摘要 |
A fuel combustor consists of an elongated casing 16 with an air inlet conduit portion 27 at one end, and having an opposite exit end 18. The casing is formed with an intermediate combustion space 19. An elongated heat pipe 29 is mounted longitudinally in the casing and is offset from and extends alongside the combustion space 19. The heat pipe 29 is in heat-transmitting relationship with the air intake conduit 27 for heating incoming air. Guide conduit structure 25 is provided for conveying the heated air from the intake conduit into the combustion space. A fuel discharge nozzle 26 is provided to inject fuel into the combustion space 19. A fuel conduit 32 from a fuel supply source 37 has a portion 33 engaged in heat transfer relationship of the heat pipe for preheating the fuel. The downstream end of the heat pipe 29 is in heat transfer relationship with the casing and is located adjacent to the downstream end of the combustion space. The offset position of the heat pipe relative to the combustion space minimizes the quenching effect of the heat pipe on the gaseous products of combustion, as well as reducing coking of the fuel on the heat pipe, thereby improving the efficiency of the combustor. The combustor may take various forms, such as a single-can combustor with the combustion chamber consisting of an intermediate enlarged lateral portion of the casing, with the heat pipe mounted axially in the main conduit portion of the casing, or a combustor of the annular-casing type using a plurality of longitudinal side-by-side heat pipes, with longitudinally spaced and laterally offset ducts leading from the air flow conduit portion to the various zones of the combustion chamber.
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