# US 8,146,837 B2 · Radially outward flowing air-blast fuel injection for gas turbine engine

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- Number: US 8,146,837 B2
- Document ID: US8146837B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 12/928,728
- Filed: 2010-12-17
- Published: 2011-04-21
- Granted: 2012-04-03
- Earliest claimed: 2008-02-21
- Assignees: Delavan Inc.
- Inventors: Neal A. Thomson; Philip E. O. Buelow; David H. Bretz
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8146837B2

## CPC

- F23R 3/28: characterised by the fuel supply (burners F23D)
- F23R 3/14: by using swirl vanes
- F23C 2201/20: Burner staging
- F23D 2900/11101: Pulverising gas flow impinging on fuel from pre-filming surface, e.g. lip atomizers
- F23R: GENERATING COMBUSTION PRODUCTS OF HIGH PRESSURE OR HIGH VELOCITY, e.g. GAS-TURBINE COMBUSTION CHAMBERS (fluidised bed combustion apparatus specially adapted for operation at superatmospheric pressures F23C10/16)
- F23C: METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR COMBUSTION USING FLUID FUEL OR SOLID FUEL SUSPENDED IN {A CARRIER GAS OR} AIR (burners F23D)
- F23D: BURNERS

## Abstract

An air-blast fuel injector is disclosed which includes an outer air circuit having an exit portion, an inner air circuit having an outlet configured to direct air toward the exit portion of the outer air circuit, and a fuel circuit radially outboard of the inner air circuit and having an exit communicating with the outer air circuit upstream from the exit portion of the outer air circuit.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An air-blast fuel injector comprising:
a) an outer air circuit having an exit portion;
b) an inner air circuit having an outlet configured to direct air toward the exit portion of the outer air circuit;
c) a fuel circuit radially outboard of the inner air circuit and having an exit located in the outer air circuit upstream from the exit portion of the outer air circuit, wherein the inner air circuit has a radial outlet and the exit of the fuel circuit is upstream from the radial outlet of the inner air circuit;
d) an intermediate air swirler radially inboard of the inner air circuit; and
e) a pilot fuel delivery system radially inboard of the intermediate air swirler.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

An air-blast fuel injector as recited in claim 1, wherein the exit portion of the outer air circuit is a diverging exit portion.

### Claim 3

An air-blast fuel injector comprising:
a) an outer air circuit having an exit portion;
b) an inner air circuit having a radial outlet for directing air toward the exit portion of the outer air circuit;
c) a fuel circuit radially outboard of the inner air circuit and having an exit located in the outer air circuit upstream from the radial outlet of the inner air circuit;
d) an intermediate air swirler radially inboard of the inner air circuit; and
e) a pilot fuel delivery system radially inboard of the intermediate air swirler.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

An air-blast fuel injector as recited in claim 3, wherein the outer air circuit includes a radial air swirler.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

An air-blast fuel injector as recited in claim 3, wherein the outer air circuit includes an axial air swirler.

### Claim 6 (depends on 3)

An air-blast fuel injector as recited in claim 3, wherein the exit portion of the outer air circuit is a diverging exit portion.