Diffuser-burner casing for a gas turbine engine

摘要

A diffuser-burner casing in the combustion section of an axial flow gas turbine engine transmits axial engine loads between the compressor section and the turbine section and serves as a housing for the combustion chamber assemblies and as a bearing support for the shaft or shafts extending between the compressor and turbine sections. The casing has outer, intermediate and inner ring portions structurally interconnected for limited flexure under the influence of thermal gradients and stresses. The outer ring portion is connected to the intermediate ring portion by means of a frustoconical wall portion which defines the forward part of an annular plenum in which the combustion chamber assemblies are located. The intermediate ring portion and the inner ring portion are interconnected by means of a plurality of circumaxially spaced struts, and form the diffuser for the compressor which discharges into the annular plenum containing the combustion chamber assemblies. A removable plenum cover connects with the outer ring portion and the inner surface of the cover defines an outer wall of the plenum chamber. The plenum cover also connects at its rearward end with a turbine casing and is retractable over the turbine casing in order to permit the combustion chamber assemblies to be installed or removed.