# US 8,464,537 B2 · Fuel nozzle for combustor > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,464,537 B2 - Document ID: US8464537B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/909,092 - Filed: 2010-10-21 - Published: 2012-04-26 - Granted: 2013-06-18 - Earliest claimed: 2010-10-21 - Assignees: General Electric Company - Applicants: Abdul Rafey Khan; Willy Steve Ziminsky; Christian Xavier Stevenson - Inventors: Abdul Rafey Khan; Willy Steve Ziminsky; Christian Xavier Stevenson - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8464537B2 ## CPC - F23R 3/286: {having fuel-air premixing devices (F23R3/30 takes precedence)} - F23R 3/343: {Pilot flames, i.e. fuel nozzles or injectors using only a very small proportion of the total fuel to insure continuous combustion (ignition in gas-turbine plants F02C7/264; pilot flame igniters F23Q9/00)} - F23R 2900/03343: Pilot burners operating in premixed mode - 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) ## Abstract A nozzle for a combustor is disclosed. The nozzle includes a center body, a burner tube provided around the center body and defining a fuel-air mixing passage therebetween, and an outer peripheral wall provided around the burner tube and defining an air flow passage therebetween. The nozzle further includes a nozzle tip connected to the center body. The nozzle tip includes a pilot fuel passage configured to deliver a flow of pilot fuel to a combustion zone, and a plurality of transfer passages. The plurality of transfer passages are configured to deliver a flow of air for combustion with the flow of pilot fuel in the combustion zone and further configured to deliver a flow of transfer fuel to the combustion zone. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A nozzle for a combustor, the nozzle comprising: a center body; a burner tube provided around the center body and defining a fuel-air mixing passage therebetween; an outer peripheral wall provided around the burner tube and defining an air flow passage therebetween; a nozzle tip connected to the center body, the nozzle tip comprising: a pilot fuel passage configured to deliver a flow of pilot fuel to a combustion zone; and a plurality of transfer passages radially outboard of the pilot fuel passage, the plurality of transfer passages configured to deliver a flow of air for combustion with the flow of pilot fuel in the combustion zone and further configured to deliver a flow of transfer fuel to the combustion zone; and at least one swirl vane disposed in the fuel-air mixing passage, the swirl vane defining a cooling chamber configured to receive fuel from a premix fuel passage, and wherein the fuel flows from the premix fuel passage through a reverse flow passage into the cooling chamber. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The nozzle of claim 1, the tip defining a plurality of pilot holes connecting the pilot fuel passage to the plurality of transfer passages. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The nozzle of claim 1, the tip defining a diffuser configured such that the flow of pilot fuel flows from the pilot fuel passage through the diffuser into the combustion zone. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The nozzle of claim 1, wherein the flow of pilot fuel and the flow of air are at least partially mixed prior to combustion. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The nozzle of claim 4, wherein the flow of pilot fuel and flow of air are at least partially mixed in the plurality of transfer passages. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The nozzle of claim 1, wherein the burner tube is film-cooled by air in the air flow passage. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The nozzle of claim 1, wherein the at least one swirl vane further defines an outlet chamber configured to expel the fuel through at least one fuel injection port into the fuel-air mixing passage, and wherein the at least one swirl vane further comprises a divider provided between the cooling chamber and the outlet chamber. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The nozzle of claim 7, wherein the divider defines a by-pass hole configured to permit fuel flow from the cooling chamber to the outlet chamber. ### Claim 9 A combustor for a gas turbine system, the combustor comprising: a nozzle, the nozzle comprising: a center body; a burner tube provided around the center body and defining a fuel-air mixing passage therebetween; an outer peripheral wall provided around the burner tube and defining an air flow passage therebetween; a nozzle tip connected to the center body, the nozzle tip comprising: a pilot fuel passage configured to deliver a flow of pilot fuel to a combustion zone; and a plurality of transfer passages radially outboard of the pilot fuel passage, the plurality of transfer passages configured to deliver a flow of air for combustion with the flow of pilot fuel in the combustion zone and further configured to deliver a flow of transfer fuel to the combustion zone; and at least one swirl vane disposed in the fuel-air mixing passage, the swirl vane defining a cooling chamber configured to receive fuel from a premix fuel passage, and wherein the fuel flows from the premix fuel passage through a reverse flow passage into the cooling chamber. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The combustor of claim 9, the tip defining a plurality of pilot holes connecting the pilot fuel passage to the plurality of transfer passages. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The combustor of claim 9, the tip defining a diffuser configured such that the flow of pilot fuel flows from the pilot fuel passage through the diffuser into the combustion zone. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The combustor of claim 9, wherein the flow of pilot fuel and the flow of air are at least partially mixed prior to combustion. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The combustor of claim 12, wherein the flow of pilot fuel and flow of air are at least partially mixed in the plurality of transfer passages. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The combustor of claim 9, wherein the at least one swirl vane further defines an outlet chamber configured to expel the fuel through at least one fuel injection port into the fuel-air mixing passage, and wherein the at least one swirl vane further comprises a divider provided between the cooling chamber and the outlet chamber. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The combustor of claim 14, wherein the divider defines a by-pass hole configured to permit fuel flow from the cooling chamber to the outlet chamber.