Method and apparatus for combustor nozzle with flameholding protection
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorStanley Kevin Widener
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Abstract
The structure and operation of a fuel nozzle for a gas turbine combustor is disclosed where the fuel nozzle provides for flameholding protection and, more specifically, to such a nozzle that provides for nondestructive protection from flameholding. The nozzle provides for differential thermal expansion between tubes forming fuel passages to allowing for the nondestructive venting of fuel during a flameholding condition. Upon extinguishing the flameholding condition, the nozzle returns to normal operating condition.
Claims18
A fuel nozzle for a gas turbine comprising:
- a nozzle body defining an exterior and an axial direction, said nozzle body also having a tip portion;
- an inner tube extending axially within said nozzle body and defining an inner passage;
- an intermediate tube extending axially within said nozzle body, said intermediate tube concentrically arranged and radially spaced from said inner tube and defining an intermediate passage therebetween;
- an outer tube extending axially within said nozzle body, said outer tube concentrically arranged and radially spaced from said intermediate tube and defining an outer passage therebetween;
- and
- a plug attached to the tip portion of said nozzle body, said plug defining a first port connected to the outer passage;
- wherein said outer tube defines a second port connected to the exterior, said second port located near the tip portion of said nozzle body at a position proximate to the first port such that during normal conditions the first port is closed by said outer tube while during flameholding conditions the outer tube slides relative to said plug so as to connect the second port with the first port and thereby connect the outer passage to the exterior of said nozzle body.
A method of protecting a fuel nozzle of a gas turbine during flameholding conditions, the nozzle including a nozzle body defining an exterior and a tip portion, an inner tube extending axially within said nozzle body and defining an inner passage, an intermediate tube extending axially within the nozzle body and defining an intermediate passage with the inner tube, an outer tube extending axially within said nozzle body and defining an outer passage with the intermediate tube, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing fuel into the outer passage;
- providing curtain air or purge air to the intermediate passage;
- sliding the outer tube along axially relative to the intermediate tube during a flameholding condition so as to vent at least part of the fuel to the exterior of the nozzle body near the tip portion;
- and
- extinguishing the flameholding condition.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.