Sectional fuel manifolds
A multipoint fuel injection system comprises an injection system segment including a circumferentially extending outer support defining a fuel manifold with a plurality of manifold passages extending circumferentially therethrough. A first connector is included at a first circumferential end of the outer support and a second connector is included at a second circumferential end of the outer support opposite the first circumferential end. The first and second connectors are each configured to connect each manifold passage with a manifold passages of a respective outer support of a circumferentially adjacent injection system segment. The system includes a circumferentially extending inner support and a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart feed arms extending radially between the inner support and the outer support. A plurality of outlet openings extend in an axial direction from each feed arm for feeding respective injection nozzles.
1. A method comprising:
additively manufacturing a plurality of injection system segments, each including a circumferentially extending outer support together with a circumferentially extending inner support, a feed arm extending radially between the inner support and the outer support, wherein the additively manufacturing includes building in an axial build direction beginning from downstream portions of the inner and outer supports for each injection system segment; and
joining the injection system segments together circumferentially end to end to form a multipoint fuel injection system.
2. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the multipoint fuel injection system has an outer diameter, wherein additively manufacturing the injection system segments is performed on one or more additively manufacturing systems, each having a smaller build area than the diameter of the multipoint fuel injection system.
3. The method as recited in claim 2 , wherein joining the injection system segments together includes brazing the segments to connector tubes connecting circumferentially between circumferentially adjacent ones of the segments.
4. The method as recited in claim 3 , further comprising assembling a respective heat shield about the connector tubes connecting between circumferentially adjacent pairs of the segments.
5. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein additively manufacturing includes forming a heat shield extending from the outer support to the inner support and extending about the outer support and the feed arm.
6. The method as recited in claim 3 , wherein additively manufacturing includes forming vaulted fuel manifold passages in the outer support.