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US 4,938,019 AGranted
Fuel nozzle and igniter assembly
AssigneeFuel Systems Textron Inc.
InventorsFenton L. Angell, Theodore R. Koblish
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An elongate igniter is disposed in the inner air chamber of an air blast nozzle coaxial with the longitudinal axis thereof such that the discharge tip of the igniter discharges a spark generally longitudinally downstream of the tip out of the path of swirling inner air flow and in the path of a reverse flow field of atomized fuel established downstream of the tip by relatively controlled inner and outer air swirl strengths.
Claims19
An airblast fuel nozzle and igniter assembly for use with the combustor of a gas turbine engine comprising:
- (a) nozzle body means forming an inner air chamber with a longitudinal axis and with an upstream air inlet, a downstream inner air discharge lip and inner air swirl means therebetween, an outer annular air chamber with an upstream air inlet, a downstream outer air discharge lip and outer air swirl means therebetween, and an annular fuel chamber between the inner air chamber and outer air chamber and having a downstream annular fuel discharge lip between the discharge lips of the inner air and outer air chamber, and
- (b) an elongate igniter disposed in the inner ai r chamber substantially coaxial with the longitudinal axis such that inner air swirls around the igniter and out the inner air discharge lip, said igniter terminating in a discharge end disposed longitudinally adjacent the inner air discharge lip for establishing, when energized, an electrical spark discharge generally longitudinally downstream of the discharge end out of the path of the swirling inner air flow from the inner air discharge lip and in the path of a flow field of atomized fuel established by inner air flow and outer air flow from the respective inner air discharge lip and outer air discharge lip so as to ignite the atomized fuel for engine starting.
A method for starting combustion in the combustor of a gas turbine engine comprising the steps of:
- (a) discharging a swirling inner air flow and swirling outer air flow from a nozzle face while discharging a fuel flow from the nozzle face between the inner air flow and the outer air flow to establish a flow field in the combustor of atomized fuel downstream of the nozzle face and downstream of an igniter tip so disposed adjacent the nozzle face that the swirling inner air flow swirls peripherally about the igniter tip, and
- (b) establishing a spark discharge from the igniter tip generally longitudinally downstream of the igniter tip out of the path of the inner air flow as it swirls about the igniter tip and discharges from the nozzle face and in the path of the flow field of atomized fuel to ignite same.
An airblast fuel nozzle and igniter assembly for use with the combustor of a gas turbine engine, comprising:
- (a) nozzle body means for forming an inner air chamber with a longitudinal axis and with an upstream air inlet, a downstream inner air discharge lip and inner air swirl means therebetween, an outer annular air chamber with an upstream air inlet, a downstream outer air discharge lip and outer air swirl means therebetween, and an annular fuel chamber between the inner air chamber and outer air chamber and having a downstream annular fuel discharge lip between the discharge lips of the inner air chamber and the outer air chamber, and
- (b) an elongate igniter disposed in the inner air chamber generally coaxial with the longitudinal axis such that inner air swirls around the igniter and discharges out the inner air discharge lip, said igniter terminating in a discharge end disposed longitudinally adjacent the inner air discharge lip and including inner and outer electrodes for establishing, when a voltage is applied therebetween, an electrical spark discharge propagating downstream of the inner air discharge lip and out of the path of the swirling inner air flow from said inner air discharge lip and in the path of a flow field of atomized fuel established by inner air flow and outer air flow from the respective inner air discharge lip and outer air discharge lip so as to ignite the atomized fuel for engine starting.
A method for starting combustion in the combustor of a gas turbine engine comprising the steps of:
- (a) discharging a swirling inner air flow and swirling outer air flow from a nozzle face while discharging a fuel flow from the nozzle face between the inner air flow and the outer air flow to establish a flow field in the combustor of atomized fuel downstream of the nozzle face and downstream of an igniter tip so disposed adjacent the nozzle face in an inner air chamber that the swirling inner air flow swirls peripherally about the igniter tip, and
- (b) applying a voltage between inner and outer electrodes on the igniter tip to establish a spark discharge propagating downstream from the igniter tip out of the path of the inner air flow as it swirls thereabout and discharges from the nozzle face and in the path of the flow field of atomized fuel to ignite same.
An airblast fuel nozzle and igniter assembly for use with the combustor of a gas turbine engine comprising:
- (a) nozzle body means forming an inner air chamber with a longitudinal axis and with an upstream air inlet, a downstream inner air discharge lip and inner air swirl means therebetween, an outer annular air chamber with an upstream air inlet, a downstream outer air discharge lip and outer air swirl means therebetween, and an annular fuel chamber between the inner air chamber and outer air chamber and having a downstream annular fuel discharge lip between the discharge lips of the inner air and outer air chamber, said inner air discharge lip, outer air discharge lip and fuel discharge lip establishing a nozzle face, and
- (b) an elongate igniter disposed in the inner air chamber substantially coaxial with the longitudinal axis such that inner air swirls around the igniter and out the inner air discharge lip, said igniter terminating in a discharge end disposed longitudinally adjacent the nozzle face for establishing, when energized, an electrical spark discharge generally longitudinally downstream of the discharge end out of the path of the swirling inner air flow from the inner air discharge lip and in the path of a flow field of atomized fuel established by inner air flow and outer air flow from the respective inner air discharge lip and outer air discharge lip so as to ignite the atomized fuel for engine starting.
An airblast fuel nozzle and igniter assembly for use with the combustor of a gas turbine engine, comprising:
- (a) nozzle body means for forming an inner air chamber with a longitudinal axis and with an upstream air inlet, a downstream inner air discharge lip and inner air swirl means therebetween, an outer annular air chamber with an upstream air inlet, a downstream outer air discharge lip and outer air swirl means therebetween, and an annular fuel chamber between the inner air chamber and outer air chamber and having a downstream annular fuel discharge lip between the discharge lips of the inner air chamber and the outer air chamber, said inner air discharge lip, outer air discharge lip and fuel discharge lip establishing a nozzle face, and
- (b) an elongate igniter disposed in the inner air chamber generally coaxial with the longitudinal axis such that inner air swirls around the igniter and discharges out the inner air discharge lip, said igniter terminating in a discharge end disposed longitudinally adjacent the nozzle face and including inner and outer electrodes for establishing, when a voltage is applied therebetween, an electrical spark discharge propagating downstream of the nozzle face and out of the path of the swirling inner air flow from said inner air discharge lip and in the path of a flow field of atomized fuel established by inner air flow and outer air flow from the respective inner air discharge lip and outer air discharge lip so as to ignite the atomized fuel for engine starting.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.