Swirler Vane, Swirler and Burner Assembly

Abstract

A swirler vane for providing fuel, particularly liquid fuel, to a swirling zone of a burner assembly is provided. The swirler vane includes at least one injection hole for injecting the fuel to the swirling zone of the burner and an injection feed hole passage connecting the at least one injection hole with a main fuel feed. The swirler vane or a tip of the swirler vane, where the at least one injection hole is arranged, is manufactured by laser deposition or includes at least a surface manufactured by laser deposition. A swirler including a plurality of such swirler vanes and a burner assembly including the swirler with such swirler vanes are also provided.

1 .- 14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . A swirler vane for providing fuel to a swirling zone of a burner assembly, comprising:
 an injection hole for injecting the fuel to the swirling zone of the burner assembly; and   an injection feed hole passage connecting the injection hole with a main fuel feed,   wherein the swirler vane or a tip of the swirler vane, where the injection hole is arranged, is manufactured by laser deposition or comprises a surface that is manufactured by laser deposition.   
     
     
         16 . The swirler vane as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein a wall of the injection hole is manufactured by laser deposition. 
     
     
         17 . The swirler vane as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein at least a part of the injection feed hole passage, which ends in the injection hole, is manufactured by laser deposition. 
     
     
         18 . The swirler vane as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein the swirler vane is shaped as a pie slice. 
     
     
         19 . The swirler vane as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein the injection hole includes a rectangular, a circular, a polygonal, an oval or a triangular shape. 
     
     
         20 . The swirler vane as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein the fuel is a liquid fuel. 
     
     
         21 . A swirler, comprising:
 a plurality of swirler vanes, each swirler vane, comprising:
 a first injection hole for injecting the fuel to the swirling zone of the burner assembly; and 
 an injection feed hole passage connecting the first injection hole with a main fuel feed, 
   wherein the swirler vane or a tip of the swirler vane, where the injection hole is arranged, is manufactured by laser deposition or comprises a surface that is manufactured by laser deposition.   
     
     
         22 . The swirler as claimed in  claim 21 , wherein the plurality of swirler vanes comprise a first part of an overall plurality of swirler vanes, whereby a second part of the overall plurality of swirler vanes comprise a second injection hole for injecting a second kind of fuel to a swirling zone of the burner assembly and a second injection feed hole passage connecting the second injection hole with a main second fuel feed. 
     
     
         23 . The swirler as claimed in  claim 22 , wherein the first part of the overall plurality of swirler vanes comprise an inner swirler and the second part of the overall plurality of swirler vanes comprise an outer swirler. 
     
     
         24 . The swirler as claimed in  claim 21 , wherein the swirler is part of a gas turbine engine. 
     
     
         25 . The swirler as claimed in  claim 21 , wherein each of the overall plurality of swirler vanes are shaped as a pie slice. 
     
     
         26 . A swirler, comprising:
 a plurality of swirler vanes positioned radially around a central axis of the swirler; and   a plurality of mixing channels for mixing fuel and air,   wherein the swirler is assembled from a first swirler piece and a separate second swirler piece,   wherein the first swirler piece comprises a first platform on which a plurality of first sections of the plurality of swirler vanes is attached and the second swirler piece comprises a second platform on which a plurality of second sections of the plurality of swirler vanes is attached, such as the plurality of first sections form a downstream section of walls of the plurality of mixing channels and the plurality of second sections form an upstream section of the walls of the plurality of mixing channels.   
     
     
         27 . A burner assembly, comprising:
 a swirler, comprising:
 a plurality of swirler vanes, each swirler vane, comprising:
 a first injection hole for injecting the fuel to the swirling zone of the burner assembly; and 
 an injection feed hole passage connecting the first injection hole with a main fuel feed, 
 
   wherein the swirler vane or a tip of the swirler vane, where the injection hole is arranged, is manufactured by laser deposition or comprises a surface that is manufactured by laser deposition.   
     
     
         28 . The burner assembly as claimed in  claim 27 , wherein the burner assembly is that of a gas turbine engine. 
     
     
         29 . The burner as claimed in  claim 27 ,
 wherein an inner swirler is fixed to a main fuel inlet, and   wherein the inner swirler is connected to a main fuel burner section.