Diffusion Combustor Fuel Nozzle

Abstract

The present application thus provides a fuel nozzle for use with one or more flows of fuel and a flow of air in a combustor. The fuel nozzle may include one or more gas fuel passages for the one or more of flows of fuel, a swirler with one or more air chambers therein surrounding the gas fuel passages, and a collar with one or more curtain slots surrounding the swirler. The flow of air is divided between a swirler flow through the air chambers and a curtain flow through the curtain slots.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A fuel nozzle for use with one or more flows of fuel and a flow of air in a combustor, comprising:
 one or more gas fuel passages for the one or more of flows of fuel;   a swirler surrounding the one or more gas fuel passages;   the swirler comprising one or more air chambers therein; and   a collar surrounding the swirler;   the collar comprising one or more curtain slots;   wherein the flow of air is divided between a swirler flow through the one or more air chambers and a curtain flow through the one or more curtain slots.   
     
     
         2 . The fuel nozzle of  claim 1 , wherein the fuel nozzle comprises a dual fuel nozzle in a diffusion combustor. 
     
     
         3 . The fuel nozzle of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more flows of fuel comprise a gas fuel flowing through the one or more gas fuel passages. 
     
     
         4 . The fuel nozzle of  claim 3 , wherein the one or more gas fuel passages extend towards a downstream face. 
     
     
         5 . The fuel nozzle of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more flows of fuel comprise a liquid fuel flowing through a liquid fuel outlet. 
     
     
         6 . The fuel nozzle of  claim 5 , wherein the liquid fuel outlet comprises a tip outlet positioned about a fuel nozzle tip. 
     
     
         7 . The fuel nozzle of  claim 1 , wherein the swirler comprises a plurality of swirl vanes defining the one or more air chambers. 
     
     
         8 . The fuel nozzle of  claim 7 , wherein the plurality of swirl vanes comprises a plurality of gas fuel passages therethrough. 
     
     
         9 . The fuel nozzle of  claim 1 , further comprising an air inlet in communication with the one or more air chambers and the one or more curtain slots. 
     
     
         10 . The fuel nozzle of  claim 1 , wherein the collar comprises a cone extending therefrom. 
     
     
         11 . The fuel nozzle of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more curtain slots comprise an angled configuration. 
     
     
         12 . The fuel nozzle of  claim 1 , wherein the curtain flow surrounds the swirler flow. 
     
     
         13 . The fuel nozzle of  claim 1 , wherein the curtain flow surrounds a fuel-air flow of the swirler flow and the one or more flows of fuel. 
     
     
         14 . The fuel nozzle of  claim 1 , wherein the curtain flow extends along a liner. 
     
     
         15 . A method of operating a fuel nozzle in a combustor, comprising:
 providing one or more flows of fuel through the fuel nozzle;   providing a flow of air about the fuel nozzle; and   dividing the flow of air into a swirler flow through a swirler and a curtain flow through a collar such that the curtain flow surrounds a fuel-air flow of the swirler flow and the one or more flows of fuel.   
     
     
         16 . A fuel nozzle for use with one or more flows of fuel and a flow of air in a diffusion combustor, comprising:
 one or more gas fuel passages for the one or more of flows of fuel;   a swirler surrounding the one or more gas fuel passages;   the swirler comprising a plurality of swirl vanes defining a plurality of air chambers therein; and   a collar surrounding the swirler;   the collar comprising a plurality of curtain slots;   wherein the flow of air is divided between a swirler flow through the plurality of air chambers and a curtain flow through the plurality of curtain slots.   
     
     
         17 . The fuel nozzle of  claim 16 , wherein the plurality of swirl vanes comprises a plurality of gas fuel passages therethrough. 
     
     
         18 . The fuel nozzle of  claim 16 , further comprising an air inlet in communication with the plurality of air chambers and the plurality of curtain slots. 
     
     
         19 . The fuel nozzle of  claim 16 , wherein the collar comprises a cone extending therefrom. 
     
     
         20 . The diffusion combustor of  claim 16 , wherein the one or more curtain slots comprise an angled configuration.