# US 2026/0218904 A1 · Combustion section for a turbine engine > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2026/0218904 A1 - Document ID: US20260218904A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 19/039,187 - Filed: 2025-01-28 - Published: 2026-07-30 - Earliest claimed: 2025-01-28 - Assignees: General Electric Company - Applicants: General Electric Company - Inventors: Pradeep Naik; Prithiviraaj Pet T; Pabitra Badhuk; Karthikeyan Sampath; Aritra Chakraborty; Michael T. Bucaro; Michael A. Benjamin; Sibtosh Pal; Clayton Stuart Cooper; Narasimha Chiranthan Ranganatha; Joseph Zelina - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20260218904A1 ## CPC - F23R 3/14: by using swirl vanes - F23C 7/006: {adjustable} - F23R 3/286: {having fuel-air premixing devices (F23R3/30 takes precedence)} - F23C 2900/9901: Combustion process using hydrogen, hydrogen peroxide water or brown gas as fuel - 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) - F23C: METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR COMBUSTION USING FLUID FUEL OR SOLID FUEL SUSPENDED IN {A CARRIER GAS OR} AIR (burners F23D) ## Abstract A combustion section for a turbine engine. The combustion section has a wall and a fuel nozzle. The wall at least partially forms a combustion chamber. The fuel nozzle opens to the combustion chamber through the wall. The fuel nozzle has a fuel nozzle body and a swirler. The fuel nozzle body defines a central channel. The swirler is provided within the central channel. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A combustion section for a turbine engine, the combustion section comprising: a wall at least partially forming a combustion chamber; and a fuel nozzle that opens to the combustion chamber through the wall, the fuel nozzle comprising: a fuel nozzle body defining a central channel exhausting into the combustion chamber at a fuel nozzle outlet; and a swirler provided within the central channel, the swirler having a body centerline, the swirler being moveable within the central channel about a plane of movement. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The combustion section of claim 1, wherein the plane of movement is axially with respect to the body centerline. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The combustion section of claim 1, wherein the plane of movement is circumferentially with respect to the body centerline. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The combustion section of claim 1, wherein the swirler is moveable through an actuator. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The combustion section of claim 4, wherein the actuator includes a linkage system and a motor, the linkage system coupling the motor and the swirler. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The combustion section of claim 5, wherein the swirler is included within a plurality of swirlers, with the linkage system being coupled to two or more swirlers of the plurality of swirlers. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The combustion section of claim 1, wherein the swirler is a first swirler included within a set of swirlers, the set of swirlers including at least one static swirler. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The combustion section of claim 1, wherein the swirler includes a helical vane wrapped circumferentially about the body centerline greater than or equal to π/2 radians between a first end and a second end, axially opposing the first end, of the helical vane. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The combustion section of claim 1, wherein the swirler is axially and circumferentially moveable with respect to the body centerline. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The combustion section of claim 1, wherein the swirler is included in a plurality of swirlers including a first set of swirlers and a second set of swirlers. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The combustion section of claim 10, wherein the first set of swirlers are independently moveable with respect to the second set of swirlers. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The combustion section of claim 10, wherein the first set of swirlers are moveable and the second set of swirlers are static. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The combustion section of claim 10, wherein the first set of swirlers are moveable in a first circumferential direction and the second set of swirlers are moveable in a second circumferential direction, opposite the first circumferential direction. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The combustion section of claim 1, wherein the swirler is moveable about two or more planes of movement. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The combustion section of claim 1, wherein the fuel nozzle further comprises a fuel channel oriented such that a flow of fuel exiting the fuel channel contacts the swirler and causes the swirler to move. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The combustion section of claim 1, wherein the swirler comprises a fuel channel opening along the swirler at a fuel orifice, with the fuel orifice being oriented to cause the swirler to move. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The combustion section of claim 1, wherein the swirler includes at least one of a vortex generator, a wall, or an airfoil configured to cause the swirler to move. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The combustion section of claim 17, wherein the swirler is axially moveable to vary a mixing length of the fuel nozzle. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The combustion section of claim 18, wherein the mixing length is maximized during a high-load condition of the combustion section. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The combustion section of claim 18, wherein the mixing length is minimized during a low-load condition of the combustion section.