FUEL INJECTORS FOR TURBOMACHINES HAVING INNER AIR SWIRLING

• US 20190309949A1
• Filed: 04/10/2018
• Published: 10/10/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Collins Engine Nozzles Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Delavan Incorporated (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: Prociw, Lev Alexander, Ryon, Jason A., Zink, Gregory A.
• Granted Patent: US 10,788,214 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/18 the medium being gaseous, e.g. air F02C7/125 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F23C 2900/07001 Air swirling vanes incorporating fuel injectors
• CPC Class Codes: F23D 11/383 with swirl means
• CPC Class Codes: F23D 14/24 at least one of the fluids being submitted to a swirling motion
• CPC Class Codes: F23D 2202/00 Liquid fuel burners
• CPC Class Codes: F23D 2206/10 Turbines
• CPC Class Codes: F23D 2900/14021 Premixing burners with swirling or vortices creating means for fuel or air
• CPC Class Codes: F23R 3/12 inducing a vortex
• CPC Class Codes: F23R 3/14 by using swirl vanes
• 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 injector for a turbomachine includes an inner heat shield having an air cavity wall defining an air cavity for allowing air to flow therethrough. The inner heat shield includes an integral air swirler forming a downstream end thereof. The integral air swirler extends in an axially downstream direction at least as far as a fuel distribution channel defined on or in a fuel distributor of the injector to direct airflow at an outlet of the fuel distributor.

Claims

1. A fuel injector for a turbomachine, comprising:

an inner heat shield having an air cavity wall defining an air cavity for allowing air to flow therethrough, wherein the inner heat shield includes an integral air swirler forming a downstream end of the heat shield, wherein the integral air swirler extends in an axially downstream direction at least as far as a fuel distribution channel defined on or in a fuel distributor of the injector to direct airflow at an outlet of the fuel distributor.

2. The fuel injector of claim 1, wherein the integral air swirler includes an angled or curved wall extending from the downstream end of the air cavity wall such that the angled or curved wall extends both axially downstream and radially inward.

3. The fuel injector of claim 2, wherein the angled or curved wall includes a plurality of swirling channels defined therethrough and configured to effuse swirling air.

4. The fuel injector of claim 3, wherein the air swirler includes a upstream extending wall that extends from a downstream end of the angled or curved wall in the axially upstream direction.

5. The fuel injector of claim 4, wherein the upstream extending wall includes one or more inner swirling holes configured to effuse swirling air.

6. The fuel injector of claim 4, wherein the upstream extending wall extends both axially upstream and radially inward.

7. The fuel injector of claim 6, wherein the upstream extending wall includes a conical or frustoconical shape.

8. The fuel injector of claim 6, wherein the upstream extending wall extends axially upstream beyond the angled or curved wall and into a constant inner diameter area of the heat shield.

9. The fuel injector of claim 8, wherein an outer surface of the heat shield includes an engagement protrusion axially upstream from the air swirler and configured to engage with the fuel distributor to seat the air swirler proximate an outlet of the fuel distributor.

10. An inner heat shield for a fuel injector of a turbomachine, comprising:

an air cavity wall defining an air cavity for allowing air to flow therethrough, wherein the inner heat shield includes an integral air swirler forming a downstream end thereof, wherein the air cavity wall and/or the integral air swirler are configured to extend in an axially downstream direction at least as far as a fuel distribution channel defined on or in a fuel distributor of the injector to direct airflow at an outlet of the fuel distributor.

11. The heat shield of claim 10, wherein the integral air swirler includes an angled or curved wall extending from the downstream end of the air cavity wall such that the angled or curved wall extends both axially downstream and radially inward.

12. The heat shield of claim 11, wherein the angled or curved wall includes a plurality of swirling channels defined therethrough and configured to effuse swirling air.

13. The heat shield of claim 12, wherein the air swirler includes a upstream extending wall that extends from a downstream end of the angled or curved wall in the axially upstream direction.

14. The heat shield of claim 13, wherein the upstream extending wall includes one or more inner swirling holes configured to effuse swirling air.

15. The heat shield of claim 13, wherein the upstream extending wall extends both axially upstream and radially inward.

16. The heat shield of claim 15, wherein the upstream extending wall includes a conical or frustoconical shape.

17. The heat shield of claim 15, wherein the upstream extending wall extends axially upstream beyond the angled or curved wall and into a constant inner diameter area of the heat shield.

18. The heat shield of claim 17, wherein an outer surface of the heat shield includes an engagement protrusion axially upstream from the air swirler and configured to engage with the fuel distributor to seat the air swirler proximate an outlet of the fuel distributor.