Cooled combustor for a gas turbine engine

Abstract

A combustor for a gas turbine engine comprises a liner having a forward opening and an aft opening. A deflector closes the forward opening and the aft opening is in fluid communication with a turbine section downstream of the combustor. A dome disposed in the deflector provides a fuel/air mixture to be ignited to drive the turbine section. A gap can be disposed between the deflector and the liner, having film holes disposed in the deflector for providing a flow of cool air to the gap for cooling the combustion liner downstream of the gap.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of cooling a combustor for a gas turbine engine, the method comprising:
 supplying an impinging airflow onto a deflector of the combustor; and   after impingement onto the deflector, supplying the impinging airflow through film holes in the combustor to define a film of cooling air along at least a portion of a liner.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the supplying an impinging airflow comprises supplying cooling air through an impingement baffle spaced from the deflector. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the supplying an impinging airflow comprises supplying compressor air from a compressor section of the gas turbine engine. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2  wherein supplying the impinging airflow through the film holes comprises supplying impinging airflow through film holes passing through at least one of the deflector and liner. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the film holes pass through both the deflector and liner. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the film of cooling air flows along an interior of the liner. 
     
     
         7 . A combustor for a gas turbine engine comprising:
 a liner defining a forward opening and an aft opening;   a deflector closing the forward opening;   a dome located in the deflector; and   film holes extending through the combustor from the deflector to an interior of the liner.   
     
     
         8 . The combustor of  claim 7  wherein the film holes extend through at least one of the deflector and the liner. 
     
     
         9 . The combustor of  claim 8  wherein the film holes extend through both the deflector and liner. 
     
     
         10 . The combustor of  claim 8  further comprising an impingement baffle upstream of the deflector. 
     
     
         11 . The combustor of  claim 10  wherein the impingement baffle and deflector at least partially define an impingement chamber and the film holes are fluidly coupled to the impingement chamber. 
     
     
         12 . The combustor of  claim 11  wherein the deflector terminates prior to the liner to define a gap and the film holes are fluidly coupled to the gap. 
     
     
         13 . The combustor of  claim 7  further comprising an impingement baffle upstream of the deflector. 
     
     
         14 . The combustor of  claim 13  wherein the impingement baffle and deflector at least partially define an impingement chamber and the film holes are fluidly coupled to the impingement chamber. 
     
     
         15 . The combustor of  claim 7  wherein the deflector terminates prior to the liner to define a gap and the film holes are fluidly coupled to the gap. 
     
     
         16 . A combustor for a gas turbine engine comprising a deflector, a liner spaced from the deflector and defining a gap there between, and at least one film hole extending through the deflector and having an outlet opening into the gap. 
     
     
         17 . The combustor of  claim 16  further comprising an impingement baffle upstream of the deflector. 
     
     
         18 . The combustor of  claim 17  wherein the impingement baffle and deflector at least partially define an impingement chamber and the at least one film hole has an inlet fluidly coupled to the impingement chamber. 
     
     
         19 . The combustor of  claim 16  wherein the at least one film hole extends through at least one of the deflector and the liner. 
     
     
         20 . The combustor of  claim 16  wherein the at least one film hole extend primarily radially through the deflector.