US 12,326,256 B1
Fuel nozzle for hydrogen-based fuel operation
Zhongtao Dai, West Hartford, CT (US); and Justin M. Locke, Tolland, CT (US)
Assigned to RTX Corporation, Farmington, CT (US)
Filed by RTX Corporation, Farmington, CT (US)
Filed on Apr. 4, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/626,811.
Int. Cl. F23R 3/14 (2006.01); F23R 3/28 (2006.01); F23R 3/36 (2006.01); F23R 3/00 (2006.01)
CPC F23R 3/14 (2013.01) [F23R 3/36 (2013.01); F23R 3/002 (2013.01); F23R 3/286 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A fuel nozzle for a gas turbine engine combustor, the fuel nozzle comprising:
a fuel nozzle assembly comprising:
an inflow tube disposed along and a nozzle axis, the inflow tube defining an inner air passage;
a liquid swirler concentrically disposed about the inflow tube, the liquid swirler comprising:
a liquid swirler inner wall;
a liquid swirler outer wall having a liquid swirler outer wall end portion at a downstream-most position and angled radially inward toward the nozzle axis; and
an annular liquid passage defined therebetween;
a radial air swirler (RAS) concentrically disposed about the liquid swirler outer wall, the RAS comprising:
an RAS inner wall;
an RAS outer wall having an end cap at a downstream-most position; and
an annular gas passage defined therebetween,
wherein the end cap comprises a radiused inner surface and a contoured outer surface; and
a guide swirler disposed concentrically about the RAS outer wall, the guide swirler comprising an annular air passage angled radially inward toward the nozzle axis;
wherein the contoured outer surface of the end cap extends axially downstream of the guide swirler and wherein the contoured outer surface is aligned with the annular air passage of the guide swirler.