Fuel nozzle for turbine combustion engines having aerodynamic turning vanes

A method of atomizing fuel dispensed from a nozzle into a combustion chamber of a gas turbine engine, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing said nozzle as comprising:
• a body assembly including an inner fuel passage which extends axially along a longitudinal axis to a first terminal end defining a first discharge orifice of said nozzle, and an annular first outer atomizing air passage extending coaxially with said inner fuel passage along said longitudinal axis to a second terminal end disposed concentrically with said first terminal end and defining a second discharge orifice;
• and
• an array of first turning vanes each being configured generally in the shape of an airfoil and disposed within said first outer atomizing air passage in a circular locus about said longitudinal axis, each of said first turning vanes having a pressure side and an opposing suction side and extending axially along a respective one of a corresponding array of parallel chordal axes each disposed at a given turning angle to said longitudinal axis from a leading edge surface to a tapering trailing edge surface, the suction side of each of said first turning vanes being spaced-apart from a juxtaposing pressure side of an adjacent one of said first turning vanes to define a corresponding one of a plurality of aligned air flow channels therebetween,
• (b) directing a fuel flow through said inner fuel passage;
• (c) directing a first atomizing air flow through said air flow channels;
• (d) discharging said fuel flow from said first discharge orifice into said combustion chamber as a generally annular sheet;
• and
• (e) discharging said first atomizing air flow into said combustion chamber as a generally annular swirl from said second discharge orifice, said swirl having a generally uniform velocity profile and being directed to impinge said sheet such that said sheet is atomized into a spray of droplets of substantially uniform size.