Orbital combustor fuel support architecture
A combustor system for an aerial vehicle includes an outer liner with a first end and a second end, an inner combustor case contained within the outer liner and defining a central combustor chamber, a lumen extending into the central combustor chamber, an air flow path extending between the outer liner and the inner combustor case, an integrated air scoop attached to the inner combustor case at the lumen and directing air from the air flow path into the central combustor chamber, and a fuel bolt, the fuel bolt including a head located outside of the outer liner and a body starting outside of the outer liner and extending perpendicular to the outer liner through the outer liner, through the integrated fuel scoop, and ending at the lumen, and fuel manifold with a fuel orifice within the fuel bolt.
1 . A combustor system for an aerial vehicle, the combustor system comprising:
an outer liner, the outer liner having a first end and a second end;
an inner combustor case contained within the outer liner, the inner combustor case defining an outer periphery of a central combustor chamber, the inner combustor case having a lumen extending into the central combustor chamber;
a first an air flow path extending between and defined by the outer liner and the inner combustor case;
an integrated air scoop configured to direct air from the air flow path into the central combustor chamber via the lumen, the integrated air scoop comprising;
a first end of the integrated air scoop connected to the inner combustor case on a first lip of the lumen;
a second end of the integrated air scoop spaced radially outward from the inner combustor case and from a second lip of the lumen; and
a scoop boss defined on the integrated air scoop between the first end of the integrated air scoop and the second end of the integrated air scoop, the scoop boss spaced from the outer liner and from the inner combustor case, and wherein the second end of the integrated air scoop extends towards the outer liner into the air flow path beyond the scoop boss;
a fuel bolt, the fuel bolt comprising:
a head located outside of the outer liner;
a body starting outside of the outer liner and extending perpendicular to the outer liner, the body extending through the outer liner, through the scoop boss, through the integrated air scoop, and ending at the first lumen; and
a fuel manifold with a fuel orifice within the fuel bolt.
2 . The combustor system of claim 1 , wherein the fuel bolt further comprises threads along the body of the fuel bolt.
3 . The combustor system of claim 2 , wherein the threads of the fuel bolt are mechanically attached to the scoop boss within the integrated air scoop.
4 . The combustor of claim 1 , further comprising:
a bolt reinforcement section within the outer liner, wherein the fuel manifold of the fuel bolt is surrounded by the bolt reinforcement section.
5 . The combustor system of claim 4 , wherein the integrated air scoop is canted.
6 . The combustor system of claim 1 , wherein the fuel orifice is configured to direct fuel perpendicular to the inner combustor case.
7 . The combustor system of claim 1 , wherein the body of the fuel bolt extends through the lumen.
8 . The combustor system of claim 1 , wherein a fuel chute extending into the central combustor chamber is attached at the first lip of the lumen and the second lip of the lumen.
9 . The combustor system of claim 1 , wherein the air flow within the air flow path comprises oxygen.
10 . A combustor system for an aerial vehicle, the combustor system comprising:
an outer liner, the outer liner having a first end and a second end;
an inner combustor case contained within the outer liner, the inner combustor case defining an outer periphery of a central combustor chamber, the inner combustor case having a plurality of lumens extending through the inner combustor case into the central combustor chamber, each lumen having a first lip and a second lip;
an air flow path extending between and defined by the outer liner and the inner combustor case, and fluidly connected to the central combustor chamber by the plurality of lumens;
a plurality of integrated air scoops, each integrated air scoop configured to direct air from the first air flow path into the central combustor chamber through a respective lumen, each integrated air scoop further comprising;
a first end of the integrated air scoop connected to the inner combustor case on a respective first lip of the respective lumen;
a second end of the integrated air scoop spaced radially outward from the inner combustor case and a respective second lip of the respective lumen; and
a scoop boss defined on the integrated air scoop between the first end of the integrated air scoop and the second end of the integrated air scoop, the scoop boss spaced from the outer liner and from the inner combustor case, and wherein the second end of the integrated air scoop extends towards the outer liner into the air flow path beyond the scoop boss;
a plurality of fuel bolts, each fuel bolt comprising:
a head located outside of the outer liner;
a body starting outside of the outer liner and extending perpendicular to the outer liner, the body extending through the outer liner, through a respective scoop boss, through a respective integrated air scoop, and ending at the respective lumen; and
a fuel manifold with a fuel orifice within the fuel bolt.
11 . The combustor system of claim 10 , wherein at least one fuel bolt of the plurality of fuel bolts further comprises threads along a respective body of the at least one fuel bolt.
12 . The combustor system of claim 11 , wherein the threads of the at least one fuel bolt are mechanically attached to the respective scoop boss on the respective integrated air scoop.
13 . The combustor system of claim 10 , further comprising:
a plurality of bolt reinforcement sections within the outer liner, wherein a respective fuel manifold of each of the plurality of fuel bolts is surrounded by a respective bolt reinforcement section.
14 . The combustor system of claim 13 , at least one of the plurality of integrated air scoops is canted.
15 . The combustor system of claim 10 , comprising a plurality of fuel chutes extending into the central combustor chamber, wherein each fuel chute is attached at a respective lumen at the respective first lip and the respective second lip of the respective lumen of the plurality of lumens.
16 . A method of forming an assembly for a gas turbine engine, the method comprising:
forming an annular outer liner, the annular outer liner having a central axis;
forming an annular inner case concentric with and radially inward of the annular outer liner, the annular inner case defining an outer periphery of a central combustor chamber and the annular inner case having a lumen extending into the central combustor chamber;
forming a fuel bolt, the fuel bolt comprising a head, a body including a threaded portion, and a fuel manifold with a fuel orifice extending radially along the body of the fuel bolt;
forming an air scoop connected to the annular inner case, the air scoop comprising a scoop boss, wherein a first end of the air scoop is connected to the annular inner case on a first lip of the lumen in the annular inner case, and a second end of the air scoop is spaced radially outward from the annular inner case and from a second lip of the lumen, wherein the second end of the air scoop extends towards the annular outer liner into an air flow path extending between and defined by the annular outer liner and the annular inner case, the air scoop configured to direct air from the air flow path into the central combustor chamber via the lumen,
wherein the scoop boss is defined on the air scoop between the first end of the air scoop and the second end of the air scoop, the scoop boss spaced from the annular outer liner and from the annular inner case, the second end of the air scoop extending into the air flow path beyond the scoop boss;
forming a radially extending bore through the annular outer liner, the scoop boss, and the air scoop, the scoop boss further comprising threads; and
positioning the fuel bolt through the radially extending bore with the head outside the annular outer liner and securing the fuel bolt to the air scoop via the threaded portion of the fuel bolt and the threads of the scoop boss, the fuel bolt ending at the lumen.
17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein forming the annular outer liner further comprises forming a bolt reinforcement region.
18 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the fuel bolt is perpendicular to the annular outer liner and the annular inner case.