Combined convection/effusion cooled one-piece can combustor

Abstract

An industrial turbine engine comprises a combustion section, an air discharge section downstream of the combustion section, a transition region between the combustion and air discharge section, a combustion transition piece and a sleeve. The transition piece defines an interior space for combusted gas flow. The sleeve surrounds the combustor transition piece so as to form a flow annulus between the sleeve and the transition piece. The sleeve includes a first set of apertures for directing cooling air from compressor discharge air into the flow annulus. The transition piece includes an outer surface bounding the flow annulus and an inner surface bounding the interior surface, and includes a second set of apertures for directing cooling air in the flow annulus to the interior space. Each of the second set of apertures extends from an entry portion on the outer surface to an exit portion on the inner surface.

1 . A turbine engine comprising:
 a combustion section;   an air discharge section downstream of the combustion section;   a transition region between the combustion section and air discharge section;   a combustor transition piece defining the combustion section and transition region, said transition piece adapted to carry combusted gas flow to a first stage of the turbine engine corresponding to the air discharge section, the transition piece defining an interior space for combusted gas flow; and   a sleeve surrounding the combustor transition piece so as to form a flow annulus between the sleeve and the transition piece, said sleeve including a first set of apertures for directing cooling air from compressor discharge air into the flow annulus,   wherein the transition piece includes an outer surface bounding the flow annulus and an inner surface bounding the interior space, the transition piece includes a second set of apertures for directing cooling air in the flow annulus to the interior space, and each of the second set of apertures extends from an entry portion on the outer surface to an exit portion on the inner surface.   
     
     
         2 . The turbine engine of  claim 1 , wherein the first set of apertures are normal to the sleeve. 
     
     
         3 . The turbine engine of  claim 1 , wherein the first set of apertures has a constant diameter ranging from 0.1 inch to 1.0 inch. 
     
     
         4 . The turbine engine of  claim 1 , wherein one of the entry portion and the exit portion is located further downstream than the other of the entry portion and the exit portion. 
     
     
         5 . The turbine engine of  claim 4 , wherein the combustor transition piece is a can-annular, reverse-flow type such that combusted gas flow and compressor discharge air flow are configured to be in opposing directions such that longitudinal axes through the second set of apertures form an acute angle with a direction of combusted gas flow and an obtuse angle with a direction of compressor discharge air flow. 
     
     
         6 . The turbine engine of  claim 1 , wherein longitudinal axes through the second set of apertures are oriented to form an acute angle with a downstream tangent to the outer surface. 
     
     
         7 . The turbine engine of  claim 6 , wherein the acute angle ranges from 20° to 35°. 
     
     
         8 . The turbine engine of  claim 1 , wherein the second set of apertures have a constant diameter from the entry portion to the exit portion ranging from 0.02 inch to 0.04 inch. 
     
     
         9 . The turbine engine of  claim 1 , wherein the second set of apertures are substantially normal to the outer surface.