Fuel preheating for fuel injection

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12497922-B1
Application number	US-202418823323-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Sep 3, 2024
Priority date	Sep 3, 2024
Publication date	Dec 16, 2025
Grant date	Dec 16, 2025

Abstract

A fuel pre-heating component in a gas turbine engine includes a component housing extending around a central axis from a first end to a second end, wherein the component housing includes walls that define an inner chamber, a heating element positioned inside the inner chamber, and a plurality of internal fuel channels disposed within the component housing and configured to be heated by the heating element.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A fuel pre-heating component in a gas turbine engine, the fuel pre-heating component comprising:
a component housing extending around a central axis from a first end to a second end, wherein the component housing includes walls that define an inner chamber; a heating element positioned inside the inner chamber; a plurality of fuel injection channels in the second end of the component housing; a plurality of splash plates directly opposing a plurality of fuel openings of the plurality of fuel injection channels into the inner chamber, wherein the splash spates are configured to atomize fuel impinging on the splash plates; and a plurality of internal fuel channels disposed within the component housing and configured to be heated by the heating element.

2 . The fuel pre-heating component of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first threaded section within the inner chamber; and a second threaded section on a first end of the heating element, where the first threaded section and second threaded section are configured to connect the heating element to the component housing.

3 . The fuel pre-heating component of claim 1 , wherein the heating element is an electrical resistance heating element.

4 . The fuel pre-heating component of claim 1 , further comprising an ignition source within the inner chamber.

5 . The fuel pre-heating component of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of internal fuel channels are disposed helically around the central axis and the heating element.

6 . The fuel pre-heating component of claim 5 , further comprising a plurality of internal air channels disposed helically around the central axis and the heating element, wherein the internal air channels are configured to preheat air.

7 . The fuel pre-heating component of claim 1 , further comprising:
at least one fuel temperature sensor at the entrance to at least one of the plurality of fuel injection channels; and a temperature controller connected to the at least one fuel temperature sensor and configured to vary power to the heating element to control the temperature of fuel in the plurality of fuel injection channels when the fuel pre-heating component is in operation.

8 . The fuel pre-heating component of claim 1 , further comprising a torch combustor attached to the second end of the fuel pre-heating component and configured to contain gases from ignited fuel.

9 . The fuel pre-heating component of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of splash plates are acutely angled with respect to the central axis to direct fuel from the plurality of fuel openings radially inward in the inner chamber.

10 . The fuel pre-heating component of claim 9 , further comprising:
a first plurality of air passageways in the component housing with a plurality of air entrances into the inner chamber, wherein each air entrance is parallel to a corresponding splash plate.

11 . The fuel pre-heating component of claim 10 , further comprising:
a second plurality of air passageways between the component housing and the heating element, wherein the second plurality of air passageways are parallel to the central axis.

12 . A system for fuel injection in a gas turbine engine, the system comprising:
a main combustor housing; a combustion chamber within the main combustor housing; at least one main fuel injector extending through a wall of the combustion chamber; a fuel pre-heating component further comprising:
a component housing extending around a central axis from a first end to a second end, wherein the component housing includes walls that define an inner chamber;
a heating element positioned inside the inner chamber; and
a plurality of internal fuel channels disposed within the component housing and configured to be heated by the heating element;
a plurality of fuel injection channels in the second end of the component housing; a plurality of fuel openings of the plurality of fuel injection channels into the inner chamber; and an ignition source within the inner chamber configured to ignite fuel in the inner chamber and provide combustion gases to the torch combustor.

13 . The system of claim 12 , wherein fuel from the plurality of internal fuel channels is fed into a main fuel passage configured to feed fuel to the at least one main fuel injector.

14 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the fuel pre-heating component is mounted through the wall of the combustion chamber, and further comprising:
a plurality of fuel injection channels in the second end of the component housing; a plurality of splash plates directly opposing a plurality of fuel openings of the plurality of fuel injection channels into the inner chamber, wherein the splash plates are configured to atomize fuel impinging on the splash plates; a first plurality of air passageways in the component housing with a plurality of air entrances into the inner chamber; a second plurality of air passageways between the component housing and the heating element; and an ignition source within the inner chamber; wherein fuel from the plurality of fuel openings is ignited by the ignition sources and injected into combustion chamber.

15 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the fuel pre-heating component is mounted on a top wall of the combustion chamber, and at least one main fuel injector is mounted on a back wall of the combustion chamber.

16 . The system of claim 12 , further comprising:
a torch combustor attached at a first end of the torch combustor to the second end of the fuel pre-heating component, and attached at a second end of the torch combustor to the wall of the combustion chamber.

17 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the torch combustor is mounted on a top wall of the combustion chamber, and at least one main fuel injector is mounted on a back wall of the combustion chamber.

18 . A system for fuel injection in a gas turbine engine, the system comprising:
a main combustor housing; a combustion chamber within the main combustor housing; at least one main fuel injector extending through a wall of the combustion chamber; a fuel pre-heating component further comprising:
a component housing extending around a central axis from a first end to a second end, wherein the component housing includes walls that define an inner chamber;
a heating element positioned inside the inner chamber; and
a plurality of internal fuel channels disposed within the component housing and configured to be heated by the heating element,
a torch combustor attached at a first end of the torch combustor to the second end of the fuel pre-heating component, and attached at a second end of the torch combustor to the wall of the combustion chamber, wherein the torch combustor is mounted on a top wall of the combustion chamber, and at least one main fuel injector is mounted on a back wall of the combustion chamber.

19 . The system of claim 18 , wherein the fuel pre-heating component is mounted through the wall of the combustion chamber, and further comprising:
a plurality of fuel injection channels in the second end of the component housing; and a plurality of splash plates directly opposing a plurality of fuel openings of the plurality of fuel injection channels into the inner chamber, wherein the splash plates are configured to atomize fuel impinging on the splash plates.

20 . The system of claim 19 , further comprising:
a first plurality of air passageways in the component housing with a plurality of air entrances into the inner chamber;

Assignees

• Collins Engine Nozzles Inc

Inventors

• Ryon Jason
• Buelow Philip
• Williams Brandon
• Tibbs Andy
• Richards Jared

Classifications

• F02M31/125

  Fuel · CPC title

• F02M53/06

  with fuel-heating means, e.g. for vaporising · CPC title

• F02C7/224 Primary

  Heating fuel before feeding to the burner · CPC title

• F02C9/28

  Regulating systems responsive to plant or ambient parameters, e.g. temperature, pressure, rotor speed (F02C9/30 - F02C9/38, F02C9/44 take precedence) · CPC title

• F02C7/264 Primary

  Ignition · CPC title