Liquid fuel injector system

#This invention relates to the general field of fuel injectors and more particularly to an improved liquid fuel injector and system for a small gas turbine engine.

#In a gas turbine engine, inlet air is continuously compressed, mixed with liquid fuel in an inflammable proportion, and then contacted with an ignition source to ignite the mixture which will then continue to burn. The heat energy thus released then flows in the combustion gases to a turbine where it is expanded and converted to rotary energy for driving equipment such an electrical generator. The combustion gases are then exhausted to atmosphere after giving up some of the remaining heat to the incoming air provided from the compressor.

#As is well known, gas turbine engines typically include a rotor and a turbine wheel rotatable about a generally horizontal axis. Not infrequently, an annular combustor surrounds this horizontal axis and is provided with a plurality of angularly spaced liquid fuel injectors whereby liquid fuel is injected into the combustor to be ignited and burned and the combustion products ultimately directed at the turbine wheel to spin the turbine wheel. At a location that is usually external of the combustor, a ring-like manifold is utilized as a liquid fuel manifold to interconnect the various annularly spaced liquid fuel injectors.

#Having thus described the present invention in general terms, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings in which:

#FIG. 1 is a perspective view, partially cut away, of a turbogenerator utilizing the improved liquid fuel injector system of the present invention;

#FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the improved liquid fuel injector of the present invention;

#A turbogenerator 12 utilizing the liquid fuel injector system of the present invention is illustrated in FIG. 1. The turbogenerator 12 generally comprises a permanent magnet generator 20, a power head 21, a combustor 22 and a recuperator (or heat exchanger) 23.

#The permanent magnet generator 20 includes a permanent magnet rotor or sleeve 26, having a permanent magnet disposed therein, rotatably supported within a permanent magnet generator stator 27 by a pair of spaced journal bearings. Radial permanent magnet generator stator cooling fins 28 are enclosed in an outer cylindrical sleeve 29 to form an annular air flow passage which cools the permanent magnet generator stator 27 and thereby preheats the air passing through on its way to the power head 21.

#The power head 21 of the turbogenerator 12 includes compressor 30, turbine 31, and bearing rotor 32 through which the tie rod 33 to the permanent magnet rotor 26 passes. The compressor 30, having compressor impeller or wheel 34 which receives preheated air from the annular air flow passage in cylindrical sleeve 29 around the permanent magnet generator stator 27, is driven by the turbine 31 having turbine wheel 35 which receives heated exhaust gases from the combustor 22 supplied with preheated air from recuperator 23. The compressor wheel 34 and turbine wheel 35 are supported on a bearing shaft or rotor 32 having a radially extending bearing rotor thrust disk 36. The bearing rotor 32 is rotatably supported by a single journal bearing within the center bearing housing 37 while the bearing rotor thrust disk 36 at the compressor end of the bearing rotor 32 is rotatably supported by a bilateral thrust bearing.