Injector with injector elements in circumferential rows that alternate between counter-clockwise and clockwise swirl

Abstract

An injector for a liquid rocket engine includes an array of injector elements. Each injector element includes a central passage and a plurality of peripheral transverse passages. The central passages are configured to provide axial injection flow and the peripheral transverse passages are configured to provide swirl injection flow. A portion of the injector elements provide the swirl injection flow in a clockwise direction and another portion of the injector elements provide the swirl injection flow in a counter-clockwise direction. The injector elements are arranged with a single, center injector element and a plurality of circumferential rows disposed around the single, center injector element. The injector elements of each one of the circumferential rows are either all of the clockwise direction or all of the counter-clockwise direction, and from the single, center injector element moving radially outwardly the circumferential rows alternate between the clockwise direction and the counter-clockwise direction.