Session: 18-05 Additive Manufacturing - Design and Components for Gas Turbine Engines

Paper Number: 82746

82746 - Design and Validation of an Improved Lower Emission Additively Manufactured Combustor Pilot Nozzle for F Class Industrial Gas Turbine 

Emerging additive manufacturing technology offers many opportunities for improved design in gas turbine components by enabling optimization of parts that are not manufacturable with conventional methods. The combustion components, for example, require complex fuel and air circuits to achieve best possible mixing and oxidation process for the lowest emissions possible. Thanks to the additive manufacturing, new combustor parts are making a break thru for improved capabilities in fuel flexibility and operating conditions. Also, quick turn around and modularity makes additive manufacturing a key enabler for fast validation of design concepts.

This paper describes the application of additive manufacturing technology in an F-Class industrial gas turbine including design, development and validation steps of a combustor pilot nozzle. Systematic design approach was undertaken to examine all aspects of combustion operation and testing, down-select the appropriate design, material and productionize. Experiences gained from other AM production parts as well as testing coupons were leveraged to ensure a robust production process. Combustion atmospheric rig testing were conducted to validate emission performance. Detailed thermal and structure analysis were performed and validated with testing experience.

The new design demonstrated a significant benefit in CO combustion emission during start up as well as improved combustion stability. In addition to performance benefit, adhering to AM resulted in significant cost savings as well as improved handling and maintenance due to reduced parts count.

Several sets were successfully installed in customer’s engines, benefiting from an improved combustor pilot nozzle. Details of the design and development steps as well as the results of combustion tests are presented and discussed in this paper. It shows that with proper considerations of the additive manufacturing technology, very quick turn-around of improved combustions solutions implementation can be achieved: less than a year from development to production!

Presenting Author: Ramesh Chandra Raju Keshava Bhattu Power Systems Manufacturing LLC

Presenting Author Biography: Senior Structural Engineer with more than 15yrs of work experience in the Design and Validation of IGT Combustion, Aerospace & Automotive components.

Authors:

Ramesh Chandra Raju Keshava Bhattu Power Systems Manufacturing LLC
Bryan Kalb Power Systems Manufacturing LLC
Gregory Vogel Power Systems Manufacturing LLC
Matthew Yaquinto Power Systems Manufacturing LLC