System and method for flow control in gas turbine engine

Abstract

A system includes a gas turbine combustor, which includes a combustion liner disposed about a combustion region, a flow sleeve disposed about the combustion liner, an air passage between the combustion liner and the flow sleeve, and an airflow guide vane disposed in the air passage. The airflow guide vane includes an upstream vane portion and a downstream vane portion. The upstream vane portion is oriented at an angle from an axial axis of the gas turbine combustor. The downstream vane portion is aligned with the axial axis. The airflow guide vane is configured to remove a circumferential swirl of an airflow upstream of the airflow guide vane to straighten the airflow downstream of the airflow guide vane along the axial axis.

1 . A system, comprising:
 a gas turbine combustor, comprising:
 a combustion liner disposed about a combustion region; 
 a flow sleeve disposed about the combustion liner; 
 an air passage between the combustion liner and the flow sleeve; and 
 an airflow guide vane disposed in the air passage, wherein the airflow guide vane comprises an upstream vane portion and a downstream vane portion, the upstream vane portion is oriented at an angle from an axial axis of the gas turbine combustor, the downstream vane portion is aligned with the axial axis, and the airflow guide vane is configured to remove a circumferential swirl of an airflow upstream of the airflow guide vane to straighten the airflow downstream of the airflow guide vane along the axial axis. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the airflow guide vane comprises an aerodynamic flow control surface. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the aerodynamic flow control surface comprises an airfoil shape. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the aerodynamic flow control surface comprises first and second surfaces disposed on opposite first and second sides of the airflow guide vane, the first surface extends between a leading edge and a trailing edge on the first side of the airflow guide vane, the second surface extends between the leading edge and the trailing edge on the second side of the airflow guide vane, and the first and second surfaces converge toward one another along an airflow path toward the trailing edge. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the angle is between approximately 5 degrees and approximately 60 degrees. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the flow sleeve comprises a plurality of air inlets through a wall of the flow sleeve, and the airflow guide vane is disposed adjacent the plurality of air inlets. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , comprising a structure between the combustion liner and the flow sleeve, wherein the structure obstructs the airflow through the air passage downstream from the airflow guide vane, and the airflow guide vane is configured to reduce a wake in the airflow from the structure. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the structure comprises a fuel injector, a cross-fire tube, a flame detector, a spark plug, a boss, a spacer, a pressure probe, a late lean injector, a sensor, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the airflow guide vane comprises a first circumferential cross-sectional width near the flow sleeve, a second circumferential cross-section width near the combustion liner, and the first circumferential cross-sectional width is greater than the second circumferential cross-sectional width. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the airflow guide vane is coupled to the flow sleeve while the airflow guide vane is offset from the combustion liner by a gap, or the airflow guide vane is coupled to the combustion liner while the airflow guide vane is offset from the flow sleeve by the gap. 
     
     
         11 . A system, comprising:
 a turbine combustor guide vane configured to straighten an airflow into an axial direction between a combustion liner and a flow sleeve of a gas turbine combustor, wherein the turbine combustor guide vane comprises an upstream vane portion and a downstream vane portion at an angle relative to one another.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the turbine combustor guide vane comprises an airfoil shape. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11 , comprising the gas turbine combustor having the turbine combustor guide vane and a structure between the combustion liner and the flow sleeve downstream from the turbine combustor guide vane, wherein the gas turbine guide vane is configured to reduce a wake in a wake region downstream from the structure, the structure comprises a fuel injector, a cross-fire tube, a flame detector, a spark plug, a boss, a spacer, a pressure probe, a late lean injector, a sensor, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the turbine combustor guide vane comprises a first circumferential cross-sectional width near the flow sleeve, a second circumferential cross-section width near the combustion liner, and the first circumferential cross-sectional width is greater than the second circumferential cross-sectional width. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 11 , comprising a gas turbine engine having the turbine combustor guide vane disposed in the gas turbine combustor. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the turbine combustor guide vane comprises at least one vanelet configured to straighten an airflow relative to a radial direction between a combustion liner and a flow sleeve of a gas turbine combustor. 
     
     
         17 . A method, comprising:
 straightening an airflow in an air passage between a combustion liner and a flow sleeve of a gas turbine combustor, wherein straightening comprises:   receiving the airflow from a plurality of air inlets in a wall of the flow sleeve into the air passage;   receiving the airflow at an upstream vane portion of an airflow guide vane;   turning the airflow from the upstream vane portion to a downstream vane portion of the airflow guide vane, wherein the upstream and downstream vane portions are oriented at an angle relative to one another; and   discharging the airflow from the airflow guide vane with a substantial reduction of swirl in the airflow.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein turning the airflow comprises turning the airflow by the angle of approximately 5 degrees to approximately 60 degrees. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein receiving the airflow at the upstream vane position comprises aligning a direction of swirl with the upstream vane portion. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein discharging the airflow comprises aligning the airflow with at least one structure in the air passage downstream from the airflow guide vane.