Fuel Spray Nozzle Splitter Wall Cooling Film
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current fuel spray nozzles for gas turbine engines face challenges in efficiently atomizing fuel and managing heat loads, particularly in high-temperature combustion environments, which can lead to component damage and reduced efficiency.
Innovation Solution
The fuel spray nozzle design incorporates a primary and secondary atomiser with a splitter wall and cap wall configuration, featuring cooling holes to form a cooling film along the splitter wall, directing air flow to cool the conical portion and radially inwardly towards the fuel spray nozzle axis, separating swirling flows and enhancing atomization and heat management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If a fuel spray nozzle operates in a high-temperature combustion environment to enable effective combustion, then combustion efficiency is improved, but the nozzle components are exposed to thermal damage and reduced lifespan
Solution Approach 1:
A cooling air film is introduced as an intermediary protective layer between the hot combustion environment and the nozzle components. The cooling air swirler generates a controlled air flow that forms a protective film along the inner wall of the air swirler, isolating the thermal load from critical components while allowing combustion to proceed efficiently
Solution Approach 2:
The temperature distribution around the nozzle components is modified by introducing cooling air. The cooling air film changes the thermal parameters of the nozzle surface, maintaining it at a lower temperature than the combustion chamber environment, thereby preventing thermal damage while preserving combustion efficiency
2Reliability
If cooling air is introduced to protect nozzle components from heat, then component durability is improved, but the complexity of the nozzle structure increases
Solution Approach 1:
The air swirler component performs multiple functions: it generates the main combustion air flow and simultaneously produces the cooling air film along its inner wall. This multi-functionality allows the nozzle to achieve both combustion efficiency and thermal protection without adding separate cooling system components, thereby limiting the increase in structural complexity
3Productivity
If a splitter wall is used to separate swirling flows and direct cooling air, then atomization efficiency is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The splitter wall is integrated with the air swirler as a single combined component rather than being a separate part. This merging of functions allows the splitter wall to direct cooling air and separate flows while maintaining a compact structure that can be manufactured as one piece, reducing manufacturing complexity despite the enhanced atomization functionality
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
This design improves fuel atomization and heat management, reducing component damage and extending the lifespan of the nozzle by forming a cooling film along critical surfaces, thereby enhancing the efficiency and reliability of the gas turbine engine.
Implementation Method 1
The primary cap wall comprises splitter cooling holes configured to admit air from the primary outer air channel to form a cooling film along the splitter wall
Implementation Method 2
a primary atomiser configured to discharge a primary flow of swirled atomised fuel along and around a fuel spray nozzle axis, the primary atomiser comprising a primary outer air swirler
Data Source
Figure 1~2
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AI summary
There is disclosed a fuel spray nozzle 37 for a combustor in a gas turbine engine 10, the fuel spray nozzle 37 comprising a primary atomiser 38 configured to discharge a primary flow of swirled atomised fuel along and around a fuel spray nozzle axis 50. The primary atomiser 38 comprises a primary outer air swirler 48 disposed radially outwardly of a primary fuel pre-filmer channel 46. A secondary atomiser 40 is disposed around the primary atomiser 38 and comprises a secondary inner air swirler 60, 90 configured to swirl flow along a secondary inner air channel 68. The secondary inner air swirler 60, 90 is disposed radially inwardly of a secondary fuel pre-filmer channel 63 of the secondary atomiser 40. A primary outer air channel 58 is defined between the primary outer air swirler 48 and the secondary inner air swirler 60, 90. The secondary inner air swirler 60, 90 comprises a splitter wall 66 configured to separate swirling flow in the secondary inner air channel 68 from the primary flow of atomised fuel. The secondary inner air swirler 60, 90 comprises a primary cap wall 72 integral with and extending radially inwardly from the splitter wall 66 to direct flow from the primary outer air channel 58 inwardly towards the fuel spray nozzle axis 50.