EP-4741646-A2 - COMBUSTOR WITH DISTRIBUTED AIR AND FUEL MIXING

Abstract

A combustor (100; 200) includes a liner (102) defining a combustion chamber (105) and receiving a fuel and air mixing body (104; 204; 300). The mixing body (104...300) has a central fuel supply (118, 120; 223,, 225; 302), and radial distribution passages (128, 138, 142; 224, 230, 239; 304, 314, 318, 322, 330, 338) communicating fuel from the central fuel supply (118..302) radially outwardly relative to a central axis (C) of the central fuel supply (118...302) and to mixing passages (110, 113, 136, 140; 210, 212, 220, 236; 310; 320, 328). The radial distribution passages (128...338) have injection ports (130) in the mixing passages (110...328). The mixing passages (110...328) extend from a rear face (106; 206) of the mixing body (104 ...300) to an inner face (116; 214) facing into the combustion chamber (105). Air inlets (108) in the mixing body (104...300) communicate air into the mixing passages (110...328), and there is cellular material (114; 213, 221) in the mixing passages (110...328) at a location at which the fuel is injected into the mixing passages (110...328). A gas turbine engine (20) is also disclosed.

Inventors

• Hu, Tin Cheung John

Assignees

• Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.

Dates

Publication Date

20260513

Application Date

20240202

Claims (5)

1. A combustor (200) comprising: a liner (102) defining a combustion chamber (105) and receiving a fuel and air mixing body (204), the mixing body (204) having a central fuel supply (223, 225), and radial distribution passages (224, 230, 239) communicating fuel from the central fuel supply (225) radially outwardly relative to a central axis (C) of the central fuel supply (225) and to mixing passages (210, 212, 220, 236), the radial distribution passages (224, 238, 239) having injection ports (130) in the mixing passages (210, 212, 220, 236), the mixing passages (210, 212, 220, 236) extending from a rear face (206) of the mixing body (204) to an inner face (214) facing into the combustion chamber (105), air inlets (108) in the mixing body (204) for communicating air into the mixing passages (210, 212, 220, 236), and cellular material (213, 221) in the mixing passages (210, 212, 220, 236) at a location at which the fuel is injected into the mixing passages (210, 212, 220, 236), wherein the radial distribution passages (224, 238, 239) extend outwardly from the central fuel supply (225) to communicate into each of a plurality of radially spaced sets of the mixing passages (210, 212, 220, 236) such that there is a single radial distribution passage (210, 212, 220, 236) bringing fuel to each of said mixing passages (224, 238, 239).
2. The combustor (200) set forth in claim 1, wherein the central fuel supply (225) defines a central axis (C), said mixing passages (210, 212, 220, 236) extend along a direction with a radially inward component relative to said central axis (C).
3. The combustor (200) set forth in any preceding claim, wherein a source of fuel is connected to the central fuel supply (225), and the source of fuel being gaseous hydrogen.
4. A gas turbine engine (20) comprising: a compressor section (24) and a turbine section (28); and the combustor (200) of claim 1 or 2 intermediate said compressor section (24) and said turbine section (28).
5. The gas turbine engine (20) set forth in claim 4, wherein a source of fuel is connected to the central fuel supply (225), and the source of fuel being gaseous hydrogen.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD This application relates to a combustor for using a gas turbine engine wherein there is an air and fuel mixing structure. BACKGROUND Gas turbine engines are known, and typically include a compressor delivering compressed air into a combustor. Compressed air is mixed with fuel and ignited. Products of the combustion pass downstream over turbine rotors, driving them to rotate. The turbine rotors in turn rotate a compressor rotor and a propulsor rotor such as a fan or propeller. Historically, aviation fuel has been utilized with gas turbine engines, especially for aircraft applications. More recently it has been proposed to utilize hydrogen (H2) as a fuel. SUMMARY A combustor according to an aspect of the present invention includes a liner defining a combustion chamber and receiving a fuel and air mixing body. The mixing body has a central fuel supply, and radial distribution passages communicating fuel from the central fuel supply radially outwardly relative to a central axis of the central fuel supply and to mixing passages. The radial distribution passages have injection ports in the mixing passages. The mixing passages extend from a rear face of the mixing body to an inner face facing into the combustion chamber. Air inlets in the mixing body communicate air into the mixing passages, and there is cellular material in the mixing passages at a location at which the fuel is injected into the mixing passages. In an embodiment, a first set of the radial distribution passages communicate fuel into a first inner set of mixing passages, and said first set of radial distribution passages also communicating outwardly of said first set of mixing passages into a fuel distribution ring, there being a second set of the radial distribution passages communicating fuel from the inner distribution ring into an outer set of mixing passages, and then radially outwardly into a third distribution ring. In a further embodiment according to any of the previous embodiments, a source of fuel is connected to the central fuel supply, and the source of fuel being gaseous hydrogen. In a further embodiment according to any of the previous embodiments, the outer set of said mixing passages have a greater cross-sectional area than the first set of mixing passages. In a further embodiment according to any of the previous embodiments, the radial distribution passages have an inner portion extending and through the mixing passages to an outer portion to communicate fuel to a radially outward set of said mixing passages such that there is a single radial distribution passage to communicate the central fuel supply to the inner distribution ring. In a further embodiment according to any of the previous embodiments, the radial distribution passages have an inner portion and an outer portion, and the inner and outer portions being separate and circumferentially spaced within the mixing passages. In a further embodiment according to any of the previous embodiments, the central fuel supply defines a central axis, said mixing passages extend along a direction with a radially inward component relative to said central axis. In a further embodiment according to any of the previous embodiments, the radial distribution passages extend outwardly from the central fuel supply to communicate into each of a plurality of radially spaced sets of the mixing passages such that there is a single radial distribution passage bringing fuel to each of said mixing passages. A gas turbine engine according to another aspect of the present invention includes a compressor section, a turbine section and a combustor intermediate said compressor section and said turbine section. The combustor includes a liner defining a combustion chamber and receiving a fuel and air mixing body. The mixing body has a central fuel supply, and radial distribution passages communicating fuel from the central fuel supply radially outwardly relative to a central axis of the central fuel supply and to mixing passages. The radial distribution passages have injection ports in the mixing passages. The mixing passages extend from a rear face of the mixing body to an inner face facing into the combustion chamber. Air inlets in the mixing body communicate air into the mixing passages, and there is cellular material in the mixing passages at a location at which the fuel is injected into the mixing passages. In an embodiment, a first set of the radial distribution passages communicate fuel into a first inner set of mixing passages, and said first set of radial distribution passages also communicating outwardly of said first set of mixing passages into a fuel distribution ring, there being a second set of the radial distribution passages communicating fuel from the inner distribution ring into an outer set of mixing passages, and then radially outwardly into a third distribution ring. In a further embodiment according to any of the previous embodiments, a source of fuel is connected to the