US 12,241,629 B2
Controlling soot
Peter Swann, Derby (GB); and Christopher P Madden, Derby (GB)
Assigned to ROLLS-ROYCE plc, London (GB)
Filed by ROLLS-ROYCE plc, London (GB)
Filed on Aug. 26, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/896,442.
Claims priority of application No. 2112642 (GB), filed on Sep. 6, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0072621 A1, Mar. 9, 2023
Int. Cl. F23R 3/26 (2006.01); F23R 3/04 (2006.01); F23R 3/06 (2006.01); F23R 3/10 (2006.01); F23R 3/28 (2006.01); F23R 3/34 (2006.01)
CPC F23R 3/26 (2013.01) [F23R 3/045 (2013.01); F23R 3/06 (2013.01); F23R 3/10 (2013.01); F23R 3/28 (2013.01); F23R 3/346 (2013.01); F23R 2900/03041 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A gas turbine engine comprising:
a variable geometry combustor having fuel injectors, a rich-burn zone receiving fuel from the fuel injectors to produce a flame, a quick-quench zone to quench the flame, a lean-burn zone to continue combustion after quenching, and quench ports;
a variable geometry airflow arrangement for the variable geometry combustor, the variable geometry airflow arrangement configured to vary an airflow delivered to the variable geometry combustor through at least one of the fuel injectors and the quench ports; and
a control system configured to control the variable geometry airflow arrangement in dependence upon (i) the airflow delivered to the variable geometry combustor, (ii) a fuel flow to the fuel injectors, and (iii a target index of soot emissions to control a quantity of soot produced by combustion, wherein
the quench ports constitute at least part of the variable geometry airflow arrangement and admit a quench air into the quick-quench zone, the quench air being a portion of the airflow delivered to the variable geometry combustor, and
the quench ports comprise a first row of quench ports axially separated from a second row of quench ports, a first portion of the quench air through the first row of quench ports being able to be modulated independently from a second portion of the quench air through the second row of quench ports.