# US 10,502,425 B2 · Contoured shroud swirling pre-mix fuel injector assembly > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,502,425 B2 - Document ID: US10502425B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/172,590 - Filed: 2016-06-03 - Published: 2017-12-07 - Granted: 2019-12-10 - Earliest claimed: 2016-06-03 - Assignees: General Electric Company - Applicants: General Electric Company - Inventors: Gregory Allen Boardman; Pradeep Naik; Joseph Zelina - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10502425B2 ## CPC - F23R 3/286: {having fuel-air premixing devices (F23R3/30 takes precedence)} - F02C 7/222: {Fuel flow conduits, e.g. manifolds} - F23R 3/14: by using swirl vanes - F23R 3/16: with devices inside the flame tube or the combustion chamber to influence the air or gas flow - Y02T 50/60: Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft - F23R: GENERATING COMBUSTION PRODUCTS OF HIGH PRESSURE OR HIGH VELOCITY, e.g. GAS-TURBINE COMBUSTION CHAMBERS (fluidised bed combustion apparatus specially adapted for operation at superatmospheric pressures F23C10/16) - F02C: GAS-TURBINE PLANTS; AIR INTAKES FOR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS; CONTROLLING FUEL SUPPLY IN AIR-BREATHING JET-PROPULSION PLANTS (construction of turbines F01D; jet-propulsion plants F02K; construction of compressors or fans F04; generating combustion products of high pressure or high velocity F23R; using gas turbines in compression refrigeration plants F25B11/00) - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract The present disclosure is directed to a fuel injector assembly of a gas turbine engine, including a centerbody, an outer sleeve surrounding the centerbody, an inner sleeve disposed between the centerbody and at least a section of the outer sleeve, and at least one axially oriented vane defined between the centerbody and a section of the inner sleeve. A section of the outer sleeve includes at least one radially oriented vane. A portion of the inner sleeve includes a contoured shroud and defines at least one fuel injection port disposed upstream of the contoured shroud. The axially oriented vane is disposed upstream of the fuel injection port. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A fuel injector assembly of a gas turbine engine, comprising: a centerbody defining an outer surface; an outer sleeve surrounding the centerbody, wherein a section of the outer sleeve comprises a radially oriented vane, wherein the outer sleeve defines an inner surface, and further wherein the inner surface of the outer sleeve and the outer surface of the centerbody together define an annular circuit defining a decreasing cross sectional area from a first location to a second location downstream of the first location; an inner sleeve disposed between the centerbody and at least a section of the outer sleeve, wherein a portion of the inner sleeve comprises a contoured shroud, wherein the contoured shroud defines a plurality of lobes, and wherein the inner sleeve and a portion of the outer sleeve defines a fuel injection port disposed upstream of the contoured shroud, wherein the inner sleeve is disposed at least partly upstream of the radially oriented vane; and an axially oriented vane defined between the centerbody and a section of the inner sleeve, wherein the axially oriented vane is disposed upstream of the fuel injection port. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The fuel injector assembly as in claim 1 wherein the fuel injection port is aligned between circumferentially adjacent lobes of the plurality of lobes. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The fuel injector assembly as in claim 1 wherein the inner surface of the outer sleeve and the outer surface of the centerbody further define the annular circuit as a convergent/divergent annular circuit. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The fuel injector assembly as in claim 1, wherein the inner sleeve and the outer sleeve define a fuel injection circuit disposed upstream of the fuel injection port. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The fuel injector assembly as in claim 4, wherein an internal wall bisects the fuel injection circuit into two or more circuits. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The fuel injector assembly as in claim 5, wherein the internal wall and the outer sleeve define a second fuel injection port of a bisected fuel injection circuit. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The fuel injector assembly as in claim 1, wherein the centerbody comprises at least one or more circuits. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The fuel injector assembly as in claim 1, wherein the centerbody comprises a coaxial circuit of two or more circuits. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The fuel injector assembly as in claim 1, further comprising: a second contoured shroud disposed radially outward of the contoured shroud, and wherein the second contoured shroud is disposed generally at the downstream end of a second fuel injection port. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The fuel injector assembly as in claim 9, wherein the second contoured shroud is defined by a second plurality of lobes. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The fuel injector assembly as in claim 9, wherein the second fuel injection port is aligned between circumferentially adjacent lobes of a second plurality of lobes. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) A combustion section, comprising a fuel injector assembly as in claim 1. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) A gas turbine engine, comprising a combustion section as in claim 12. ### Claim 14 A fuel nozzle, comprising: a centerbody defining an outer surface; an outer sleeve, at least partially surrounding the axial length of the centerbody, wherein the outer sleeve defines an inner surface, and further wherein the inner surface of the outer sleeve and the outer surface of the centerbody together define an annular circuit defining a decreasing cross sectional area from a first location to a second location downstream of the first location; an inner sleeve disposed radially outward of the centerbody, wherein a portion of the inner sleeve comprises a contoured shroud, wherein the contoured shroud defines a plurality of lobes, and wherein the inner sleeve and the outer sleeve defines a fuel injection port disposed upstream of the contoured shroud, wherein the inner sleeve is disposed at least partly upstream of a radially oriented vane; and an axially oriented vane defined between the centerbody and a section of the inner sleeve, wherein the axially oriented vane is disposed upstream of the fuel injection port. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) A combustor assembly, comprising a fuel nozzle as in claim 14.