Rib Valve as Shutter for Air Swirler in Combustor Nozzle

A rib valve is under consideration for use as a shutter in an air swirler in the fuel nozzle of a variable-geometry combustor. In the original application, the variable-geometry combustor would be part of an engine in the High-Speed Civil Transport. In this application, the rib valve/shutter would provide the variable-geometry airflow needed for proper functioning of the combustor under various operating conditions, including rich burn, quick quench, and lean burn. In this context, "proper functioning" means not only smooth and efficient operation but also minimization of quantities of harmful exhaust gases. The rib-valve and variable-geometry combustor design might also be adaptable to any future gas turbine engines.