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US 11,686,252 B2Granted
Fuel injectors with torch ignitors
AssigneeCollins Engine Nozzles, Inc.
InventorsJason A. Ryon, Lev A. Prociw, Brandon Phillip Williams
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fuel injector includes a fuel nozzle configured to issue a spray of fuel from a fuel outlet in a downstream direction along an injection axis. The fuel nozzle defines a main flow passage therethrough. An injection fuel line is in fluid communication with the fuel nozzle to supply fuel to the fuel nozzle. A torch ignitor has a flame outlet opening into the main flow passage of the fuel nozzle for issuing flame into the main flow passage.
Claims13
A fuel injector for a gas turbine engine, the fuel injector comprising:
- a fuel nozzle configured to issue a spray of fuel from a fuel outlet in a downstream direction along an injection axis, the fuel nozzle defining a main flow passage therethrough;
- an injection fuel line extending radially inward, relative to the injection axis, to an annular wall of the fuel nozzle and in fluid communication with the fuel nozzle to supply fuel to the fuel nozzle, wherein a centerline axis of the annular wall of the fuel nozzle is the injection axis;
- and
- a torch ignitor including a combustion chamber, the torch ignitor configured to combust fuel to produce a flame, the torch ignitor further including a flame outlet opening into the main flow passage of the fuel nozzle for issuing the flame into the main flow passage, wherein the injection fuel line and the torch ignitor define a feed arm extending along a flame axis that is angled more than zero degrees and less than one-hundred-eighty degrees relative to the injection axis.
1 more element
A fuel injector comprising:
- a fuel nozzle configured to issue a spray of fuel from a fuel outlet in a downstream direction along an injection axis, the fuel nozzle defining a main flow passage therethrough;
- an injection fuel line in fluid communication with the fuel nozzle to supply fuel to the fuel nozzle;
- and
- a torch ignitor with a flame outlet opening into the main flow passage of the fuel nozzle for issuing flame into the main flow passage, wherein the fuel nozzle includes a fuel distributor and a prefilmer outboard of the fuel distributor, wherein the prefilmer includes a prefilming surface, wherein the fuel outlet is defined between the fuel distributor and the prefilming surface,
- wherein the fuel nozzle includes an outer heat shield outboard of the prefilmer, with an insulation gap defined between the prefilmer and the outer heat shield, and
- wherein the injection fuel line passes through the outer heat shield, the insulation gap, and the prefilmer into a fuel circuit defined between the fuel distributor and the prefilmer.
3 more elements
A system comprising:
- an engine case;
- a combustor within the engine case;
- and
- a plurality of fuel injectors extending from outside the engine case to the combustor to issue fuel and air into the combustor for combustion, wherein each of the fuel injectors in the plurality of fuel injectors includes:
- a fuel nozzle connected to the combustor to issue a spray of fuel from a fuel outlet in a downstream direction along an injection axis, the fuel nozzle defining a main flow passage therethrough;
- an injection fuel line extending radially inward, relative to the injection axis, to an annular wall of the fuel nozzle and in fluid communication with the fuel nozzle to supply fuel to the fuel nozzle, wherein a centerline axis of the annular wall of the fuel nozzle is the injection axis;
- and
- a torch ignitor including a combustion chamber, the torch ignitor configured to combust fuel to produce a flame, the torch ignitor further including a flame outlet opening into the main flow passage of the fuel nozzle for issuing the flame into the main flow passage, wherein the injection fuel line and the torch ignitor define a feed arm extending along a flame axis that is angled relative to the injection axis.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.