Fuel nozzle and method for operating a combustor
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsPredrag Popovic, Gilbert Otto Kraemer, William Thomas Ross, Vladimir Belvaev
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Abstract
A fuel nozzle and a method for operating a combustor are disclosed. The method includes flowing a fuel and an oxidizer through a fuel nozzle, the fuel nozzle comprising an inner tube, an intermediate tube, and an outer tube each configured for flowing one of the fuel or the oxidizer therethrough. At least one of the inner tube, the intermediate tube, or the outer tube includes a plurality of swirler vanes. The method further includes imparting a swirl to the fuel and the oxidizer in the fuel nozzle, and exhausting the fuel and the oxidizer from the fuel nozzle into a combustion zone.
Claims20
A fuel nozzle for a combustor, the fuel nozzle comprising:
- an inner tube defining a first flow passage for flowing one of a fuel or an oxidizer therethrough, the inner tube comprising a first swirler device configured to impart a swirl on the one of the fuel or the oxidizer;
- an intermediate tube at least partially surrounding the inner tube and defining a second flow passage for flowing one of a fuel or an oxidizer therethrough, the intermediate tube comprising a second swirler device configured to impart a swirl on the one of the fuel or the oxidizer;
- and;
- an outer tube at least partially surrounding the intermediate tube and defining a third flow passage for flowing one of a fuel or an oxidizer therethrough, the outer tube comprising a third swirler device configured to impart a swirl on the one of the fuel or the oxidizer,
- wherein at least one of the first swirler device, the second swirler device, or the third swirler device comprises a plurality of swirler vanes, at least a portion of the swirler vanes configured to impart a swirl on the one of the fuel or the oxidizer.
A combustor, comprising:
- a combustor liner, the combustor liner defining a combustion zone therein;
- and
- a fuel nozzle in fluid communication with the combustor liner, the fuel nozzle comprising:
- an inner tube defining a first flow passage for flowing one of a fuel or an oxidizer therethrough, the inner tube comprising a first swirler device configured to impart a swirl on the one of the fuel or the oxidizer;
- an intermediate tube at least partially surrounding the inner tube and defining a second flow passage for flowing one of a fuel or an oxidizer therethrough, the intermediate tube comprising a second swirler device configured to impart a swirl on the one of the fuel or the oxidizer;
- and;
- an outer tube at least partially surrounding the intermediate tube and defining a third flow passage for flowing one of a fuel or an oxidizer therethrough, the outer tube comprising a third swirler device configured to impart a swirl on the one of the fuel or the oxidizer.
- wherein at least one of the first swirler device, the second swirler device, or the third swirler device comprises a plurality of swirler vanes, at least a portion of the swirler vanes configured to impart a swirl on the one of the fuel or the oxidizer.
A method for operating a combustor, the method comprising:
- flowing a fuel and an oxidizer through a fuel nozzle, the fuel nozzle comprising an inner tube, an intermediate tube, and an outer tube each configured for flowing one of the fuel or the oxidizer therethrough, wherein at least one of the inner tube, the intermediate tube, or the outer tube comprises a plurality of swirler vanes;
- imparting a swirl to the fuel and the oxidizer in the fuel nozzle;
- and
- exhausting the fuel and the oxidizer from the fuel nozzle into a combustion zone.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.