Annular combustion chamber for dissimilar fluids in swirling flow relationship

Claim 2

In an annular combustion chamber, means to establish compound radially staged mixing comprising: A. means to establish swirling flow pattern of a first fluid of product parameter Rho 1 Vt12 where Rho 1 is the fluid density and Vt1 is the tangential velocity of the swirl motion in a central portion of the combustion chamber, B. means to establish a swirling flow pattern of a second fluid of density Rho 2 and a tangential velocity Vt2 of selected product parameter Rho 2 Vt22 radially inward of and in interface engagement with the first fluid flow so that the Rho Vt2 product parameter of the second fluid being greater than that of the first fluid to accelerate mixing therebetween and, C. means to establish a swirling flow pattern of a third fluid of density Rho 3 and tangential velocity Vt3 radially outward of the first fluid and in interface engagement therewith and having a product parameter Rho 3 Vt2 less than the Rho 1 Vt12 product parameter of the first fluid to accelerate mixing therebetween.

Claim 3

Apparatus according to claim 1 including means to add fuel to said first, second and third fluids to create a first, second and third fuel-air mixture, respectively, and means to ignite said first fuel-air mixture to serve as a pilot for said second and third fuel-air mixtures.

Claim 4

a second duct surrounding said axis and position within said first duct to cooperate therewith to define a first annular passage therebetween,

Claim 5

a second duct surrounding said axis and position within said first duct to cooperate therewith to define a first annular passage therebetween,

Claim 6

a third duct positioned concentrically about said axis and enveloping said first and second ducts and cooperating with said first duct to dfine a first fuel preparation annular passage therebetween,

Claim 7

a third duct positioned concentrically about said axis and enveloping said first and second ducts and cooperating with said first duct to dfine a first fuel preparation annular passage therebetween,

Claim 8

a fourth duct positioned concentrically about said axis and within said first and second ducts and cooperating with said second duct to define a second fuel preparation annular passage therebetween,

Claim 9

a fourth duct positioned concentrically about said axis and within said first and second ducts and cooperating with said second duct to define a second fuel preparation annular passage therebetween,

Claim 10

a third duct surrounding said axis and positioned within said second duct and cooperating therewith to define a second annular passage therebetween and extending farther downstream in said combustion chamber than said second duct,

Claim 11

a third duct surrounding said axis and positioned within said second duct and cooperating therewith to define a second annular passage therebetween and extending farther downstream in said combustion chamber than said second duct,

Claim 12

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said first fluid is a fuel-rich, vitiated mixture and wherein said second and third fluids are air.

Claim 13

An annular burner concentric about an axis and having a combustion zone and a dilution zone in series therein, A. a compound, concentric mixer with radial stage combustion in said combustion zone including:

Claim 14

An annular burner concentric about an axis and having a combustion zone and a dilution zone in series therein, A. a compound, concentric mixer with radial stage combustion in said combustion zone including:

Claim 15

a fourth duct enveloping said axis and positioned within said third duct and cooperating therewith to define a third annular passage therebetween and extending farther downstream than said third duct,

Claim 16

a fourth duct enveloping said axis and positioned within said third duct and cooperating therewith to define a third annular passage therebetween and extending farther downstream than said third duct,

Claim 17

means to establish an annular combustion pilot in said pilot combustion zone,

Claim 18

means to establish an annular combustion pilot in said pilot combustion zone,

Claim 19

means to pass a swirling fuel-air mixture through said first fuel preparation annular passage to mix with, be ignited by, and to burn with the products of combustion from the pilot zone in said main combustion zone,

Claim 20

means to pass a swirling fuel-air mixture through said first fuel preparation annular passage to mix with, be ignited by, and to burn with the products of combustion from the pilot zone in said main combustion zone,

Claim 21

means to establish swirling combustion in said first annular passage to serve as a first pilot flame,

Claim 22

means to establish swirling combustion in said first annular passage to serve as a first pilot flame,

Claim 23

Apparatus according to claim 4 and including means to cool the products of combustion in said dilution zone.

Claim 24

Apparatus according to claim 4 and including trigger mechanism located at the downstream end of at least one of said second, third and fourth ducts to physically disturb the interface between the swirling fluids flowing on opposite radial sides thereof.

Claim 25

means to pass a swirling fuel-air mixture through said second annular passage to mix with and be ignited by and burn with said pilot flame and to produce a second pilot flame extending downstream thereof,

Claim 26

means to pass a swirling fuel-air mixture through said second annular passage to mix with and be ignited by and burn with said pilot flame and to produce a second pilot flame extending downstream thereof,

Claim 27

means to pass a swirling fuel-air mixture through said second fuel preparation annular passage to mix with, be ignited by, and combust with the products of combustion of thE pilot flame in the main combustion zone, and

Claim 28

means to pass a swirling fuel-air mixture through said second fuel preparation annular passage to mix with, be ignited by, and combust with the products of combustion of thE pilot flame in the main combustion zone, and

Claim 29

wherein the product parameter Rho Vt2 of the fluid passing through the second annular passage is greater than the corresponding product parameter Rho Vt2 of the pilot products of combustion, which is in turn greater than the corresponding product parameter Rho Vt2 of the fluid passing through the said first annular passage, where Rho is density of the fluid and Vt is tangential velocity of the fluid.

Claim 30

wherein the product parameter Rho Vt2 of the fluid passing through the second annular passage is greater than the corresponding product parameter Rho Vt2 of the pilot products of combustion, which is in turn greater than the corresponding product parameter Rho Vt2 of the fluid passing through the said first annular passage, where Rho is density of the fluid and Vt is tangential velocity of the fluid.

Claim 31

means to pass a swirling fuel-fluid mixture through said third annular passage to mix with, be ignited by and burn with said second pilot flame to thereby provide a concentric mixer with radial staged combustion, and

Claim 32

means to pass a swirling fuel-fluid mixture through said third annular passage to mix with, be ignited by and burn with said second pilot flame to thereby provide a concentric mixer with radial staged combustion, and

Claim 33

Apparatus according to claim 4 and including means to pass cooling air into said dilution zone as swirling flow and passing immediately radially inboard of said fourth duct and so that the product parameter Rho Vt2 of the cooling air is greater than the product Rho Vt2 of the products of combustion from the third annular passage to accelerate intermixing and cooling therebetween, where Rho is density and Vt is tangential velocity.

Claim 34

Apparatus according to claim 4 and including means to selectively establish combustion in said first annular passage, means to selectively establish combustion in said first and second annular passages, means to selectively establish combustion in said first, second and third annular passages.

Claim 35

wherein the products of combustion of the first pilot flame are of density Rho 1 and rotating at tangential velocity Vt1, and wherein the fueL-air mixture flowing through said second annular passage is of density Rho 2 and tangential velocity Vt22 so that the relationship therebetween is such as to satisfy the product parameter ratio Rho 2 Vt22 > Rho 1 Vt12, and wherein the products of combustion of said second pilot flame have a density Rho 3 and a tangential velocity Vt3, further wherein the fuel-air mixture being passed through said third annular passage has a density Rho 4 and a tangential velocity Vt4 which bear a relationship to the characteristics of the second pilot flame to satisfy the product parameter ratio Rho 4 Vt42 > Rho 3 Vt32, where Rho is density and Vt is tangential velocity.

Claim 36

wherein the products of combustion of the first pilot flame are of density Rho 1 and rotating at tangential velocity Vt1, and wherein the fueL-air mixture flowing through said second annular passage is of density Rho 2 and tangential velocity Vt22 so that the relationship therebetween is such as to satisfy the product parameter ratio Rho 2 Vt22 > Rho 1 Vt12, and wherein the products of combustion of said second pilot flame have a density Rho 3 and a tangential velocity Vt3, further wherein the fuel-air mixture being passed through said third annular passage has a density Rho 4 and a tangential velocity Vt4 which bear a relationship to the characteristics of the second pilot flame to satisfy the product parameter ratio Rho 4 Vt42 > Rho 3 Vt32, where Rho is density and Vt is tangential velocity.

Claim 37

An annular combustion chamber concentric about an axis and having a main combustion zone positioned axially forward of a dilution zone and including a concentric mixer with radial staging forming part of the main combustion zone and including: A. means to establish an annular pilot combustion zone positioned concentrically about said axis, B. at least two ducts of substantially circular cross section positioned concentrically about said axis within said annular pilot combustion zone and with each smaller diameter duct extending farther downstream axially than the duct outboard thereof so as to form a first annular passage between the pilot zone forming means and the radially outer duct and a second annular passage between the radially outer duct and the radially inner duct, C. means to pass a swirling fuel-air mixture through said first annular passage to mix with, be ignited by, and burn with the products of combustion from the pilot combustion zone to thereby establish a second pilot combustion zone from the products of combustion thereof, D. means to pass a swirling fuel-air mixture through said second annular passage to mix with, be ignited by and to burn with the products of combustion of the second pilot combustion zone, and E. wherein the product parameter Rho Vt2 of the swirling fluid passing through each annular passage decreases from the radially innermost passage to the radially outermost passage, where Rho is fluid density and Vt is fluid tangential velocity.

Claim 38

An annular combustion chamber concentric about an axis and having a main combustion zone positioned axially forward of a dilution zone and including a concentric mixer with radial staging forming part of the main combustion zone and including: A. means to establish an annular pilot combustion zone positioned concentrically about said axis, B. at least two ducts of substantially circular cross section positioned concentrically about said axis within said annular pilot combustion zone and with each smaller diameter duct extending farther downstream axially than the duct outboard thereof so as to form a first annular passage between the pilot zone forming means and the radially outer duct and a second annular passage between the radially outer duct and the radially inner duct, C. means to pass a swirling fuel-air mixture through said first annular passage to mix with, be ignited by, and burn with the products of combustion from the pilot combustion zone to thereby establish a second pilot combustion zone from the products of combustion thereof, D. means to pass a swirling fuel-air mixture through said second annular passage to mix with, be ignited by and to burn with the products of combustion of the second pilot combustion zone, and E. wherein the product parameter Rho Vt2 of the swirling fluid passing through each annular passage decreases from the radially innermost passage to the radially outermost passage, where Rho is fluid density and Vt is fluid tangential velocity.

Claim 39

Apparatus according to claim 9 and including trigger means located at the downstream end of at least one of said ducts.

Claim 40

An annular combustion chamber concentric about an axis and having a combustion zone and a dilution zone positioned axially therewithin, said combustion zone including: A. a compound concentric mixer with radial staging including:

Claim 41

An annular combustion chamber concentric about an axis and having a combustion zone and a dilution zone positioned axially therewithin, said combustion zone including: A. a compound concentric mixer with radial staging including:

Claim 42

Apparatus according to claim 11 and including trigger means located at the downstream end of the duct separating each pilot combustion zone from the adjacent other alternate passage to physically disturb the interface between the swirling fluids passing on opposite radial sides thereof to accelerate mixing therebetween.

Claim 43

An annular combustion chamber having an axis and main combustion zone positioned axially forward of a dilution zone and wherein the combustion zone includes: A. a compound concentric mixer with plural radial staged combustion including:

Claim 44

An annular combustion chamber having an axis and main combustion zone positioned axially forward of a dilution zone and wherein the combustion zone includes: A. a compound concentric mixer with plural radial staged combustion including:

Claim 45

Apparatus according to claim 13 and including means to trigger the interface between the products of combustion of the pilot combustion zone and fuel-air mixture from said annular fuel-air passage.

Claim 46

An annular combustion chamber concentric about an axis and having a main combustion zone positioned forward of a dilution zone and including: A. a compound concentric mixer positioned forward of the combustion zone and adapted to accomplish combustion in radial staging and including:

Claim 47

An annular combustion chamber concentric about an axis and having a main combustion zone positioned forward of a dilution zone and including: A. a compound concentric mixer positioned forward of the combustion zone and adapted to accomplish combustion in radial staging and including:

Claim 48

Apparatus according to claim 15 and including trigger means located at the downstream end of said first and second ducts to physically displace the interface between the pilot products of combustion and the swirling fluids of the first and second fuel preparation annular passages, respectively.

Claim 49

Apparatus according to claim 15 and including means to dilute and cool the products of combustion in the main combustion zone in said dilution zone.

Claim 50

An annular combustion chamber concentric about an axis and including a main combustion zone located forward of the dilution zone and wherein the main combustion zone has a concentric mixer including: A. means establishing an annular pilot combustion zone flame, B. means for passing a swirling fuel-air mixture along said axis and immediately radially outboard and inboard of said annular pilot flame to mix with, be ignited by, and to burn with said pilot flame in said main combustion zone, and C. wherein the product parameter Rho Vt2 of the radially innermost fuel-air mixture is greater than the corresponding product parameter Rho Vt2 of the pilot flame, which is in turn greater than the corresponding product parameter Rho Vt2 of the radially outer fuel-air mixture, where Rho is fluid density and Vt is fluid tangential velocity.

Claim 51

An annular combustion chamber concentric about an axis and including a main combustion zone located forward of the dilution zone and wherein the main combustion zone has a concentric mixer including: A. means establishing an annular pilot combustion zone flame, B. means for passing a swirling fuel-air mixture along said axis and immediately radially outboard and inboard of said annular pilot flame to mix with, be ignited by, and to burn with said pilot flame in said main combustion zone, and C. wherein the product parameter Rho Vt2 of the radially innermost fuel-air mixture is greater than the corresponding product parameter Rho Vt2 of the pilot flame, which is in turn greater than the corresponding product parameter Rho Vt2 of the radially outer fuel-air mixture, where Rho is fluid density and Vt is fluid tangential velocity.

Claim 52

Apparatus according to claim 18 and including means to physically disturb the interface between said pilot flame and at least one of said fuel-air mixtures.