Augmenter fuel injection mounting system

Claim 2

In a gas turbine engine of the type including a casing which defines an exhaust duct which has an augmenter combustion system located therein and has a fuel manifold assembly surrounding said duct, the improvement comprising: a fuel injection spraybar assembly consisting of a metering valve housing, at least one spraybar tube extending from said housing radially inwardly through said duct, said tube having a fuel passage therethrough and means for spraying fuel therefrom, valve means located within said housing for metering fuel delivered to said spraybar tube, and said valve housing including a mounting pad adapted to be connected directly to the fuel manifold assembly and to support said spraybar assembly along a first axis substantially perpendicular to the casing, said mounting pad being offset from a plane in which said spraybar tube lies so as to permit removal of said spraybar tube from said fuel manifold assembly without the necessity of moving the fuel manifold assembly.

Claim 3

The spraybar assembly recited in claim 1 further characterized in that a plurality of spraybar tubes extend from said valve housing and said valve housing includes an enlarged boss portion through which said spraybar tubes extend.

Claim 4

The spraybar assembly recited in claim 2 further characterized in that said mounting pad provides the hydraulic connection between said spraybar assembly and the fuel manifold assembly.

Claim 5

The spraybar assembly recited in claim 3 in combination with a seal and damper assembly which surrounds said enlarged boss portion, said seal and damper assembly supporting said spraybar assembly in a direction substantially perpendicular to said first axis while permitting relative motion between said spraybar assembly and said seal and damper assembly along said first axis.

Claim 6

The combination recited in claim 4 wherein said seal and damper assembly includes a metal collar adapted to mount to the engine casing, said collar having an opening therethrough adapted to receive said enlarged boss portion of said spraybar assembly.

Claim 7

The combination recited in claim 5 further characterized in that said metal collar includes means for providing friction damping of said spraybar assembly, said friction damping means being sized so as to permit relative thermal expansion of said spraybar assembly and said collar.

Claim 8

The combination recited in claim 6 wherein said metal collar further includes means for providing a gas seal between said enlarged boss portion and the engine casing, said sealing means also providing viscoelastic damping of said spraybar assembly.

Claim 9

In a gas turbine engine of the type which includes an engine casing defining an annular flow path, a compressor, a combustion system, a turbine for driving the compressor, an exhaust system, and an augmenter combustion system for increasing the energy level of the exhaust gas flow prior to its exiting through the exhaust system, the improvement comprising: a fuel distribution system for the augmenter including a fuel manifold, a plurality of metering valve housings, valve means located within said housing for metering fuel delivered to said spraybar tube, and each of said housings including a mounting pad adapted to be connected directly to said fuel manifold, each said valve housing having associated therewith at least one spraybar tube bundle adapted to extend through said engine casing into the exhaust gas flow path and to deliver fuel thereto, characterized in that said mounting pad acts as the hydraulic fluid connection between said fuel manifold and said spraybar tube bundle and said fuel manifold supports said spraybar assembly in the radial direction, said mounting pad being offset from a plane in which said spraybar tube lies so as to permit removal of said spraybar tube from said fuel manifold assembly without the necessity of moving the fuel manifold assembly.

Claim 10

In a gas turbine engine of the type which includes an engine casing defining an annular flow path, a compressor, a combustion system, a turbine for driving the compressor, an exhaust system, and an augmenter combustion system for increasing the energy level of the exhaust gas flow prior to its exiting through the exhaust system, the improvement comprising: a fuel distribution system for the augmenter including a fuel manifold, a plurality of metering valve housings, valve means located within said housing for metering fuel delivered to said spraybar tube, and each of said housings including a mounting pad adapted to be connected directly to said fuel manifold, each said valve housing having associated therewith at least one spraybar tube bundle adapted to extend through said engine casing into the exhaust gas flow path and to deliver fuel thereto, characterized in that said mounting pad acts as the hydraulic fluid connection between said fuel manifold and said spraybar tube bundle and said fuel manifold supports said spraybar assembly in the radial direction, said mounting pad being offset from a plane in which said spraybar tube lies so as to permit removal of said spraybar tube from said fuel manifold assembly without the necessity of moving the fuel manifold assembly.

Claim 11

The improved fuel distribution system recited in claim 8 wherein each spraybar bundle includes an enlarged boss section adapted to fit within an opening in the engine casing and said fuel distribution system further includes a seal and damper assembly associated with each spraybar bundle, said seal and damper assembly surrounding said boss portion and supporting said spraybar bundle in the axial direction.

Claim 12

The improved fuel distribution system recited in claim 9 wherein said seal and damper assembly includes a collar adapted to be connected directly to the engine casing and said collar includes a gas seal for minimizing the flow of fluid between said collar and said spraybar bundle.

Claim 13

The improved fuel distribution system recited in claim 10 wherein said collar also includes bushing means for friction damping the fuel distribution system in the event of vibration excitation of said system.

Claim 14

The improved fuel distribution system recited in claim 11 wherein said friction damping is provided by an elastomeric bushing which surrounds said boss portion of said spraybar bundle, and said gas seal provides viscoelastic damping in the event of vibration excitation of said system.

Claim 15

The improved fuel distribution system recited in claim 12 wherein said fuel manifold includes separate fan and core fuel pipes and means for connecting a first plurality of said metering valvE housings to said fan fuel pipe and the remaining metering valve housings to said core fuel pipe.

Claim 16

The improved fuel distribution system recited in claim 12 further characterized in that each of said metering valve housings has associated therewith at least two of said spraybar bundles and each said metering valve housing provides fuel from said fan fuel pipe to fan spraybar tubes associated with each said bundle and fuel from said core fuel pipe to core spraybar tubes associated with each said bundle.

Claim 17

A gas turbine engine including a casing defining a flow path, a compressor, a primary combustion system, a turbine for driving said compressor, an exhaust nozzle, and an augmenter combustion system, said augmenter system including a fuel distribution system which includes a fuel manifold, a plurality of metering valve housings, valve means located within said housing for metering fuel delivered to said spraybar tube, and each of said housings including a mounting pad adapted to be connected directly to said fuel manifold, each said valve housing having associated therewith at least one spraybar tube bundle adapted to extend through said engine casing into the exhaust gas flow path and to deliver fuel thereto, characterized in that said mounting pad acts as the hydraulic fluid connection between said fuel manifold and said spraybar tube bundle and said fuel manifold supports said spraybar assembly in the radial direction, said mounting pad being offset from a plane in which said spraybar tube lies so as to permit removal of said spraybar tube from said fuel manifold assembly without the necessity of moving the fuel manifold assembly, each said spraybar bundle including an enlarged boss section adapted to fit within an opening in said casing, and a seal and damper assembly associated with each said spraybar bundle, said seal and damper assembly including means for mounting said assembly to said casing, means for supporting said bundle in the axial direction, and means for damping vibration of said bundle.

Claim 18

A gas turbine engine including a casing defining a flow path, a compressor, a primary combustion system, a turbine for driving said compressor, an exhaust nozzle, and an augmenter combustion system, said augmenter system including a fuel distribution system which includes a fuel manifold, a plurality of metering valve housings, valve means located within said housing for metering fuel delivered to said spraybar tube, and each of said housings including a mounting pad adapted to be connected directly to said fuel manifold, each said valve housing having associated therewith at least one spraybar tube bundle adapted to extend through said engine casing into the exhaust gas flow path and to deliver fuel thereto, characterized in that said mounting pad acts as the hydraulic fluid connection between said fuel manifold and said spraybar tube bundle and said fuel manifold supports said spraybar assembly in the radial direction, said mounting pad being offset from a plane in which said spraybar tube lies so as to permit removal of said spraybar tube from said fuel manifold assembly without the necessity of moving the fuel manifold assembly, each said spraybar bundle including an enlarged boss section adapted to fit within an opening in said casing, and a seal and damper assembly associated with each said spraybar bundle, said seal and damper assembly including means for mounting said assembly to said casing, means for supporting said bundle in the axial direction, and means for damping vibration of said bundle.