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, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing the nozzle as comprising:
• a body assembly including an inner first air passage which extends axially along a longitudinal axis to a first terminal end defining a first discharge orifice of the nozzle, and an annular outer fuel passage extending coaxially with the inner first air passage along the longitudinal axis to a second terminal end disposed concentrically with the first terminal end and defining a second discharge orifice oriented such that the discharge therefrom impinges on the air discharge from the first discharge orifice;
• and
• an array of first turning vanes each being configured generally in the shape of an airfoil and disposed within the fuel passage in a circular locus about the longitudinal axis, each of the first turning vanes having a pressure side and an opposing suction side and extending axially along a respective one of a corresponding array of 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 the first turning vanes being spaced-apart from a juxtaposing pressure side of an adjacent one of the first turning vanes to define a corresponding one of a plurality of aligned fuel flow channels therebetween,
• (b) directing an air flow through the air passage;
• (c) directing a fuel flow through the fuel flow channels;
• (d) discharging the air flow from the first discharge orifice into the combustion chamber;
• and
• (e) discharging the fuel flow from the second discharge orifice as a first generally helical flow into the combustion chamber, the first helical flow having a generally uniform velocity profile and being directed to impinge the air flow discharge from the first discharge orifice.