Atomizing air metering nozzle

A fuel nozzle structure for introducing atomized fuel into a gas turbine combustor, said fuel nozzle structure comprising:

• a nozzle body including a liquid fuel supply conduit extending along the body axis, said conduit having a fuel outlet end for ejecting fuel therefrom;
• an annular channel concentrically surrounding said fuel supply conduit for conveying atomized air to atomize fuel from said fuel outlet end, said channel formed by inner and outer concentric fuel nozzle tips spaced from each other, said inner or outer nozzle tips having a plurality of vortex vanes at one end thereof to define a plurality of equally spaced elongated discharge openings disposed adjacent said fuel outlet end, said discharge openings converging inwardly toward said fuel outlet end and being skewed in a direction to define a rotating air vortex about the axis of said body;
• said inner and outer nozzle tips having radial inwardly directed portions leading to said elongated discharge openings for causing air flow in said annual channel to turn inwardly without rotation about said axis before passing through said discharge openings, the turning of air flow radially inward prior to rotation eliminating centrifugal action of the airflow and thereby reducing abrasive action of airborne particles on the nozzle structure and further eliminating the possible trapping of airborne particles between a low velocity region and a higher velocity region of said nozzle structure.