Turbomachine combustor assembly

Abstract

A turbomachine combustor assembly includes a combustor body, and a combustor liner arranged within the combustor body. The combustor liner defines a combustion chamber having a head end and a discharge end. A plurality of combustor nozzles are arranged in an annular array at the head end of the combustion chamber, and a fluid delivery nozzle is arranged substantially centrally within the annular array at the head end of the combustion chamber. The fluid delivery nozzle includes a first end portion that extends to a second end portion through a wall portion. The wall portion includes at least one combustion chamber outlet. The fluid delivery nozzle is configured to deliver a non-combustible fluid into the at least one of the plurality of combustor nozzles and the combustion chamber.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A turbomachine combustor assembly comprising:
 a combustor body;   a combustor liner arranged within the combustor body, the combustor liner defining a combustion chamber having a head end and a discharge end;   a plurality of combustor nozzles arranged in an annular array at the head end of the combustion chamber;   a fluid delivery nozzle arranged substantially centrally within the annular array at the head end of the combustion chamber, the fluid delivery nozzle including a first end portion that extends to a second end portion through a wall portion, the wall portion including at least one combustion chamber outlet, the fluid delivery nozzle being configured to deliver a non-combustible fluid into the at least one of the plurality of combustor nozzles.   
     
     
         2 . The turbomachine combustor according to  claim 1 , wherein wall portion includes a plurality of combustor nozzle outlets fluidly connected to the plurality of combustor nozzles. 
     
     
         3 . The turbomachine combustor assembly according to  claim 2 , wherein one of the plurality of combustor nozzle outlets is fluidly connected to two adjacent ones of the plurality of combustor nozzles. 
     
     
         4 . The turbomachine combustor assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one combustion chamber outlet includes a first combustion chamber outlet formed in the second end portion and a second combustion chamber outlet formed in the wall portion adjacent the second end portion. 
     
     
         5 . The turbomachine combustor assembly according to  claim 4 , wherein the first combustion chamber outlet of the fluid delivery nozzle comprises an effusion plate provided at the second end portion, the effusion plate having a plurality of openings that partially obstruct flow passing from the fluid delivery nozzle into the combustion chamber. 
     
     
         6 . The turbomachine assembly according to  claim 5 , wherein the second combustion chamber outlet includes a plurality of openings formed in the wall portion at the second end portion. 
     
     
         7 . The turbomachine assembly according to  claim 6 , wherein the plurality of openings extend circumferentially about the wall portion at the second end portion. 
     
     
         8 . The turbomachine combustor assembly according to  claim 1 , further comprising: at least one additional non-combustible fluid outlet formed in the combustor liner adjacent the head end of the combustion chamber, the at least one additional non-combustible fluid outlet being configured and disposed to deliver additional non-combustible fluid toward the plurality of combustor nozzles. 
     
     
         9 . The turbomachine combustor assembly according to  claim 8 , wherein the additional non-combustible fluid includes one of an exhaust gas and an inert gas. 
     
     
         10 . The turbomachine combustor assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the non-combustible fluid is air. 
     
     
         11 . A method of introducing a non-combustible fluid into a turbomachine combustor, the method comprising:
 delivering a non-combustible fluid into a fluid delivery nozzle extending into a combustion chamber of the turbomachine combustor;   passing a first portion of the non-combustible fluid radially outward from the fluid delivery nozzle into at least one of a plurality of combustor nozzles arrayed about the fluid delivery nozzle; and   passing a second portion of the non-combustible fluid into the combustion chamber through a combustion chamber outlet formed at an end of the fluid delivery nozzle.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein passing the first portion of the non-combustible fluid into at least one of the plurality of combustor nozzles includes passing the first portion of the non-combustible fluid through a combustor nozzle outlet formed in a wall of the fluid delivery nozzle into two adjacent ones of the plurality of combustor nozzles. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein passing the first portion of the non-combustible fluid into at least one of the plurality of combustor nozzles includes passing the first portion of the non-combustible fluid into a first combustor nozzle creating a flow about the first combustor nozzle in a first direction and into a second combustor nozzle creating a flow about the second combustor nozzle in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising: passing a third portion of the non-combustible fluid through another combustion chamber outlet formed at the end of the fluid delivery nozzle, the second portion of the non-combustible fluid passing radially from the fluid delivery nozzle into the combustion chamber and the third portion of the non-combustible fluid passing axially from the fluid delivery nozzle into the combustion chamber. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising: passing an additional non-combustible fluid through a liner of the turbomachine combustor toward the fluid delivery nozzle. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein passing the additional non-combustible fluid toward the fluid delivery nozzle includes passing one of an exhaust gas and an inert gas between adjacent ones of the plurality of combustor nozzles. 
     
     
         17 . A turbomachine comprising:
 a compressor portion;   a turbine portion mechanically linked to the compressor portion; and   a combustor assembly fluidly connected to the compressor portion and the turbine portion, the combustor assembly comprising:   a combustor body;
 a combustor liner arranged within the combustor body, the combustor liner defining a combustion chamber having a head end and a discharge end; 
 a plurality of combustor nozzles arranged in an annular array at the head end of the combustion chamber; 
 a fluid delivery nozzle arranged substantially centrally within the annular array at the head end of the combustion chamber, the fluid delivery nozzle including a first end portion that extends to a second end portion through a wall portion including a plurality of combustor nozzle outlets fluidly connected to two adjacent ones of the plurality of combustor nozzles, the wall portion including a first combustion chamber outlet formed in the second end portion and a second combustion chamber outlet formed in the wall portion adjacent the second end portion; and 
 at least one additional non-combustible fluid outlet formed in the liner adjacent the head end of the combustion chamber, the at least one additional non-combustible fluid outlet being configured and disposed to deliver a non-combustible fluid flow between adjacent ones of the plurality of combustor nozzles. 
   
     
     
         18 . The turbomachine according to  claim 17 , wherein the first combustion chamber outlet of the fluid delivery nozzle comprises an effusion plate provided at the second end portion, the effusion plate having a plurality of openings that partially obstruct flow passing from the fluid delivery nozzle into the combustion chamber. 
     
     
         19 . The turbomachine according to  claim 18 , wherein the second combustion chamber outlet includes a plurality of openings formed in the wall portion at the second end portion. 
     
     
         20 . The turbomachine according to  claim 19 , wherein the plurality of openings extend circumferentially about the wall portion at the second end portion.