Turbine engine with fuel nozzle

Abstract

An engine can utilize a combustor to combust fuel to drive the engine. A fuel nozzle assembly can supply fuel to the combustor for combustion or ignition of the fuel. The fuel nozzle assembly can include a swirler and a fuel nozzle to supply a mixture of fuel and air for combustion. Increasing efficiency and meeting emission needs can be met with the use of alternative fuels, which combust at higher temperatures or higher speeds than traditional fuels, requiring improved fuel introduction without the occurrence of flame holding or flashback.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A turbine engine comprising:
 a compressor section, combustor section, and turbine section in serial flow arrangement, with the combustor section including a fuel nozzle assembly comprising:   a fuel nozzle including a fuel passage defining a longitudinal axis, the fuel nozzle terminating at a nozzle tip;   a swirler defining a swirler passage about the fuel nozzle, wherein the swirler passage is in the form of an annular groove defining an aft facing annular groove;   a lip extending downstream from a center wall relative to a flow direction through the swirler, and the lip terminating at an aft end; and   a purge opening extending through the swirler and exhausting to the swirler passage;   wherein the nozzle tip is positioned aft of the aft end of the lip relative to the longitudinal axis.   
     
     
         2 . The turbine engine of  claim 1 , wherein the annular groove tapers downwardly from forward to aft. 
     
     
         3 . The turbine engine of  claim 2 , wherein a radial inner surface of the annular groove extends parallel to the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         4 . The turbine engine of  claim 2 , wherein a radial outer surface of the annular groove extends radially inward from forward to aft. 
     
     
         5 . The turbine engine of  claim 1 , further comprising a stacked arrangement of vanes located within the annular groove. 
     
     
         6 . The turbine engine of  claim 5 , wherein the stacked arrangement of vanes are located in a plane extending orthogonal to the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         7 . The turbine engine of  claim 1 , wherein the purge opening defines a purge axis and wherein the purge opening is arranged such that the purge axis is angled radially inward with respect to the longitudinal axis from forward to aft. 
     
     
         8 . The turbine engine of  claim 1 , wherein the swirler includes a forward wall spaced from an aft wall, and having the center wall positioned between the forward wall and the aft wall, wherein the purge opening extends through the forward wall and exhausts to the swirler passage. 
     
     
         9 . The turbine engine of  claim 8 , further comprising a set of vanes provided within the swirler. 
     
     
         10 . The turbine engine of  claim 1 , wherein the purge opening is one of a set of purge openings in annular arrangement about the fuel nozzle. 
     
     
         11 . The turbine engine of  claim 1 , wherein the purge opening is provided as an annular arrangement about the fuel nozzle. 
     
     
         12 . The turbine engine of  claim 7 , wherein the angle of the purge axis is between negative ten degrees and sixty degrees. 
     
     
         13 . The turbine engine of  claim 8 , wherein the purge opening extends through the forward wall along the fuel nozzle. 
     
     
         14 . The turbine engine of  claim 1 , wherein the purge opening includes a semicircular cross-sectional shape. 
     
     
         15 . The turbine engine of  claim 8 , wherein the annular groove is arranged within the forward wall between the purge opening and the swirler passage. 
     
     
         16 . The turbine engine of  claim 15 , wherein the purge opening is provided as multiple purge openings in stacked arrangement exhausting to the annular groove. 
     
     
         17 . A fuel nozzle assembly comprising:
 a fuel nozzle including a fuel passage defining a longitudinal axis, the fuel nozzle terminating at a nozzle tip;   a swirler defining a swirler passage about the fuel nozzle, wherein the swirler passage is in the form of an annular groove defining an aft facing annular groove;   a lip extending downstream from a center wall relative to a flow direction through the swirler, and the lip terminating at an aft end; and   a purge opening extending through the swirler and exhausting to the swirler passage;   wherein the nozzle tip is positioned aft of the aft end of the lip relative to the longitudinal axis.   
     
     
         18 . The fuel nozzle assembly of  claim 17 , wherein the annular groove tapers downwardly from forward to aft, wherein a radial inner surface of the annular groove extends parallel to the longitudinal axis, and wherein a radial outer surface of the annular groove extends radially inward from forward to aft. 
     
     
         19 . The fuel nozzle assembly of  claim 17 , further comprising a stacked arrangement of vanes located within the annular groove, wherein the stacked arrangement of vanes are located in a plane extending orthogonal to the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         20 . The fuel nozzle assembly of  claim 17 , wherein:
 the purge opening defines a purge axis and wherein the purge opening is arranged such that the purge axis is angled radially inward with respect to the longitudinal axis from forward to aft; and   the swirler includes a forward wall spaced from an aft wall, and having the center wall positioned between the forward wall and the aft wall, wherein the purge opening extends through the forward wall and exhausts to the swirler passage.