Annular slot combustor

Claim 2

A fuel carbureting device for use in a gas turbine engine which includes an annular combustion zone disposed between a pair of liners, said liners defining a primary air inlet to said combustion zone wherein a high energy gas stream is generated, said carbureting device comprising: an annular premixing chamber having a continuous annular exit slot, said exit slot being substantially coaxial with said annular combustion zone, and said exit slot being disposed within said primary air inlet to said combustion zone; a plurality of swirl vanes positioned within said exit slot; means for delivering a fuel and air mixture to said premixing chamber as a tangential flow upstream of said swirl vanes; and means for generating a counterswirl air flow around said exit slot whereby a continuous annular fuel and air mixture is introduced into the combustion zone.

Claim 3

A fuel carbureting device as recited in claim 1 wherein said annular premixing chamber includes a generally radially extending upstream wall, an inner wall, and an outer wall, said inner and outer walls extending axially from said upstream wall and converging to form said annular exit slot.

Claim 4

A fuel carbureting device as recited in claim 2 wherein said means for delivering said fuel and air mixture includes a plurality of air intakes extending from said upstream wall.

Claim 5

A fuel carbureting device as recited in claim 3 wherein each of said air intakes includes an exit for delivering said fuel and air mixture to said premixing chamber, said exits further being characterized in that they generally lie in a single plane.

Claim 6

A fuel carbureting device as recited in claim 4 wherein said air intakes turn the air flow approximately 90* from the axial direction.

Claim 7

A fuel carbureting device as recited in claim 5 wherein said air intakes are provided with means for injecting fuel into said premixing chamber.

Claim 8

A fuel carbureting device as recited in claim 6 wherein said fuel injection means comprise low pressure fuel tubes.

Claim 9

A fuel carbureting device as recited in claim 7 wherein said swirl vanes are configured to turn said tangential flow in an axial direction and are positioned such that the fuel and air mixture remains attached thereto along substantially the entire length of said vanes.

Claim 10

A fuel carbureting device as recited in claim 8 wherein said counterswirl air flow generating means comprise a plurality of counterswirl vanes which surround said annular slot.

Claim 11

A fuel carbureting device as recited in claim 9 wherein said counterswirl vanes are positioned so as to deliver primary combustion air to the combustion zone in a direction counter that of said fuel and air mixture.

Claim 12

A gas turbine engine including a compressor for generating an annular gas stream, a turbine for driving said compressor, and a combustion system wherein high energy fuel is introduced into said annular gas stream and ignited to produce a high energy gas stream to drive said turbine, said combustion system including an annular combusTion zone disposed between a pair of liners, said liners defining a primary air inlet to said combustion zone and a fuel carbureting device for delivering a fuel and air mixture to said combustion zone, said fuel carbureting device comprising: an annular premixing chamber having a continuous annular exit slot, said exit slot being substantially coaxial with said annular combustion zone and said exit slot being disposed within said primary air inlet to said combustion zone; a plurality of swirl vanes positioned within said exit slot; means for delivering a fuel and air mixture to said premixing chamber as a tangential flow upstream of said swirl vanes; and means for generating a counterswirl air flow around the exit slot whereby a continuous fuel and air mixture is introduced into the combustion zone.

Claim 13

A gas turbine engine including a compressor for generating an annular gas stream, a turbine for driving said compressor, and a combustion system wherein high energy fuel is introduced into said annular gas stream and ignited to produce a high energy gas stream to drive said turbine, said combustion system including an annular combusTion zone disposed between a pair of liners, said liners defining a primary air inlet to said combustion zone and a fuel carbureting device for delivering a fuel and air mixture to said combustion zone, said fuel carbureting device comprising: an annular premixing chamber having a continuous annular exit slot, said exit slot being substantially coaxial with said annular combustion zone and said exit slot being disposed within said primary air inlet to said combustion zone; a plurality of swirl vanes positioned within said exit slot; means for delivering a fuel and air mixture to said premixing chamber as a tangential flow upstream of said swirl vanes; and means for generating a counterswirl air flow around the exit slot whereby a continuous fuel and air mixture is introduced into the combustion zone.

Claim 14

A gas turbine engine as recited in claim 11 wherein said means for generating a counterswirl air flow comprise a plurality of counterswirl vanes positioned above and below said annular slot.

Claim 15

A gas turbine engine as recited in claim 12 wherein said annular premixing chamber comprises a generally radially extending upstream wall, an inner wall and an outer wall extending axially from said upstream wall, said inner and outer walls converging to form said annular exit slot.

Claim 16

A gas turbine engine as recited in claim 13 wherein said means for delivering a fuel and air mixture include a plurality of air intakes connected to said upstream wall.

Claim 17

A gas turbine engine as recited in claim 14 wherein said air intakes are adapted to turn the air flow approximately 90* from the axial direction and said air intakes are equipped with means for injecting fuel into said premixing chamber.