Trapped vortex combustor

Abstract

A trapped vortex combustor includes a refractory combustor body defining a combustion volume aligned to receive an air and fuel mixture from an air and fuel source. The trapped vortex combustor includes a trapped vortex channel arranged circumferential to a portion of the combustion volume and/or arranged at or adjacent to a center of the combustion volume. The trapped vortex channel is configured to hold a trapped vortex combustion reaction to provide ignition to the air and fuel mixture. The trapped vortex combustor includes a center body supported near or within the combustion volume.

1 . A trapped vortex combustor, comprising:
 an air and fuel source configured to deliver an air and fuel mixture;   a refractory combustor body defining a combustion volume, the refractory combustor body having an open upstream end and an open downstream end, the refractory combustor body being aligned to receive at least a portion of the air and fuel mixture from the air and fuel source into the upstream end, to limit a lateral extent of a combustion reaction supported by the air and fuel mixture with an inner wall, and to output combustion products from the downstream end;   a trapped vortex channel arranged to hold a trapped vortex combustion reaction to provide ignition to the air and fuel mixture; and   at least one center body supported near or within the combustion volume.   
     
     
         2 . The trapped vortex combustor of  claim 1 , wherein the trapped vortex channel is disposed circumferential to the combustion volume. 
     
     
         3 .- 6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . The trapped vortex combustor of  claim 1 , wherein the air and fuel source comprises one or more primary fuel nozzles disposed to cause a majority of combustion to occur in the combustion volume between the upstream end and the downstream end. 
     
     
         8 . The trapped vortex combustor of  claim 1 , wherein the air and fuel source comprises one or more primary fuel nozzles designed such that combustion location is independent of nozzle location. 
     
     
         9 . The trapped vortex combustor of  claim 1 , wherein one or more primary fuel nozzles are disposed to cause a rich fuel and air mixture to be output into the trapped vortex channel. 
     
     
         10 . The trapped vortex combustor of  claim 1 , wherein one or more primary fuel nozzles are disposed to cause a vortex circulation within the trapped vortex channel. 
     
     
         11 . The trapped vortex combustor of  claim 10 , wherein the one or more primary fuel nozzles are disposed to cause a rotation direction parallel to an air flow direction where the trapped vortex combustion meets a main air flow. 
     
     
         12 . The trapped vortex combustor of  claim 10 , wherein the one or more primary fuel nozzles are disposed to cause a rotation direction antiparallel to an air flow direction where the trapped vortex combustion meets a main air flow. 
     
     
         13 . The trapped vortex combustor of  claim 1 , wherein the trapped vortex channel is continuous around a periphery of the refractory combustor body. 
     
     
         14 . The trapped vortex combustor of  claim 1 , wherein the trapped vortex channel is formed as discontinuous segments. 
     
     
         15 . The trapped vortex combustor of  claim 14 , wherein the trapped vortex channel is formed as discontinuous segments around a periphery of the refractory combustor body. 
     
     
         16 .- 17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . The trapped vortex combustor of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 one or more primary fuel nozzles configured to output fuel into the combustion volume; and   a plurality of secondary fuel nozzles arranged peripheral to the refractory combustor body.   
     
     
         19 . The trapped vortex combustor of  claim 18 , wherein the plurality of secondary fuel nozzles are configured to cause fuel ejection at a selected angle relative to the refractory combustor body. 
     
     
         20 . The trapped vortex combustor of  claim 18 , wherein the plurality of secondary fuel nozzles selectively receive fuel from a secondary fuel circuit separate from a primary fuel circuit operable to provide the fuel to the one or more primary fuel nozzles. 
     
     
         21 . The trapped vortex combustor of  claim 18 , wherein the plurality of secondary fuel nozzles are operable to provide the fuel to a secondary combustion zone positioned downstream from the downstream end of the combustion volume. 
     
     
         22 . The trapped vortex combustor of  claim 1 , wherein the center body is configured to partially occlude the combustion volume. 
     
     
         23 . The trapped vortex combustor of  claim 22 , wherein the partial occlusion is selected to increase stability of the combustion reaction supported within the combustion volume. 
     
     
         24 . The trapped vortex combustor of  claim 22 , wherein the partial occlusion of the combustion volume is operable to cause vortex formation within the combustion volume. 
     
     
         25 . The trapped vortex combustor of  claim 1 , wherein the center body is disposed adjacent to the upstream end of the combustion volume. 
     
     
         26 .- 28 . (canceled) 
     
     
         29 . The trapped vortex combustor of  claim 1 , wherein the center body is integral with the one or more primary fuel nozzles. 
     
     
         30 .- 35 . (canceled) 
     
     
         36 . The trapped vortex combustor of  claim 1 , wherein the center body is disposed adjacent to the downstream end of the combustion volume. 
     
     
         37 . (canceled) 
     
     
         38 . The trapped vortex combustor of  claim 1 , wherein the center body comprises a solid tile. 
     
     
         39 . The trapped vortex combustor of  claim 1 , wherein the center body comprises a porous tile. 
     
     
         40 . The trapped vortex combustor of  claim 39 , wherein the porous tile comprises a ceramic honeycomb having a plurality of channels extending from an upstream face, through the porous tile, to a downstream face. 
     
     
         41 . The trapped vortex combustor of  claim 40 , wherein the plurality of channels are arranged at a density of between 2 and 20 channels per inch across the upstream and downstream faces. 
     
     
         42 . The trapped vortex combustor of  claim 39 , wherein the porous tile comprises a reticulated ceramic body. 
     
     
         43 . The trapped vortex combustor of  claim 42 , wherein the reticulated ceramic body has pores arranged at a density of between 4 and 20 pores per inch. 
     
     
         44 . A combustor, comprising:
 an air and fuel source configured to deliver an air and fuel mixture;   a refractory combustor body defining a combustion volume, the refractory combustor body having an open upstream end and an open downstream end, the refractory combustor body being aligned to receive at least a portion of the air and fuel mixture from the air and fuel source into the upstream end, to limit a lateral extent of a combustion reaction supported by the air and fuel mixture with an inner wall, and to output combustion products from the downstream end;   a trapped vortex channel arranged circumferential to a portion of the combustion volume, the trapped vortex channel being configured to hold a trapped vortex combustion reaction to provide ignition to the air and fuel mixture; and   a trapped vortex fuel source disposed to provide fuel and momentum to the trapped vortex combustion reaction.   
     
     
         45 .- 49 . (canceled) 
     
     
         50 . The combustor of  claim 44 ,
 further comprising one or more primary fuel nozzles configured to output fuel into the combustion volume;   wherein the one or more primary fuel nozzles are disposed to cause a vortex circulation within the trapped vortex channel.   
     
     
         51 . The combustor of  claim 50 , wherein the one or more primary fuel nozzles are disposed to cause a rotation direction parallel to air flow direction where the trapped vortex combustion meets main air flow. 
     
     
         52 . The combustor of  claim 50 , wherein the one or more primary fuel nozzles are disposed to cause a rotation direction antiparallel to the air flow direction where the trapped vortex combustion meets the main air flow. 
     
     
         53 . The combustor of  claim 44 , wherein the trapped vortex channel is continuous around a periphery of the refractory combustor body. 
     
     
         54 . (canceled) 
     
     
         55 . The combustor of  claim 44 , wherein the trapped vortex channel is formed as discontinuous segments around the periphery of the refractory combustor body. 
     
     
         56 .- 58 . (canceled) 
     
     
         59 . The combustor of  claim 44 , wherein the trapped vortex fuel source is configured to output a rich fuel to air mixture into the trapped vortex channel. 
     
     
         60 .- 67 . (canceled) 
     
     
         68 . The combustor of  claim 44 , further comprising:
 a combustion sensor configured to sense the presence or absence of combustion in the trapped vortex channel.   
     
     
         69 .- 70 . (canceled) 
     
     
         71 . The combustor of  claim 68 , further comprising a combustor controller configured to energize an igniter responsive to sensing, via the combustion sensor, the absence of a combustion reaction in the trapped vortex channel while fuel is flowing into the trapped vortex channel;
 wherein the igniter is operatively coupled to the combustor controller and is operable to cause ignition, in the trapped vortex channel, of the fuel from the trapped vortex fuel source.   
     
     
         72 . The combustor of  claim 44 , wherein the trapped vortex fuel source includes a nozzle disposed to cause a vortex circulation within the trapped vortex channel. 
     
     
         73 . (canceled) 
     
     
         74 . The combustor of  claim 44 , further comprising:
 one or more primary fuel nozzles configured to output fuel into the combustion volume; and   a plurality of secondary fuel nozzles arranged peripheral to the refractory combustor body.   
     
     
         75 . The combustor of  claim 74 , wherein the plurality of secondary fuel nozzles selectively receive fuel from a secondary fuel circuit separate from a primary fuel circuit operable to provide the fuel to the one or more primary fuel nozzles. 
     
     
         76 . The combustor of  claim 74 , wherein the plurality of secondary fuel nozzles are operable to provide the fuel to a secondary combustion zone positioned downstream from the downstream end of the combustion volume. 
     
     
         77 . A method, comprising:
 holding a trapped vortex combustion reaction in a trapped vortex channel positioned in an inner wall of a refractory combustor body;   delivering an air and fuel mixture from an air and fuel source;   receiving at least a portion of the air and fuel mixture into an open upstream end of the refractory combustor body;   igniting, within a combustion volume defined by the refractory combustor body, a combustion reaction of the air and fuel mixture with the trapped vortex combustion reaction;   limiting a lateral extent of the trapped vortex combustion reaction with the inner wall of the refractory combustor body; and   supporting at least one center body near or within the combustion volume.   
     
     
         78 .- 84 . (canceled) 
     
     
         85 . The method according to  claim 77 , further comprising outputting a rich fuel and air mixture into the trapped vortex channel. 
     
     
         86 . The method according to  claim 77 , further comprising causing a vortex circulation within the trapped vortex channel with the one or more primary fuel nozzles. 
     
     
         87 . The method according to  claim 86 , further comprising causing a rotation direction parallel to air flow direction where the trapped vortex combustion meets main air flow. 
     
     
         88 . The method according to  claim 86 , further comprising causing a rotation direction antiparallel to the air flow direction where the trapped vortex combustion meets the main air flow. 
     
     
         89 . A method, comprising:
 supporting a trapped vortex combustion reaction within a trapped vortex channel arranged circumferentially to a portion of a combustion volume defined by a refractory combustor body;   providing fuel and momentum to the trapped vortex combustion reaction with a trapped vortex fuel source;   delivering an air and fuel mixture from an air and fuel source;   receiving the air and fuel mixture into an upstream end of the refractory combustor body;   igniting a combustion reaction of the air and fuel mixture with the trapped vortex combustion reaction; and   outputting combustion products of the trapped vortex combustion reaction from a downstream end of the refractory combustor body.   
     
     
         90 .- 92 . (canceled) 
     
     
         93 . The method according to  claim 89 , further comprising causing a majority of combustion to occur in the combustion volume between the upstream end and the downstream end. 
     
     
         94 . The method according to  claim 89 , wherein the one or more primary fuel nozzles are designed such that combustion location is independent of nozzle location. 
     
     
         95 . The method according to  claim 89 , wherein the trapped vortex channel is formed as discontinuous segments. 
     
     
         96 . The method according to  claim 89 , wherein the trapped vortex channel is formed as discontinuous segments around a periphery of the refractory combustor body. 
     
     
         97 . (canceled)