Flame Holding Tolerant Fuel and Air Premixer for a Gas Turbine Combustor

• US 20100101229A1
• Filed: 10/23/2008
• Published: 04/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Johnson, Thomas Edward, Ziminsky, Willy Steve, York, William David
• Granted Patent: US 8,312,722 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 60/737
• CPC Class Codes: F23D 14/62 Mixing devices; Mixing tubes
• CPC Class Codes: F23D 2214/00 Cooling
• CPC Class Codes: F23R 3/283 Attaching or cooling of fuel injecting means including supports for fuel injectors, stems, or lances
• CPC Class Codes: F23R 3/286 having fuel-air premixing devices F23R3/30 takes precedence

Abstract

A fuel nozzle with active cooling is provided. It includes an outer peripheral wall, a nozzle center body concentrically disposed within the outer wall in a fuel and air pre-mixture. The fuel and air pre-mixture includes an air inlet, a fuel inlet and a premixing passage defined between the outer wall in the center body. A gas fuel flow passage is provided. A first cooling passage is included within the center body in a second cooling passage is defined between the center body and the outer wall.

Claims

1. A fuel nozzle comprising:

an outer peripheral wall;

a nozzle center body disposed within said outer wall;

a fuel/air premixer including an air inlet, a fuel inlet, and a premixing passage defined between said outer wall and said center body and extending at least part circumferentially thereof;

a gas fuel passage defined within said center body and extending at least part circumferentially thereof;

a first cooling passage defined within said center body and extending at least part circumferentially thereof;

a second cooling passage defined between said center body and said outer peripheral wall.

2. The nozzle of claim 1, wherein said first cooling flow passage is in flow communication with said premixing passage defined between said nozzle center body and said outer wall.

3. The nozzle of claim 1, wherein said second cooling flow passage is in flow communication with said premixing passage defined between said nozzle center body and said outer wall.

4. The nozzle of claim 1, wherein said first cooling passage is in fluid communication with said second cooling passage.

5. The nozzle of claim 1, wherein said first cooling passage includes annularly spaced ribs disposed therein.

6. The nozzle of claim 1, wherein said first cooling passage includes a first portion and a second portion, the first portion terminating at an end plate of said center body, said second portion extending from said end plate to at least one orifice located in an outer wall of said center body.

7. The nozzle of claim 6, wherein said at least one orifice is in flow communication with said premixing passage.

8. The nozzle of claim 1, wherein said gas fuel flow passage and said first cooling passage are coincident.

9. The nozzle of claim 1, wherein said fuel/air premixer includes vanes, said vanes including internal cooling passages, said internal cooling passages within said vanes are in flow communication with said first and said second flow passages.

10. The nozzle of claim 1, wherein said second cooling passage includes at least one outlet orifice.

11. A method of cooling a fuel nozzle that includes an outer peripheral wall, a nozzle center body disposed within said outer wall, a fuel/air premixer including an air inlet, a fuel inlet, and a premixing passage defined between said outer wall and said center body;

at least one cooling passage defined within said nozzle and extending at least part circumferentially thereof; and

a gas fuel flow passage defined within said center body and extending at least part circumferentially thereof;

the method comprising;

flowing cooling fluid through said cooling passage;

impinging said cooling fluid against an inner surface of an end face of the center body;

flowing cooling fluid adjacent said outer wall; and

expelling cooling fluid into said premixing passage defined between said nozzle center body and said outer wall of said nozzle.

12. The method of claim 11, including film cooling an inner surface of said outer wall.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein said fuel/air premixer includes a plurality of vanes disposed between said outer wall and said center body and flowing cooling fluid within said vanes.

14. The method of claim 13, including flowing said cooling fluid within said vanes along a trailing edge of said vanes.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein cooling fluid comprises air used in said fuel/air mixture.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein said cooling fluid comprises the fuel used in said fuel/air mixture.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein said cooling fluid comprises an inert gas.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said cooling fluid comprises nitrogen.

19. A method of cooling a fuel nozzle that includes an outer peripheral wall, a nozzle center body disposed within said outer wall, a fuel/air premixer including an air inlet, a fuel inlet, and a premixing passage defined between said outer wall and said center body;

at least one cooling passage defined within said nozzle and extending at least part circumferentially thereof; and

a gas fuel flow passage defined within said nozzle and extending at least part circumferentially thereof;

the method comprising;

flowing cooling fluid through said cooling passage;

impinging said cooling fluid against an inner surface of said cooling passage; and

film cooling said nozzle by expelling cooling fluid into said premixing passage defined between said nozzle center body and said outer wall of said nozzle.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said cooling fluid comprises an inert gas.