Methods and apparatus for injecting water into gas turbine engines
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsDouglas Marti Fortuna, Mark Patrick Kelsey, Neil Sidney Rasmussen, James Anthony Groeschen
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Abstract
A nozzle for a gas turbine engine that includes an air circuit, a water circuit, and a swirler that facilitate reducing erosion within the nozzle is described. The air circuit is formed by a first conduit that extends along the nozzle. The water circuit is formed by a second conduit that also extends along the nozzle and is radially inward from the first conduit. Each circuit is in flow communication with a discharge opening. An air swirler adjacent the discharge opening discharges air into water spray exiting the water circuit to facilitate evaporating the water to lower engine operating temperatures.
Claims19
A method for injecting water into a gas flow stream of a gas turbine engine using a nozzle, the nozzle including an inlet end, a discharge end, and a body extending therebetween, the nozzle also including a first circuit, a second circuit, and a swirler, the swirler in close proximity to the nozzle discharge end, said method comprising the steps of:
- routing air from the nozzle inlet end towards the nozzle discharge end using the first circuit;
- routing water from the nozzle inlet end towards the nozzle discharge end using the second circuit;
- and
- routing at least one of air and water through the swirler adjacent the nozzle discharge end prior to exiting the nozzle discharge end into the gas turbine engine gas flow stream.
A nozzle for injecting water into a gas turbine engine, said nozzle comprising:
- an inlet end;
- a discharge end;
- a body extending between said inlet and discharge ends;
- a first circuit extending within said body from said nozzle inlet end to said nozzle discharge end for supplying air to be injected into the gas turbine engine through said nozzle;
- a second circuit extending within said body from said nozzle inlet end to said nozzle discharge end for supplying water to be injected into the gas turbine engine through said nozzle;
- and
- a swirler in flow communication with at least one of said first and second circuits, said swirler at said nozzle discharge end.
A water injection nozzle for a gas turbine engine, said nozzle comprising:
- a body comprising a discharge opening;
- a water circuit within said body and in flow communication with said discharge opening;
- an air circuit within said body and in flow communication with said discharge opening;
- and
- a swirler within said body in close proximity to said discharge opening, said discharge opening for injecting at least one of water and water atomized by air into the gas turbine engine.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.