axially between the first interior flange and the second interior flange.
7. The assembly of claim 5, wherein the interior seal element comprises a C-seal element.
8. The assembly of claim 3, further comprising an exterior seal element disposed axially between and contacting the first exterior flange and the second exterior flange.
9. The assembly of claim 8, wherein the exterior seal element is compressed axially between the first exterior flange and the second exterior flange.
10. The assembly of claim 8, wherein the exterior seal element comprises a C-seal element.
11. The assembly of claim 3, wherein the endwall is an ignitor wall.
12. The assembly of claim 3, wherein the endwall circumscribes a centerline of the combustor liner.
13. The assembly of claim 3, wherein the plurality of interior walls form a radial inner wall of the combustor liner; the plurality of exterior walls form a radial outer wall of the combustor liner; and a combustion chamber is disposed radially between the radial inner wall and the radial outer wall, and the combustion chamber extends axially along the radial inner wall and the radial outer wall to the endwall.
14. The assembly of claim 3, wherein the plurality of interior walls comprises nickel.
15. The assembly of claim 3, wherein the plurality of exterior walls comprises nickel.
16. The assembly of claim 3, wherein the endwall comprises nickel.
17. An assembly for a turbine engine, comprising: a plurality of interior walls arranged axially along an exhaust duct aperture, each of the plurality of interior walls circumscribing the exhaust duct aperture, the plurality of interior walls including a first interior wall and a second interior wall disposed radially outboard of the first interior wall, the second interior wall radially adjacent and projecting axially out from the first interior wall, the first interior wall comprising a first interior flange, the second interior wall comprising a second interior flange, and the first interior flange axially engaged with the second interior flange; a plurality of exterior walls arranged axially along the exhaust duct aperture, each of the plurality of exterior walls circumscribing the plurality of interior walls, the plurality of exterior walls including a first exterior wall and a second exterior wall disposed radially outboard of the first exterior wall, the second exterior wall radially adjacent and projecting axially out from the first exterior wall, the first exterior wall comprising a first exterior flange, the second exterior wall comprising a second exterior flange, and the first exterior flange axially engaged with the second exterior flange; an endwall attached to and extending radially between one of the plurality of interior walls and one of the plurality of exterior walls; and a combustion chamber disposed radially between the plurality of interior walls and the plurality of exterior walls, and the combustion chamber extending axially along the plurality of interior walls and the plurality of exterior walls to the endwall.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008]
[0009]
[0010]
[0011]
[0012]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0013] A combustor liner with a nested build reduces the manufacturing footprint. Even so, a gas turbine engine can leverage additive manufacturing techniques to improve various aspects of the gas turbine engine such as, for example, limited-life engines. Additive manufacturing allows the assembly details to be unitized, and simultaneously permits integration of many complex performance-enhancing features. The use of additive manufacturing to produce the engine reduces the time to delivery to the customer and lowers the overall production costs of the unit.
[0014] Disclosed herein is a combustor liner with a nested build configured to be manufactured in a green state, assembled, and then sintered together. As used herein, green state means a partially manufactured part, which is sturdy enough to withstand further processing such as assembly but requires further manufacturing steps such as sintering before the part is used under operational conditions. Conventionally built combustor liners require comparatively large manufacturing footprints. Using part nesting strategies to increase manufacturing density can significantly reduce the required space needed to manufacture the combustor liner. For example, additive manufacturing part cost is directly tied to the part volume. Part nesting allows for a relatively small manufacturing footprint or multiple combustor liners to be manufactured in the same footprint as a conventionally manufactured combustor liner.
[0015] By using design for additive manufacturing (DfAM) Binder jet specific rules, multiple nested combustor liners can be manufactured simultaneously in a single build chamber of an additive manufacturing apparatus. DfAM is a general type of design method or tool whereby functional performance or other key product life-cycle considerations such as manufacturability, reliability, and cost can be optimized subjected to the capabilities of additive manufacturing technologies. Once the combustor liner sets of walls are built in the nested configuration, which can be referred to as a green state in some embodiments, the sets of walls can be partially assembled by hand by expanding the nested combustor liner sets of walls. A compressible seal is placed between each pair of adjacent walls followed by sintering the sets of walls in the expanded configuration. During the sintering process, the parent material shrinks due to the binder material burning out, bringing the seals into a compressed state, which resists further movement of the adjacent walls relative to one another.
[0016] Combustor liner 200 can be additively manufactured using techniques such as laser powder bed fusion, electron beam melting, direct energy deposition, gap photo polymerization, and binder jetting. The additive manufacturing process can use any suitable material, including without limitation metals, alloys, and ceramic based materials that can tolerate the high temperature and pressure environment of a gas turbine engine for the expected useable life of the vehicle, such as, for example, nickel based alloys like Inconel 625. However, guided munitions, missiles, and decoys are designed as single use vehicles and can have a maximum useable life of 10 hours. Heat protection that extends the useable life of the vehicle beyond 10 hours can unnecessarily add labor and expense to the manufacturing of such an engine. On the other hand, some UAVs can be designed to perform multiple missions and more heat protection may be desirable. A specific metal or alloy with or without additional treatments to provide heat protection can be chosen with such considerations in mind. For example, a thermal barrier layer or coating can be applied to the metal or alloy to extend the useful life of the gas turbine engine.
[0017]
[0018] Ignitor wall 106 circumferentially surrounds exhaust duct aperture 108 and extends radially. Ignitor wall 106 is attached to an axial end of annular interior wall 102 at an inner radial diameter of ignitor wall 106 and is attached to an axial end of annular exterior wall 104 at an outer radial diameter of ignitor wall 106. Exhaust duct aperture 108 is partially defined by annular interior wall 102 and is configured to house an exhaust duct. Annular interior wall 102, annular exterior wall 104, and ignitor wall 106 together can define a combustion chamber.
[0019] Annular exterior wall 104 can include dilution chutes 110 and dilution holes 112. Dilution chutes 110 can provide apertures for delivery of air and fuel to the combustion chamber. Dilution holes 112 can provide apertures for delivery of air to the combustion chamber. Dilution chutes 110 and dilution holes 112 together can provide apertures such that a desired combustion efficiency is achieved while maintaining the integrity of combustor liner 100 under load by controlling parameters such as the air to fuel ratio and the amount of cooling. For example, the size, number, and position of dilution chutes 110 and dilution holes 112 can be optimized using any technique known in the art such as predictive software to help control the amount and direction of fuel and air flow into and through the combustion chamber.
[0020]
[0021] Annular interior walls 202a, 202b, and 202c are partially manufactured into a green state and are nested. In one embodiment, as depicted in
[0022] In one embodiment, annular interior walls can be arranged inversely to those depicted in
[0023] Annular exterior walls 204a, 204b, and 204c are partially manufactured into a green state and are nested. In one embodiment, as depicted in
[0024] In one embodiment, annular exterior walls can be arranged inversely to those depicted in
[0025] Ignitor wall 206 circumferentially surrounds exhaust duct aperture 208 and extends radially between first annular internal wall 202a and first annular exterior wall 204a. In one embodiment, as depicted in
[0026] Exhaust duct aperture 208 is partially defined by annular interior walls 202a, 202b, and 202c and is configured to house an exhaust duct (not shown), which is outside the scope of the present disclosure. Annular interior walls 202a, 202b, and 202c, annular exterior walls 204a, 204b, and 204c, and ignitor wall 206 together can define a combustion chamber.
[0027] Annular exterior walls 204a, 204b, and 204c can include dilution chutes 210 and dilution holes 212. Dilution chutes 210 can provide apertures for delivery of air and fuel to the combustion chamber. Dilution holes 212 can provide apertures for delivery of air to the combustion chamber. Dilution chutes 210 and dilution holes 212 together can provide apertures such that a desired combustion efficiency is achieved under load while maintaining the integrity of combustor liner 200 by controlling parameters such as the air to fuel ratio and the amount of cooling. For example, the size, number, and position of dilution chutes 210 and dilution holes 212 can be optimized to help control the amount and direction of fuel and air flow into and through the combustion chamber.
[0028] As depicted in
[0029] First and second annular exterior walls 204a and 204b include flanges 214b, which extend outwardly away from exhaust duct aperture 208 and are attached at an end opposite of ignitor wall 206. Second and third annular exterior walls 204b and 204c include flanges 216b, which extend inwardly toward exhaust duct aperture 208 and are attached at an end adjacent to ignitor wall 206.
[0030]
[0031] The descriptions for reference numbers in
[0032] Although three sets of walls are depicted in
[0033]
[0034] Although compressible seals 218 are depicted as C-seals in
[0035] Combustor liner 200 is manufactured by forming a nested green-state build such as the embodiment show in
[0036] Assembled combustor liner 200 is then treated such that combustor liner 200 shrinks using, for example, heat treatment to densify combustor liner 200. In other words, assembled combustor liner 200 increases in density during the treatment, which in turn exerts a compressive force on compressible seals 218. As first, second, and third annular interior walls 202a, 202b, 202c, first, second, and third annular exterior walls 204a, 204b, 204c, flanges 214a, 216a, 214b, and 216b shrink, compressible seal 218 is compressed and resists any further movement of first, second, and third annular interior walls 202a, 202b, 202c, first, second, and third annular exterior walls 204a, 204b, 204c, flanges 214a, 216a, 214b, and 216b relative to one another including under operational load conditions. In one embodiment, the additive manufacturing technique of binder jetting is used, which can evaporate the binder material during a sintering process, resulting in densification of combustor liner 200.
[0037] In some embodiments, combustor liner 200 can be manufactured using material extrusion techniques or using ceramic slurries. Upon insertion of compressible seals and assembly, the assembled combustor liner 200 is then treated, such as heat treated, sintered, or cured to densify combustor liner 200, which exerts a compression force upon the compressible seals.
[0038]
[0039] A combustor liner with a nested build configured to be manufactured in a green state, assembled, and then sintered together saves significant manufacturing time and space compared to a conventionally built combustor liner. Conventionally built combustor liners require comparatively large manufacturing footprints. Using part nesting strategies to increase manufacturing density can significantly reduce the required space needed to manufacture the combustor liner. For example, additive manufacturing part cost is directly tied to the part volume. Furthermore, by using DfAM Binder jet specific rules, multiple nested combustor liners can be manufactured simultaneously in a single build chamber of an additive manufacturing apparatus during a single build cycle.
Discussion of Possible Embodiments
[0040] The following are non-exclusive descriptions of possible embodiments of the present invention.
[0041] A method of manufacturing a nested combustor liner includes manufacturing a nested combustor liner into a green state including a plurality of annular interior walls radially adjacent to one another and circumferentially surrounding an exhaust duct aperture and a plurality of annular exterior walls radially adjacent to one another and radially spaced apart from and circumferentially surrounding the plurality of annular interior walls and an ignitor wall attached to a first annular interior wall at a first interior end, extending radially toward and attached to a first annular exterior wall at a first exterior end. The method includes assembling the plurality of annular interior walls and the plurality of annular exterior walls, forming an assembled combustor liner. The method includes densifying the assembled combustor liner.
[0042] The method of the preceding paragraph can optionally include, additionally and/or alternatively, any one or more of the following features, configurations and/or additional components:
[0043] Densifying the assembled combustor liner is done by sintering the assembled combustor liner.
[0044] The first annular interior wall includes a first interior flange extending radially away from the exhaust duct aperture and attached to a second interior end opposite the first interior end and the first exterior wall includes a first annular exterior flange extending radially away from the first interior wall and attached to a second exterior end opposite the first exterior end.
[0045] A second annular interior wall has a second interior flange extending radially inward toward the first annular interior wall and attached to an end adjacent to the ignitor wall and a second annular exterior wall has a second exterior flange extending radially inward toward the first annular exterior wall and attached to an end adjacent the ignitor wall.
[0046] The method includes inserting a compressible seal between the first annular interior wall and the second annular interior wall and inserting a compressible seal between the first annular exterior wall and the second annular exterior wall.
[0047] The compressible seal is a C seal.
[0048] The method includes axially extending the plurality of annular interior and exterior walls away from the first annular interior wall and the first annular exterior wall, respectively.
[0049] Densifying the assembled combustor liner results in compression of the compressible seal to resist movement of the plurality of annular interior walls relative to one another and movement of the plurality of annular exterior walls relative to one another.
[0050] The nested combustor liner includes nickel or a nickel based alloy.
[0051] Manufacturing a nested combustor liner is performed using additive manufacturing techniques.
[0052] Additive manufacturing techniques is binder jet printing.
[0053] A method of manufacturing a plurality of nested combustor liners simultaneously in a single build cycle and in a single build chamber of an additive manufacturing apparatus includes manufacturing a plurality of nested combustor liners into a green state in a single build cycle and in a single build chamber of an additive manufacturing apparatus. Each nested combustion liner comprises a plurality of annular interior walls radially adjacent to one another and circumferentially surrounding an exhaust duct aperture and a plurality of annular exterior walls radially adjacent to one another and radially spaced apart from and circumferentially surrounding the plurality of annular interior walls. The method includes assembling the plurality of annular interior walls and the plurality of annular exterior walls, forming a plurality of assembled combustor liners. The method includes sintering each of the plurality of assembled combustor liners to densify each of the plurality of the combustor liners.
[0054] The method of the preceding paragraph can optionally include, additionally and/or alternatively, any one or more of the following features, configurations and/or additional components:
[0055] The first annular interior wall includes a first interior flange extending radially away from the exhaust duct aperture and attached to a second interior end opposite the first interior end and the first exterior wall includes a first annular exterior flange extending radially away from the first interior wall and attached to a second exterior end opposite the first exterior end.
[0056] A second annular interior wall has a second interior flange extending radially inward toward the first annular interior wall and attached to an end adjacent to the ignitor wall and a second annular exterior wall has a second exterior flange extending radially inward toward the first annular exterior wall and attached to an end adjacent the ignitor wall.
[0057] The method includes inserting a compressible seal between the first annular interior wall and the second annular interior wall and inserting a compressible seal between the first annular exterior wall and the second annular exterior wall.
[0058] The method includes axially extending the plurality of annular interior and exterior walls away from the first annular interior wall and the first annular exterior wall, respectively.
[0059] Sintering each of the plurality of assembled combustor liners results in compression of the compressible seals to resist movement of the plurality of annular interior walls relative to one another and movement of the plurality of annular exterior walls relative to one another.
[0060] A combustor liner includes a plurality of extended annular interior walls circumferentially surrounding an exhaust duct aperture. Each of the plurality of extended annular interior walls is radially adjacent to and axially extended from at least one other of the plurality of extended annular interior walls and a first annular interior wall includes a first interior flange extending radially away from the exhaust duct aperture and wherein a second annular interior wall has a second interior flange extending radially inward toward the first annular interior wall. The combustor liner includes a plurality of extended annular exterior walls radially spaced apart from and circumferentially surrounding the plurality of annular interior walls. Each of the plurality of extended annular exterior walls is radially adjacent to and axially extended from at least one other of the plurality of extended annular exterior walls and a first annular exterior wall includes a first exterior flange extending radially away from the first annular interior wall and wherein a second annular exterior wall has a second exterior flange extending radially inward toward the first annular exterior wall. The combustor liner includes an ignitor wall attached to a first interior wall end of the first annular interior wall and attached to a first exterior wall end of the first annular exterior wall. The combustor liner includes a first compressible seal compressed between the first annular interior wall and the second annular interior wall and between the first interior flange and the second interior flange and a second compressible seal compressed between the first annular exterior wall and the second annular exterior wall and between the first exterior flange and the second exterior flange.
[0061] The combustor liner of the preceding paragraph can optionally include, additionally and/or alternatively, any one or more of the following features, configurations and/or additional components:
[0062] The plurality of extended annular interior walls, the plurality of extended annular exterior walls, and the ignitor wall include nickel or a nickel-based alloy.
[0063] While the invention has been described with reference to an exemplary embodiment(s), it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment(s) disclosed, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.