Swirl can primary combustor

Claim 1

A combustor for a high performance gas turbine engine comprising a pair of spaced walls forming a full annulus, a duct for supplying compressed air to an annular space between said spaced walls, a plurality of spaced modules mounted in said annular space adjacent to said duct whereby said compressed air is directed toward said modules so that a first portion of said compressed air passes through said modules and a second portion passes around said modules in the space therebetween, each of said modules comprising a hollow cylindrical housing having an open end for receiving said first portion of said compressed air forming primary combustion air, means for injecting fuel tangentially into said housing to provide a mixture of air and fuel, and a plurality of vanes at one end of said housing opposite said open end for swirling said mixture of air and fuel prior to mixing with secondary air, said secondary air comprising said second portion of said compressed air that flows around said modules, said first and said second portions comprising substantially the entire amount of said compressed air supplied from said duct, a film cooled liner on the oposite side of said modules from said duct forming a combustion chamber for receiving said mixture of air and fuel and said secondary combustion air, and means for igniting said mixture of air and fuel in said combustion chamber.