Combustor head end section with air supply system for bundled tube fuel nozzle contained therein
A combustor head end section includes a bundled tube fuel nozzle assembly and an air supply system. The fuel nozzle assembly includes: a forward plate facing a head end air plenum, an aft plate facing a combustion chamber, premixing tubes extending from the forward plate to the aft plate, and a side wall extending circumferentially around the premixing tubes. The forward plate, the aft plate, and the side wall define a fuel plenum, and each premixing tube includes at least one fuel injection hole in fluid communication with the fuel plenum. The air supply system comprises the head end air plenum, a first inlet flow conditioner partially defining the head end air plenum and surrounding the bundled tube fuel nozzle assembly, and a second inlet flow conditioner surrounding the first inlet flow conditioner. The head end air plenum is in fluid communication with a combustion chamber, via the premixing tubes.
1 . A combustor head end section with an air supply system, the combustor head end section comprising:
a bundled tube fuel nozzle assembly for a gas turbine combustor, the bundled tube fuel nozzle assembly comprising: a forward plate facing a head end air plenum, an aft plate facing a combustion chamber, a first plurality of premixing tubes extending from the forward plate to the aft plate, and a side wall extending circumferentially around the first plurality of premixing tubes and extending axially from the forward plate to the aft plate;
wherein the forward plate, the aft plate, and the side wall define a fuel plenum, and each premixing tube of the first plurality of premixing tubes includes at least one fuel injection hole therethrough in fluid communication with the fuel plenum;
wherein the air supply system comprises the head end air plenum, a first inlet flow conditioner partially defining the head end air plenum, and a second inlet flow conditioner;
wherein the head end air plenum is in fluid communication with the combustion chamber, via the first plurality of premixing tubes, the first inlet flow conditioner surrounds the bundled tube fuel nozzle assembly, and the second inlet flow conditioner surrounds the first inlet flow conditioner; and
wherein the first inlet flow conditioner extends axially forward from the bundled tube fuel nozzle assembly to a mounting flange; and wherein an inner support barrel extends axially from the first inlet flow conditioner to an end cover disposed opposite the bundled tube fuel nozzle assembly, such that the end cover, the inner support barrel, and the first inlet flow conditioner collectively define the head end air plenum.
2 . The combustor head end section of claim 1 , wherein the first inlet flow conditioner is perforated with a first plurality of perforations, such that an air supply from a compressor discharge plenum is in fluid communication with the head end air plenum.
3 . The combustor head end section of claim 2 , wherein the second inlet flow conditioner is perforated with a second plurality of perforations, such that the air supply from the compressor discharge plenum is in fluid communication with the head end air plenum via the second inlet flow conditioner and the first inlet flow conditioner; and wherein the air supply to the head end air plenum experiences a head end pressure drop from flowing through the second inlet flow conditioner and the first inlet flow conditioner.
4 . The combustor head end section of claim 3 , wherein the first plurality of perforations in the first inlet flow conditioner are aligned with the second plurality of perforations in the second inlet flow conditioner.
5 . The combustor head end section of claim 3 , wherein perforations in the second plurality of perforations in the second inlet flow conditioner have a larger diameter than perforations in the first plurality of perforations in the first inlet flow conditioner.
6 . The combustor head end section of claim 1 , wherein the bundled tube fuel nozzle assembly further comprises an exterior side wall extending from the forward plate to the aft plate and surrounding the side wall; and wherein the air supply system further comprises an annular air plenum defined between the exterior side wall and the side wall and a circumferential array of openings defined through the forward plate around a perimeter of the bundled tube fuel nozzle assembly, the circumferential array of openings being configured for fluid communication from the head end air plenum into the annular air plenum.
7 . The combustor head end section of claim 6 , wherein the aft plate defines a plurality of perimeter cooling channels therein along a perimeter of the aft plate, each of the plurality of perimeter cooling channels having an inlet in fluid communication with the annular air plenum and an outlet in fluid communication with the combustion chamber.
8 . The combustor head end section of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of perimeter cooling channels provides convective cooling to the aft plate; and wherein the outlets of the plurality of perimeter cooling channels terminate in a respective swirl funnel for delivering a swirling flow of air to the combustion chamber.
9 . The combustor head end section of claim 8 , wherein each of the plurality of perimeter cooling channels intersects the respective swirl funnel in a tangential direction to promote the swirling flow of air.
10 . A combustor head end section with an air supply system, the combustor head end section comprising:
a bundled tube fuel nozzle assembly for a gas turbine combustor, the bundled tube fuel nozzle assembly comprising: a forward plate facing a head end air plenum, an aft plate facing a combustion chamber, a first plurality of premixing tubes extending from the forward plate to the aft plate, and a side wall extending circumferentially around the first plurality of premixing tubes and extending axially from the forward plate to the aft plate;
wherein the forward plate, the aft plate, and the side wall define a fuel plenum, and each premixing tube of the first plurality of premixing tubes includes at least one fuel injection hole therethrough in fluid communication with the fuel plenum;
wherein the air supply system comprises the head end air plenum, a first inlet flow conditioner partially defining the head end air plenum, and a second inlet flow conditioner;
wherein the head end air plenum is in fluid communication with the combustion chamber, via the first plurality of premixing tubes, the first inlet flow conditioner surrounds the bundled tube fuel nozzle assembly, and the second inlet flow conditioner surrounds the first inlet flow conditioner; and
wherein the bundled tube fuel nozzle assembly further comprises an exterior side wall extending from the forward plate to the aft plate and surrounding the side wall; and wherein the air supply system further comprises an annular air plenum defined between the exterior side wall and the side wall and a circumferential array of openings defined through the forward plate around a perimeter of the bundled tube fuel nozzle assembly, the circumferential array of openings being configured for fluid communication from the head end air plenum into the annular air plenum.
11 . The combustor head end section of claim 10 , wherein the first inlet flow conditioner is perforated with a first plurality of perforations, such that an air supply from a compressor discharge plenum is in fluid communication with the head end air plenum.
12 . The combustor head end section of claim 11 , wherein the second inlet flow conditioner is perforated with a second plurality of perforations, such that the air supply from the compressor discharge plenum is in fluid communication with the head end air plenum via the second inlet flow conditioner and the first inlet flow conditioner; and wherein the air supply to the head end air plenum experiences a head end pressure drop from flowing through the second inlet flow conditioner and the first inlet flow conditioner.
13 . The combustor head end section of claim 12 , wherein the first plurality of perforations in the first inlet flow conditioner are aligned with the second plurality of perforations in the second inlet flow conditioner.
14 . The combustor head end section of claim 13 , wherein perforations in the second plurality of perforations in the second inlet flow conditioner have a larger diameter than perforations in the first plurality of perforations in the first inlet flow conditioner.
15 . The combustor head end section of claim 10 , wherein the aft plate defines a plurality of perimeter cooling channels therein along a perimeter of the aft plate, each of the plurality of perimeter cooling channels having an inlet in fluid communication with the annular air plenum and an outlet in fluid communication with the combustion chamber.
16 . The combustor head end section of claim 15 , wherein the plurality of perimeter cooling channels provides convective cooling to the aft plate; and wherein the outlets of the plurality of perimeter cooling channels terminate in a respective swirl funnel for delivering a swirling flow of air to the combustion chamber.
17 . The combustor head end section of claim 16 , wherein each of the plurality of perimeter cooling channels intersects the respective swirl funnel in a tangential direction to promote the swirling flow of air.