Abstract: An airblast fuel nozzle assembly (10) comprising a sleeve structure having a series of coaxial sleeves forming an inner-air circuit, an outer-air circuit, a main-fuel-feed circuit, and a pilot-fuel-feed circuit. The pilot-fuel-feed circuit includes a channel (44), and a discharge region (45) with exits (46). The exits (46) have a combined cross-sectional area that is substantially less than the cross-sectional area of the channel (44) upstream of the discharge region (45). In this manner, the pilot-fuel-feed circuit itself can provide a relatively large pressure drop across the channel region (44), and thereby assist in self atomization during ignition stages of engine operation.

Abstract: A fuel injector nozzle for dispensing fuel in the combustion chamber of a gas turbine engine, comprises a fluid feed conduit having at least one internal channel for the passage of fluid from an inlet end to an outlet end of the fluid feed conduit. The fluid feed conduit has a first annular segment receiving fluid from the inlet end and a second annular segment fluidly connected to receive fluid from the first annular segment at a junction having a circumferential length less than the circumferential lengths of the first and second annular segments. The second annular segment includes fluid dispensing openings to dispense fluid from the conduit, and the first and second annular segments are coaxial and axially separated for relative movement over a major portion of the second segment to accommodate differential thermal expansion.

Abstract: An airblast fuel nozzle assembly (10) comprising a sleeve structure having a series of coaxial sleeves forming an inner-air circuit, an outer-air circuit, a main-fuel-feed circuit, and a pilot-fuel-feed circuit. The pilot-fuel-feed circuit includes a channel (44), and a discharge region (45) with exits (46). The exits (46) have a combined cross-sectional area that is substantially less than the cross-sectional area of the channel (44) upstream of the discharge region (45). In this manner, the pilot-fuel-feed circuit itself can provide a relatively large pressure drop across the channel region (44), and thereby assist in self atomization during ignition stages of engine operation.

Abstract: A fuel injector nozzle for dispensing fuel in the combustion chamber of a gas turbine engine, comprises a fluid feed conduit having at least one internal channel for the passage of fluid from an inlet end to an outlet end of the fluid feed conduit. The fluid feed conduit has a first annular segment receiving fluid from the inlet end and a second annular segment fluidly connected to receive fluid from the first annular segment at a junction having a circumferential length less than the circumferential lengths of the first and second annular segments. The second annular segment includes fluid dispensing openings to dispense fluid from the conduit, and the first and second annular segments are coaxial and axially separated for relative movement over a major portion of the second segment to accommodate differential thermal expansion.