# US 12,111,056 B2 · Combustor with central fuel injection and downstream air mixing > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,111,056 B2 - Document ID: US12111056B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/104,990 - Filed: 2023-02-02 - Published: 2024-08-08 - Granted: 2024-10-08 - Earliest claimed: 2023-02-02 - Assignees: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp. - Applicants: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp. - Inventors: Hang Xu - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12111056B2 ## CPC - F23R 3/10: for primary air (F23R3/06, F23R3/045 take precedence) - F23R 3/286: {having fuel-air premixing devices (F23R3/30 takes precedence)} - F23R 2900/00002: Gas turbine combustors adapted for fuels having low heating value [LHV] - 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) ## Abstract A combustor has a mixing body with a central fuel passage with a central axis and adapted to be connected to source of fuel. A nose at a forward end includes a plurality of fuel injection passages allowing fuel to flow from the central fuel passage into an area forward of an outlet from the fuel injection passages. An inner air supply radially outwardly of the central fuel passage delivers air into inner slots extending downstream of outlets of the fuel injection passages such that air and fuel can begin to be mixed and move downstream of an end of the nose. An outer air supply delivers air downstream of the inner air outlet such that air from the outer air supply, air from the inner slots and fuel from the fuel injection passages are all driven forwardly into a combustion chamber. A gas turbine engine is also disclosed. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A combustor for a gas turbine engine comprising: a liner receiving a fuel and air mixing body, the mixing body having a central fuel passage with a central axis and adapted to be connected to source of fuel, a nose at a forward end of the central fuel passage includes a plurality of fuel injection passages allowing fuel to flow from the central fuel passage into an area forward of an outlet from the fuel injection passages; an inner air supply radially outwardly of the central fuel passage to deliver air into inner slots extending downstream of the outlets of the fuel injection passages to an inner slot outlet such that air and fuel can begin to be mixed and move downstream of an end of the nose, said inner air slots are circumferentially intermediate the outlets of the fuel injection passages, said inner slots outlet passing air across the outlets of the fuel injection passages; and an outer air supply delivering air downstream of the inner air outlet such that air from the outer air supply, air from the inner slots and fuel from the fuel injection passages are all driven forwardly into a combustion chamber. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The combustor as set forth in claim 1, wherein a fuel supply is connected to the fuel supply passage, and the fuel is hydrogen. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The combustor as set forth in claim 2, wherein the fuel injection passages extend at a first angle radially away from the central axis, the inner slots extend radially at a second angle towards the central axis, and the outer air supply including at least one outer slot that also extends radially at a third angle toward the central axis, all along an axially downstream direction. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The combustor as set forth in claim 3, wherein the at least one outer slot is a single circumferentially continuous slot. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The combustor as set forth in claim 3, wherein the inner slots are circumferentially intermediate separate ones of said outlets of the fuel passages. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The combustor as set forth in claim 2, wherein the inner slots are circumferentially intermediate separate ones of said outlets of the fuel passages. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The combustor as set forth in claim 2, wherein an outer sleeve is radially outward of the central fuel passage, and air supply holes extending through said outer sleeve and into the inner slots. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The combustor as set forth in claim 1, wherein the fuel injection passages extend at a first angle radially away from the central axis, the inner slots extend radially at a second angle towards the central axis, and the outer air supply includes at least one slot that also extends radially at a third angle toward the central axis, all along an axially downstream direction. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The combustor as set forth in claim 8, wherein the inner slots are circumferentially intermediate separate ones of said outlets of the fuel passages. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The combustor as set forth in claim 1, wherein the inner slots are circumferentially intermediate separate ones of said outlets of the fuel passages. ### Claim 11 A gas turbine engine comprising: a compressor section and a turbine section; and a combustor positioned intermediate said compressor section and said turbine section and having a liner receiving a fuel and air mixing body, the mixing body having a central fuel passage with a central axis and adapted to be connected to source of fuel, a nose at a forward end of the central fuel passage includes a plurality of fuel injection passages allowing fuel to flow from the central fuel passage into an area forward of an outlet from the fuel injection passages; an inner air supply radially outwardly of the central fuel passage to deliver air into inner slots extending downstream of the outlets of the fuel injection passages to an inner slot outlet such that air and fuel can begin to be mixed and move downstream of an end of the nose, said inner air slots are circumferentially intermediate the outlets of the fuel injection passages, said inner slots outlet passing air across the outlets of the fuel injection passages; and an outer air supply delivering air downstream of the inner air outlet such that air from the outer air supply, air from the inner slots and fuel from the fuel injection passages are all driven forwardly into a combustion chamber. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The gas turbine engine as set forth in claim 11, wherein a fuel supply is connected to the fuel supply passage, and the fuel is hydrogen. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The gas turbine engine as set forth in claim 12, wherein the fuel injection passages extend at a first angle radially away from the central axis, the inner slots extend radially at a second angle towards the central axis, and the outer air supply including at least one outer slot that also extends radially at a third angle toward the central axis, all along an axially downstream direction. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The gas turbine engine as set forth in claim 13, wherein the at least one outer slot is a single circumferentially continuous slot. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The gas turbine engine as set forth in claim 14, wherein the inner slots are circumferentially intermediate separate ones of said outlets of the fuel passages. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The gas turbine engine as set forth in claim 12, wherein the inner slots are circumferentially intermediate separate ones of said outlets of the fuel passages. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The gas turbine engine as set forth in claim 12, wherein an outer sleeve is radially outward of the central fuel passage, and air supply holes extending through said outer sleeve and into the inner slots. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The gas turbine engine as set forth in claim 11, wherein the fuel injection passages extend at a first angle radially away from the central axis, the inner slots extend radially at a second angle towards the central axis, and the outer air supply includes at least one slot that also extends radially at a third angle toward the central axis, all along an axially downstream direction. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The gas turbine engine as set forth in claim 18, wherein the inner slots are circumferentially intermediate separate ones of said outlets of the fuel passages. ### Claim 20 (depends on 11) The gas turbine engine as set forth in claim 11, wherein the inner slots are circumferentially intermediate separate ones of said outlets of the fuel passages.