Hollow-wall heat shield for fuel injector component

Abstract

A fuel injector component includes a monolithic body devoid of joints from manufacturing, an elongate void, and a plurality of bores. The monolithic body has a first surface and a second surface. The elongate void is enclosed by the monolithic body and is integrally formed between portions of the monolithic body defining the first surface and the second surface. The plurality of bores extends into the second surface to intersect the elongate void. A process for making a fuel injector component comprises building a monolithic body having an elongate void and a plurality of ports connected to the elongate void using an additive manufacturing process that utilizes a powdered building material, and removing residual powdered building material from the elongate void through the plurality of ports.

1 . A fuel injector component comprising:
 a monolithic body devoid of joints from manufacturing, the monolithic body having:
 a first surface; and 
 a second surface; 
   an elongate void enclosed by the monolithic body, the void being integrally formed between portions of the monolithic body defining the first surface and the second surface; and   a bore extending into the second surface to intersect the elongate void.   
     
     
         2 . The fuel injector component of  claim 1 , wherein the monolithic body includes a plurality of bores extending into the second surface to intersect the elongate void. 
     
     
         3 . The fuel injector component of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the elongate void includes first and second distal ends; and   the plurality of bores are spaced from the first and second distal ends.   
     
     
         4 . The fuel injector component of  claim 3 , wherein each of the plurality of bores extends transverse to the elongate void. 
     
     
         5 . The fuel injector component of  claim 3 , wherein:
 the first surface is configured to engage a fuel flow;   the second surface is configured to engage an air flow; and   the elongate void extends from the first distal end to the second distal end in a direction in which the air flow is configured to flow.   
     
     
         6 . The fuel injector component of  claim 2 , wherein the elongate void produces dead-air space in the monolithic body that spaces portions of the first surface from portions of the second surface. 
     
     
         7 . The fuel injector component of  claim 1 , wherein the monolithic body is fabricated using a rapid manufacturing process. 
     
     
         8 . The fuel injector component of  claim 2 , and further comprising a plurality of swirl vanes extending from the first or second surface. 
     
     
         9 . A process for making a fuel injector component for use in a gas turbine engine, the process comprising:
 building a monolithic body devoid of joints from manufacturing using an additive manufacturing process that utilizes a powdered building material, the monolithic body comprising:
 a first surface configured to be in thermal communication with a fuel flow; 
 a second surface configured to be in thermal communication with an air flow; 
 an elongate void substantially enclosed by the monolithic body, the void being formed by portions of the monolithic body defining the first surface and the second surface; and 
 a plurality of ports extending into the second surface to intersect the elongate void; and 
   removing residual powdered building material from the void through the plurality of ports.   
     
     
         10 . The process for making a fuel injector component of  claim 9 , and further comprising:
 vibrating the monolithic body to facilitate removal of the residual powdered building material within the elongate void.   
     
     
         11 . The process for making a fuel injector component of  claim 9 , and further comprising:
 directing a flow of compressed air into the elongate void to facilitate removal of the residual powdered building material.   
     
     
         12 . The process for making a fuel injector component of  claim 9 , and further comprising:
 machining the monolithic body to remove material.   
     
     
         13 . The process for making a fuel injector component of  claim 12 , wherein machining the injector component body further comprises:
 smoothing a surface of the monolithic body.   
     
     
         14 . The process for making a fuel injector component of  claim 12 , wherein machining the injector component body further comprises:
 shaping a plurality of swirl vanes in a surface of the monolithic body.   
     
     
         15 . The process for making a fuel injector component of  claim 9 , wherein:
 the elongate void comprises first and second distal ends;   the plurality of ports are spaced from the first and second distal ends; and   each of the plurality of ports extends transverse to the elongate void.   
     
     
         16 . A fuel injector made the process of  claim 9 .