Recirculating product injection nozzle
AssigneeDelavan Inc.
InventorsNicholas R. Overman, John E. Short
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Combustion systems and the related methods operate to supply a stream of combustion products to a turbine in a gas turbine engine by forming an outer recirculation zone of recirculating combustion products within a combustor and by forming an inner recirculation zone inboard of the outer recirculation zone. The inner and outer recirculation zones are formed by imparting swirl to compressor discharge air passing through an outer air swirler and an inner air swirler radially inboard of the outer air swirler. Fuel is injected from an outer fuel injector into the outer recirculation zone, and fuel is also injected from an inner fuel injector into the inner recirculation zone.
Claims19
A recirculation product injection nozzle comprising:
- a) a nozzle housing having an inlet end and opposed outlet end, the nozzle housing defining a central axis along a direction from the inlet end to the outlet end;
- b) an outer air swirler mounted to the nozzle housing and configured to impart swirl to a flow of compressor discharge air from upstream of the inlet end passing through the outer air swirler with sufficient swirl strength to recirculate combustion products from downstream of the outlet end into an outer recirculation zone in proximity with the outlet end;
- c) an outer fuel injector mounted proximate to the outer air swirler and being configured and adapted to inject a spray of fuel into the outer recirculation zone;
- d) an inner air swirler mounted radially inboard of the outer air swirler and outer fuel injector with respect to the central axis, the inner air swirler including a central cavity defined therein along the central axis and being configured and adapted to impart swirl to a flow of compressor discharge air from upstream of the inlet end passing through the inner air swirler with sufficient swirl strength to recirculate combustion products from downstream of the outlet end into an inner recirculation zone radially inboard of the outer recirculation zone and extending into the central cavity;
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- e) an inner fuel injector mounted radially outboard of the central cavity of the inner air swirler and configured to inject a spray of fuel through a layer of compressor discharge air from the inner air swirler and into the inner recirculation zone.
A recirculation product injection nozzle comprising:
- a) a nozzle housing having an inlet end and opposed outlet end, the nozzle housing defining a central axis along a direction from the inlet end to the outlet end;
- b) an outer air swirler ring mounted to the nozzle housing, and including a radial swirler configured to impart swirl to a flow of compressor discharge air from upstream of the inlet end with sufficient swirl strength to recirculate combustion products from downstream of the outlet end into an outer recirculation zone in proximity with the outlet end;
- c) an outer fuel injector ring mounted in an insulation cavity of the outer air swirler ring downstream of the radial swirler and configured and adapted to inject a spray of fuel into the outer recirculation zone downstream of the outlet end;
- d) a diffuser ring mounted radially inboard of the outer air swirler ring and including a diverging frustoconical outlet configured to direct compressor discharge air from the radial swirler of the outer air swirler ring in a diverging direction with respect to the central axis;
- e) an inner fuel injector ring mounted radially inboard of the diffuser ring and having a plurality of inward directed fuel injection ports;
- and
- f) an inner air swirler mounted radially inboard of the diffuser ring, the inner air swirler including a central cavity defined therein along the central axis and being configured and adapted to impart swirl to a flow of compressor discharge air from upstream of the inlet end with sufficient swirl strength to recirculate combustion products from downstream of the outlet end into an inner recirculation zone radially inboard of the outer recirculation zone and extending into the central cavity, wherein the inner air swirler includes a plurality of apertures, each having a respective fuel injection port of the inner fuel injector ring proximate thereto for injecting fuel through a layer of compressor discharge air from the inner air swirler into the inner recirculation zone.
19-21. (canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.