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US 8,943,833 B2Granted
Fuel flexible fuel injector
AssigneeUnited Technologies Corporation
InventorsRichard S. Tuthill, Dustin W. Davis, Zhongtao Dai
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A disclosed fuel injector provides mixing of fuel with airflow by surrounding a swirled fuel flow with first and second swirled airflows that ensures mixing prior to or upon entering the combustion chamber. Fuel tubes produce a central fuel flow along with a central airflow through a plurality of openings to generate the high velocity fuel/air mixture along the axis of the fuel injector in addition to the swirled fuel/air mixture.
Claims13
A combustor system for a gas turbine engine comprising:
- a combustor defining a combustor chamber;
- a fuel air mixer including a chamber disposed along an axis including a bulkhead at a forward end and an opening at an aft end;
- a first annular passage disposed about the chamber, the first annular passage including a first plurality of vanes to generate a swirled first airflow and a first open end at the aft end of the chamber;
- a second annular passage disposed about the first annular passage, the second annular passage including a second plurality of vanes to generate a swirled fuel flow and a second open end at the aft end of the chamber;
- a third annular passage disposed about the second annular passage, the third annular passage including a third plurality of vanes to generate a swirled second airflow and a third open end at the aft end of the chamber;
- a plurality of openings through the bulkhead of the chamber for communicating a central airflow to the chamber, wherein each of the openings are open to the chamber;
- and
- a plurality of fuel tubes disposed about the axis and extending through the bulkhead into the chamber to communicate a second fuel flow to the chamber, wherein the plurality of openings are disposed between the plurality of fuel tubes.
5 more elements
A fuel injector for a gas turbine engine comprising:
- a chamber disposed along an axis including a bulkhead at a forward end and an opening at an aft end spaced axially apart from the bulkhead;
- a first annular passage disposed about the chamber, the first annular passage including a first plurality of vanes to generate a swirled first airflow and a first opening at the aft end of the chamber, wherein the first plurality of vanes are spaced apart from the aft end;
- a second annular passage disposed about the first annular passage, the second annular passage including a second plurality of vanes to generate a swirled fuel flow and a second opening at the aft end of the chamber, wherein the second plurality of vanes are spaced apart from the aft end;
- a third annular passage disposed about the second annular passage, the third annular passage including a third plurality of vanes to generate a swirled second airflow and a third opening at the aft end of the chamber, wherein the third plurality of vanes are spaced apart from the aft end;
- a plurality of openings through the bulkhead of the chamber for communicating a central airflow to the chamber;
- and
- a plurality of fuel tubes disposed about the axis and extending through the bulkhead into the chamber to communicate a second fuel flow to the chamber, wherein each of the plurality of fuel tubes includes an aft end that opens into the chamber and each of the ends are spaced axially away from the aft end of the chamber such that each of the plurality of fuel tubes communicate with the chamber.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.