Ex-cell-o Gmbh

Fuel Systems Textron Inc.

Robert M Halvorsen

Jerome R Bradley

Gregory F Long

Jeffrey B Hurst

Theodore R Koblish

Fei P Lee

William F Helmrich

The gas turbine combustor air swirler includes a spring temper swirler member having a plurality of air control doors or vanes so cut therein about the longitudinal axis of the combustor inlet as to be integrally and resiliently pivotally connected to the swirler member. The air control doors are progressively canted open to provide predetermined air flow rate and air swirl angle to the combustor inlet in response to increases in air pressure differential thereacross resulting from progressive increases in fuel flow through the nozzle during various regimes of engine operation. The swirler is free of linkages and sliding or other contacting components that are susceptible to binding and other malfunctions in service in the engine.

Variable area combustor air swirler

An airblast fuel injector tip is provided for reducing fuel vaporization problems as a result of high fuel temperatures without adversely affecting the airblast operational characteristics of the injector tip. The injector tip includes a fuel receiving chamber and an arcuate valve member movable relative to a valve seat member having a fuel discharge port for discharging fuel flow into the fuel receiving chamber as metered by said valve member in dependence on the pressure of fuel. The valve member comprises an arcuate reed-type valve received in a generally cylindrical tubular valve seat insert with the flow area of the fuel discharge port adjustable externally of the valve seat insert for adjusting the valve cracking pressure.

Airblast fuel injector

An airblast fuel injector tip is provided for reducing fuel vaporization problems as a result of high fuel temperatures without adversely affecting the airblast operational characteristics of the injector tip. The injector tip includes a fuel receiving chamber and a fuel discharge orifice downstream thereof and an arcuate, distensible, tubular valve member having a discharge end movable relative to a valve seat in the fuel receiving chamber in dependence on the pressure of fuel in the valve member to meter fuel to the fuel receiving chamber for discharge through the discharge orifice into a combustor.

Airblast fuel injector with tubular metering valve

An airblast fuel injector tip is provided for reducing fuel vaporization problems as a result of high fuel temperatures without adversely affecting the airblast operational characteristics of the injector tip. The injector tip includes a fuel receiving chamber and an arcuate valve member movable relative to a valve seat member having a fuel discharged port for discharging fuel flow into the fuel receiving chamber as metered by said valve member in dependence on the pressure of fuel. The valve member comprises an arcuate reed-type valve received in a generally cylindrical tubular valve seat insert with the flow area of the fuel discharge port adjustable externally of the valve seat insert for adjusting the valve cracking pressure.

An airblast fuel injector tip is provided for reducing fuel vaporization problems as a result of high fuel temperatures without adversely affecting the airblast operational characterisitics of the injector tip. The injector tip includes a fuel receiving chamber and an arcuate valve member movable relative to a valve seat member having a fuel discharge port for discharging fuel flow into the fuel receiving chamber as metered by the valve member in dependence on the pressure of fuel. The valve seat member is adjustably received on the injector tip and preferably includes a deflectable portion accessible externally of the injector tip for facilitating adjustment of the valve cracking pressure.

Airblast fuel injection with adjustable valve cracking pressure

A modular fuel nozzle assembly includes a precalibrated, stand-alone valve module having a fuel metering valve and a precalibrated, stand-alone nozzle module having a fuel injection nozzle. The valve module and nozzle module include separate support housings joined together at an interface between the two modules to facilitate manufacturing, testing and maintainability of the fuel nozzle assembly. Fuel tubes extend across the interface to interconnect fuel passages in the joined modules.

Modular fuel nozzle assembly for gas turbine engines

The airblast fuel injector capable of accommodating high fuel temperature at the injector tip without deleterious fuel vaporization problems and resultant combustion instability in a gas turbine engine includes an annular spring valve mounted on an annular shoulder of an inner injector body forming an inner air chamber with the valve having a cantilever valve head for controlling fuel flow from a fuel swirling orifice in the shoulder near the injector tip. The spring bias of the cantilever valve head is adjusted by lapping the valve head prior to fastening the spring valve to the inner injector body and before the inner injector body is assembled within an outer injector body having means forming an outer annual fuel chamber and air chamber. The method involves valving the fuel flow in the injector tip near to the fuel discharge orifice in a valve closed manner below a selected minimum fuel pressure and in a valve metering manner above the selected fuel pressure with valving located sufficiently upstream therefrom that the airblast operational characteristics of the injector are not adversely affected.

Method for making a fuel injector

Airblast fuel injector tip with integral cantilever spring fuel metering

The fuel distributing and metering assembly provides separate multiple metered fuel flows from a common fuel reservoir by including a rotary valve having multiple valve metering slots for generating separate multiple fuel flows, a valve seat having multiple seat orifices relative to which the valve metering slots are moved for metering the multiple fuel flows, and multiple fuel discharge paths for conducting multiple fuel flows to each of a plurality of fuel injection devices. Each fuel discharge path to each fuel injection device includes multiple upstream transversely spaced discharge passages and multiple downstream discharge passages nested longitudinally one inside the other with the inner downstream discharge passage aligned beneath its associated upstream discharge passage and another downstream discharge passage therearound being transversely displaced relative to its associated upstream discharge passage. A transverse discharge passage is provided inter-connecting each transversely displaced outer downstream discharge passage with its associated upstream discharge passage. Separately metered primary and secondary fuel flows can be thereby provided to each of a plurality of fuel injection devices, such as nozzles, spraybars and the like, connected to the assembly.

Fuel distributing and metering assembly

A fuel nozzle assembly with integral valve for a gas turbine engine includes an inlet fitting with a tubular wash-type fuel filter therein between a central fuel passage and an annular primary fuel manifold therearound to filter primary fuel flowing through the passage to the annular primary fuel manifold chamber on the inlet fitting. The manifold chamber is in fuel flow relation in the valve housing with a primary fuel take-off passage therein for providing primary fuel flow to a fuel nozzle.

Fuel nozzle assembly with integral valve assembly and inlet wash filter

A fuel flow distribution valve includes a valve body having a bore with a spring biased pressure responsive valve therein. The valve and an associated valve bore wall include first and second sets of slots or holes therein formed simultaneously when the valve is in a fixed position within the bore wall to cause each of said flow metering slots or holes to be located in direct communication with discharge ports thereby to minimize and simplify internal manifolding and passages within said valve body.

Fuel distribution valve

A gas turbine engine fuel distribution system includes a fuel distribution valve having a single fuel inlet and a plurality of fuel discharge ports, each of which are connected by an individual fuel manifold to the inlet of an engine fuel injector. The distribution valve has identical fuel metering holes for distributing meter fuel flow to each manifold and injector and an adjustable flow control plug located downstream of the fuel metering holes is accessible during fuel flow through the system to adjust for system inequalities to balance the system during its operation.

Fuel distribution valve flow trimming and locking means

A variable area air system means for air blast type fuel nozzles for use in gas turbine engines wherein fuel/air ratios are controlled for the purpose of controlling engine emission products to meet mandated emission standards over a wide range of engine operating conditions. The variable area air metering means is connected with a pressure responsive actuating means for controlling the air flow in single fuel system and dual fuel system air blast type fuel nozzle and support assemblies used in gas turbine engines.

Variable area means for air systems of air blast type fuel nozzle

A pressure atomizing fuel nozzle assembly for a gas turbine engine includes a support housing in which a pressure-responsive fuel check valve and metering valve are disposed in line to provide a flow of primary fuel for engine start-up and low power operation and secondary fuel for higher power operation. The check valve is located upstream between the fuel inlet and a sleeve inside of which the metering valve is disposed. The check valve prevents the fuel manifold from draining after engine shut-down and controls fuel entry to both the secondary fuel chamber within the sleeve and to an annular primary fuel chamber between the sleeve and support housing connected in fuel flow relation to the secondary chamber by a fuel filter. The primary fuel flows through the primary chamber around the exterior of the secondary chamber and through an annular primary fuel conduit disposed around the secondary fuel conduit in the housing strut to the nozzle attached to the strut. The secondary fuel flow is controlled by the downstream metering valve in the sleeve and flows interiorly of the primary fuel to the nozzle. In this way, the secondary fuel flow path is subjected to a cooling action by the primary fuel as it flows to the nozzle. The check valve is configured to provide a high closing force and to cause the secondary fuel to exert a washing action on the fuel filter incorporated into the sleeve under high power engine operation conditions.

Growing community of inventors

Birmingham, MI, United States of America

Robert M Halvorsen