United States Patent (19) ill 4,232,526

Barbeau 45 Nov. 11, 1980

54 HIGH INTENSITY SLINGERTYPE Primary Examiner-Robert E. Garrett
COMBUSTOR FORTURBINE ENGINES Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Gifford, VanOphem,
75 Inventor: Dennis E. Barbeau, Liberty Center, Sheridan & Sprinkle
Ohio 57 ABSTRACT
73 Assignee: Teledyne Industries, Inc., Los A rotating slinger fuel injector for turbine engines is
Angeles, Calif. provided with a plurality of radial holes for distributing
(21) Appl. No.: 972,678 and mixing fuel and air throughout the combustor. Fuel
22 Filed: Dec. 26, 1978 is supplied from a stationary fuel manifold through fuel
ports in a rotating slinger which distributes the fuel in a
51) Int. Cl. ................................................ FO2C 7/22 plurality of planes throughout the combustor. Air is
52 U.S.C. ...................................................... 60/745 channeled from the compressor rotor through radially
58) Field of Search ................... 60/39.74 S; 431/168, and axially angled airports provided in the slinger so as
431/169 to distribute air in a plurality of planes which intersect
(56) References Cited the planes of distributed fuel at various points through
U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS out the interior combustor. Thus the combustion inten
sity and efficiency is greatly increased.
3,932,988 1/1976 Beaufrere ........................ 60/39.74 S
3,983,694 10/1976 Bracken ............. 60/39.74. S
4,040,251 8/1977 Heitmann et al. ..... - 60/39.74 S 6 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures
U.S. Patent Nov. 11, 1980 4,232,526

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aligned in a plurality of axially spaced apart rows of
HIGH INTENSITY SLINGERTYPE COMBUSTOR radial bores. Rows of bores from said first set of radial
FORTURBINE ENGINES bores are alternately spaced adjacent to rows of bores
from said second set of radial bores. Each of the bores
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 5 in a row is aligned at an angle with respect to the axis of
I. Field of the Invention the turbine, and such angle can be different from the
The invention relates generally to turbine engines and angle of the bores in the adjacent row with respect to
more specifically to turbine engines utilizing a slinger the axis of the turbine engine so that fluid is introduced
type fuel injector. from a row of bores into the combustor chamber in a
II. Description of the Prior Art 10
plane which intersects the plane of fluid flow from the
In order to introduce fuel into the combustion cham adjacent row at a point in the interior of the combustor
ber of a turbine engine, it has been found advantageous chamber. By providing a plurality of said adjacent
to utilize a rotating slinger fuel injector. Previously rows, a plurality of mixture points are provided
known slinger injectors comprise an annular housing throughout the volume of the combustor chamber.
having radial apertures therethrough which is coaxially 15 A stationary fuel manifold is spaced radially inwardly
secured to the shaft of a turbine engine. The slinger is from the rotating slinger and is provided with passages
disposed between a stationary fuel manifold and the which fluidly communicate with said first set of radial
combustion chamber so that as the slinger is rotated, the bores in said slinger injector. An additional channel is
fuel is centrifugally forced from the fuel manifold radi provided in the manifold to direct air from the outlet of
ally outwardly from the housing into the combustion the compressor of the turbine engine into said second
chamber. The combustion chamber housing is generally set of radial bores in said slinger injector. Alternatively,
provided with a plurality of air passages which direct the manifold can be made of a plurality of tubes having
air channeled from the compressor of the turbine into appropriate radial bores which fluidly communicate
the combustion chamber to mix with the fuel provided with said first set of radial bores and said slinger injec
by the slinger injector. 25
Previously known slinger injectors introduce fuel tor. In this case, air can be directed from the outlet
into the combustion chamber in a single axial plane. Air compressor of the turbine engine between the tubes of
was introduced ahead of and behind this zone. Conse the manifold to fluidly communicate with said second
quently, depending upon the position of the air passages set of radial bores in said slinger injector.
in the combustion chamber housing, fuel is mixed with 30 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
air only in certain portions of the combustor chamber.
Thus the concentration of fuel and air is limited to a The present invention will be more clearly under
single plane within the combustor. stood by reference to the following drawings wherein
In order to minimize the volume and weight of a like reference characters refer to like parts within the
turbine engine, it is necessary to maximize the combus 35 several views and wherein:
tor loading, i.e., minimize the volume of the combustor FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a turbine engine utilizing
chamber required for a given heat release rate. the slinger injector of the present invention;
By increasing the area over which the fuel is intro FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view of the slinger
duced into the combustor primary zone, i.e., area avail of the present invention taken substantially along the
able for the fuel and air to mix and burn, combustion 40 lines 2-2 of FIG. 1;
volume can be reduced, or efficiency of combustion can FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view of the slinger
be increased for a given volume under certain environ taken along the lines 3-3. of FIG.
mental conditions, i.e., starting and high altitude opera FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to
tion. FIG. 1 showing a modification thereof; and
Such improvement has been effectively accom 45 FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the device shown in
plished in vaporizer combustors by significantly in FIG. 4 taken substantially along lines 5-5 of FIG. 4.
creasing the number of vaporizer tubes and thus, the
number of points of fuel introduction. However, such DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE
methodology has not yet been applied to slinger type INVENTION
injectors because of the difficulty in increasing the ef. 50 Referring now to FIG. 1, the turbine engine 10 of the
fective area of air and fuel introductions at the slinger present invention is thereshown comprising a housing
injector face.
To provide the optimum concentrations of fuel and 12 and a shaft 14 rotatably mounted therein. A compres
sor rotor 16 and at least one turbine rotor 18 are secured
air throughout the entire volume of the combustor, to the shaft 14 for rotation therewith and are spaced
chamber it would be advantageous to provide a plural 55
ity of planes of fluid flow from the slinger face which axially apart from each other. Intermediate the rotors 16
intersect with planes of air introduction at a plurality of and 18 a combustor housing 20 is secured within the
locations throughout the entire volume of the combus housing 12. The combustor housing is provided with a
tor. plurality of ports so that air pumped by the compressor
60 rotor 16 can be directed through the compressor dif
SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION fuser 22 through the ports and into the chamber 24 of
The present invention provides increases in the com the combustor housing. Fluid within the chamber 24 is
bustion intensity or heat release per volume by provid then expelled through a turbine nozzle 26 to impinge
ing a slinger fuel injector having a first set of radial upon the turbine rotor 18. A slinger type injector 28 is
bores which introduce fuel into the combustor chamber 65 coaxially secured to the shaft 14 at one end so that it is
and a second set of radial bores through which air from spaced radially outward from a fuel manifold 30 and
the compressor of the turbine engine is introduced into communicates with the chamber 24. As the slinger in
the combustor chamber. Each set of radial bores is jector rotates it centrifugally forces fuel from the mani
 4,232,526
3 4.
fold and air from the compressor diffuser 22 into the supplied to the row of ports 40 as well as additional air
chamber 24 in a manner to be described hereinafter. ports (not shown) in the slinger 28 by appropriate chan
The combustor housing 20 comprises a swivel plate nels 59 which direct air from the compressor diffuser 22
32 on one side near its radial inner end. The swivel plate between the tubes 70 of the manifold.
32 is provided with a plurality of ports 33 which pro Thus, the invention provides a means for obtaining a
vide fluid communication between the compressor dif larger zone of fuel and air mixing by providing multiple
fuser 22 and the chamber 24. Opposite the swivel plate axial planes or zones of fuel and air introduction to the
is an inner combustor wall 34 which is also provided combustor chamber in a manner which previously has
with ports 35 through which air from the compressor not been effectively applied to slinger type combustors.
diffuser 22 can be directed by appropriate passages into O As the slinger is rotated, fuel and air are centrifugally
the chamber 24. The area of the chamber 24 between forced into the combustion chamber as directed by the
the swivel plate 32 and inner combustor wall 34 defines alignment of the appropriate ports. Thus, each row of
a conventional primary zone in which fuel and air are ports provides a plane of fluid flow adapted to intersect
mixed. The fuel injector is disposed at the inner radial the plane of fluid flow of an adjacent row or the com
end of chamber 24 between the swivel plate 32 and the 15 bustor wall ports at a predetermined point. The inven
inner combustor wall 34. tion provides a more even distribution of fuel and air
The present invention provides additional means for throughout the volume of the combustor chamber and
introducing air into the primary Zone by providing at thus increases the heat release rate or combustion inten
least one channel through the fuel manifold which com sity for a given combustor chamber volume.
municates at one end with the air forced from the com 20
Having thus described my invention many modifica
pressor diffuser 22 and at its other end with an appropri tions thereto will become apparent to those skilled in
ate port in the slinger injector 28. Thus as the slinger the art to which it pertains without departing from the
injector 28 rotates, it not only forces fuel from the mani scope and spirit of the invention as defined in the ap
fold to the primary zone, but in addition, provides an pended claims.
additional flow of air into the primary Zone. 25
What is claimed is:
As shown in FIG. 1 a single row of radially disposed 1. A turbine engine having a support housing, a shaft
bores 40 provided in the slinger injector act as air ports rotatably secured within said support housing, an air
so that a radially extending plane of air flow is provided compressor rotatably mounted in said housing and hav
within the combustion chamber 24. On each side of the
row of bores or ports 40 is a row of fuel ports 42 and 44, 30 ing an inlet and an outlet, a combustor in said housing,
respectively. The ports 42 and 44 are aligned at an angle said combustor having a chamber fluidly connected
with respect to the axis normal to the axis of shaft 14 so with the outlet of the compressor, means for supplying
that fuel expelled from the fuel ports 42 and 44 is intro fuel to the combustor chamber, said last-mentioned
duced in the combustor chamber 24 in a plane which means comprising a slinger type fuel injector secured to
intersects the plane of air flow from the ports 40 at a 35 said shaft having an annular housing and a plurality of
point within the combustor chamber 24. Additional radial bores adapted to provide a plurality of axially
rows of ports 46 and 48 are provided near the axial ends spaced planes of fuel and air introduction into said com
of the slinger 28 and the ports 46 and 48 are angled with bustor chamber, a stationary fuel manifold spaced radi
respect to the normal so as to provide a flow of fuel in ally inwardly from said injector housing and in fluid
a plane which intersects the air provided by the ports in 40 communication with a first portion of said radial bores,
the swivel plate 32 and the ports provided in the inner and air passage means for fluidly connecting the outlet
combustor wall 34, respectively, at predetermined of the compressor to a second portion of said radial
points within the combustor chamber 24, Appropriate bores.
ports 52, 54, 56, and 58 are provided in the fuel manifold 2. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said
30 at an appropriate corresponding angle so as to di fuel manifold comprises an annular housing having a
45
rectly fluidly communicate with the fuel ports 42, 44, plurality of radial bores, each said bore aligned to flu
46, and 48 of the fuel slinger injector 28. idly communicate with a radial bore in said injector.
Although the slinger injector 28 shown in FIG. 1 has 3. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said
been described in detail, it is to be understood that the fuel manifold comprises a plurality of axially aligned
invention is not so limited and that a plurality of rows of 50 tubes, each tube having at least one radial bore aligned
air ports provided at various angles with respect to the to fluidly communicate with at least one radial bore in
normal can be disposed intermediate the rows of fuel said injector.
ports also provided at various angles with respect to the 4. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein each
normal so as to provide a large number of mixing points radial bore in said injector is angled with respect to a
throughout the volume of the chamber 24. In order to 55 radius of said annular injector housing.
control the flow rate and distribution of air and fuel into 5. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein each
the primary zone, the height 60, the width 62, angle 64 radial bore in said injector is angled with respect to the
(see FIG. 2), and the angle 66 (see FIG. 3) are provided axis of said annular injector housing.
at a predetermined value. 6. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein the
A further modification of the device is illustrated in 60 radial bores in said annular injector housing are ar
FIGS. 4 and 5 and discloses a distribution device ranged in axially spaced rows extending around the
wherein the manifold comprises a plurality of tubes 70, circumference of said injector housing and wherein
each tube having appropriate ports 52, 54, 56', and 58 alternate rows comprise said first portion of said radial
which provide direct fluid communication to the ports bores.
sk k se sk
42, 44, 46, and 48 in the fuel slinger 28. Thus air can be 65
 UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION
PATENT NO. : 4, 232,526
DATED : November Ill., 1980
INVENTOR(S) : Dennis E. Barbeau
It is Certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent
are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 2, line 42, after "FIG." insert --2; --.

signed and sealed this
Seventeenth Da y of February 1981
SEAL
Attest:

RENE D. TEGTMEYER
Attesting Officer Acting Commissioner of Patents and Trademarks