US 12,292,198 B2
Rotating detonation combustor with discrete detonation annuli
Kapil Kumar Singh, Rexford, NY (US); and Narendra Digamber Joshi, Schenectady, NY (US)
Assigned to GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, Evendale, OH (US)
Filed by General Electric Company, Schenectady, NY (US)
Filed on Feb. 5, 2019, as Appl. No. 16/267,473.
Prior Publication US 2020/0248905 A1, Aug. 6, 2020
Int. Cl. F23R 7/00 (2006.01); F23R 3/28 (2006.01)
CPC F23R 7/00 (2013.01) [F23R 3/286 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A rotating detonation combustor comprising:
a forward wall disposed at an inlet end of the rotating detonation combustor;
a radially inner wall surrounding a longitudinal axis and extending downstream from the forward wall to an outlet end of the rotating detonation combustor;
a radially outer wall extending downstream from the forward wall to the outlet end, the radially outer wall surrounding the radially inner wall to define at least one annular plenum between the radially inner wall and the radially outer wall;
at least one plenum wall proximate to the inlet end and defining a plurality of mixing zones, the at least one plenum wall comprising a first plenum wall and a second plenum wall, each of the first plenum wall and the second plenum wall being uniformly spaced between the radially inner wall and the radially outer wall such that each mixing zone of the plurality of mixing zones have equal spacing in a radial direction;
a plurality of oxidizer inlets disposed in the forward wall and in fluid communication with the plurality of mixing zones;
at least one fuel inlet disposed in each of the radially inner wall and the radially outer wall and in fluid communication with the plurality of mixing zones;
a first fuel inlet configured to introduce fuel into a first mixing zone of the plurality of mixing zones and extending between an outer surface of the first plenum wall and an inner surface of the first plenum wall;
a second fuel inlet configured to introduce fuel into a second mixing zone of the plurality of mixing zones and extending between the inner surface of the first plenum wall and the outer surface of the first plenum wall;
a third fuel inlet configured to introduce fuel into the second mixing zone, the third fuel inlet axially aligned with the second fuel inlet and extending between an outer surface of the second plenum wall and an inner surface of the second plenum wall; and
a fourth fuel inlet configured to introduce fuel into a third mixing zone of the plurality of mixing zones, the fourth fuel inlet extending between the inner surface of the second plenum wall and the outer surface of the second plenum wall,
wherein the plurality of mixing zones are fluidly isolated from one another, and
wherein both the at least one fuel inlet disposed in the radially inner wall and the first fuel inlet are axially spaced from each of the at least one fuel inlet disposed in the radially outer wall, the second fuel inlet, the third fuel inlet, and the fourth fuel inlet.