Gas Turbine Fuel Injection Apparatus Multi-Plane Atomization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current fuel injection systems for gas turbines face limitations in accelerating fuel atomization due to insufficient fuel-air collision efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A fuel injection apparatus design featuring a fuel supply pipe, a first manifold with a nozzle, a second manifold with an air inlet and fuel outlet, and swirlers that guide air to intersect with the fuel spray, allowing for multiple collisions between fuel and air to enhance atomization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If fuel is sprayed from an external surface of a fuel nozzle body with air sprayed perpendicular to the fuel spray direction, then combustion surface area is increased through atomization, but fuel atomization acceleration is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a single-plane perpendicular spray configuration to a multi-dimensional atomization system. The first swirler creates radial airflow in a first plane, while the second swirler creates radial airflow in a second plane intersecting the first plane. This multi-planar arrangement enables fuel particles to collide with air from multiple directions simultaneously, significantly enhancing atomization acceleration while maintaining increased combustion surface area.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent divides the atomization process into multiple stages using separate functional components. The first manifold with nozzle performs initial fuel spray, while the first and second swirlers perform sequential air-fuel mixing in different planes. This segmentation allows each component to specialize in a specific aspect of atomization, achieving both sufficient combustion surface area and accelerated atomization rate.
2Productivity
If a single swirler is used to mix fuel and air, then device complexity is reduced, but fuel atomization efficiency is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent justifies the increased device complexity by introducing spatial dimensionality. The first swirler operates in a first radial direction from the fuel spray axis, while the second swirler operates in a second radial direction that intersects the first plane. This multi-dimensional arrangement maximizes fuel-air collision opportunities, achieving superior atomization efficiency that outweighs the added complexity of multiple swirlers and manifolds.
Solution Approach 2:
Each swirler and manifold is positioned to create localized optimal mixing zones. The first swirler creates a specific radial airflow pattern in its plane, while the second swirler creates a complementary pattern in the intersecting plane. This local optimization at each stage results in cumulative improvement in overall atomization efficiency, justifying the additional components.
3Productivity
If fuel and air are sprayed in parallel directions only, then device structure is simplified, but collision efficiency between fuel and air is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs multi-planar spray configurations where the first swirler generates radial airflow in a first plane and the second swirler generates radial airflow in a second plane that intersects the first plane. This creates intersecting spray trajectories that maximize fuel-air collision efficiency from multiple angles, rather than relying on simple parallel or single-direction perpendicular arrangements.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The apparatus accelerates fuel atomization by enabling fuel and air to collide in both parallel and intersecting directions, improving combustion efficiency in gas turbines.
Implementation Method 1
a first manifold connected to the fuel supply pipe and including a nozzle through which fuel is sprayed
Implementation Method 2
a first swirler surrounding the second manifold at a predetermined interval apart from the second manifold in the radial direction and configured to cause the fuel to collide with the air
Implementation Method 3
a second swirler located in a space formed between the first manifold and the second manifold and configured to guide the air introduced into the air inlet to the fuel outlet
Implementation Method 4
a fuel outlet where the fuel sprayed through the nozzle collides with the air
Data Source
AI summary
A fuel injection apparatus for a gas turbine includes a fuel supply pipe; a first manifold connected to the fuel supply pipe and comprising a nozzle through which fuel is sprayed; a second manifold at least partially surrounding the first manifold at a predetermined interval apart from the first manifold in a radial direction, the second manifold including: an air inlet through which a first portion of air is introduced into the second manifold; and a fuel outlet where the fuel sprayed through the nozzle collides with the air thereby forming mixed fuel; and a first swirler provided at a predetermined interval apart from the second manifold in the radial direction, the first swirler configured to swirl the air toward the air inlet and the fuel outlet.