US 12,460,573 B2
Combustor size rating for a gas turbine engine using hydrogen fuel
Michael A. Benjamin, Cincinnati, OH (US); and Manampathy G. Giridharan, Mason, OH (US)
Assigned to General Electric Company, Evendale, OH (US)
Filed by General Electric Company, Schenectady, NY (US)
Filed on May 24, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/673,577.
Application 18/673,577 is a continuation in part of application No. 17/457,559, filed on Dec. 3, 2021, granted, now 12,078,100.
Prior Publication US 2024/0309805 A1, Sep. 19, 2024
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. F02C 3/22 (2006.01); F02C 7/22 (2006.01); F23R 3/00 (2006.01); F23R 3/28 (2006.01)
CPC F02C 3/22 (2013.01) [F02C 7/22 (2013.01); F23R 3/002 (2013.01); F23R 3/286 (2013.01); F05D 2220/323 (2013.01); F05D 2240/35 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A gas turbine engine comprising:
a hydrogen fuel delivery assembly configured to deliver a hydrogen fuel flow;
a compressor section configured to compress air flowing therethrough to provide a compressed air flow; and
a combustor configured to operate without diluent, the combustor including a fuel premixer, an inner liner, an outer liner, and a combustion chamber, the combustion chamber characterized by a combustor size rating between one inch and seven inches at a core air flow parameter between two and one half kN and sixty kN, wherein the combustor size rating is a function of the core air flow parameter, and wherein the combustor size rating is defined by:

OG Complex Work Unit Math
wherein His a maximum height of the combustion chamber measured by a forward line extending from an inner surface of the outer liner to an inner surface of the inner liner and L is a length of the combustion chamber measured from a midpoint of the forward line to a midpoint of an aft line, the aft line extending from the inner surface of the inner liner to the inner surface of the outer liner at a leading edge of a turbine nozzle,
and, wherein the core air flow parameter is defined by:

OG Complex Work Unit Math
and
the fuel premixer comprising an annular shroud defining an interior with a mixing chamber, a center body located within the interior and having a first fuel nozzle emitting fuel into the mixing chamber, and an annular swirler located within the interior, circumscribing the center body, with the annular swirler spaced from the annular shroud to define an outer annular passage, and also spaced from the center body to define an inner annular passage.