Fuel injector for supplying fuel to a combustor

A fuel injector for a combustor, the fuel injector comprising:

• a. an annular outer body having an inlet at an upstream end, the outer body at least partially defining an outer flow passage;
• b. an inner flow passage that extends at least partially through the outer flow passage of the outer body;
• and
• c. a radial swirler disposed at the inlet of the outer body of the fuel injector, the radial swirler comprising:
• i. a radially extending cap plate disposed at a top portion of the radial swirler;
• ii. a radially extending annular plate disposed between the inlet of the outer body and the cap plate, the annular plate at least partially defining an inner flow passage that extends within the outer flow passage;
• iii. a first radial passage having a first plurality of radially extending swirler vanes that extend axially between the upstream end of the outer body and the annular plate, wherein the first radial passage is in fluid communication with the outer flow passage of the outer body;
• and
• iv. a second radial passage having a second plurality of radially extending swirler vanes that extend axially between the annular plate and the cap plate, wherein the second radial passage is in fluid communication with the inner flow passage.

A gas turbine comprising:

• a. a compressor, a combustor downstream from the compressor and a turbine downstream from the combustor, the combustor comprising:
• i. a combustion chamber;
• ii. a liner that circumferentially surrounds at least a portion of the combustion chamber;
• iii. a plurality of fuel nozzles radially arranged across the combustor upstream from the combustion chamber;
• and
• iv. a fuel injector that extends at least partially through the liner downstream from the plurality of fuel nozzles, the fuel injector comprising:
• (1) an annular outer body defining an inlet and an outer flow passage;
• (2) an inner flow passage that extends at least partially through the outer flow passage;
• and
• (3) a radial swirler disposed at the inlet of the outer body, the radial swirler having a first radial passage including a first plurality of swirler vanes and a second radial passage including a second plurality of swirler vanes, the first radial passage being in fluid communication with the outer flow passage and the second radial passage being in fluid communication with the inner flow passage.