With Fuel Injector Patents (Class 60/740)
  • Patent number: 8555649
    Abstract: A fuel nozzle air swirler assembly has a slotted cap to provide stress-relief. The stress-relief slits in the cap have an axial and a tangential component to impart a swirl to the air leaking therethrough in the same direction as that of the air exiting the swirler body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
    Inventors: Bhawan B. Patel, Oleg Morenko, Nagaraja Rudrapatna
  • Patent number: 8555645
    Abstract: A fuel nozzle centerbody is provided that includes a cylindrical cross-sectional area, and a baffle co-axially aligned within the centerbody. The baffle includes a plurality of circumferentially-spaced apertures configured to channel an airflow radially outward such that the channeled airflow impinges a centerbody inner surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Beverly Stephenson Duncan, Michael Anthony Benjamin, George Chia-Chun Hsiao, Hukam Chand Mongia
  • Patent number: 8555646
    Abstract: Disclosed is a premixer for a combustor including an annular outer shell and an annular inner shell. The inner shell defines an inner flow channel inside of the inner shell and is located to define an outer flow channel between the outer shell and the inner shell. A fuel discharge annulus is located between the outer flow channel and the inner flow channel and is configured to inject a fuel flow into a mixing area in a direction substantially parallel to an outer airflow through the outer flow channel and an inner flow through the inner flow channel. Further disclosed are a combustor including a plurality of premixers and a method of premixing air and fuel in a combustor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Christian Xavier Stevenson, Patrick Benedict Melton, William David York
  • Patent number: 8555647
    Abstract: Embodiments of methods and apparatus for providing a sacrificial shield for a fuel injector are provided. According to one example embodiment, a method for shielding a fuel injector associated with a combustion device is provided. The method can include providing at least one shield support device operable to mount to a tip of a fuel injector. The method can also include mounting a plurality of shields to the at least one support device, wherein each of the plurality of shields is spaced apart from each respective adjacent shield by at least one segmentation, and wherein each of the plurality of shields is operable to reduce heat exposure to the tip of the fuel injector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Paul Stephen Dimascio, Monty Lee Harned
  • Publication number: 20130263604
    Abstract: A system for supporting fuel nozzles inside a combustor includes a ring that circumferentially surrounds the fuel nozzles inside the combustor, a support plate that extends radially inside at least a portion of the ring, and a first connection between the support plate and at least one of the fuel nozzles inside the combustor. A second connection is between the support plate and the ring. A method for supporting fuel nozzles in a combustor includes surrounding the fuel nozzles with a ring, connecting a support plate to the ring, and connecting the support plate to at least one fuel nozzle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2012
    Publication date: October 10, 2013
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Lucas John Stoia, Patrick Benedict Melton
  • Publication number: 20130263605
    Abstract: The present application thus provides a fuel nozzle for use with one or more flows of fuel and a flow of air in a combustor. The fuel nozzle may include one or more gas fuel passages for the one or more of flows of fuel, a swirler with one or more air chambers therein surrounding the gas fuel passages, and a collar with one or more curtain slots surrounding the swirler. The flow of air is divided between a swirler flow through the air chambers and a curtain flow through the curtain slots.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2012
    Publication date: October 10, 2013
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC
    Inventors: Abinash Baruah, Gilbert Otto Kraemer, Predrag Popovic, Arvind Venugopal Menon
  • Publication number: 20130263603
    Abstract: A method of designing a fuel nozzle of a gas turbine engine to reduce fretting thereof during use, including establishing an initial nozzle design, determining a first natural frequency of that design and a running frequency range of the gas turbine engine, and increasing a first transverse dimension of the stem member of the nozzle across a length of a portion thereof adjacent the inlet end until the first natural frequency of the nozzle is outside the running range, while a second transverse dimension of the portion remains at least substantially unchanged across the length thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2012
    Publication date: October 10, 2013
    Applicant: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventor: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
  • Patent number: 8549842
    Abstract: An air-assisted fluid injector has an injector housing having a nozzle bore and an injector nozzle sealably disposed in the nozzle bore and having an exposed injector face on one end that projects from an end of the nozzle bore, the injector nozzle having a fluid conduit on an other end that extends from a fluid inlet toward the injector face and that opens into a plurality of fluid outlet conduits that extend to a corresponding plurality of fluid outlets spaced apart on the injector face and operable to provide a predetermined spray pattern. The injector also includes an air conduit having an air inlet on the other end of the injector nozzle extending through the injector housing and opening into a plurality of air conduit outlets proximate the injector face, each air conduit outlet extending to and opening into a respective fluid conduit outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventor: Deokkyu (James) Park
  • Publication number: 20130255264
    Abstract: A nozzle assembly (10) comprises a first-fuel-inlet tube (80), a second-fuel-inlet tube (90), and a plate stack (100). The nozzle-plate stack (100) defines a central circuit (104), corner air circuits (105), a first fuel circuit (106) and a second fuel circuit (107). The fuel circuits (106, 107) include a swirl chamber in which the fuel is swirled prior to being merged with the central circuit (104). The corner air circuits (105) merge with the central circuit (104) downstream of the fuel circuits' merge and provide an additional swirling component to further shape the fuel-air stream prior to ignition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2009
    Publication date: October 3, 2013
    Inventors: Brian Hollon, Adel B. Mansour, Erlendur Steinthorsson
  • Patent number: 8544276
    Abstract: An object is to provide a low cost gas turbine combustor. The gas turbine combustor has a plurality of main nozzles annularly supported on a nozzle pipe base (11), and the main nozzles each have an oil fuel path for supplying oil fuel and a gas fuel path for supplying gas fuel. A plurality of the oil fuel paths are provided to penetrate the nozzle pipe base (11), and a plurality of lengths of upright piping (21) are provided to be connected to the oil fuel paths, respectively, and be erected on the nozzle pipe base (11). A plurality of lengths of connection piping (22) for interconnecting the lengths of the upright piping (21) in a polygonal shape at a minimum distance are provided outside the nozzle pipe base (11). An oil fuel supply section (14) is connected to one of the lengths of the connection piping (22) to distribute oil fuel to each of the oil fuel paths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Terada, Tetsu Konishi, Katsuyoshi Omae
  • Publication number: 20130247576
    Abstract: A fuel injector for a gas turbine engine is disclosed which includes a nozzle body for issuing fuel and air into a combustor, and an on-axis optical probe located within the nozzle body for observing combustor flame radiation, wherein the optical probe includes a plurality of optical fiber bundles extending to a distal end of the probe, and a shaped lens is supported at the distal end of the probe to provide a multi-directional field of view of combustion characteristics and properties in an operating gas turbine engine combustor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2012
    Publication date: September 26, 2013
    Applicants: DELAVAN INC, ROSEMOUNT AEROSPACE INC.
    Inventors: Douglas C. MYHRE, Joseph R. Michel, Jerry L. Goeke, Timothy Aadland, Nicholas R. Overman
  • Patent number: 8539773
    Abstract: A fuel/air mixing tube for use in a fuel/air mixing tube bundle is provided. The fuel/air mixing tube includes an outer tube wall extending axially along a tube axis between an inlet end and an exit end, the outer tube wall having a thickness extending between an inner tube surface having a inner diameter and an outer tube surface having an outer tube diameter. The tube further includes at least one fuel injection hole having a fuel injection hole diameter extending through the outer tube wall, the fuel injection hole having an injection angle relative to the tube axis. The invention provides good fuel air mixing with low combustion generated NOx and low flow pressure loss translating to a high gas turbine efficiency, that is durable, and resistant to flame holding and flash back.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Willy Steve Ziminsky, Thomas Edward Johnson, Benjamin Paul Lacy, William David York, Jong Ho Uhm, Baifang Zuo
  • Patent number: 8539774
    Abstract: A system is provided for mounting fuel injectors to a gas turbine engine, including an engine casing having an aperture formed therein and a plurality of fuel injectors, each fuel injector having a respective flange for mounting the fuel injectors to the casing at the aperture so that the fuel injectors extend side-by-side into the engine. The flanges are dismountably sealed to an inner side of the casing. The aperture and the flanges are configured so that, when dismounted, each fuel injector is configured to rotate into an orientation relative to the aperture which allows each of the respective flanges to pass though the aperture and the fuel injector to be withdrawn from the casing. The flanges have respective sealing formations which engage with their neighboring flanges when the fuel injectors are mounted to the casing to close off the aperture and to form seals between the flanges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce, PLC
    Inventor: Michael L. Carlisle
  • Patent number: 8534040
    Abstract: A nozzle includes a center body that defines an axial centerline. A shroud circumferentially surrounds at least a portion of the center body to define an annular passage between the center body and the shroud. A plenum is inside the center body and substantially parallel to the axial centerline, and an igniter is inside the center body and generally adjacent to the plenum. A method for igniting a combustor includes flowing a fuel through a center body axially aligned in a nozzle and flowing a working fluid through an annular passage, wherein the annular passage is substantially parallel to and radially outward of the center body. The method further includes projecting at least one of a beam, spark, or flame from an igniter located inside the center body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Anthony Wayne Krull, Geoffrey David Myers, James Harold Westmoreland, III
  • Publication number: 20130232986
    Abstract: A combustor includes a combustion chamber and a casing that circumferentially surrounds the combustion chamber to at least partially define an annular passage between the casing and the combustion chamber. A fuel plenum extends radially through the casing to provide fluid communication through the casing to the annular passage, and a liner extends inside at least a portion of the fuel plenum to prevent fuel from directly impinging upon at least a portion of the fuel plenum. A method of reducing thermal stresses in a combustor includes flowing a fuel inside a fuel plenum that extends radially through a casing, shielding at least a portion of the fuel plenum from direct impingement by the fuel radially inward of the casing, and flowing the fuel from the fuel plenum into an annular passage between the casing and a combustion chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2012
    Publication date: September 12, 2013
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Lucas John Stoia, Patrick Benedict Melton, Richard Martin DiCintio
  • Patent number: 8528839
    Abstract: A combustor nozzle includes a single-piece swirler. The single-piece swirler includes a center body extending axially along the single-piece swirler, a first fuel passage inside the center body, and a plurality of vanes extending radially from the center body. A method for fabricating a combustor nozzle includes casting a single-piece swirler having a center body and a plurality of vanes extending radially from the center body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Donald Mark Bailey, William Lawrence Byrne, Patrick Benedict Melton
  • Patent number: 8528337
    Abstract: An injection system for fuel and air that includes a number of lobes positioned adjacent to each other. Each of the lobes has a trailing end. A number of jets may be positioned adjacent to the trailing end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jonathan Dwight Berry, Gilbert Otto Kramer
  • Patent number: 8528336
    Abstract: The present application provides a fuel nozzle spring support system. The fuel nozzle spring support system may include a fuel nozzle, a cap assembly, and a spring support positioned between the fuel nozzle and the cap assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: David Cihlar, Christopher Paul Keener
  • Patent number: 8528338
    Abstract: A method is provided for operating an air-staged diffusion nozzle for a gas turbine combustor to cool the nozzle tip and improve mixing of gas fuel and air within a downstream burner space. Air is mixed with the gas-fuel in an outer swirler and expanded in a downstream burner tube space. Compressed air from a cooling air cavity in the nozzle flows through an inner swirler, passing downstream from the tip of the nozzle to the burner tube space, cooling the nozzle tip and improving the mixing of the gas-fuel with air, thereby reducing emissions from the gas turbine and reducing soot formation in startup. Direction and rotation of the discharged air from the nozzle tip into the burner space may be arranged to promote nozzle tip cooling and gas-fuel mixing with air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Anand Prafulchandra Desai, Karthick Kaleeswaran, Venugopal Polisetty
  • Patent number: 8522556
    Abstract: In an air-staged diffusion nozzle for a gas turbine combustor, air is mixed with the gas fuel and expanded in a downstream burner tube. Introduction of air, passing downstream from the tip of the nozzle to the burner tube space forces hot gases away from and cools the nozzle tip. Air flow through an inner swirler or through cooling holes on the nozzle tip may be arranged to establish a cooling flow volume and direction that advantageously interacts with gas fuel-air flow from an outer swirler to improve fuel-air mixing in the burner tube, helping to reduce emissions and soot formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Anand Prafulchandra Desai, Karthick Kaleeswaran, Venugopal Polisetty
  • Patent number: 8522554
    Abstract: A secondary fuel nozzle for a turbine includes a passive purge air passageway which provides purge air to the secondary nozzle at all times that the nozzle is in operation. The passive purge air passageway draws in air from a location adjacent an upstream end of the nozzle. Because of a pressure differential between air located at the downstream end of the nozzle and air located at the upstream end of the nozzle, purge air will run through the passive purge air passageway at all times the nozzle is in operation. There is no need for a supply of compressed purge air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: John Intile, Predrag Popovic, Lucas John Stoia
  • Patent number: 8522527
    Abstract: A burner (1) for a gas turbine includes a duct (2) enclosing a plurality of vortex generators (3) and, downstream of them, a lance (5) provided with nozzles (6) for injecting a gaseous fuel. The burner (1) also includes a mixer (7) for diluting and mixing the gaseous fuel with air to form a mixture. The mixer (7) is connected to the nozzles (6) for feeding them with the mixture. A method includes feeding the gaseous fuel in the burner (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: ALSTOM Technology Ltd.
    Inventors: Adnan Eroglu, Douglas Anthony Pennell, Johannes Buss, Richard Smith
  • Publication number: 20130219900
    Abstract: The present invention provides a gas turbine combustor that has a fuel injection nozzle using a fluid other than liquid fuel to atomize the liquid fuel and that can suppress a reduction in power generation efficiency resulting from a heat loss while promoting the atomization of the liquid fuel. The gas turbine combustor is adapted to mix liquid fuel with combustion air led from a compressor, burn the mixture, and supply combustion gas generated to a gas turbine. The gas turbine combustor includes a fuel injection nozzle that atomizes the liquid fuel into fine liquid droplets. The fuel injection nozzle includes a first system adapted to supply the liquid fuel and a second system adapted to supply a fluid for atomizing the liquid fuel. Low-boiling liquid fuel is supplied to the second system as the fluid. The second system is adapted to heat and supply the low-boiling liquid fuel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2013
    Publication date: August 29, 2013
    Applicant: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventor: Hitachi, Ltd.
  • Patent number: 8516830
    Abstract: A turbomachine combustion chamber including a substantially L-shaped fuel injector and a device for mounting and fastening the injector in an orifice of the casing of the chamber, is disclosed. The device includes an outer collar carried by the injector and a removable annular spacer surrounding the injector and designed to be interposed between the collar of the injector and the casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: SNECMA
    Inventors: Sylvain Duval, Didier Hippolyte Hernandez, Romain Nicolas Lunel
  • Publication number: 20130213046
    Abstract: A late lean injection system includes at least one fuel injector disposed proximate a combustion zone. Also included is at least one guide for directing an airflow from a region proximate a compressor discharge exit to the at least one fuel injector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2012
    Publication date: August 22, 2013
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventor: Patrick Benedict Melton
  • Patent number: 8511097
    Abstract: A gas turbine combustor burns a fuel mixture at a high combustion efficiency and a low NOx emission, is simple in construction and exercises improved ignition performance, and an ignition method can efficiently igniting a fuel mixture in the gas turbine combustor. A gas turbine combustor provided with fuel nozzles each having a pilot fuel injection nozzle and a main fuel injection nozzle, and fuel nozzles each having a pilot fuel injection nozzle and a main fuel injection nozzle. The fuel nozzle disposed close to an igniter is provided with a local fuel injection port through which fuel is jetted out from a predetermined position in an air passage in the main fuel injection nozzle to create a combustible fuel mixture zone in the vicinity of the igniter at least while the igniter is in an ignition operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masayoshi Kobayashi, Hiroyuki Ninomiya, Takeo Oda
  • Publication number: 20130205789
    Abstract: Disclosed is a fuel nozzle end cover, a fuel nozzle and a process of fabricating a fuel nozzle end cover. The fuel nozzle end cover includes a base material and one or more features extending from the base material into a cavity of the fuel nozzle end cover. The one or more features are secured to the base material by a process selected from the group consisting of beam welding, friction welding, gas tungsten arc welding, gas metal arc welding, and combinations thereof. The fuel nozzle includes a fuel nozzle insert and a fuel nozzle end cover. The process of fabricating the fuel nozzle end cover includes providing a base material and securing one or more features to the base material by a welding process selected from the group consisting of beam welding, friction welding, gas tungsten arc welding, gas metal arc welding, and combinations thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2012
    Publication date: August 15, 2013
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Bill Damon JOHNSTON, Daniel Anthony NOWAK, Srikanth Chandrudu KOTTILINGAM, Amit MONGA, Brian Lee TOLLISON, John Greg OBEIRNE
  • Patent number: 8505302
    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: November 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jong Ho Uhm, Balachandar Naidu, Willy Steve Ziminsky, Gilbert Otto Kraemer, Ertan Yilmaz, Benjamin Lacy, Christian Stevenson, David Felling
  • Patent number: 8505303
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a combustor system and method of measuring impurities in the combustion system. The combustion system includes an up-stream fuel injection point; a down-stream turbine combustor; a flame zone in the turbine combustor comprising a plurality of axial sub-zones; an optical port assembly configured to obtain a non-axial, direct, optical view of at least one of the plurality of axial sub-zones, and an impurity detection system in optical communication with the optical port assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Peter Micah Sandvik, Richard Dale Slates, Alexey Vasily Vert, Samer Aljabari
  • Publication number: 20130199190
    Abstract: A fuel injection assembly for use in a turbine engine is provided. The fuel injection assembly includes a plurality of tube assemblies wherein each of the plurality of tube assemblies includes a plurality of tubes. At least one injection system is coupled to at least one tube assembly of the plurality of tube assemblies. The injection system includes a fuel delivery pipe and a fluid supply member coupled to the fuel delivery pipe, wherein the fluid supply member is positioned a predefined distance upstream from the tube assembly and includes at least one first portion having an annular end portion. The annular end portion includes at least one opening for delivering fluid toward the tube assembly for reducing dynamic pressure oscillations and/or reducing the temperature within a combustor during operation of the turbine engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2012
    Publication date: August 8, 2013
    Inventors: Jong Ho Uhm, Thomas Edward Johnson, Chunyang Wu
  • Publication number: 20130199199
    Abstract: The invention relates to the drive for a turbine, in particular for an aviation turbine, as well as to a method for operating such a turbine. An aviation turbine is a gas turbine that accelerates an aircraft. The invention further relates to an aircraft having the drive for a turbine. According to the invention, a drive for a turbine is provided with a compressor for compressing air, with a nozzle for injecting a first fuel into the compressed air, and with a combustion chamber for igniting the air-fuel mixture. Furthermore, the drive comprises another nozzle for injecting a second fuel. The nozzle for injecting a first fuel serves for starting the drive or a turbine engine comprising the drive as well as a turbine, which provides mechanical energy by the igniting the air-fuel mixture. Therefore, the first fuel is a conventional fuel, in particular kerosene. It is thus ensured that the engine can be started at any time, because it is, or at least can be, of a conventional design in this regard.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2010
    Publication date: August 8, 2013
    Inventor: Horst Jan Moddemann
  • Publication number: 20130192237
    Abstract: A fuel injector system for a turbine engine may include a center body disposed about a longitudinal axis and a barrel housing positioned radially outwardly from the center body to define an annular passageway therebetween. The fuel injector may also include one or more fuel discharge outlets positioned in the annular passageway. The one or more fuel discharge outlets may be configured to discharge pulses of a fuel into the annular passageway. The fuel injector may further include one or more fluidic oscillators fluidly coupled to the one or more fuel discharge outlets. The one or more fluidic oscillators may be configured to induce pulsations in the fuel discharged by the one or more fuel discharge outlets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2012
    Publication date: August 1, 2013
    Inventor: Gareth W. Oskam
  • Publication number: 20130186093
    Abstract: Disclosed is a process of fabricating a fuel nozzle assembly, a process of fabricating a fuel nozzle ring, and a fuel nozzle ring. The process of fabricating the fuel nozzle assembly includes providing a fuel nozzle end cover, positioning a fuel nozzle ring within a cavity of the fuel nozzle end cover, and securing the fuel nozzle ring to the fuel nozzle end cover to form features corresponding to one or more of the fuel nozzle end cover and a fuel nozzle insert. The process of fabricating the fuel nozzle ring includes forming the fuel nozzle ring with at least one surface corresponding to one or more of a fuel nozzle end cover and a fuel nozzle insert. The fuel nozzle ring includes at least one surface corresponding to one or more of a fuel nozzle end cover and a fuel nozzle insert.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2012
    Publication date: July 25, 2013
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Amit MONGA, Nitin Subramanya SARJA, Bhaskara Rao ATCHUTA, John Greg OBEIRNE
  • 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
  • Publication number: 20130180256
    Abstract: According to one aspect of the invention, a fuel nozzle assembly for a turbine includes an outer conduit of a fuel nozzle and a cap assembly to receive at least a portion of the fuel nozzle. The assembly also includes a spring disposed about the outer conduit and within an annular recess of the cap assembly, wherein the spring provides frictional damping to resist movement of the fuel nozzle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2012
    Publication date: July 18, 2013
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventor: Lucas John Stoia
  • Publication number: 20130180249
    Abstract: A system for injecting a fluid into a wall boundary layer of a flow in a turbomachine is disclosed. The system has a plurality of nozzles which are disposed in a side wall limiting the flow and are oriented diagonally in the direction of flow. The nozzles each have a rectangular, flat nozzle cross-section. A compressor having such a system, as well as a turbomachine having such a compressor, are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2012
    Publication date: July 18, 2013
    Applicant: MTU Aero Engines GmbH
    Inventor: Sven HILLER
  • Publication number: 20130180250
    Abstract: A fuel supply apparatus is provided with a plurality of flow-rate regulating valves that regulate the flow rate of fuel flowing in a fuel supply line; a calculating section that calculates a required flow-rate coefficient on the basis of at least a fuel pressure in the fuel flow upstream of the flow-rate regulating valves, a pressure determined in advance as a fuel pressure downstream of the flow-rate regulating valves, and the flow rate of fuel to be supplied to one fuel nozzle among different kinds of fuel nozzles, the required flow-rate coefficient being the coefficient of the flow-rate regulating valve corresponding to the one fuel nozzle; and a valve control section that controls the degree-of-opening of the flow-rate regulating valve corresponding to the one fuel nozzle on the basis of the required flow-rate coefficient.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2012
    Publication date: July 18, 2013
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
  • Patent number: 8484978
    Abstract: A method of assembling a fuel nozzle assembly for a gas turbine engine having a natural operating frequency includes providing a flange and providing a premix tube. The flange is fabricated from a first alloy such that the flange is configured to exhibit a first frequency that is different than the natural operating frequency of the gas turbine engine. The premix tube is fabricated from a second alloy such that the premix tube is configured to exhibit a second frequency that is different from the natural operating frequency of the gas turbine engine. The premix tube is coupled to the flange.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Donald Mark Bailey, Scott Robert Simmons, Marcus Byron Huffman
  • Publication number: 20130174563
    Abstract: A combustor fuel nozzle includes a center body and an inner shroud that circumferentially surrounds at least a portion of the center body. The inner shroud has a downstream surface. The fuel nozzle includes an inner passage between the center body and the inner shroud, an outer passage that circumferentially surrounds at least a portion of the inner shroud and a first plurality of fuel ports extending substantially radially outward through the center body. The first plurality of fuel ports is upstream from the downstream surface of the inner shroud. A method for supplying fuel to a combustor fuel nozzle includes flowing a working fluid through an inner passage between a center body and an inner shroud, injecting a fuel from the center body against the inner shroud, and flowing a portion of the working fluid through an outer passage that surrounds at least a portion of the inner shroud.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2012
    Publication date: July 11, 2013
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Gregory Allen Boardman, Ronald James Chila, Johnie F. McConnaughhay
  • Patent number: 8479519
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for a diffusion tip for use with a fuel nozzle is described. The diffusion tip has a substantially circular body including an outer surface and an opposite inner surface. The diffusion tip body extends from a discharge end to an inlet end. The diffusion tip includes an inlet surface adjacent to the discharge end and defined within the body. A discharge surface is defined opposite the inlet surface. A plurality of diffusion apertures each extend between the discharge surface and the inlet surface, each aperture is oriented relative to the body to discharge a diffusion flow outward therefrom at an angle ? (gamma) measured in an X-Z plane between a centerline of the aperture and an X-axis extending tangentially to the outer surface, and at an angle ? (theta) measured in a Y-Z plane between the centerline of the aperture and a Y-axis extending radially outward from the centerline.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Wei Chen, William Lawrence Byrne, Xiaoguang Yu, James Harper
  • Publication number: 20130167544
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine fuel injector is disclosed having a plurality of fuel injection circuits that are structured to deliver fuel to air passageways. In one non-limiting embodiment, one of the fuel injection circuits includes a plain jet airblast injector that delivers fuel to an air passageway. In some applications the plain jet can extend across the air passageway and deliver a fuel to an opposite surface to form a fuel film. The fuel film can then be sheared between an air in the air passageway and an air in a nearby air passageway. Another of the fuel injection circuits includes a fuel filmer structured to deliver fuel to an air passageway that can then be sheared by an air in the air passageway and an air in the air passageway that included the plain jet airblast injector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2011
    Publication date: July 4, 2013
    Inventor: Dan Nickolaus
  • Publication number: 20130167546
    Abstract: A combustor is provided in which a fuel and working fluid can be injected in an annulus. In one form the fuel and working fluid is circumferentially flowed within the annulus and traverses the annulus in an axial direction from one side to another side where the flow exits. The working fluid and air can be co-axially admitted to the combustor and in one form the working fluid can be swirled about the fuel dispensed from a fuel injector. The combustor can provide for a rich burning zone. In one embodiment the combustor is configured as an inter-turbine combustor having an outlet at one axial side of the combustor. A lean burn region can be created within a flow path of the turbine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2011
    Publication date: July 4, 2013
    Inventor: Jushan Chin
  • 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: 8468831
    Abstract: Embodiments of this invention provide a premixed pilot assembly for use with a fuel nozzle for a turbine. The level of nitrogen oxide (NOx) emitted by the pilot is reduced by mixing the fuel and air fast, at the end of the pilot nozzle, thereby avoiding significant zones of rich fuel and air mixtures. The air is mixed with the fuel through the use of openings in a first cylinder and a second cylinder, one of which carries air and one of which carries pilot fuel. The openings can be configured as necessary to obtain a desired effect on the pilot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Krishnakumar Venkataraman, Manish Kumar, Jason Thurman Stewart
  • Publication number: 20130152594
    Abstract: A fuel injector for a gas turbine engine includes an injector housing having a central cavity configured to fluidly couple with a combustor of the gas turbine engine. The fuel injector may include a fuel nozzle at the upstream end of the central cavity. The fuel nozzle may be configured to direct a first fuel into the central cavity. The fuel injector may also include an annular air inlet disposed circumferentially about the fuel nozzle at the upstream end of the central cavity, and an annular air discharge outlet circumferentially disposed about the exit opening of the central cavity. The fuel injector may further include an annular fuel discharge outlet circumferentially disposed about the air discharge outlet. The fuel discharge outlet may be configured to discharge a second fuel into the combustor circumferentially around the air discharge outlet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2011
    Publication date: June 20, 2013
    Inventor: Gareth W. Oskam
  • Publication number: 20130152593
    Abstract: A fuel injector for a gas turbine engine may include an injector housing having a central cavity configured to be fluidly coupled to a combustor of the turbine engine. The central cavity may also be configured to direct a first fuel into the combustor substantially unmixed with air. The fuel injector may also include an annular air discharge outlet circumferentially disposed about the downstream end of the central cavity. The air discharge outlet may be configured to discharge compressed air into the combustor circumferentially about the first fuel from the central cavity. The fuel injector may also include an annular fuel discharge outlet circumferentially disposed about the air discharge outlet at the downstream end. The fuel discharge outlet may be configured to discharge a second fuel into the combustor circumferentially about the compressed air from the air discharge outlet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2011
    Publication date: June 20, 2013
    Inventor: Gareth W. Oskam
  • Patent number: 8464539
    Abstract: A nozzle assembly (10) comprising a first inlet tube (14), a second inlet tube (15), and a nozzle (16). The nozzle (16) is formed from a stack of plates (20-38) which are joined together in face-to-face contact. The plates (20-38) collectively have openings which define a nozzle outlet, a first inlet, a second inlet, a first circuit from the first inlet to the nozzle outlet, a second circuit from the second inlet to the nozzle outlet, and a fluid-outlet chamber through which both the first circuit and the second circuit pass. The nozzle assembly (10) can be used as a fuel injector for a gas turbine engine, with jet fuel being supplied to the first circuit during start-up and low power conditions and jet fuel being supplied to both the first circuit and the second circuit during high power conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: Parker-Hannifin Corporation
    Inventors: Robert R. Pelletier, James R. Pavlik
  • Patent number: 8464538
    Abstract: A trapped vortex combustor includes a trapped vortex cavity having a first surface and a second surface. A plurality of fluidic mixers are disposed circumferentially along the first surface and the second surface of the trapped vortex cavity. At least one fluidic mixer includes a first open end receiving a first fluid stream, a coanda profile in the proximity of the first open end, a fuel plenum to discharge a fuel stream over the coanda profile, and a second open end for receiving the mixture of the first fluid stream and the fuel stream and discharging the mixture of the first fluid stream and the fuel stream in the trapped vortex cavity. The coanda profile is configured to enable attachment of the fuel stream to the coanda profile to form a boundary layer of the fuel stream and, to entrain the incoming first fluid stream to the boundary layer of the fuel stream to form a mixture of the first fluid stream and the fuel stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Andrei Tristan Evulet, Gustavo Adolfo Ledezma, Corey Bourassa
  • Publication number: 20130145766
    Abstract: A combustor for a gas turbine engine comprises an inner annular liner wall and an outer annular liner wall cooperating to form a combustion chamber of the combustor. A first dome wall has a circumferential array of first fuel injection bores. A second dome has a circumferential array of second fuel injection bores, An intermediate wall extends between the first dome wall and the second dome wall. A first combustion stage is defined by the inner liner wall forward end, the first dome wall and the intermediate wall. A second combustion stage is defined at least by the outer liner wall forward end, the second dome wall and the intermediate wall, the first combustion stage communicating with the first fuel injection bores, the second combustion stage communicating with the second fuel injection bores.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2011
    Publication date: June 13, 2013
    Inventors: Eduardo HAWIE, Nigel Davenport
  • Publication number: 20130145767
    Abstract: A combustor for a gas turbine engine comprises an inner annular liner and an outer annular liner. First and second combustion stages are defined between the liners. Each combustion stage has a plurality of fuel injection bores distributed in a liner wall defining the respective stage. A lobed mixer extends into the combustor, the lobed mixer arranged to receive combustion gases from each combustion stage for mixing flows of said combustion gases.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2011
    Publication date: June 13, 2013
    Inventors: Eduardo Hawie, Nigel Davenport