Combustor with a dilution passage

Abstract

A combustor having a casing, an inner liner, an outer liner, a compressed air passageway, a combustion chamber and at least one dilution passage. The compressed air passageway being formed between the casing, the inner liner and the outer liner. The combustion chamber being at least partially defined by the inner liner and the outer liner. The at least one dilution passage extending through at least one of the inner liner or the outer liner. The at least one dilution passage extending between an inlet fluidly coupled to the compressed air passageway and a dilution hole fluidly coupled to the combustion chamber.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A combustor for a gas turbine engine, the combustor comprising:
 a casing;   an inner liner and an outer liner;   a compressed air passageway formed between the casing, the inner liner and the outer liner;   a combustion chamber at least partially defined by the inner liner and the outer liner, the combustion chamber having a mean centerline extending through the combustion chamber, the mean centerline being equidistant between the inner liner and the outer liner;   at least one dilution passage extending through at least one of the inner liner and the outer liner, the at least one dilution passage extending between an inlet fluidly coupled to the compressed air passageway and a dilution hole fluidly coupled to the combustion chamber; and   a baffle provided within the compressed air passage, the baffle having a range of movement between a first position and a second position relative to the inlet of the at least one dilution passage to control a degree of occlusion of compressed airflow to the inlet.   
     
     
         2 . The combustor of  claim 1 , wherein the range of movement has a degree of freedom in at least one of a radial direction or an axial direction, with respect to the mean centerline. 
     
     
         3 . The combustor of  claim 2 , wherein the degree of freedom is in the radial direction and the baffle confronts the casing in the second position. 
     
     
         4 . The combustor of  claim 2 , wherein the degree of freedom is in the axial direction. 
     
     
         5 . The combustor of  claim 4 , wherein the at least one dilution passage includes at least one axially downstream dilution passage that is axially downstream an axially upstream dilution passage, with the baffle being movable such that the axially downstream dilution passage and the axially upstream dilution passage have varying degrees of occlusion. 
     
     
         6 . The combustor of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one dilution passage is included within a plurality of dilution passages, with the baffle extending across and occluding the compressed airflow to the plurality of dilution passages. 
     
     
         7 . The combustor of  claim 1 , wherein the baffle includes a major body axis oriented at a radial baffle angle with respect to the mean centerline. 
     
     
         8 . The combustor of  claim 7 , wherein the radial baffle angle is non-zero. 
     
     
         9 . The combustor of  claim 1 , wherein the baffle includes a circumferential baffle angle when viewed along a circumferential plane intersecting the baffle, with the circumferential baffle angle has an absolute value of less than 90 degrees. 
     
     
         10 . The combustor of  claim 1 , wherein the baffle is operably coupled to an arm. 
     
     
         11 . The combustor of  claim 10 , wherein the baffle includes a pair of opposing baffles and wherein the pair of opposing baffles extend from opposing circumferential sides of the arm. 
     
     
         12 . The combustor of  claim 11 , wherein the pair of opposing baffles are provided at varying radial heights from the mean centerline. 
     
     
         13 . The combustor of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a first fuel cup extending through a dome wall at least partially defining the combustion chamber; and   a second fuel cup extending through the dome wall and being circumferentially spaced from the first fuel cup, with respect to the mean centerline;   wherein a first baffle of the pair of opposing baffles extends circumferentially across the first fuel cup and a second baffle of the pair of opposing baffles extends circumferentially across the second fuel cup.   
     
     
         14 . The combustor of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one dilution passage is included within a plurality of dilution passages provided on both the inner liner and the outer liner, with the dilution passages of the plurality of dilution passages provided on the inner liner and the dilution passages of the plurality of dilution passages provided on the outer liner being occluded by separate baffles. 
     
     
         15 . The combustor of  claim 1 , wherein the combustor is defined by a combustor centerline and the baffle is movable at least one of either axially or radially, with respect to the combustor centerline. 
     
     
         16 . The combustor of  claim 15 , wherein the combustor centerline is non-parallel to the mean centerline at the inlet. 
     
     
         17 . The combustor of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one fuel cup provided on a dome wall at least partially defining the combustion chamber, the at least one fuel cup receiving a flow of hydrogen containing fuel. 
     
     
         18 . A combustor for a gas turbine engine, the combustor comprising:
 a casing;   an inner liner and an outer liner;   a compressed air passageway formed between the casing, the inner liner and the outer liner, with at least a portion of the compressed air passageway being split, via a wall, between a first channel and a second channel;   a combustion chamber at least partially defined by the inner liner and the outer liner, the combustion chamber having a mean centerline extending through the combustion chamber, the mean centerline being equidistant between the inner liner and the outer liner;   at least one dilution passage fluidly extending through at least one of the inner liner and the outer liner, the at least one dilution passage extending between an inlet directly fluidly coupled to the first channel and a dilution hole directly fluidly coupled to the combustion chamber; and   a first arm;   a second arm statically coupled to a portion of the casing; and   a first baffle extending between the first arm and the second arm, the first baffle provided within the compressed air passageway and having a range of movement between a first position and a second position relative to the inlet of the at least one dilution passage to control a degree of occlusion of compressed airflow to the first channel.   
     
     
         19 . The combustor of  claim 18 , wherein the first baffle is located within a portion of the compressed air passageway radially outward from the outer liner. 
     
     
         20 . The combustor of  claim 19 , further comprising a second baffle located within a portion of the compressed air passageway radially inward from the inner liner, the second baffle being pivotable about the second arm, via the first arm.