Forward casing with a circumferential sloped surface and a combustor assembly including same

Abstract

A forward casing used in a combustor assembly for a turbine engine includes a circumferential sloped surface which reduces the total interior volume within the forward casing. The circumferential sloped surface can be flat or concave shaped.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A combustor assembly for a turbine engine, comprising:
 an end cover;   an aft casing having a combustor liner mounted therein;   a cap assembly mounted between the forward casing and the end cover;   at least one fuel nozzle mounted on the cap assembly; and   an integral forward casing mounted between the aft casing and the end cover, wherein the forward casing includes a circumferential sloped surface that that slopes inward from the aft casing side to the end cover side of the forward casing.   
     
     
         2 . The combustor assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the integral forward casing includes a circumferential fuel passageway that extends around an outer side of the forward casing. 
     
     
         3 . The combustor assembly of  claim 2 , further comprising a plurality of fuel nozzles that extend radially inward from an inner wall of the forward casing, and that are operatively coupled to the circumferential fuel passageway such that fuel in the circumferential fuel passageway is fed into the plurality of fuel nozzles. 
     
     
         4 . The combustor assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the circumferential sloped surface of the integral forward casing is located on the end cover side of the plurality of fuel nozzles. 
     
     
         5 . The combustor assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the circumferential sloped surface is flat, such that the circumferential sloped surface is conical. 
     
     
         6 . The combustor assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the circumferential sloped surface is concave shaped. 
     
     
         7 . The combustor assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the integral forwarding casing includes a generally cylindrical body, and wherein the generally cylindrical body and the circumferential sloped surface are formed as a single integral part. 
     
     
         8 . An integral forward casing for a combustor assembly of a turbine engine, comprising:
 a generally cylindrical body;   an aft mounting flange located at a first end of the generally cylindrical body and that is configured to be attached to an aft casing of a combustor assembly;   a forward mounting flange located at a second end of the generally cylindrical body and that is configured to be attached to an end cover of a combustor assembly; and   a circumferential sloped surface that is integrally formed on an inner side of the generally cylindrical body, wherein a diameter of an end of the circumferential sloped surface located closest to the second end of the generally cylindrical body is smaller than a diameter of an end of the circumferential sloped surface located closest to the first end of the generally cylindrical body.   
     
     
         9 . The integral forward casing of  claim 8 , wherein the integral forward casing includes a circumferential fuel passageway that extends around an outer side of the generally cylindrical body. 
     
     
         10 . The integral forward casing of  claim 9 , further comprising a plurality of fuel nozzles that extend radially inward from an inner wall of the generally cylindrical body and that are operatively coupled to the circumferential fuel passageway such that fuel in the circumferential fuel passageway is fed into the plurality of fuel nozzles. 
     
     
         11 . The integral forward casing of  claim 10 , wherein the circumferential sloped surface is located closer to the second end of the generally cylindrical body than the plurality of fuel nozzles. 
     
     
         12 . The integral forward casing of  claim 8 , wherein the circumferential sloped surface is flat, such that the circumferential sloped surface is generally conical. 
     
     
         13 . The integral forward casing of  claim 8 , wherein the circumferential sloped surface is concave shaped.