Casing integrated fluid distribution system
An additively manufactured attritable engine includes an engine case, a fuel ring integral and conformal with the engine case, and a fuel manifold attached to the fuel ring and configured to deliver fuel to the fuel ring. The engine also includes a fuel injector attached to the fuel ring and configured to receive fuel from the fuel ring.
1. An engine, comprising:
an engine case;
a fuel ring integral with the engine case;
a fuel manifold attached to the fuel ring; and
a fuel injector attached to the fuel ring and configured to receive fuel from the fuel manifold through the fuel ring, the fuel injector comprising a fuel injector bore within the fuel injector;
the fuel injector bore extending from the fuel ring to a fuel injector outlet disposed at a terminating end of the fuel injector;
the fuel injector bore having a lateral fuel injector bore width; and
the fuel injector outlet having a lateral outlet width that is less than the lateral fuel injector bore width;
wherein the fuel ring has an elliptical cross-sectional shape or a tear-drop cross-sectional shape;
wherein the fuel injector bore has a circular cross-sectional shape;
wherein the fuel ring has the tear-drop cross-sectional shape, and the tear-drop cross-sectional shape includes a circular section, a first straight section and a second straight section;
wherein the circular section extends circumferentially about a center axis of the circular section from a first end of the first straight section to a first end of the second straight section; and
wherein a second end of the first straight section and a second end of the second straight section meet at a point.
2. The engine of claim 1 , wherein
a reference plane extends through a point at the first end of the first straight section and a point at the first end of the second straight section; and
the first straight section is angularly offset from the reference plane by forty-five degrees.
3. The engine of claim 1 , wherein the fuel injector bore extends within the fuel injector along a centerline that is angularly offset from a central axis of the engine by a non-zero acute angle.
4. The engine of claim 1 , wherein the fuel injector is attached to the fuel ring such that the fuel injector and the fuel ring form a T-junction.
5. The engine of claim 4 , wherein the T-junction is situated such that the fuel injector has the circular cross-sectional shape at the T-junction.
6. The engine of claim 4 , wherein the fuel injector is attached at the T-junction such that the fuel injector has an attachment cross-section that is smaller than a fuel ring cross-section at the T-junction.
7. The engine of claim 1 , wherein the fuel injector has the circular cross-sectional shape at the fuel injector outlet.
8. The engine of claim 7 , wherein the fuel injector has the circular cross-sectional shape along an entirety of the fuel injector.
9. The engine of claim 1 , wherein the fuel injector is integral with the fuel ring and the engine case.
10. The engine of claim 9 , wherein the fuel injector, the fuel ring and the engine case all comprise one of a nickel-based alloy, copper, or a ceramic material.