Pre-swirl pressure atomizing tip
AssigneeWoodward, Inc.
InventorsSander G. Niemeyer, Deke R. Pyle
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A tip for a nozzle of a fuel injector and an associated method are provided. The tip includes a tip body and a swirler. The swirler includes a plurality of pre-swirl passages which fluidly communicate an internal cavity of the swirler with a feed annulus. The swirler also includes a plurality of swirl chamber passages which fluidly communicate a swirl chamber with the feed annulus. Methods include manufacturing at least a portion of the swirler by additive manufacturing.
Claims20
A tip for a nozzle of a fuel injector, the tip comprising:
- a tip body, the tip body defining a longitudinal axis of the tip;
- a swirler, situated within the tip body, wherein the swirler includes a plurality of pre-swirl passages, wherein each one of the plurality of pre-swirl passages has a longitudinal axis which extends in both a radial and axial direction relative to the longitudinal axis of the tip;
- a feed annulus, the feed annulus receiving a flow of fuel from the plurality of pre-swirl passages, wherein the plurality of pre-swirl passages are configured and arranged such that the flow of fuel entering the feed annulus has a flow velocity having a tangential component;
- wherein the swirler includes a plurality of swirl chamber passages, the plurality of swirl chamber passages receiving the flow of fuel from the feed annulus, wherein each one of the plurality of swirl chamber passages includes a longitudinal axis which extends in only the radial direction relative to the longitudinal axis of the tip;
- and
- wherein the swirler includes a swirl chamber, the swirl chamber receiving the flow of fuel from the feed annulus via the swirl chamber passages.
A tip for a nozzle of a fuel injector, the tip comprising:
- a tip body;
- a swirler contained within the tip body, wherein the swirler includes an inlet cavity for receiving a flow of fuel entering the tip body;
- a feed annulus in fluid communication with the inlet cavity and downstream from the inlet cavity relative to a direction of fuel flow through the tip;
- a swirl chamber in fluid communication with the feed annulus and downstream from the feed annulus relative to the direction of fuel flow through the tip;
- wherein the feed annulus is formed between an interior radially facing surface of the tip body and an exterior radially facing surface of the swirler;
- and
- wherein the feed annulus is at least one of axially upstream or radially outside of the swirl chamber relative to a longitudinal axis of the tip.
A method of forming tip for a nozzle of a fuel injector, the method comprising:
- providing a swirler;
- providing a tip body;
- inserting the swirler into a passage of the tip body, the swirler having a plurality of pre-swirl passages and a plurality of swirl chamber passages;
- fixing the swirler within the passage of the tip body such that a feed annulus is formed between a radially interior facing surface of the tip body and a radially exterior facing surface of the swirler to place the plurality of pre-swirl passages in fluid communication with the plurality of swirl chamber passages.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.