Gas turbine engine combustor
A combustor for a gas turbine engine includes a dome structure having an outer dome connecting flange, a cowl structure, an outer liner having an outer liner connecting flange, and an inner liner having an inner liner connecting flange. At least one of (a) the outer liner connecting flange includes a bushing having an opening therethrough, or (b) the outer dome connecting flange includes a bushing having an opening therethrough. The outer dome connecting flange, the cowl structure, and the outer liner are connected together via an outer connection that includes an outer connecting member having a head and a shank. An outer surface of the head slidingly engages with at least one of (i) an inner surface of the opening of the bushing in the outer liner connecting flange, or (ii) an inner surface of the bushing in the outer dome connecting flange.
1 . A combustor for a gas turbine engine, the combustor comprising:
a ceramic matrix composite (CMC) dome structure including an outer dome connecting flange extending in a longitudinal direction with respect to a combustor centerline axis, the outer dome connecting flange including an outer dome connecting flange bushing having an outer dome connecting flange bushing opening therethrough;
a cowl structure including an outer cowl connecting flange extending in the longitudinal direction with respect to the combustor centerline axis and having an outer cowl connecting flange opening extending through the outer cowl connecting flange;
a metallic outer liner including an outer liner connecting flange extending in the longitudinal direction at an upstream end of the metallic outer liner, the outer liner connecting flange including an outer liner connecting flange opening extending through the outer liner connecting flange; and
an outer connection connecting the outer dome connecting flange, the outer cowl connecting flange, and the outer liner connecting flange,
wherein the outer connection includes an outer connecting member having an outer connector head and an outer connector shank, an outer surface of the outer connector head slidingly engaging with an inner surface of the outer dome connecting flange bushing opening of the outer dome connecting flange bushing.
2 . The combustor according to claim 1 , wherein the outer connecting member extends through the outer dome connecting flange bushing opening, through the outer cowl connecting flange opening, and through the outer liner connecting flange opening.
3 . The combustor according to claim 2 , wherein the outer connector head is arranged at a first end of the outer connector shank and includes an outer connector shoulder, an outer connector retention member is connected to a second end of the outer connector shank opposite the outer connector head, the outer connector shoulder engages with an inner side of the outer cowl connecting flange, and the outer connector retention member engages with an outer side of the outer liner connecting flange.
4 . The combustor according to claim 1 , wherein the outer cowl connecting flange is arranged on an inner side of an outer cowl connecting flange root portion of the cowl structure, the outer dome connecting flange is arranged on an inner side of the outer cowl connecting flange, and the outer liner connecting flange is arranged on an outer side of the outer cowl connecting flange.
5 . The combustor according to claim 1 , wherein the CMC dome structure further includes an inner dome connecting flange extending in the longitudinal direction, and the cowl structure further includes an inner cowl connecting flange extending in the longitudinal direction and having an inner cowl connecting flange opening through the inner cowl connecting flange, the combustor further comprising:
an inner liner including an inner liner connecting flange extending in the longitudinal direction at an upstream end of the inner liner; and
an inner connection connecting the inner dome connecting flange, the inner cowl connecting flange, and the inner liner connecting flange,
wherein the inner dome connecting flange includes an inner dome connecting flange bushing having an inner dome connecting flange bushing opening therethrough, the inner connection includes an inner connecting member having an inner connector head and an inner connector shank, an outer surface of the inner connector head slidingly engaging with an inner surface of the inner dome connecting flange bushing opening of the inner dome connecting flange bushing.
6 . The combustor according to claim 5 , wherein at least one of the outer connecting member or the inner connecting member includes (1) a thermal activation opening extending therethrough, and (2) a torque cavity arranged within one of the outer connector head and the inner connector head.
7 . The combustor according to claim 5 , wherein the inner liner is a metallic inner liner that includes an inner liner connecting flange opening extending through the inner liner connecting flange, the inner connecting member extends through the inner dome connecting flange bushing opening and through the inner cowl connecting flange opening.
8 . The combustor according to claim 7 , wherein the inner cowl connecting flange is arranged on an outer side of an inner cowl connecting flange root portion of the cowl structure and the inner dome connecting flange is arranged on an outer side of the inner cowl connecting flange.
9 . The combustor according to claim 1 , wherein the outer liner connecting flange engages against the outer cowl connecting flange.
10 . The combustor according to claim 7 , wherein the inner liner connecting flange engages against the inner cowl connecting flange.
11 . The combustor according to claim 9 , further comprising an outer seal member arranged between the outer dome connecting flange and the outer liner connecting flange.
12 . The combustor according to claim 7 , further comprising an inner seal member arranged between the inner dome connecting flange and the inner liner connecting flange.
13 . The combustor according to claim 6 , wherein the thermal activation opening includes a plurality of thermal activation opening projections extending from an inner wall defining the thermal activation opening.
14 . The combustor according to claim 6 , wherein the torque cavity is one of a star-shaped cavity, a hexagon-shaped cavity, an octagon-shaped cavity, or a square-shaped cavity.
15 . The combustor according to claim 5 , wherein at least one of the outer surface of the outer connector head or the outer surface of the inner connector head includes a wear coating.
16 . A gas turbine engine, comprising:
a compressor section;
a turbine section; and
a combustor, the combustor comprising (a) a ceramic matrix composite (CMC) dome structure including an outer dome connecting flange extending in a longitudinal direction with respect to a combustor centerline axis, the outer dome connecting flange including an outer dome connecting flange bushing having an outer dome connecting flange bushing opening therethrough, (b) a cowl structure including an outer cowl connecting flange extending in the longitudinal direction with respect to the combustor centerline axis and having an outer cowl connecting flange opening extending through the outer cowl connecting flange, (c) a metallic outer liner including an outer liner connecting flange extending in the longitudinal direction at an upstream end of the metallic outer liner, the outer liner connecting flange including an outer liner connecting flange opening extending through the outer liner connecting flange, and (d) an outer connection connecting the outer dome connecting flange, the outer cowl connecting flange, and the outer liner connecting flange, wherein the outer connection includes an outer connecting member having an outer connector head and an outer connector shank, an outer surface of the outer connector head slidingly engaging with an inner surface of the outer dome connecting flange bushing opening of the outer dome connecting flange bushing.
17 . The gas turbine engine according to claim 16 , wherein the CMC dome structure further includes an inner dome connecting flange extending in the longitudinal direction, and the cowl structure further includes an inner cowl connecting flange extending in the longitudinal direction and having an inner cowl connecting flange opening through the inner cowl connecting flange, the combustor further comprising (e) an inner liner including an inner liner connecting flange extending in the longitudinal direction at an upstream end of the inner liner, and (f) an inner connection connecting the inner dome connecting flange, the inner cowl connecting flange, and the inner liner connecting flange, wherein the inner dome connecting flange includes an inner dome connecting flange bushing having an inner dome connecting flange bushing opening therethrough, the inner connection includes an inner connecting member having an inner connector head and an inner connector shank, an outer surface of the inner connector head slidingly engaging with an inner surface of the inner dome connecting flange bushing opening of the inner dome connecting flange bushing.
18 . The gas turbine engine according to claim 17 , wherein the inner liner is a metallic inner liner that includes an inner liner connecting flange opening extending through the inner liner connecting flange, the inner connecting member extends through the inner dome connecting flange bushing opening and through the inner cowl connecting flange opening.
19 . The gas turbine engine according to claim 18 , wherein at least one of the outer connecting member or the inner connecting member includes (1) a thermal activation opening extending therethrough, and (2) a torque cavity arranged within one of the outer connector head and the inner connector head.
20 . The gas turbine engine according to claim 19 , wherein the thermal activation opening includes a plurality of thermal activation opening projections extending from an inner wall defining the thermal activation opening.