Combustor mixer having plasma generating nozzle

In combination, a mixer assembly for use in a combustion chamber of a gas turbine engine, said mixer assembly comprising:

• a mixer housing having a hollow interior, an inlet for permitting air to flow into the hollow interior and an outlet for permitting air to flow from the hollow interior to the combustion chamber, said housing delivering a mixture of fuel and air through the outlet to the combustion chamber for burning therein thereby to heat air passing through the combustion chamber;
• a swirler assembly mounted in the mixer housing having a plurality of vanes for swirling air passing through the hollow interior of the housing;
• and
• a fuel nozzle assembly mounted in the mixer housing having a fuel passage adapted for connection to a gaseous fuel supply for supplying the passage with fuel, said passage extending to an outlet port of the nozzle assembly positioned downstream from the swirler assembly for delivering fuel to the swirling air downstream from the swirler to mix said fuel with said air, wherein the nozzle assembly includes a plasma generator for generating at least one of a dissociated fuel and an ionized fuel from the fuel delivered through the nozzle outlet port to the hollow interior of the housing;
• and
• a combustor control operable for controlling a rate at which said at least one dissociated fuel and ionized fuel is generated by the plasma generator.

A mixer assembly for use in a combustion chamber of a gas turbine engine, said mixer assembly comprising:

• a mixer housing having a hollow interior, an inlet for permitting air to flow into the hollow interior and an outlet for permitting air to flow from the hollow interior to the combustion chamber, said housing delivering a mixture of fuel and air through the outlet to the combustion chamber for burning therein thereby to heat air passing through the combustion chamber;
• a swirler assembly mounted in the mixer housing including a plurality of swirlers, each of said plurality of swirlers having a plurality of vanes positioned for swirling air passing through the hollow interior of the housing thereby to improve mixing of the fuel and air;
• a barrier positioned between at least two of said plurality of swirlers having a converging-diverging inner surface downstream from said two swirlers;
• and
• a fuel nozzle assembly mounted in the mixer housing having a fuel passage adapted for connection to a gaseous fuel supply for supplying the passage with fuel, said passage extending to an outlet port of the nozzle assembly positioned downstream from the swirler assembly for delivering fuel to the swirling air downstream from the swirler to mix said fuel with said air, wherein the nozzle assembly includes a plasma generator for generating at least one of a dissociated fuel and an ionized fuel from the fuel delivered through the nozzle outlet port to the hollow interior of the housing.