Nozzle assembly with nozzle head having guide element

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12339004-B2
Application number	US-202318154347-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 13, 2023
Priority date	Jan 24, 2022
Publication date	Jun 24, 2025
Grant date	Jun 24, 2025

Abstract

The proposed solution relates to a nozzle assembly for a combustion chamber of an engine, having
at least one nozzle, which includes a nozzle head that extends along a nozzle longitudinal axis and has at least one nozzle exit opening for injecting fuel into a combustion space of the combustion chamber, and at least one air-guiding duct, by way of which a swirl-affected air flow can be created in the direction of the combustion space along an outer lateral surface of the nozzle head.

At least one guide element which protrudes on the outer lateral surface of the nozzle head is in a flow path for the air flow of the at least one air-guiding duct and is configured to guide at least a part of the air flow radially inwards in relation to the nozzle longitudinal axis into a central injection region downstream of the nozzle exit opening.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A nozzle assembly for a combustion chamber of an engine, comprising:
at least one nozzle including a nozzle head that extends along a nozzle longitudinal axis, and the nozzle head includes at least one nozzle exit opening and an outer lateral surface, wherein the at least one nozzle exit opening is coaxial with the nozzle longitudinal axis for injecting fuel into a combustion space of the combustion chamber, and the outer lateral surface tapers radially inward as the nozzle head extends along the nozzle longitudinal axis, and
at least one air-guiding duct including an entrance and a flow path downstream from the entrance, the at least one air-guiding duct configured to create a swirl-affected air flow swirled in a circumferential direction relative to the nozzle longitudinal axis at the entrance, and the swirl-affected air flow flowing through the flow path along the outer lateral surface of the nozzle head is conducted out of the at least one air-guiding duct and is discharged into the combustion space;
at least one guide element radially extending from the outer lateral surface of the nozzle head relative to the nozzle longitudinal axis and being aligned with the nozzle longitudinal axis, the at least one guide element being positioned in the flow path of the at least one air-guiding duct and being configured to guide a first portion of the swirl-affected air flow radially inward relative to the nozzle longitudinal axis into a central injection region downstream of the at least one nozzle exit opening;
wherein the at least one guide element is configured to deflect the first portion of the swirl-affected air flow radially inward relative to the nozzle longitudinal axis on the outer lateral surface of the nozzle head, and slow down the first portion of the swirl-affected air flow in the circumferential direction, in order to reduce rotational energy of the first portion of the swirl-affected air flow and reduce swirl of the first portion of the swirl-affected air flow in the circumferential direction as compared to a second portion of the swirl-affected air flow conducted out of the at least one air-guiding duct and discharged into the combustion space;
wherein the entrance of the at least one air-guiding duct extends radially inward relative to the nozzle longitudinal axis and defines an entrance axis, and the entrance axis intersects the outer lateral surface of the nozzle head, such that the swirled-affected air flow created at the entrance directly impinges onto the outer lateral surface of the nozzle head;
wherein the at least one guide element radially extends freely from the outer lateral surface of the nozzle head, such that a radially outer surface of the at least one guide element is freely exposed to the second portion of the swirl-affected air flow.

2. The nozzle assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one guide element has an elongate form.

3. The nozzle assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one guide element extends along the nozzle longitudinal axis on the outer lateral surface of the at least one nozzle head for at least half of a length of the at least one nozzle head as measured along the nozzle longitudinal axis.

4. The nozzle assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one guide element is formed as a fin or a rib.

5. The nozzle assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one guide element includes a plurality of guide elements, and the plurality of guide elements are positioned on the outer lateral surface of the at least one nozzle head in the circumferential direction relative to the nozzle longitudinal axis.

6. The nozzle assembly according to claim 5 , wherein the plurality of guide elements positioned on the outer lateral surface of the at least one nozzle head are evenly distributed in the circumferential direction relative to the nozzle longitudinal axis.

7. The nozzle assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one nozzle head has a conical or frustoconical form.

8. An engine including at least one of the nozzle according to claim 1 .

Assignees

• Rolls Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co Kg

Inventors

• Staufer Max

Classifications

• F23R3/283

  Attaching or cooling of fuel injecting means including supports for fuel injectors, stems, or lances · CPC title

• F23R3/14 Primary

  by using swirl vanes · CPC title

• F23R3/286 Primary

  having fuel-air premixing devices (F23R3/30 takes precedence) · CPC title

• Y02T10/12

  Improving ICE efficiencies · CPC title