# US 2019/0170354 A1 · Fuel spray nozzle > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0170354 A1 - Document ID: US20190170354A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/185,102 - Filed: 2018-11-09 - Published: 2019-06-06 - Earliest claimed: 2017-12-01 - Assignees: ROLLS-ROYCE plc - Applicants: ROLLS-ROYCE plc - Inventors: Kyriakoulis L. RESVANIS - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190170354A1 ## CPC - F23R 3/14: by using swirl vanes - F02C 7/222: {Fuel flow conduits, e.g. manifolds} - F23D 11/107: {at least one of both being subjected to a swirling motion} - F23R 3/16: with devices inside the flame tube or the combustion chamber to influence the air or gas flow - F23R 3/286: {having fuel-air premixing devices (F23R3/30 takes precedence)} - F23R 3/30: comprising fuel prevapourising devices - F23R 3/343: {Pilot flames, i.e. fuel nozzles or injectors using only a very small proportion of the total fuel to insure continuous combustion (ignition in gas-turbine plants F02C7/264; pilot flame igniters F23Q9/00)} - F23R: GENERATING COMBUSTION PRODUCTS OF HIGH PRESSURE OR HIGH VELOCITY, e.g. GAS-TURBINE COMBUSTION CHAMBERS (fluidised bed combustion apparatus specially adapted for operation at superatmospheric pressures F23C10/16) - F02C: GAS-TURBINE PLANTS; AIR INTAKES FOR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS; CONTROLLING FUEL SUPPLY IN AIR-BREATHING JET-PROPULSION PLANTS (construction of turbines F01D; jet-propulsion plants F02K; construction of compressors or fans F04; generating combustion products of high pressure or high velocity F23R; using gas turbines in compression refrigeration plants F25B11/00) - F23D: BURNERS ## Abstract A fuel spray nozzle is provided for atomising liquid in a gas, the nozzle comprising: a gas passage; a liquid passage; a prefilming surface positioned downstream of the liquid passage and the gas passage, and configured to receive liquid from the liquid passage and to receive gas from the gas passage; wherein the liquid passage terminates at an exit orifice upstream of the prefilming surface; and wherein the gas passage contains a flow perturbator upstream of the liquid passage exit orifice, to increase the turbulence of gas passing from the gas passage to the prefilming surface. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A fuel spray nozzle, for atomising liquid in a gas, comprising: a gas passage; a liquid passage; a prefilming surface positioned downstream of the liquid passage and the gas passage, and configured to receive liquid from the liquid passage and to receive gas from the gas passage; wherein the liquid passage terminates at an exit orifice upstream of the prefilming surface; and wherein the gas passage contains a flow perturbator upstream of the liquid passage exit orifice, to increase the turbulence of gas passing from the gas passage to the prefilming surface. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A fuel spray nozzle according to claim 1, wherein the flow perturbator is a protrusion within the gas passage. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A fuel spray nozzle according to claim 1, wherein the flow perturbator is a bluff body on both upstream and downstream sides. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A fuel spray nozzle according to claim 1, wherein the flow perturbator is a streamlined body on its upstream side and a buff body on its downstream side. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A fuel spray nozzle according to claim 1, wherein the prefilming surface has a length over which gas received from the gas passage and liquid received from the liquid passage passes, and the flow perturbator is positioned upstream of the liquid passage exit orifice by at least one length of the prefilming surface. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A fuel spray nozzle according to claim 1, wherein the flow perturbator is positioned upstream of the liquid passage exit orifice by no more than ten lengths of the prefilming surface. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A fuel spray nozzle according to claim 1, wherein the flow perturbator extends around an entire circumference of the gas passage. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A fuel spray nozzle according to claim 1, wherein a height of projection of the flow perturbator into the gas passage varies around a circumference of the gas passage. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A fuel spray nozzle according to claim 1, wherein a height of projection of the flow perturbator into the gas passage is substantially uniform around a circumference of the gas passage. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) A fuel spray nozzle according to claim 1, wherein a height of the projection of the flow perturbator into the gas passage is between 0.1 and 10 times a length of the prefilming surface. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) A fuel spray nozzle according to claim 1, wherein a height of the projection of the flow perturbator into the gas passage is between 0.2 and 5 times a length of the prefilming surface. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) A fuel spray nozzle according to claim 1, comprising two or more of said flow perturbators. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) A fuel spray nozzle according to claim 12, wherein said flow perturbators are positioned at different distances from the prefilming surface. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) A fuel spray nozzle according to claim 1, wherein the spray nozzle is a fuel spray nozzle for atomising a fuel for combustion in air. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) A gas turbine engine incorporating a fuel spray nozzle according to claim 14. ### Claim 16 A method of atomising liquid in gas, comprising the steps of: supplying gas to prefilming surface via a gas passage; and supplying liquid to the prefilming surface via an exit orifice upstream of the prefilming surface; wherein the gas passage contains a flow perturbator upstream of the liquid passage exit orifice, to increase the turbulence of gas passing from the gas passage to the prefilming surface. ### Claim 17 A fuel spray nozzle, for atomising liquid in a gas, comprising: a gas passage; a liquid passage arranged concentrically around the gas passage; a second gas passage arranged concentrically around the liquid passage; a prefilming surface positioned downstream of the liquid passage and the gas passage, and configured to receive liquid from the liquid passage and to receive gas from the gas passage; wherein the liquid passage terminates at an exit orifice upstream of the prefilming surface; and wherein the gas passage contains a flow perturbator upstream of the liquid passage exit orifice, to increase the turbulence of gas passing from the gas passage to the prefilming surface. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) A fuel spray nozzle according to claim 17, wherein the liquid passage is a pilot fuel passage of a lean burn fuel spray nozzle. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) A fuel spray nozzle according to claim 17, wherein the liquid passage is a main fuel passage of a lean burn fuel spray nozzle. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) A fuel spray nozzle according to claim 17, wherein the fuel spray nozzle further comprising: a third gas passage arranged concentrically around the second gas passage; a second liquid passage arranged concentrically around the third gas passage; a fourth gas passage arranged concentrically around the second liquid passage; a second prefilming surface positioned downstream of the second liquid passage and the third gas passage, and configured to receive liquid from the second liquid passage and to receive gas from the third gas passage; wherein the second liquid passage terminates at an exit orifice upstream of the second prefilming surface; and wherein the third gas passage contains a second flow perturbator upstream of the second liquid passage exit orifice, to increase the turbulence of gas passing from the third gas passage to the second prefilming surface; the liquid passage is a pilot fuel passage of a lean burn fuel spray nozzle and the second liquid passage is a main fuel passage of the lean burn fuel spray nozzle.