Twin radial splitter-chevron mixer with converging throat

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016265779-A1
Application number	US-201514644286-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 11, 2015
Priority date	Mar 11, 2015
Publication date	Sep 15, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A fuel nozzle for a gas turbine includes a first radial swirler and a second radial swirler that introduce radial swirl to a flow of pressurized air; a chevron splitter between the two swirlers that directs the swirled flow of pressurized air to a main mixer passage to form a fuel-air mixture with fuel injected into the fuel nozzle; and a main mixer passage that receives the fuel-air mixture from the premixing chamber, and includes a converging throat that accelerates the fuel-air mixture. A method of mixing fuel and air for combustion in a gas turbine includes introducing a radial swirl to first and second flows of pressurized air; directing the swirled, pressurized air to a premixing chamber via a chevron splitter; mixing the swirled, pressurized air with a fuel jet injected into the premixing chamber to form a fuel-air mixture; and accelerating the fuel-air mixture in the main mixer passage having a converging throat.

First claim

1 . A fuel nozzle for a gas turbine, comprising:
a first radial swirler and a second radial swirler that introduce radial swirl to a flow of pressurized air; a chevron splitter between the two swirlers that directs the swirled flow of pressurized air to a main mixer passage to form a fuel-air mixture with fuel injected into the fuel nozzle; and a main mixer passage that receives the fuel-air mixture from the premixing chamber, and includes a converging throat that accelerates the fuel-air mixture.

2 . The fuel nozzle of claim 1 , wherein the first and second radial swirlers are side-by-side in an axial direction of the fuel nozzle.

3 . The fuel nozzle of claim 1 , wherein the first and second radial swirlers impart counter radial swirls to the flow of pressurized air.

4 . The fuel nozzle of claim 1 , wherein the chevron splitter and mixer outer lip are corrugated.

5 . The fuel nozzle of claim 4 , wherein the chevron splitter creates a turbulent fuel-air mixture.

6 . The fuel nozzle of claim 5 , wherein at least half of the turbulence intensity of the fuel-air mixture is located in the converging throat of the main mixer passage.

7 . A method of mixing fuel and air for combustion in a gas turbine, comprising:
introducing a radial swirl to first and second flows of pressurized air; directing the swirled, pressurized air to a premixing chamber via a chevron splitter; mixing the swirled, pressurized air with a fuel jet injected into the premixing chamber to form a fuel-air mixture; and accelerating the fuel-air mixture in the main mixer passage having a converging throat.

8 . The method according to claim 7 , wherein the first and second flows of pressurized air are side-by-side in an axial direction of the premixing chamber.

9 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the chevron splitter and a mixer outer lip are corrugated and cause the mixing of the swirled, pressurized air and the fuel jet to be turbulent.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein at least half of the turbulence intensity of the fuel-air mixture is located in the converging throat of the main mixer passage.

11 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the first and second flows of pressurized air are counter swirled.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Haynes Joel Meier
• Joshi Narendra Digamber
• Walker David James
• Lim Junwoo
• Monahan Sarah Marie
• Venkatesan Krishnakumar

Classifications

• B01F5/0057

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B01F5/0403

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• F23R3/286 Primary

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

• F23R3/14

  by using swirl vanes · CPC title

• B01F3/02

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic