CN-116412415-B - Engine fuel nozzle and swirler

CN116412415BCN 116412415 BCN116412415 BCN 116412415BCN-116412415-B

Abstract

Turbine engines may utilize combustors to combust fuel to drive turbines that drive the engine. The fuel nozzle assembly may supply fuel to the combustor for combustion or ignition of the fuel. The fuel nozzle assembly may include a swirler and a fuel nozzle to supply a mixture of fuel and air for combustion. The increased efficiency and carbon-containing emissions requirements benefit from the use of alternative fuels that burn at higher temperatures than conventional fuels, requiring improved fuel introduction without flame holding or flashback.

Inventors

Pradip Nike
JOSEPH ZELINA
Palumaru ucanti
Michael T. Baccaro
Ajoy patray
Mannampati.G.Giridaran
Steven.C.Weese
Michael. A. Benjamin
Srippas Mohan
R. Narasimha Hiranson

Assignees

通用电气公司

Dates

Publication Date: 20260505
Application Date: 20220831
Priority Date: 20220310

Claims (16)

1. A turbine engine, comprising: A compressor section, a combustor section, and a turbine section in a serial flow arrangement, the combustor section including a fuel nozzle assembly comprising: A fuel nozzle defining a longitudinal axis and a radial axis orthogonal to the longitudinal axis, the fuel nozzle comprising: A fuel passage terminating at an outlet, the fuel nozzle including a nozzle tip coaxial with the longitudinal axis, the fuel passage configured to discharge a flow of fuel through the outlet; a swirler configured to provide a swirling flow of compressed air mixed with the fuel stream downstream of the outlet; A nozzle cover disposed within the fuel passage to receive the fuel stream from the fuel passage, the nozzle cover including a set of openings to supply the fuel stream therethrough, Wherein the set of openings are arranged in a plurality of rows circumferentially defined with respect to and spaced apart from the longitudinal axis, the plurality of rows having a first partial row of the plurality of rows and a second partial row of the plurality of rows, the first partial row of the plurality of rows being arranged in a region within fifty percent of a radial extent of the nozzle cap, the second partial row of the plurality of rows being arranged in a region within fifty percent of the radial extent of the nozzle cap, and Wherein at least one opening in each row of the set of openings has a centerline oriented at a tangential angle with respect to the radial axis, wherein the tangential angle of the at least one opening in each of the plurality of rows disposed within the outer fifty percent of the radial extent of the nozzle cover increases with increasing radial distance from the longitudinal axis, and A nozzle lip defined between the nozzle cap and the nozzle tip, coaxial with the fuel nozzle, and including an axial portion defining a constant cross-sectional area coaxial with the fuel nozzle downstream of the nozzle cap and a diverging portion extending from the axial portion, the diverging portion defining an increasing cross-sectional area coaxial with the fuel nozzle, Wherein said at least one opening in each of said plurality of rows disposed within said inner fifty percent of said radial extent of said nozzle cap does not impart swirling motion to fuel exiting from said set of openings, thereby forming a swirl-free fuel flow, Wherein the at least one opening disposed in each of the plurality of rows within the outer fifty percent of the radial extent of the nozzle cover imparts swirling motion to the fuel exiting from the at least one opening disposed in each of the plurality of rows within the outer fifty percent of the radial extent of the nozzle cover, thereby forming a swirling fuel flow, and Wherein the non-swirling fuel stream and the swirling fuel stream together form a fuel stream exiting through the outlet such that the fuel stream has an average swirling flow of greater than 0 and less than 1.5.
2. The turbine engine of claim 1, wherein the tangential angle of an opening in the set of openings at a center of the nozzle cover is ninety degrees.
3. The turbine engine of claim 1, wherein the nozzle tip defines a lip length and the fuel nozzle defines a diameter, and a ratio of lip length to diameter is between zero and five.
4. The turbine engine of claim 1, wherein the nozzle tip defines a lip length and each opening of the set of openings defines an opening diameter, and a ratio of lip length to opening diameter is between zero and fifty.
5. The turbine engine of claim 1, wherein the diverging portion is defined on an exterior surface of the fuel nozzle.
6. The turbine engine of claim 5, wherein the diverging portion is defined on an interior surface of the fuel nozzle.
7. The turbine engine of claim 1, wherein the nozzle cover is curved in a concave or convex shape relative to a flow direction through the fuel passage.
8. The turbine engine of claim 1, further comprising a central passage extending within the fuel passage and through the nozzle cover.
9. A fuel nozzle and swirler assembly for an engine, the fuel nozzle and swirler assembly comprising: A fuel nozzle defining a longitudinal axis and a radial axis orthogonal to the longitudinal axis, the fuel nozzle including a fuel passage terminating at an outlet, the fuel nozzle including a nozzle tip coaxial with the longitudinal axis, the fuel passage configured to discharge a flow of fuel through the outlet; a swirler configured to provide a swirling flow of compressed air mixed with the fuel stream downstream of the outlet; a nozzle cap disposed within the fuel passage to receive the fuel flow from the fuel passage, the nozzle cap including a set of openings and being disposed within the fuel passage; The swirler surrounding the fuel nozzle, the swirler including a set of vanes to impart a tangential component tangential to the radial axis to fluid passing through the swirler, and A separator extending aft from the set of vanes separating the swirler into a radially outer passage and a radially inner passage; Wherein the set of openings are arranged in a plurality of rows circumferentially defined with respect to the longitudinal axis and spaced apart from the longitudinal axis, the plurality of rows having a first partial row of the plurality of rows arranged in a region within fifty percent of a radial extent of the nozzle cap and a second partial row of the plurality of rows arranged in a region within fifty percent of an outer radial extent of the nozzle cap, wherein at least one opening in each row of the set of openings has a centerline oriented at a tangential angle with respect to the radial axis, wherein the tangential angle of the at least one opening in each row of the plurality of rows arranged within fifty percent of the outer radial extent of the nozzle cap increases with increasing radial distance from the longitudinal axis, and A nozzle lip defined between the nozzle cap and the nozzle tip, coaxial with the fuel nozzle, and including an axial portion defining a constant cross-sectional area coaxial with the fuel nozzle downstream of the nozzle cap and a diverging portion extending from the axial portion, the diverging portion defining an increasing cross-sectional area coaxial with the fuel nozzle, Wherein at least one opening in each of the plurality of rows disposed within fifty percent of the inner radial extent of the nozzle cover does not impart swirling motion to fuel exiting from the at least one opening, thereby forming a swirling free fuel stream, Wherein the at least one opening in each of the plurality of rows disposed within the outer fifty percent of the radial extent of the nozzle cap imparts a swirling motion to fuel exiting the at least one opening in each of the plurality of rows disposed within the outer fifty percent of the radial extent of the nozzle cap, thereby forming a swirling fuel flow, and Wherein the non-swirling fuel stream and the swirling fuel stream together form a fuel stream exiting through the outlet such that the fuel stream has an average swirling flow of greater than 0 and less than 1.5.
10. The fuel nozzle and swirler assembly as claimed in claim 9, wherein the separator is arranged parallel to the fuel nozzle.
11. The fuel nozzle and swirler assembly of claim 9, wherein the radially outer passage and the radially inner passage are coaxial with the fuel nozzle.
12. The fuel nozzle and swirler assembly as claimed in claim 10, wherein at least some of the openings of the set of openings are arranged at tangential angles relative to a radius, the radius being defined relative to the longitudinal direction.
13. A method of providing fuel and air to a combustor of a turbine engine, the method providing a fuel supply via a fuel nozzle defining a longitudinal axis, and an air supply via a swirler surrounding the fuel nozzle, characterized in that the fuel nozzle includes a nozzle cover, a nozzle tip, and a nozzle lip defined between the nozzle cover and the nozzle tip, coaxial with the fuel nozzle, and the nozzle lip includes an axial portion and a diverging portion extending from the axial portion, the axial portion defining a constant cross-sectional area coaxial with the fuel nozzle downstream of the nozzle cover, and the diverging portion defining an increasing cross-sectional area coaxial with the fuel nozzle, the method comprising: imparting a fuel flow through a set of openings provided in the nozzle cover; Wherein the set of openings are arranged in a plurality of rows circumferentially defined with respect to and spaced apart from the longitudinal axis, the plurality of rows having a first partial row of the plurality of rows and a second partial row of the plurality of rows, the first partial row of the plurality of rows being arranged in a region within fifty percent of a radial extent of the nozzle cap and the second partial row of the plurality of rows being arranged in a region within fifty percent of the radial extent of the nozzle cap, Wherein at least one opening in each row of the set of openings has a centerline oriented at a tangential angle with respect to a radial axis orthogonal to the longitudinal axis, wherein the tangential angle of the at least one opening in each of the plurality of rows disposed within the outer fifty percent of the radial extent of the nozzle cover increases with increasing radial distance from the longitudinal axis, wherein the at least one opening in each of the plurality of rows disposed within the inner fifty percent of the radial extent of the nozzle cover does not impart swirling motion to fuel flowing from the at least one opening, thereby forming a swirling-free fuel stream; Wherein the at least one opening disposed in each of the plurality of rows within the outer fifty percent of the radial extent of the nozzle cap imparts a swirling motion to fuel exiting from the at least one opening disposed in each of the plurality of rows within the outer fifty percent of the radial extent of the nozzle cap, thereby forming a swirling fuel flow, and Wherein the non-swirling fuel stream and the swirling fuel stream together form a fuel stream exiting through an outlet such that the fuel stream has an average swirling flow of greater than 0 and less than 1.5.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein the tangential component imparted to the fuel supply is complementary to a swirl imparted to the air supply by the swirler.
15. The method of claim 14, wherein the swirler comprises a separator separating the air supply into a radially inner supply and a radially outer supply, and the tangential component imparted to the fuel supply is complementary to the swirl imparted to the radially inner supply.
16. The method of claim 14, wherein the tangential component imparted to the fuel supply counter-rotates relative to the air supply provided by the swirler.

Description

Engine fuel nozzle and swirler Cross Reference to Related Applications The present application claims priority and benefit from U.S. provisional patent application Ser. Nos. 63/294,593, filed on Ser. No. 29 at 12 at 2021, and 17/691,781, filed on Ser. No. 3 at 2022, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. Technical Field The present subject matter relates generally to engine components having one or both of a fuel nozzle and a swirler located in an engine. Background An engine, such as a turbine engine, includes a turbine driven by combustion of a combustible fuel within a combustor of the engine. Engines utilize fuel nozzles to inject combustible fuel into a combustor. The swirler provides a fuel to air mixing for efficient combustion. Drawings A full and enabling disclosure of the present disclosure, including the best mode thereof, directed to one of ordinary skill in the art, is set forth in the specification, which makes reference to the appended figures, in which: FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an engine according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a fuel nozzle and swirler for use with the engine of FIG. 1 in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of a cross-section of the fuel nozzle of FIG. 2 including a set of openings according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the outlet of the fuel nozzle of FIGS. 2 and 3 in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 5 is a cross-section of an alternative fuel nozzle and swirler for the engine of FIG. 1 in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 6 is a cross-section of an alternative outlet for a fuel nozzle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 7 is a cross-section of another alternative outlet for a fuel nozzle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 8 is a cross-section of yet another alternative outlet for a fuel nozzle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 9 is a cross-section of an alternative convex shape for a fuel nozzle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 10 is a cross-section of an alternative concave shape for a fuel nozzle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. 11-23 Depict graphs showing non-limiting exemplary embodiments of the amount of change or rate of change of swirl provided by a fuel nozzle assembly, according to exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. Detailed Description Aspects disclosed herein are directed to fuel nozzle and swirler structures located within engine components, and more particularly to fuel nozzle structures configured for use with elevated combustion engine temperatures, such as those using hydrogen fuel. Hydrogen fuel can eliminate carbon emissions, but can create challenges related to flame holding due to the higher flame speed. Current burners, when using such fuels or other high temperature fuels, can include durability risks due to flame holding on the burner components caused by flashback (flashback). For purposes of illustration, the present disclosure will be described with respect to a turbine engine for an aircraft having a combustor that drives a turbine. However, it will be appreciated that aspects disclosed herein are not limited thereto and may have general applicability within engines, including, but not limited to, turbojet engines, turboprop engines, turboshaft engines, and turbofan engines. Aspects of the disclosure discussed herein may have general applicability within non-aircraft engines having combustors, such as other mobile applications as well as non-mobile industrial, commercial, and residential applications. Reference will now be made in detail to the fuel nozzle and swirler architectures, one or more examples of which are illustrated in the figures. The detailed description uses numerical and letter designations to refer to features in the drawings. Like or similar reference numerals have been used in the drawings and description to refer to like or similar parts of the disclosure. The term "exemplary" is used herein to mean "serving as an example, instance, or illustration. Any embodiment described herein as "exemplary" is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments. Moreover, all embodiments described herein are to be considered as exemplary unless expressly stated otherwise. The terms "forward" and "aft" refer to relative positions within the turbine engine or carrier, and refer to the normal operational attitude of the turbine engine or carrier. For example, with respect to a turbine engine, forward refers to a location closer to the engine inlet and aft refers to a location closer to the engi