With Attendant Coaxial Air Swirler Patents (Class 60/748)
  • Patent number: 8490398
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a burner for a single combustion chamber or first combustion chamber of a gas turbine, with an injection device for the introduction of at least one gaseous and/or liquid fuel into the burner, wherein the injection device has at least one body which is arranged in the burner with at least one nozzle for introducing the at least one fuel into the burner, wherein the at least one body is located in a first section of the burner with a first cross-sectional area at a leading edge of the at least one body with reference to a main flow direction prevailing in the burner, wherein downstream of said body a mixing zone is located with a second cross-sectional area, and at and/or downstream of said body the cross-sectional area is reduced, such that the first cross-sectional area is larger than the second cross-sectional area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Alstom Technology Ltd.
    Inventors: Madhavan Poyyapakkam, Anton Winkler, Khawar Syed, Andrea Ciani
  • Patent number: 8484979
    Abstract: A fuel-air premixing arrangement includes a plurality of fuel injection openings. The fuel injection openings are grouped into at least two groups and arranged on one circle in alternating order. Each group has a common rail for supplying fuel to the respective group. A valve element is arranged in at least one common rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Kam-Kei Lam
  • Patent number: 8479521
    Abstract: A combustor for a gas turbine engine having an annular combustion chamber includes a plurality of main fuel injection and air swirler assemblies and a plurality of pilot fuel injection and air swirler assemblies disposed in a circumferential ring extending about the circumferential expanse of a forward bulkhead. The plurality of pilot fuel injection and air swirler assemblies are interspersed amongst and disposed in the circumferential ring of main fuel injection and air swirler assemblies. Fuel being supplied to the combustor is selectively distributed between the plurality of main fuel injection and air swirler assemblies and the plurality of pilot fuel injection and air swirler assemblies in response to the level of power demand on the gas turbine engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: James B. Hoke
  • Publication number: 20130167541
    Abstract: A swirler assembly in a gas turbine combustor includes a hub, a shroud, and a plurality of vanes connected between the hub and the shroud. A vane angle of the plurality of vanes is adjustable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2012
    Publication date: July 4, 2013
    Inventors: Mahesh Bathina, Amulya Panda
  • Patent number: 8468832
    Abstract: An object of this invention is to suppress adhesion of a flame to periphery of air hole outlets arranged on an air hole plate. A combustor includes a fuel nozzle for jetting out a fuel into a combustion chamber formed at a downstream side; an air hole plate of a flat-plate shape disposed between the fuel nozzle and the chamber, the air hole plate facing an upstream side of the chamber; and a plurality of air holes provided in the air hole plate, in a circumferential direction relative to a central axis of the air hole plate, such that a fuel flow and an air flow formed at an outer circumferential side of the fuel flow are blown out into the chamber from the respective air holes; wherein a clearance defined between any two circumferentially adjacent air hole inlets provided on a face of the air hole plate that is nearer to the fuel nozzle is wider than a clearance defined between any two circumferentially adjacent air hole outlets formed on a face of the air hole plate that is nearer to the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi Dodo, Keisuke Miura, Kazuhito Koyama
  • Patent number: 8468833
    Abstract: A burner arrangement includes a tubular mixing tube extending along an axis and configured to mix fuel and air, the mixing tube opening into a combustion chamber in a direction of flow; and a film air ring disposed in the mixing tube and arranged concentrically to the axis, the film air ring configured to prevent a backfiring of the fuel disposed in the mixing tube and to generate or reinforce an air film near the wall, wherein the film air ring has at least one annular gap concentric to the axis and configured to inject air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Alstom Technology Ltd
    Inventors: Richard Carroni, Marcel Rieker, Adnan Eroglu, Heinz Schaer
  • Patent number: 8464537
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Abdul Rafey Khan, Willy Steve Ziminsky, Christian Xavier Stevenson
  • Patent number: 8448881
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for minimizing and/or preventing thermal degradation of fuel in a fuel injector is disclosed. The body of the injector includes a fuel gallery with a contoured scarf formed therein. The scarf is configured to minimize and/or prevent fuel recirculation thus reducing the likelihood that fuel will dwell in an area long enough to sufficient to cause the degradation of the fuel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Power Engineering PLC
    Inventors: Kenneth James Young, Yann Courbariaux, Michel Houde, Daniel Haggerty, Philip Buelow
  • Patent number: 8443609
    Abstract: A gas-turbine burner for a gas turbine includes a fuel nozzle 1 having several fuel exit holes 23, which are each connected to a fuel line 5, 7, 29, 30, through which fuel can be passed selectively Between individual fuel exit holes 23, different static pressures of the airflow are provided between fuel lines flown by fuel and fuel lines not flown by fuel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG
    Inventors: Thomas Doerr, Leif Rackwitz, Waldemar Lazik
  • Patent number: 8429915
    Abstract: A fuel injector is provided, including a fuel injector body, a plurality of fuel vanes, and a plurality of fuel pegs. The injector body includes a manifold and an inlet. The manifold is configured for receiving fuel, and the inlet is configured for receiving air. The fuel vanes are located within the injector body and are positioned in a direction that is generally parallel with a longitudinal axis of the injector body to orient the air flowing from the inlet. The plurality of fuel pegs are fluidly connected to the manifold and are arranged within the plurality of fuel vanes. The plurality of fuel pegs are each spaced at a distance that is about equal between each of the plurality of fuel pegs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Mark Allan Hadley, David Kenton Felling
  • Patent number: 8429914
    Abstract: A fuel injection system is provided for a gas turbine, comprising a mains airblast fuel injector having an annular shape, and inner and outer mains swirlers for swirling air past the mains airblast fuel injector. The inner and outer mains swirlers are concentric with the mains airblast fuel injector and are located radially inwardly and radially outwardly of the mains airblast fuel injector, respectively. The mains airblast fuel injector and the inner and outer mains swirlers are so arranged as to produce a fuel spray stream which expands from the mains airblast fuel injector and has a double flame front. The double flame front comprises flame fronts on both the radially inner and radially outer surfaces of the fuel spray stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC
    Inventors: Sara Gashi, Nickolaos Pilatis
  • Patent number: 8424310
    Abstract: A mixing chamber with a wall and at least one vortex generating element arranged on the wall is provided. The vortex generating element has at least three surfaces, at least one of the surfaces forming a top surface and the other surfaces forming at least first and second side surfaces, the first and second side surfaces arranged not in parallel, the top surface being in contact with the wall via a front edge of the top surface, the front edge extending traverse to a flow direction, the top surface further abutting the first and second side faces forming first and second edges, the first side surface extending in parallel to the flow direction so that the first edge does not contribute to generating a vortex, and the second side surface extending not in parallel to the flow direction so that the second edge contributes to generating the vortex.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Khawar Syed
  • Patent number: 8418469
    Abstract: A fuel nozzle assembly is disclosed. The fuel nozzle assembly comprises an outer burner tube and an inner burner tube defining a pre-mixing annulus therebetween. The fuel nozzle assembly further comprises a swirler assembly, the swirler assembly comprising a plurality of swirler vanes disposed in an annular array about the inner burner tube and configured to interact with primary air upstream of the pre-mixing annulus. The fuel nozzle assembly further comprises an air injection feature configured to flow secondary air into the pre-mixing annulus downstream of the swirler assembly such that the secondary air flows in a generally linear path longitudinally with respect to the pre-mixing annulus and adjacent at least one of the outer burner tube and the inner burner tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Geoffrey David Myers, Nishant Govindbhai Parsania, Gregory Allen Boardman
  • Patent number: 8413451
    Abstract: A fluidically-controlled valve is provided. The fluidically-controlled valve includes a main flow channel with a main flow entrance, a flow exit and a constricted channel section located between the main flow entrance and the flow exit. The fluidically-controlled valve also includes a control flow channel including a jet forming control entrance, a first branch channel, a second branch channel, a common channel section, and a convex channel wall. The common channel section follows the control entrance, the first branch channel emerges from the common channel section and leads to the main flow entrance, the second branch channel emerges from the common channel section and leads to the constricted channel section, and the convex channel wall extends from the common channel section into the first branch channel. The fluidically-controlled valve can be used in bypasses present in turbines or in swirlers of gas turbine combustors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Peter Senior
  • Patent number: 8413448
    Abstract: An airblast fuel injector for the combustor of a gas turbine engine has, in order from radially inner to outer, a coaxial arrangement of an inner swirler passage, an annular fuel passage, an annular mid swirler passage, and an annular outer swirler passage. The fuel passage extends to a prefilming lip, and the inner and mid swirler passages swirl air past the prefilming lip so that fuel fed from the fuel passage to the prefilming lip is entrained by the swirling air into a fuel spray stream. The outer swirler passage has a convergent portion. The radially inward wall of said convergent portion is defined by a frustoconical separator element which separates the outer swirler passage from the mid swirler passage, the separator element converging in the direction of air flow to terminate in a lip at the mouths of the mid swirler passage and the outer swirler passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC
    Inventors: Robert A. Hicks, Paul Madden
  • Patent number: 8402768
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a burner for a combustion chamber of a gas turbine, with an injection device for the introduction of at least one gaseous and/or liquid fuel into the burner, wherein the injection device has at least one body which is arranged in the burner with at least one nozzle for introducing the at least one fuel into the burner, the at least one body being configured as a streamlined body which has a streamlined cross-sectional profile and which extends with a longitudinal direction perpendicularly or at an inclination to a main flow direction prevailing in the burner. The at least one nozzle has its outlet orifice at or in a trailing edge of the streamlined body, and with reference to a central plane of the streamlined body, the trailing edge is provided with at least two lobes extending in opposite transverse directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Alstom Technology Ltd.
    Inventors: Khawar Syed, Madhavan Poyyapakkam, Anton Winkler, Andre Theuer
  • Patent number: 8393155
    Abstract: A fuel injector for a gas turbine engine is disclosed. The fuel injector includes an injector housing extending from a first end to a second end along a longitudinal axis. The second end of the housing is fluidly coupled to a combustor of the turbine engine and the housing includes a liquid fuel gallery annularly disposed about the longitudinal axis. The fuel injector also includes a stem extending longitudinally from the first end of the housing to a third end. The stem includes a liquid tube configured to deliver liquid fuel to the fuel injector. The fuel injector also includes an annular shell extending along the longitudinal axis from the first end to the third end and circumferentially disposed about the stem. The fuel injector further includes an insulating air shroud formed inside the shell. The air shroud includes a layer of air between the shell and the stem.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Solar Turbines Incorporated
    Inventors: James Scott Piper, Hongyu Wang
  • Patent number: 8393159
    Abstract: A gas turbine combustor for mixing fuel into combustion air introduced from a compressor, burning an air-fuel mixture, and supplying produced combustion gas to a gas turbine. The combustor has a liquid fuel nozzle for jetting out liquid fuel and a pre-mixture chamber wall having a hollow conical shape gradually spreading in the direction in which the fuel is jetted out from the liquid fuel nozzle, and defining a pre-mixture chamber therein. A plurality of gaseous fuel nozzles are disposed around the pre-mixture chamber wall in an opposing relation respectively to a plurality of air inlet holes bored through the pre-mixture chamber wall and jet out gaseous fuel substantially coaxially with the axes of the air inlet holes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shouhei Yoshida, Yoshitaka Hirata, Kazuyuki Itou, Tomoya Murota, Hiroshi Inoue, Tomohiro Asai
  • Patent number: 8393157
    Abstract: Disclosed is a fuel nozzle for a combustor of a gas turbine engine includes a nozzle inlet, a combustion area and a swirler disposed between the nozzle inlet and combustion area. The swirler includes a plurality of swirler vanes, each swirler vane capable of creating a pressure difference in fluid flow through the swirler between a pressure side and suction side of the swirler vane. The swirler further includes at least one through airflow hole located in at least one swirler vane of the plurality of swirler vanes. The at least one through airflow hole is capable of utilizing the pressure difference between the pressure side and suction side to promote fluid flow through the at least one airflow hole. Also disclosed is a method for operating a combustor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Constantin Dinu
  • Patent number: 8387400
    Abstract: Methods of managing fuel temperatures in fuel injectors for gas turbine engines include cooling fuel circuits by initiating fuel flow therethrough using opened, closed, and semi-open control techniques. A fuel injector for a gas turbine engine includes a feed arm having a fuel inlet fitting for delivering fuel to at least one fuel conduit extending through the feed arm. A nozzle body depends from the feed arm and has at least one fuel circuit extending therethrough. The fuel circuit is configured and adapted to receive fuel from the feed arm and to issue fuel from an exit orifice of the nozzle body. Sensing means are provided adjacent to the at least one fuel circuit. The sensing means are configured and adapted to provide temperature feedback in order to control fuel flow in the at least one fuel circuit to maintain fuel temperature within a predetermined range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Delavan Inc
    Inventors: Jerry Lee Goeke, Neal A. Thomson, Brandon Phillip Williams
  • Patent number: 8387394
    Abstract: A gas-turbine burner having a plurality of main swirl generators, each having an inlet flow opening formed by the main swirl generator edge, is provided. In order to achieve a uniform flow of combustion air through the main swirl generator, the gas-turbine burner has an inlet-flow guide means with a flow guide surface which runs from one of the inlet-flow openings to an adjacent inlet-flow opening, to which the main swirl generator edges which form the inlet-flow openings are connected, and the flow guide surface widens from there radially upwards. The main swirl generators are central-symmetrically arranged around a pilot burner and the flow guide surface runs radially outside the main swirl generators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Matthias Hase, Michael Huth, Robert Angel, Drew Ehlert, James Marshall, Yevgeniy Shteyman
  • Patent number: 8387393
    Abstract: A fuel injector assembly includes a fuel injector that provides fuel to be mixed with air for ignition in a combustor. The fuel injector assembly includes a fuel shroud and a plurality of spanning members. The spanning members are spaced circumferentially on the fuel shroud between the fuel shroud and a base plate assembly, which supports the fuel injector assembly within the combustor. The spanning members space the fuel shroud from the base plate assembly such that an annular gap is formed therebetween. The gap permits a flow of purge air therethrough to be mixed with compressed air entering the fuel shroud and with fuel provided by the fuel injector. The spanning members comprise elongate members having upstream ends that are circumferentially offset from opposed downstream ends so that the spanning members provide tangential velocity to the purge air flowing through the annular gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Siemens Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Kyle L. Landry, Reinhard Schilp
  • Patent number: 8387392
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a fuel injection system, including: a fuel injection module including a primary fuel injector and one or more secondary fuel injectors disposed around the primary fuel injector; an air supply module for supplying air to the fuel injection module inwardly and outwardly; and a fuel supply module for supplying fuel to the fuel injection module, wherein the fuel injection module serves to generate multistage flames in a burner by forming a rich fuel flame region using the primary fuel injector and forming a lean fuel flame region behind the rich fuel flame region using the secondary fuel injectors through a burning process of gasifying secondary fuel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Korea Institute of Industrial Technology
    Inventors: Se Won Kim, Myung Chul Shin, Chang Yeop Lee
  • Publication number: 20130047620
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing gas and/or fuel swirlers for fuel injectors and combustor domes and cone-shaped swirlers so manufactured are disclosed. The disclosed conical swirlers feature cut-through slots on a cone-shaped body. The contour and spacing of the slots are configured and arranged to accommodate a wide range of requirements for fluid flow areas and swirl strengths. Preferably, the cone-shaped swirlers can be manufactured by wire EDM processing. More preferably, multiple cone-shaped swirlers can be manufactured simultaneously by nesting wirier blanks in a stack and wire EDM processing the stack as a unit. The cone-shaped pinwheel swirler fits well into various fuel injector heads, enabling the injectors to reduce the frontal surface area and flat area for minimal potential of carbon formation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2012
    Publication date: February 28, 2013
    Inventors: Chien-Pei Mao, John Short
  • Publication number: 20130047619
    Abstract: An injection nozzle assembly includes a nozzle body having an outer surface and an inner surface that defines a flow passage, and a center body arranged within the nozzle body and extending along the flow passage. The center body includes a first end that extends to a tip portion through an intermediate portion that defines a fluid passage. The intermediate portion includes a first outer dimension and the tip portion includes a second outer dimension that is distinct from the first outer dimension. The center body includes a plurality of grooves that extend axially along the tip portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2011
    Publication date: February 28, 2013
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Gregory Allen Boardman, Kwanwoo Kim, Nishant Govindbhai Parsania
  • Patent number: 8381531
    Abstract: A fuel injector for a gas turbine engine may include a pilot assembly extending along a longitudinal axis. The pilot assembly may be configured to direct a pilot fuel-air mixture to a combustor of the gas turbine engine. The fuel injector may also include a rich catalyst module circumferentially disposed about the pilot assembly. The catalyst module may be configured to simultaneously direct a stream of compressed air and a stream of first fuel-air mixture therethrough without intermixing. The fuel injector may also include a post mix zone disposed downstream of the catalyst module. The post mix zone may be configured to mix the compressed air and the first fuel air mixture to create a main fuel-air mixture. The fuel injector may further include an air swirler disposed downstream of the post mix zone. The air swirler may be configured to direct the main fuel-air mixture to the combustor without intermixing with the pilot fuel-air mixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Solar Turbines Inc.
    Inventors: Waseem Ahmad Nazeer, Kenneth Owen Smith, Frank John Ritz
  • Patent number: 8375548
    Abstract: A method of repairing a modular gas turbine fuel nozzle tip, having a fuel-conveying body and an annular cap fastened to the body by at least two fasteners, includes removing the fasteners, replacing the annular cap with a replacement annular cap, and interconnecting the replacement annular cap and the body using new fasteners.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
    Inventors: Honza Stastny, Bhawan B. Patel, John Greer, Parthasarathy Sampath
  • Patent number: 8375721
    Abstract: A burner for a gas-turbine engine including a swirler and a combustion chamber is provided. The swirler includes a plurality of vanes arranged in a circle, each adjacent pair of vanes defining a flow slot for the flow of air and fuel into the swirler, the air and fuel is mixed and supplied in swirling form to the combustion chamber. The swirler can also include a partitioning device which divides the flow of air along each flow slot into two air flows. One side of the partitioning device has a fuel-supply port for supplying fuel to one of the two air flows. The relevant air flow causes fuel supplied to the fuel-supply port to form a film of fuel over the relevant side of the partitioning device. The film leaves the relevant side of the partitioning device in a region of high shear between adjacent flows in the burner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Nigel Wilbraham
  • Patent number: 8371101
    Abstract: A combustor may include an interior flow path therethrough, a number of fuel nozzles in communication with the interior flow path, and an inlet guide vane system positioned about the interior flow path to create a swirled flow therein. The inlet guide vane system may include a number of windows positioned circumferentially around the fuel nozzles. The inlet guide vane system may also include a number of inlet guide vanes positioned circumferentially around the fuel nozzles and adjacent to the windows to create a swirled flow within the interior flow path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Baifang Zuo, Derrick Simons, William York, Willy S. Ziminsky
  • Patent number: 8371123
    Abstract: A nozzle includes a center body and a shroud surrounding the center body to define an annular passage. An arcuate annular guide extending from a point radially inward of the shroud to a point radially outward of the shroud defines a first airflow between the arcuate annular guide and the shroud and a second airflow between the arcuate annular guide and the center body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jason Thurman Stewart, Jonathan Dwight Berry, Michael John Hughes
  • Publication number: 20130031905
    Abstract: A fuel nozzle is provided and includes a nozzle body defining first and second interior regions for providing a supply of first and second fluids, a collar defining a third interior region and radial slots permitting radial ingress of a third fluid to the third interior region and a nozzle tip interposed between the nozzle body and the collar. The nozzle tip defines an annular slot, first discrete passageways by which the first fluid is communicated from the first interior region to the annular slot, second discrete passageways by which the first fluid is communicated from the annular slot to the radial slots, and third discrete passageways by which the second fluid is communicated from the second interior region to the radial slots.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2011
    Publication date: February 7, 2013
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Ilya Alexandrovich Slobodyanskiy, William Francis Carnell, JR.
  • Publication number: 20130019584
    Abstract: In a burner for injecting mixed gas fuel containing at least one of hydrogen and carbon monoxide into a combustion chamber of a gas turbine combustor, the burner includes a fuel nozzle for startup from which liquid fuel is injected into the combustion chamber, and a mixed fuel nozzle disposed around the fuel nozzle for injecting the mixed gas fuel. An air swirler is disposed at a downstream end of the mixed fuel nozzle and has a plurality of flow passages from which compressed air is injected into the combustion chamber, and the mixed fuel nozzle has injection ports disposed in the inner peripheral side of the flow passages of the air swirler. Cooling holes formed in the nozzle surface and positioned to face the combustion chamber introduce a part of the mixed gas fuel injected from the mixed fuel nozzle into the combustion chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2012
    Publication date: January 24, 2013
    Applicant: HITACHI, LTD.
    Inventor: Hitachi, Ltd.
  • Patent number: 8347630
    Abstract: An air-blast fuel nozzle assembly includes a housing having an inner surface defining an interior chamber around a central axis. The inner surface terminates in an exit aperture. An air swirler pneumatically communicates with the interior chamber and has vanes operative to impart a swirling motion to air passing across the vanes and into the interior chamber. A fuel injection assembly includes a nozzle portion extending along the central axis and having a plurality of outlets circumferentially-arranged around the central axis that are directed into the interior chamber toward the inner surface of the housing. A shield extends radially outwardly from the nozzle portion upstream of the plurality of outlets. The shield extends between a base at the nozzle section and a free tip end such that the shield extends partially across the interior chamber toward the inner surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: United Technologies Corp
    Inventors: Jeffery A. Lovett, Frederick C. Padget, John W. Mordosky, Shawn M. McMahon
  • Patent number: 8336312
    Abstract: A can-annular gas turbine engine including a casing defining an annulus for receiving air flow from a compressor. A combustor basket is supported within the casing, and a swirler assembly is located within the basket and includes an air inlet and an outlet located in a combustion chamber. The swirler assembly is configured to discharge a fuel/air mixture from the outlet downstream into the combustion chamber. An acoustic filter is provided comprising a Herschel-Quincke tube having a first open end at the annulus and a second open end adjacent to the swirler assembly within the combustion chamber. Components of acoustic pressure oscillations travel along two paths of different lengths from one end of the Herschel-Quincke tube to the opposite end of the tube where out of phase components of the pressure oscillations interact to attenuate the pressure oscillations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Siemens Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Rajesh Rajaram, David M. Ritland
  • Patent number: 8333075
    Abstract: A system that includes a turbine fuel nozzle comprising an air-fuel premixer. The air-fuel premixed includes a swirl vane configured to swirl fuel and air in a downstream direction, wherein the swirl vane comprises an internal coolant path from a downstream end portion in an upstream direction through a substantial length of the swirl vane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: William David York, Thomas Edward Johnson, Benjamin Paul Lacy, Christian Xavier Stevenson
  • Patent number: 8327643
    Abstract: A main swirler of a triple annular configuration that is partitioned by a pre-filmer and a separator is installed in an inlet port of a main air flow channel. The vicinity of the inner wall of the main air flow channel provided with a main fuel injection port is bulged radially outward from the innermost surface (innermost surface of a small swirler) of a main swirler. Further, a distance from the main fuel injection port and the pre-filmer is set such that an effective opening area between the pre-filmer and “the inner wall of the main air flow channel provided with the main fuel injection port” is equal to an effective opening area of the small swirler. The swirling directions of the swirlers of the main swirler are “clockwise”-“counter-clockwise”-“clockwise” respectively along the radial outward direction when the swirling direction of the innermost swirler is taken as “clockwise”.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency
    Inventors: Takeshi Yamamoto, Kazuo Shimodaira, Kazuaki Matsuura, Yoji Kurosawa, Seiji Yoshida
  • Patent number: 8327642
    Abstract: The present application provides a premixer for a combustor. The premixer may include a fuel plenum with a number of fuel tubes and a burner tube with a number of air tubes. The fuel tubes extend about the air tubes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jong Ho Uhm, Balachandar Varatharajan, Willy Steve Ziminsky, Gilbert Otto Kraemer, Ertan Yilmaz, Benjamin Lacy, Christian Stevenson, David Felling
  • Patent number: 8316645
    Abstract: Disclosed is a triple swirl gas turbine combustor using various fuels such as coal gas, DiMethyl Ether, and waste gas generated in an ironworks in a gas turbine. The triple swirl gas turbine combustor combusts three different fuels simultaneously or individually and various fuels such as LCV gas and HCV gas so that fuel flexibility can be improved. Swirl generated in a second swirler of the triple swirler is reversely jetted to increase a mixing degree of a fuel-air mixture and an intensity of a turbulent flow so that combustion efficiency can be increased, harmful exhaust gas can be reduced and vibration can be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Korea Electric Power Corporation
    Inventors: Min Chul Lee, Dal Hong Ahn, Yong Jin Joo, Jae Hwa Chung, Si Moon Kim, Jin Pyo Hong, Won Shik Park
  • Patent number: 8316644
    Abstract: The invention relates to a burner, in particular a gas turbine burner, comprises: at least one swirler, the swirler having at least one air inlet opening, at least one air outlet opening positioned downstream to the air inlet opening and at least one swirler air passage extending from the at least one air inlet opening to the at least one air outlet opening which is delimited by swirler air passage walls, the air passage walls comprising downstream wall sections adjoining the at least one air outlet opening; and a fuel injection system which comprises fuel injection openings arranged in at least one swirler air passage wall so as to inject fuel into the swirler air passage; in which at least the downstream section of one air passage wall is corrugated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Nigel Wilbraham
  • Patent number: 8312722
    Abstract: A fuel nozzle with active cooling is provided. It includes an outer peripheral wall, a nozzle center body concentrically disposed within the outer wall in a fuel and air pre-mixture. The fuel and air pre-mixture includes an air inlet, a fuel inlet and a premixing passage defined between the outer wall in the center body. A gas fuel flow passage is provided. A first cooling passage is included within the center body in a second cooling passage is defined between the center body and the outer wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: William David York, Thomas Edward Johnson, Willy Steve Ziminsky
  • Patent number: 8312724
    Abstract: A mixer assembly for a gas turbine engine is provided, including a main mixer, and a pilot mixer having an annular housing in which a corner is formed between an aft portion of the housing and a bulkhead wall in which a corner recirculation zone is located to stabilize and anchor the flame of the pilot mixer. The pilot mixer can further include features to cool the annular housing, including in the area of the corner recirculation zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Zhongtao Dai, Jeffrey M. Cohen, Catalin G. Fotache
  • Patent number: 8312723
    Abstract: A system for injecting a mixture of air and fuel into a turbomachine combustion chamber is disclosed. The system includes a fuel injector and a Venturi with an interior surface delimiting a premixing chamber. The Venturi includes an internal annular airflow cavity which is connected by air outlet ducts to the premixing chamber. The air outlet ducts open onto the interior surface of the Venturi so as to prevent to deposition of soot and the formation of coke on this surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: SNECMA
    Inventors: Christophe Pieussergues, Denis Jean Maurice Sandelis
  • Publication number: 20120285173
    Abstract: A swirler including an annular housing with limiting walls. At least two vanes are arranged in the annular housing including the sidewalls of the swirler. The leading edge area of each vane has a profile, which is oriented parallel to a main flow direction prevailing at the leading edge position, wherein the profiles of the vanes turn from the main flow direction prevailing at the leading edge position to impose a swirl on the flow, and wherein, with reference to a central plane of the vanes the trailing edges are provided with at least two lobes in opposite transverse directions. A burner for a combustion chamber of a gas turbine including such a swirler and at least one nozzle having its outlet orifice at or in a trailing edge of the vane and to a method of operation of such a burner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2012
    Publication date: November 15, 2012
    Applicant: ALSTOM Technology Ltd
    Inventors: Madhavan Narasimhan POYYAPAKKAM, Fernando Biagioli, Khawar Syed, Ronghai Mao, Stefano Bernero
  • Patent number: 8307660
    Abstract: A combustor nozzle includes a center body and a shroud circumferentially surrounding at least a portion of the center body to define a passage between the center body and the shroud. A guide between the center body and the shroud can pivot with respect to the center body. A method for supplying fuel to a combustor includes flowing a working fluid through a nozzle at a mass flow rate and flowing a fuel through the nozzle. The method further includes sensing a flame holding event inside the nozzle and pivoting a guide inside the nozzle to increase the mass flow rate of the working fluid flowing through the nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jason Thurman Stewart, Thomas Edward Johnson
  • Patent number: 8302404
    Abstract: Disclosed is a swirler for use in a burner of a gas turbine engine, the swirler comprising a plurality of vanes arranged in a circle, flow slots being defined between adjacent vanes in the circle, each flow slot having an inlet end and an outlet end, in use of the swirler a flow of fuel and air travelling along each flow slot from its inlet end to its outlet end such that the swirler provides a swirling mix of the fuel and air, at least one vane having an edge adjacent an inlet end of a flow slot configured to generate within the flow slot one or more flow vortices that extend along the slot thereby to enhance mixing of the fuel and air travelling along the slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Ulf Nilsson, Nigel Wilbraham
  • Patent number: 8297057
    Abstract: A fuel injector head for a gas turbine engine the head having a pilot injector and a main injector located radially outwardly of the pilot injector. A concentric splitter separates the pilot injector from the main injector and has a toroid chamber which is supplied with air in use to generate a toroidal flow which delays mixing of the pilot and main air flows.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce, PLC
    Inventor: Ian J. Toon
  • Publication number: 20120266602
    Abstract: The present application and the resultant patent provide a combustor for a turbine engine. The combustor may include a number of fuel nozzles with one or more of the fuel nozzles including a swirler assembly. The swirler assembly may include a number of stages with a number of fueled structures and a number of unfueled structures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2011
    Publication date: October 25, 2012
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventor: Joel Meier Haynes
  • Patent number: 8291708
    Abstract: A dual fuel nozzle of a gas turbine combustor with a variable jetting hole diameter is disclosed. The combustor includes a plurality of swirling wings disposed along an outer peripheral surface of a central shaft to have at least one main fuel jetting hole, an air duct positioned at the lower side of the swirling wings to supply air to the swirling wings, a pilot fuel injection hole and jetting hole formed to pass through a central portion of the central shaft to supply a pilot fuel, a switching plate disposed inside the swirling wings to vary the size of the main fuel jetting hole, a driving unit disposed to be connected to the switching plate to move a position of the switching plate, and a casing containing the swirling wings, the air duct, the switching plate and the driving unit. It is possible to enhance fuel flexibility in a multiple fuel system for applying two or more fuels to a gas turbine at the same time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Korea Electric Power Corporation
    Inventors: Min-Chul Lee, Jae-Hwa Chung, Seok-Bin Seo, Yong-Jin Joo, Jong-Jin Kim, Dal-Hong Ahn
  • Patent number: 8286433
    Abstract: A fuel injector for a gas turbine engine is disclosed. The fuel injector includes an injector housing having a longitudinal axis. The injector housing includes one or more fuel galleries annularly disposed about the longitudinal axis, and a compressed air inlet. The fuel injector also includes a premix barrel having a proximal end and a distal end circumferentially disposed about the longitudinal axis. The premix barrel is fluidly coupled to the fuel galleries and the compressed air inlet at the proximal end and is configured to couple to a combustor of the gas turbine engine at the distal end. The fuel injector also includes a substantially cylindrical pilot assembly disposed radially inwards of the premix barrel having a first end and a second end. The second end is coupled to the injector housing and the first end is located proximate the distal end of the premix barrel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Solar Turbines Inc.
    Inventors: James Scott Piper, Hongyu Wang
  • Patent number: 8281597
    Abstract: A combustor swirl cup includes coaxial inner and outer swirlers separated by a tubular centerbody. The centerbody includes a bypass inlet surrounding the inner swirler and diverges aft along a perforate inner nozzle to terminate at an annular flameholder. An impingement ring is spaced forward from the flameholder in flow communication with the bypass inlet for receiving cooling air therefrom to impingement cool the flameholder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Shui-Chi Li, Mark Anthony Mueller, Michael Louis Vermeersch, Timothy James Held