FUEL INJECTOR WITH INCREASED FEED AREA

Provided is a nozzle tip assembly having at least one tube member housed within a tubular shell, the tube member having a first passage connecting the first outlet port to the first inlet port and a second passage connecting the second outlet port to the second inlet port. The configuration of the tube member allows the tubular shell to be sized such that separation of fluid flowing around the tubular shell is reduced, thereby reducing the amount of aerodynamic wake that occurs in an injector.

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Description
RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/495,424 filed Jun. 10, 2011, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to fuel injectors, and more particularly to fuel injectors for gas turbine engines.

BACKGROUND

A gas turbine engine typically includes one or more fuel injectors for directing fuel from a manifold to a combustion chamber of a combustor. Each fuel injector typically has an inlet fitting connected either directly or via tubing to the manifold, a tubular extension or stem connected at one end to the fitting, and one or more spray nozzles connected to the other end of the stem for directing the fuel into the combustion chamber. A fuel passage (e.g., a tube or cylindrical passage) extends through the stem to supply the fuel from the inlet fitting to the nozzle. Appropriate valves and/or flow dividers can be provided to direct and control the flow of fuel through the nozzle and/or fuel passage.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

The present invention provides a nozzle tip assembly having at least one tube member housed within a tubular shell, the tube member having a first passage connecting the first outlet port to the first inlet port and a second passage connecting the second outlet port to the second inlet port. The configuration of the tube member allows the tubular shell to be sized such that separation of fluid flowing around the tubular shell is reduced, thereby reducing the amount of aerodynamic wake that occurs in an injector.

According to one aspect of the invention, a nozzle tip assembly for a fluid injector includes a supply connector having first and second supply passages and first and second outlet ports to which the first and second supply passages are respectively connected, a nozzle assembly having first and second nozzle flow passages extending respectively from first and second inlet ports to respective nozzle outlets and a feed arm having an outer tubular shell connecting the nozzle assembly to the supply connector, and at least one tube member housed within the tubular shell and spaced apart from the shell, the at least one tube member having a first passage connecting the first outlet port to the first inlet port and a second passage connecting the second outlet port to the second inlet port.

In an embodiment, the at least one tube member includes first and second tubes adjacent to one another, the first tube connecting the first outlet port to the first inlet port and the second tube connecting the second outlet port to the second inlet port.

In another embodiment, the first and second tubes are parallel to one another.

In yet another embodiment, the first and second tubes each have first and second end portions and an intermediate portion extending between the first and second end portions, each of the end portions having a wall thickness greater than a wall thickness of the respective intermediate portion.

In still another embodiment, each end portion has a radially outwardly opening groove for receiving connecting material to couple the first and second tubes to the supply connector and nozzle assembly.

In a further embodiment, the feed arm has an oblong cross-section with rounded upstream and downstream ends.

In another embodiment, the assembly includes an adaptor interposed between the nozzle assembly and a housing of the injector, the adaptor having an annular wall and an opening extending through the annular wall, wherein the feed arm extends through the opening.

In yet another embodiment, the nozzle assembly has an upstream end and a downstream end, and wherein the upstream end of the nozzle assembly is curved.

In still another embodiment, the upstream end of the nozzle assembly has a curvature transitioning to a reverse curvature on the feed arm.

In a further embodiment, a fluid injector includes a housing in which the nozzle tip assembly according to claim 1 is assembled.

According to another aspect of the invention, a nozzle tip assembly for a fluid injector is provided including a nozzle assembly having at least one nozzle flow passage extending from an inlet port to a nozzle outlet and a feed arm having an outer tubular shell connecting the nozzle assembly to an adaptor, and at least one tube member housed within the tubular shell and spaced apart from the shell, the at least one tube member including first and second end portions, an intermediate portion extending between the first and second end portions, and at least one passage fluidly connecting the nozzle flow passage to a fluid delivery device, wherein each end portion has a wall thickness greater than a wall thickness of the intermediate portion.

In an embodiment, each end portion has a radially outwardly opening groove for receiving connecting material to couple the first end portion to a supply connector and the second end portion to the nozzle assembly.

According to another aspect of the invention, a nozzle assembly for a fluid injector is provided including a body having an upstream end and a downstream end and a length extending from the upstream end to the downstream end, a feed arm extending from the body, the feed arm having an exterior surface and a width perpendicular to the length of the body, and at least one radially outwardly projecting fin extending from the body downstream of the feed arm, wherein an upstream end of the fin is spaced along the length of the body from a downstream end of the exterior surface of the feed arm a distance that is at least four tenths a width of the feed arm.

In an embodiment, the distance is at least forty-four hundredths the width of the feed arm.

The foregoing and other features of the invention are hereinafter described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of an exemplary gas turbine engine illustrating a fuel injector in communication with a combustor;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of a fuel injector showing details of an exemplary nozzle tip assembly;

FIG. 3 is a partial fragmentary cross-sectional view of a fuel injector showing details of an exemplary nozzle tip assembly in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 4 is a rear cross-sectional view of a nozzle assembly in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 5 is a top view of a feed arm of the nozzle assembly;

FIG. 6 is a partial fragmentary cross-sectional view of another fuel injector showing details of another exemplary nozzle tip assembly in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 7 is a rear cross-sectional view of the nozzle assembly of FIG. 6; and

FIG. 8 is a top view of a feed arm of the nozzle assembly of FIG. 6.

 DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring now in detail to the drawings and initially to FIG. 1, a gas turbine engine for a gas turbine is illustrated generally at 10. The gas turbine engine 10 includes an outer casing 12 extending forwardly of an air diffuser 14. The casing 12 and diffuser 14 enclose a combustor, indicated generally at 20, for containment of burning fuel. The combustor 20 includes a liner 22 and a combustor dome, indicated generally at 24. An igniter, indicated generally at 25, is mounted to the casing 12 and extends inwardly into the combustor 20 for igniting fuel. The above components can be conventional in the art and their manufacture and fabrication are well known.

A fuel injector, indicated generally at 30, is received within an aperture 32 formed in the engine casing 12 and extends inwardly through an aperture 34 in the combustor liner 22. The fuel injector 30 includes a fitting 36 exterior of the engine casing 12 for receiving fuel, as by connection to a fuel manifold or line; a fuel nozzle tip assembly, indicated generally at 40, disposed within the combustor 20 for dispensing fuel; and a housing 42 interconnecting and structurally supporting the nozzle tip assembly 40 with respect to fitting 36. The fuel injector 30 is suitably secured to the engine casing 12, as by means of an annular flange 41 that may be formed in one piece with the housing 42 proximate the fitting 36. The flange 41 extends radially outward from the housing 42 and includes appropriate means, such as apertures, to allow the flange 41 to be easily and securely connected to, and disconnected from, the casing 12 of the engine using, for example, bolts or rivets.

The fuel injector 30 shown in FIG. 1 is of the type disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/625,539 and is exemplary of a fuel injector to which principles of the invention may be applied. The nozzle tip assembly may be replaced by a nozzle tip assembly according to the present invention, and an exemplary nozzle tip assembly is shown in FIG. 2. For ease of description, the same reference numerals will be used to denote corresponding components.

As best seen in FIG. 2 when viewed in conjunction with FIG. 1, the housing 42 includes a central, longitudinally-extending bore 50 extending the length of the housing 42. A fuel conduit 52 extends through the bore 50 and fluidly interconnects fitting 36 and an annular fuel delivery device 54 disposed in the housing 42. The fuel conduit 52 has at least two internal passages for the passage of fuel. Alternatively, multiple fuel conduits may be provided with an internal passage for the passage of fuel. The fuel conduit 52 is surrounded by the bore 50 of the housing 42, and an annular insulating gap 56 is provided between the external surface of the fuel conduit 52 and the walls of the bore 50. The insulating gap 56 provides thermal protection for the fuel in the fuel conduit 52. The housing 42 has a thickness sufficient to support nozzle tip assembly 40 in the combustor 20 when the injector 30 is mounted to the engine, and is formed of material appropriate for the particular application.

The nozzle tip assembly 40 is configured for insertion into the fuel injector 30, and in the illustrated embodiment, at a downstream end of the housing 42. The nozzle tip assembly 40 includes a nozzle adaptor 68 that is coupled to the housing 42 at an upstream end of the housing 42 by any suitable means, such as by brazing or welding at 72, or alternatively, the adaptor 68 may be integrally formed with the housing 42. The nozzle tip assembly 40 also includes a fluid flow assembly 60 that includes a nozzle assembly 62 and an air swirler 64. The nozzle assembly 62 is configured to receive fluid, such as fuel, from the annular fuel delivery device 54 in any suitable manner, such as by a supply connector 66. The nozzle assembly 62 may also be configured to disperse the fuel to the air swirler 64 to be mixed with air flowing through the fuel injector 30, and the fuel flow from the nozzle assembly 62 can be metered based on the engine fuel manifold pressure.

The nozzle tip assembly 40 also includes a nozzle shroud 58 that may be inserted into the fuel injector 30 from the downstream end of the housing 42, and may be coupled to the housing 42 at the downstream end by any suitable means, such as by welding at 70. Upon insertion into the fuel injector 30, the nozzle shroud 58 will at least be partially surrounded by the adaptor 68, and the nozzle assembly 62 will be supported interiorly of the nozzle shroud 58. A rearward portion of the nozzle assembly 62 may be coextensive with a rearward portion of the nozzle shroud 58 and the nozzle shroud 58 may radially outwardly surround the nozzle assembly 62. A retention device, such as the retention device described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/612,977 which is hereby incorporated herein by reference, may used to provide a secondary retention feature for holding the nozzle shroud 58 to the adaptor 68 if the primary retention means, e.g. weld at 70, was to fail during use of the nozzle tip assembly.

Turning now to FIG. 3, the fluid flow assembly 60, supply connecter 66 and adaptor 68 are described in detail. The supply connector 66 has one end coupled to the annular fuel delivery device 54, either directly or indirectly, and another end coupled to the nozzle assembly by any suitable means. The supply connector has first and second supply passages 80 and 82 and first and second outlet ports 84 and 86 to which the first and second supply passages 80 and 82 are respectively connected. The supply connecter receives fluid in each supply passage 80, 82 from the delivery device 54, and delivers the fluid to a tube member coupled to the outlet ports 84 and 86 as described below. Although the supply connector is described as having two supply passages, it will be appreciated that the supply connector 66 may have more than two supply passages.

The nozzle assembly 62 includes a body 88 and a feed arm 90, which may be integrally formed with the body. Disposed interiorly of the body are first and second nozzle flow passages 92 and 94 extending respectively from first and second inlet ports 96 and 98 to respective nozzle outlets 100 and 102. The flow passages 92 and 94 may be substantially concentric, for example with the second flow passage 94 surrounding the first flow passage 92. It will be appreciated that the nozzle assembly can be of any duel feed type having an inlet for a first fluid and an inlet for a second fluid.

The feed arm 90 has an outer tubular shell 104 that connects the nozzle assembly 62 to the supply connector 66, for example by welding or brazing the feed arm to the supply connector. Housed within the feed arm 90 and spaced apart from the tubular shell 104 is at least one tube member, and in the illustrated embodiment a first tube 110 and a second tube 112, having a first passage 114 connecting the first outlet port 84 of the supply connector 66 to the first inlet port 96 of the nozzle assembly 62 and a second passage 116 connecting the second outlet port 86 to the second inlet port 98. The first and second tubes 110 and 112 are adjacent to one another. For example the first and second tubes 110 and 112 are parallel to one another. The first and second tubes 110 and 112 may also be axially spaced from one another to provide a gap between the tubes along with a gap between the tubes and the tubular shell 104. It will be appreciated that although the first tube 110 is illustrated as having a smaller diameter than the second tube 112, the diameters of the tubes may be any suitable diameter.

Each tube 110, 112 has a first end portion 118, 120; a second end portion 122, 124; and an intermediate portion 126, 128 extending between the first and second end portions. The first and second end portions 118 and 122 of the first tube 110 have a wall thickness greater than a wall thickness of the intermediate portion 126, and the first and second end portions 120 and 124 of the second tube 112 have a wall thickness greater than a wall thickness of the intermediate portion 128. The end portions 118, 120, 122 and 124 each have a radially outwardly opening groove 130, 132, 134, 136, respectively, for receiving connecting material to couple the first and second tubes 110 and 112 to the supply connector 66 and nozzle assembly 62. For example, the connecting material may be a brazing compound in the form of a ring, such as an open-ended ring 138, which is inserted into the groove. Alternatively, the end portions may be thicker than the intermediate portions to provide a thickened portion to which a weld can be made. The thickened end portions transition to the intermediate portion, for example by a curve, thereby reducing stress on the end portions.

Referring again to the nozzle assembly 62, the body 88 has an upstream end 140 that is curved in any suitable manner, for example in a bullet nose shape, and the upstream end has a curvature transitioning to a reverse curvature on the feed arm to reduce fluid separation of fluid flowing past the upstream end. By providing the first and second tubes 110 and 112 adjacent to one another as shown in FIG. 3, the feed arm can be formed having an oblong cross-section where the length from the upstream end to the downstream end is greater than a width of the feed arm. The feed arm can also be formed with rounded upstream and downstream ends. The curvature and oblong shape of the feed arm 90 reduces separation of fluid, such as air, flowing past the upstream end 140 and the feed arm 90.

The nozzle tip assembly 60 also includes a plurality of radially outwardly projecting fins 142 downstream of the feed arm 90. The fins 142 are spaced from the downstream end of the feed arm along a length l of the body a distance d which in one embodiment is at least four tenths a width w of the feed arm (0.4×w). In another embodiment, the distance d is at least forty-four hundredths the width w of the feed arm (0.44×w). In still another embodiment, the distance d is at least forty-eight hundredths the width w of the feed arm (0.48×w). In yet another embodiment, the distance d is at least one half the width w of the feed arm (0.5×w). During takeoff of an aircraft, for example, the oblong feed arm 90 allows for reduced separation of fluid flowing around the feed arm, and when used in combination with fins 142 spaced a distance x from the feed arm, the fluid on one side of the feed arm rejoins the fluid on the other side of the feed arm prior to flowing past the fins 142, thereby reducing the amount of aerodynamic wake that occurs.

Referring again to the adaptor 68, which is coupled to the upstream end of the housing 42 as described above, the adaptor is interposed between the nozzle assembly 62 and the housing 42. The adaptor 68 includes an annular wall 150 having an opening 152 extending therethrough. The adaptor 68 also includes a recessed groove 154, recessed from an outer wall of the adaptor, surrounding the opening 152. When assembled, the feed arm 90 extends through the opening 152 and is coupled to the adaptor by a connecting material positioned in the recessed groove 154. For example, the connecting material may be a brazing compound in the form of a ring, such as an open-ended ring 156, which is inserted into the groove 154. After brazing, the braze material will fill the groove and be substantially in-line with the outer wall of the adaptor. Additionally or alternatively, the adaptor may be formed with a recessed groove that is recessed from an inner wall of the adaptor to receive a connecting material to couple the adaptor to the feed arm.

Turning now to FIGS. 4 and 5, the feed arm 90 is shown having a circular top portion 160 having a diameter substantially equal to a diameter of the supply connector 66. Alternatively, the supply connector 66 is unitary with the feed arm 90. The circular top portion 160 of the feed arm 90 is configured to be received in the opening 152 in the adaptor 68 and to be coupled to the adaptor as described above. The circular top portion 160 has a wall thickness greater than a wall thickness of oblong tubular shell 104, and the thickened circular top portion transitions to the tubular shell, for example by a curve. As noted above, the tubes 110 and 112 are spaced from one another and from the tubular shell 104 to provide s gap between the tubes and gaps between the tubes and the shell.

Turning now to FIG. 6-8, an exemplary embodiment of the injector is shown at 230. The injector 230 is substantially the same as the above-referenced injector 30, and consequently the same reference numerals but indexed by 200 are used to denote structures corresponding to similar structures in the injectors. In addition, the foregoing description of the injector 30 is equally applicable to the injector 230 except as noted below. Moreover, it will be appreciated upon reading and understanding the specification that aspects of the injectors may be substituted for one another or used in conjunction with one another where applicable.

Referring now to FIG. 6, the supply connector is formed as a single component with a tube member housed within the feed arm 290 and spaced apart from the tubular shell 304, which will herein be referred to as supply tube 308. The supply tube 308 has a first passage 314 connecting the fuel delivery device to a first inlet port 296 of the nozzle assembly and a second passage 316 connecting the fuel delivery device to a second inlet port 298 of the nozzle assembly. The supply tube 308 is spaced from the tubular shell 304 to provide a gap between the supply tube and the shell. Although the first passage 314 is illustrated having a smaller diameter than the second passage 316, it will be appreciated that the diameters of the passages may be any suitable diameter.

The supply tube 308 has an end portion 322 coupled to the nozzle assembly in any suitable manner. For example, the end portion 322 may include a radially outwardly opening groove 335 for receiving a connecting material 337 to couple the supply tube 308 to the nozzle assembly. The end portion may also include an extending portion 370 for sealing the first passage that extends past an end of the supply tube. The portion 370 has a groove or notch 372 for receiving a connecting material 374 to couple the supply tube 308 to the inlet port 296 to prevent cross-leakage between the first and second passages.

Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8, the feed arm 290 is shown having a circular top portion 360 provided to be received in the opening 352 in the adaptor 268 and to be coupled thereto. The circular top portion 360 has a wall thickness greater than a wall thickness of oblong tubular shell 304, and the thickened circular top portion transitions to the tubular shell, for example by a curve. As noted above, the tubular member 308 is spaced from the tubular shell 304 to provide an annular gap between the supply tube and the shell.

Although the invention has been shown and described with respect to a certain embodiment or embodiments, it is obvious that equivalent alterations and modifications will occur to others skilled in the art upon the reading and understanding of this specification and the annexed drawings. In particular regard to the various functions performed by the above described elements (components, assemblies, devices, compositions, etc.), the terms (including a reference to a “means”) used to describe such elements are intended to correspond, unless otherwise indicated, to any element which performs the specified function of the described element (i.e., that is functionally equivalent), even though not structurally equivalent to the disclosed structure which performs the function in the herein illustrated exemplary embodiment or embodiments of the invention. In addition, while a particular feature of the invention may have been described above with respect to only one or more of several illustrated embodiments, such feature may be combined with one or more other features of the other embodiments, as may be desired and advantageous for any given or particular application.

Claims

1. A nozzle tip assembly for a fluid injector, comprising:

a supply connector having first and second supply passages and first and second outlet ports to which the first and second supply passages are respectively connected;
a nozzle assembly having first and second nozzle flow passages extending respectively from first and second inlet ports to respective nozzle outlets and a feed arm having an outer tubular shell connecting the nozzle assembly to the supply connector; and
at least one tube member housed within the tubular shell and spaced apart from the shell, the at least one tube member having a first passage connecting the first outlet port to the first inlet port and a second passage connecting the second outlet port to the second inlet port.

2. The nozzle tip assembly according to claim 1, wherein the at least one tube member includes first and second tubes adjacent to one another, the first tube connecting the first outlet port to the first inlet port and the second tube connecting the second outlet port to the second inlet port.

3. The nozzle tip assembly according to claim 2, wherein the first and second tubes are axially spaced apart from one another.

4. The nozzle tip assembly according to claim 2, wherein the first and second tubes are parallel to one another.

5. The nozzle tip assembly according to claim 2, wherein the first and second tubes each have first and second end portions and an intermediate portion extending between the first and second end portions, each of the end portions having a wall thickness greater than a wall thickness of the respective intermediate portion.

6. The nozzle tip assembly according to claim 5, wherein each end portion has a radially outwardly opening groove for receiving connecting material to couple the first and second tubes to the supply connector and nozzle assembly.

7. The nozzle tip assembly according to claim 6, wherein the connecting material is a brazing compound.

8. The nozzle tip assembly according to claim 1, wherein the feed arm has an oblong cross-section with rounded upstream and downstream ends.

9. The nozzle tip assembly according to claim 8, wherein the feed arm has a length from the upstream end to the downstream end that is greater than a width of the feed arm.

10. The nozzle tip assembly according to claim 1, wherein the supply connector is unitary with the feed arm.

11. The nozzle tip assembly according to claim 1, further comprising an adaptor interposed between the nozzle assembly and a housing of the injector, the adaptor having an annular wall and an opening extending through the annular wall, wherein the feed arm extends through the opening.

12. The nozzle tip assembly according to claim 11, wherein the adaptor has a recessed groove surrounding the opening for receiving connecting material to couple the adaptor to the feed arm.

13. The nozzle tip assembly according to claim 1, wherein the nozzle assembly has an upstream end and a downstream end, and wherein the upstream end of the nozzle assembly is curved.

14. The nozzle tip assembly according to claim 13, wherein the upstream end of the nozzle assembly has a curvature transitioning to a reverse curvature on the feed arm.

15. The nozzle tip assembly according to claim 1, further comprising an air swirler at least partially surrounding the nozzle assembly, wherein the nozzle assembly is configured to disperse fluid received from the at least one tube member to the air swirler to be mixed with air flowing through the injector.

16. A fluid injector including a housing in which the nozzle tip assembly according to claim 1 is assembled.

17. A nozzle tip assembly for a fluid injector, comprising:

a nozzle assembly having at least one nozzle flow passage extending from an inlet port to a nozzle outlet and a feed arm having an outer tubular shell connecting the nozzle assembly to an adaptor; and
at least one tube member housed within the tubular shell and spaced apart from the shell, the at least one tube member including first and second end portions, an intermediate portion extending between the first and second end portions, and at least one passage fluidly connecting the nozzle flow passage to a fluid delivery device;
wherein each end portion has a wall thickness greater than a wall thickness of the intermediate portion.

18. The nozzle tip assembly according to claim 17, wherein each end portion has a radially outwardly opening groove for receiving connecting material to couple the first end portion to a supply connector and the second end portion to the nozzle assembly.

19. A nozzle assembly for a fluid injector, comprising:

a body having an upstream end and a downstream end and a length extending from the upstream end to the downstream end;
a feed arm extending from the body, the feed arm having an exterior surface and a width perpendicular to the length of the body; and
at least one radially outwardly projecting fin extending from the body downstream of the feed arm;
wherein an upstream end of the fin is spaced along the length of the body from a downstream end of the exterior surface of the feed arm a distance d that is at least four tenths a width of the feed arm.

20. The nozzle assembly according to claim 19, wherein the distance d is at least forty-four hundredths the width of the feed arm.

Patent History
Publication number: 20130199191
Type: Application
Filed: Jun 11, 2012
Publication Date: Aug 8, 2013
Inventors: Matthew D. Tyler (Lyons, NY), Jay J. Qian (Victor, NY), Bryan T. Runkle (Ontario, NY), John H. Gaag (Charleston, SC), Kenneth Court (Marion, NY)
Application Number: 13/493,324
Classifications
Current U.S. Class: Plural Distinct Injectors (60/746)
International Classification: F23R 3/34 (20060101);