Turbine engine combustor with a dilution passage

Abstract

A combustor comprising a dome wall, a combustor liner extending from the dome wall, and a combustion chamber at least partially defined by the dome wall and the combustor liner. A set of fuel cups are arranged along the dome wall. A set of dilution passages extend through the dome wall or the combustor liner to direct air into the combustion chamber, wherein a dilution passage of the set of dilution passages includes an inlet, an outlet, a passageway, and a plurality of apertures.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A combustor for a turbine engine comprising:
 a dome wall;   a combustor liner extending from the dome wall;   a combustion chamber at least partially defined by the dome wall and the combustor liner;   a set of fuel cups circumferentially spaced along the dome wall relative to a combustor centerline, with each fuel cup having a fuel cup centerline; and   a set of dilution passages extending through the dome wall or the combustor liner to direct air into the combustion chamber, wherein at least one dilution passage of the set of dilution passages comprises:
 a radiused inlet fluidly coupled to a compressed air source;
 an outlet downstream of the radiused inlet and fluidly coupled to the combustion chamber; 
 
 a passageway fluidly coupling the radiused inlet to the outlet; and 
 a plurality of apertures fluidly coupling the radiused inlet to the passageway, each aperture comprising an aperture inlet defined at the radiused inlet, 
   wherein at least one of the plurality of apertures has an aperture centerline intersecting the passageway centerline at an aperture angle in a range from 0° to 90°, and   wherein the plurality of apertures are configured to collectively direct airflow from the compressed air source into the passageway to define a dilution airflow to the combustion chamber to direct and shape a flame.   
     
     
         2 . The combustor of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of apertures comprises at least two apertures having different cross-sectional shapes. 
     
     
         3 . The combustor of  claim 1 , wherein at least one aperture of the plurality of apertures is defined at or between a first portion and a second portion of the radiused inlet, the first portion having a first radius of curvature and the second portion having a second radius of curvature different from the first radius of curvature. 
     
     
         4 . The combustor of  claim 1 , wherein at least one aperture of the plurality of apertures is defined in part by a sidewall of the passageway. 
     
     
         5 . The combustor of  claim 1 , wherein the aperture angle is in a range from 30° to 70°. 
     
     
         6 . The combustor of  claim 1 , wherein at least one aperture of the plurality of apertures has an aperture diameter less than 50% of a diameter of the passageway. 
     
     
         7 . The combustor of  claim 1 , wherein the radiused inlet is defined by a recessed region of an exterior surface of the dome wall. 
     
     
         8 . The combustor of  claim 1 , wherein a passageway inlet is defined at an intersection of the radiused inlet and the passageway. 
     
     
         9 . The combustor of  claim 1 , wherein the channel forming the radiused inlet spans at least two passageway inlets. 
     
     
         10 . The combustor of  claim 1 , wherein the radiused inlet is configured such that only a portion of the inlet includes a non-zero radius of curvature. 
     
     
         11 . A combustor for a turbine engine comprising:
 a dome wall;   a combustor liner extending from the dome wall;   a combustion chamber at least partially defined by the dome wall and the combustor liner;   a set of fuel cups circumferentially spaced along the dome wall relative to a combustor centerline, with each fuel cup having a fuel cup centerline, and wherein each fuel cup of the set of fuel cups includes a swirler; and   a set of dilution passages extending through the dome wall or the combustor liner to direct air into the combustion chamber, wherein at least one dilution passage of the set of dilution passages comprises:
 a radiused inlet fluidly coupled to a compressed air source, wherein the radiused inlet is defined by a spherical inlet; 
 an outlet downstream of the radiused inlet and fluidly coupled to the combustion chamber; 
 a passageway fluidly coupling the radiused inlet to the outlet; and 
 a plurality of apertures fluidly coupling the radiused inlet to the passageway, 
   wherein at least two of the plurality of apertures are circumferentially spaced around the radiused inlet, and   wherein a first part of the compressed air is fed to the fuel cup as a swirled airflow via the swirler, and a second part of the compressed air is fed to the set of dilution passages via the plurality of apertures, which provides a dilution airflow to the combustion chamber to direct and shape a flame.   
     
     
         12 . The combustor of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of apertures includes at least one aperture having a curved aperture centerline. 
     
     
         13 . The combustor of  claim 11 , wherein the spherical inlet includes a first portion and a second portion having different radii of curvature. 
     
     
         14 . The combustor of  claim 11 , wherein at least one aperture of the plurality of apertures is angled tangentially relative to the passageway centerline. 
     
     
         15 . The combustor of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of apertures are circumferentially spaced around the radiused inlet. 
     
     
         16 . The combustor of  claim 11 , wherein at least one aperture of the plurality of apertures has an aperture diameter less than 50% of a diameter of the passageway. 
     
     
         17 . The combustor of  claim 11 , wherein the radiused inlet is at least partially defined by a sidewall of the passageway. 
     
     
         18 . The combustor of  claim 11 , wherein the radiused inlet is defined in part by a curved groove recessed into the dome wall. 
     
     
         19 . The combustor of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of apertures are configured to collectively direct airflow to define a dilution airflow that intersects a flame centerline to shape a flame within the combustion chamber. 
     
     
         20 . A combustor for a turbine engine comprising:
 a dome wall;   a combustor liner extending from the dome wall;   a combustion chamber at least partially defined by the dome wall and the combustor liner;   a set of fuel cups circumferentially spaced along the dome wall relative to a combustor centerline, with each fuel cup having a fuel cup centerline; and   a set of dilution passages extending through the dome wall or the combustor liner to direct air into the combustion chamber, wherein at least one dilution passage of the set of dilution passages comprises:
 a radiused inlet fluidly coupled to a compressed air source; 
 an outlet downstream of the radiused inlet and fluidly coupled to the combustion chamber; 
 a passageway fluidly coupling the radiused inlet to the outlet; and 
 a plurality of apertures fluidly coupling the radiused inlet to the passageway, 
   wherein the plurality of apertures are arranged in a plexus configuration such that at least one aperture of the plurality of apertures is configured to direct airflow into another aperture of the plurality of apertures upstream of the combustion chamber,   wherein the plurality of apertures are configured to collectively route a portion of compressed airflow to the passageway, and   wherein the dilution airflow provided through the passageway into the combustion chamber is configured to direct and shape a flame.