Swirl-Vane Fuel Nozzle Assembly for Compact Low-NOx Combustors

The patent introduces curved flow paths and arc-shaped mixing sections within the tube structure. The fuel and air flow through curved passages that enhance turbulent mixing without requiring increased tube length, utilizing centrifugal forces and flow separation effects to improve mixing efficiency compactly

The patent employs three-dimensional helical or spiral flow paths instead of simple axial flow. By adding rotational and radial components to the flow in multiple dimensions, the mixing process is intensified within a compact tube length, transforming the flow from one-dimensional axial movement to multi-dimensional turbulent mixing

Curved mixing sections and arc-shaped flow passages create intense turbulent mixing in a compact volume, eliminating the need for long straight tubes and thereby reducing the overall combustor size while maintaining high mixing efficiency

The patent integrates multiple flow paths and mixing zones within a nested or concentric tube structure, allowing fuel and air to mix through multiple stages within a compact overall volume, effectively nesting mixing functions within a small space

Curved flow paths enhance mixing intensity and reduce residence time at high temperatures, thereby reducing thermal NOx formation while maintaining a relatively simple tube-based injection structure

The patent implements preliminary mixing sections where fuel and air are partially mixed before entering the combustion zone, creating a more uniform mixture that burns more efficiently with lower peak temperatures and reduced nitrogen oxide generation