Abstract: A fuel nozzle for injecting fuel and air into a combustor of a gas turbine engine, the fuel nozzle comprising: an outer component having an outward surface adapted for exposure to a flow of hot gas within the combustor, and an inward surface; an inner component concentrically disposed within the inward surface of outer component along a nozzle axis, the inner component defining an axially extending air flow channel; an air passage bore extending through the outward surface of the outer component and communicating with the air flow channel; and a thermal insulating sleeve disposed within the air passage bore, the sleeve having a sleeve body spaced apart from the outer component by an air gap.

Abstract: A fuel nozzle (18) for a gas turbine engine comprises a nozzle stem (55), a nozzle tip assembly (60) and a nozzle sheath (50). A plurality of inlets (82) allow air to flow into the interior (90) of the sheath (50); fuel is flowed into the nozzle (18) through a fuel passage (135) in fluid communication with a fuel manifold. The fuel enters a fuel channel (140) defined by the stem (55) and tip assembly (60), and then passes into a fuel gallery (185) through a plurality of metering holes (190). Fuel swirls out of the tip assembly (60), where it is caught between, and squeezed by, first and second streams of air passing out of radially spaced apart air passages (145) and (220).

Abstract: A fuel supply system for a gas turbine engine comprises a housing having a housing interior chamber and a fuel swirler disposed inside the housing interior chamber. The fuel swirler has an upstream end and downstream end relative to a fuel flow direction along a fuel nozzle longitudinal axis. The fuel swirler has a first axial fuel passage along the longitudinal axis in fluid communication with a first fuel supply and terminating at a first fuel outlet at the downstream end, a second axial fuel passage along the longitudinal axis in fluid communication with a second fuel supply and terminating at a second fuel outlet at the downstream end, and a plurality of compressed air outlets at the downstream end. The first fuel outlet is positioned on an outermost surface of the fuel swirler and leads directly to a mixing site downstream of the fuel swirler.

Abstract: A fuel conveying member in a fuel system of a gas turbine engine includes a heat pipe disposed in heat transfer communication with a fuel flow passage of the fuel conveying member, such that heat is transferred by the heat pipe from a high temperature region to a lower temperature region of the fuel flow passage. The heat pipe has a constant mass or working fluid enclosed within a sealed chamber in heat transfer communication with fuel in said fuel flow passage, said working fluid being self-circulating in a fluid flow having a liquid portion and a vapor portion, said working fluid passively boiling, flowing and condensing to transfer heat from said high temperature region to said lower temperature region.

Abstract: There is provided a combustor comprising a dome and a shell extending from the dome defining a combustion chamber. A dome heat shield is mounted to the dome inside the combustion chamber. A front heat shield is mounted to the shell and spaced therefrom. The dome heat shield has a lip extending generally away from the dome heat shield and generally parallel to the shell and spaced inwardly of the front heat shield to define a gap between the lip and the front heat shield. The front heat shield has a leading edge opposite the lip. The combustor has impingement holes extending through the shell and disposed to direct impingement cooling jets to the upstream portion of the front heat shield. The leading edge, of the front heat shield has at least one scallop defining an opening and disposed to allow the impingement cooling jets to impinge directly on a portion of the peripheral lip adjacent the scallop.

Abstract: A fuel nozzle with a ring of fuel spray orifices directing fuel jets at a fuel vortex generator having a fuel deflecting surface disposed downstream a distance from each fuel spray orifice. A mixing chamber is defined between the fuel spray orifices and the fuel deflecting surface having a surface contour oriented to deflect fuel jets into the mixing chamber in counter-rotating adjacent pairs of fuel laden vortices. An air inlet supplies air to the mixing chamber via an airflow vortex generator having an airflow deflecting surface with a surface contour oriented to deflect airflow into the mixing chamber in counter-rotating adjacent pairs of airflow vortices. A fuel-air mixture outlet downstream from the mixing chamber releases the fuel-air mixture into a combustor for ignition.

Abstract: A stem member for a gas turbine fuel nozzle includes inlet and outlet ends which are respectively adapted to be connected to a fuel adapter which is coupled to a fuel injector and a tip assembly having at least one spray orifice for atomizing fuel into a combustion chamber. The stem member further includes at least one slot which is sealed throughout the length thereof by a slot cover so as to define at least one fuel conduit for directing fuel flow from the inlet end to the outlet end of the stem member. An outer shield can be disposed outwardly of the stem member to protect and limit the transfer of heat from the surroundings to the stem member.

Abstract: A floating collar assembly for damping vibration and sealing between a combustor and a fuel nozzle of a gas turbine engine. The combustor has a nozzle opening with an outer peripheral abutment surface and the nozzle is integral with an internal fuel manifold that is secured to the engine core relative to the combustor. The nozzle has a cylindrical body aligned with the nozzle opening and has a shoulder laterally extending from the nozzle body. An annular floating collar has a combustor face adapted for radial sliding engagement with the abutment surface, a central aperture adapted for axial sliding engagement with the cylindrical body and an outer bearing surface. A wave spring is disposed between the outer bearing surface of the floating collar and an inner surface of the nozzle shoulder, for maintaining sealing engagement, for damping vibration, and for impeding relative rotation between the nozzle and the combustor, while accommodating axial and radial relative displacement.

Abstract: The present invention includes a fuel distributor for a fuel nozzle in a gas turbine engine comprising an inner tubular body and an outer tubular body respectively having an outer body inner surface and an inner body outer surface adapted to be in sealing contact one with the other, at least two helical fuel channels defined in at least one of the inner and outer surfaces and being in fluid communication with a fuel inlet, and a channel exit port for each helical fuel channel. The present invention also includes a method of distributing fuel in a fuel nozzle comprising the steps of providing at least two helical channels in the fuel nozzle, each having a channel exit port, providing a fuel inlet cavity in fluid communication with the helical channels, and flowing fuel in the fuel inlet cavity, the helical channels and the channel exit ports.

Abstract: A fuel injector for a combustor presented either as a simplex or duplex pressurized fuel injector, wherein the fuel is introduced into the injector to provide a swirl to the fuel in a first annular channel which communicates with a coaxial conical fuel swirl chamber and then the primary nozzle. In a duplex version, a secondary annular swirl channel is provided for spinning the fuel and communicating downstream with a conical fuel swirl chamber and eventually an annular nozzle whereby the fuel is atomized as it exits the nozzle. An air swirler is also provided with the fuel injector, and the air swirler includes air passages arranged in an annular array about the fuel injector tip. A second array of auxiliary air passages can be arranged spaced radially from the first array and also to provide an air swirl and to control the spray cone of the fuel air mixture.

Abstract: A head part of an annular combustor for a gas turbine includes an annular bulkhead at the upstream end of the combustor. The bulkhead includes a first annular section integrally, inwardly and radially extending from the outer annular wall of the combustor, and a second annular section integrally, outwardly and radially extending from the annular inner wall of the combustor. The first and second annular sections are overlapped adjacent to the annular inner wall and secured together by segmented heat shields which have integrated threaded studs engaging with self-locking nuts, and cover the downstream side of bulkhead. The first annular section has a plurality of apertures circumferentially spaced apart from one another to receive fuel burners. Each burner is radial-displaceably positioned in the aperture and sealed by a burner collar, which is clamped between the heat shield and the bulkhead wall.

Abstract: The invention relates to a simple low cost fuel nozzle support stem that can be manufactured to meet extremely close tolerances with enhanced structural rigidity through use of a cylindrical stem body machined from solid bar stock. Superior thermal control to regulate thermal displacement of the stem body and to prevent fuel coking is provided by a concentric secondary fuel bore and a primary fuel tube disposed within the bore. The low pressure secondary fuel flow encircles the high pressure primary flow tube and serves to cool the fuel tube and cylindrical stem body in a uniform symmetric manner. An outer cylindrical insulating sleeve mounted on shoulders extending from the cylindrical body of the stem defines an elongate annular insulating air gap between the sleeve and cylindrical stem body. The support stem includes a dual fuel spray nozzle and a fuel adapter/mounting flange that are mounted to the stem body with simple cylindrical sockets.