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A fuel nozzle for dispensing an atomized fluid spray into the combustion chamber of a gas turbine engine. The nozzle includes a body assembly with an inner fuel passage and an annular outer atomizing air passage. An array of turning vanes is disposed within the outer fuel passage. Each of the vanes

A fuel nozzle for dispensing an atomized fluid spray into the combustion chamber of a gas turbine engine. The nozzle includes a body assembly with an inner fuel passage and an annular outer atomizing air passage. An array of turning vanes is disposed within the outer fuel passage. Each of the vanes is configured generally in the shape of an airfoil in having a pressure side and an opposing suction side, the suction side of each vane being spaced-apart from a juxtaposing pressure side of an adjacent vane to define a corresponding one of a plurality of aligned air flow channels therebetween. Fuel is directed through the fuel flow channels to be issued from the nozzle as a generally helical flow having a substantial uniform velocity profile.

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1. A fuel nozzle comprising:a body assembly including an inner first air passage which extends axially along a longitudinal axis to a first terminal end defining a first discharge orifice of the nozzle, and an annular outer fuel passage extending coaxially with the inner first air passage along the

1. A fuel nozzle comprising:a body assembly including an inner first air passage which extends axially along a longitudinal axis to a first terminal end defining a first discharge orifice of the nozzle, and an annular outer fuel passage extending coaxially with the inner first air passage along the longitudinal axis to a second terminal end disposed concentrically with the first terminal end and defining a second discharge orifice oriented such that the discharge therefrom impinges on the air discharge from the first discharge orifice; and an array of first turning vanes each being configured generally in the shape of an airfoil and disposed within the fuel passage in a circular locus about the longitudinal axis, each of the first turning vanes having a pressure side and an opposing suction side and extending axially along a respective one of a corresponding array of chordal axes each disposed at a given turning angle to said longitudinal axis from a leading edge surface to a tapering trailing edge surface, the suction side of each of the first turning vanes being spaced-apart from a juxtaposing pressure side of an adjacent one of the first turning vanes to define a corresponding one of a plurality of aligned fuel flow channels therebetween, whereby fuel is directed through said fuel flow channels to be issued from the second discharge orifice as a first generally helical flow having a substantial uniform velocity profile. 2. The fuel nozzle of claim 1 wherein the suction side of each of the first turning vanes is generally convex and the pressure side of each of said first turning vanes is generally concave.3. The fuel nozzle of claim 1 wherein a segment of the suction side of each of the first turning vanes adjacent said trailing edge surface is disposed generally parallel to a corresponding segment of the pressure side of the adjacent one of the first turning vanes such that each of the fuel flow channels is defined as having a substantially uniform radial extent between the corresponding pressure and suction side segments.4. The fuel nozzle of claim 1 wherein the turning angle is between about 40-70°.5. The fuel nozzle of claim 1 wherein the body assembly comprises:a generally annular swirler member including a circumferential wall portion having an inner radial surface which defines the inner first air passage and an outer radial surface configured to define the first turning vanes; and a generally annular conduit member disposed coaxially around the swirler member and having an outer radial surface and an inner radial surface which is spaced-apart from the swirler member outer radial surface to define the fuel passage therebetween. 6. The fuel nozzle of claim 1 wherein the body assembly further includes an annular second air passage which extends coaxially around the fuel passage along the longitudinal axis to a third terminal end disposed concentrically with the second terminal end and defining a third discharge orifice oriented such that the discharge therefrom impinges on the discharge from the first and the second discharge orifice, and wherein the nozzle further comprises an array of second turning vanes each being configured generally in the shape of an airfoil and disposed within the second air passage in a generally circular locus about the longitudinal axis, each of the second turning vanes having a pressure side and an opposing suction side and extending axially along a respective one of a corresponding array of chordal axes each disposed at a given turning angle to the longitudinal axis from a leading edge surface to a tapering trailing edge surface, the suction side of each of the second turning vanes being spaced-apart from a juxtaposing pressure side of an adjacent one of the second turning vanes to define a corresponding one of a plurality of aligned air flow channels therebetween,whereby air is directed through the air flow channels to be issued from the third discharge orifice as a second generally helical flow having a substantial uniform velocity profile. 7. A method of atomizing fuel dispensed from a nozzle into a combustion chamber of a gas turbine engine, the method comprising the steps of:(a) providing the nozzle as comprising: a body assembly including an inner first air passage which extends axially along a longitudinal axis to a first terminal end defining a first discharge orifice of the nozzle, and an annular outer fuel passage extending coaxially with the inner first air passage along the longitudinal axis to a second terminal end disposed concentrically with the first terminal end and defining a second discharge orifice oriented such that the discharge therefrom impinges on the air discharge from the first discharge orifice; and an array of first turning vanes each being configured generally in the shape of an airfoil and disposed within the fuel passage in a circular locus about the longitudinal axis, each of the first turning vanes having a pressure side and an opposing suction side and extending axially along a respective one of a corresponding array of chordal axes each disposed at a given turning angle to said longitudinal axis from a leading edge surface to a tapering trailing edge surface, the suction side of each of the first turning vanes being spaced-apart from a juxtaposing pressure side of an adjacent one of the first turning vanes to define a corresponding one of a plurality of aligned fuel flow channels therebetween, (b) directing an air flow through the air passage; (c) directing a fuel flow through the fuel flow channels; (d) discharging the air flow from the first discharge orifice into the combustion chamber; and (e) discharging the fuel flow from the second discharge orifice as a first generally helical flow into the combustion chamber, the first helical flow having a generally uniform velocity profile and being directed to impinge the air flow discharge from the first discharge orifice. 8. The method of claim 7 wherein the suction side of each of the first turning vanes is generally convex and the pressure side of each of said first turning vanes is generally concave.9. The method of claim 7 wherein a segment of the suction side of each of the first turning vanes adjacent said trailing edge surface is disposed generally parallel to a corresponding segment of the pressure side of the adjacent one of the first turning vanes such that each of the fuel flow channels is defined as having a substantially uniform radial extent between the corresponding pressure and suction side segments.10. The method of claim 7 wherein the turning angle is between about 40-70°.11. The method of claim 7 wherein the body assembly comprises:a generally annular swirler member including a circumferential wall portion having an inner radial surface which defines the inner first air passage and an outer radial surface configured to define the first turning vanes; and a generally annular conduit member disposed coaxially around the swirler member and having an outer radial surface and an inner radial surface which is spaced-apart from the swirler member outer radial surface to define the fuel passage therebetween. 12. The method of claim 7 wherein the body assembly further includes an annular second passage which extends coaxially around the fuel passage along said longitudinal axis to a third terminal end disposed concentrically with the second terminal end and defining a third discharge orifice, and wherein said nozzle further comprises an array of second turning vanes each being configured generally in the shape of an airfoil and disposed within the second air passage in a generally circular locus about the longitudinal axis, each of the second turning vanes having a pressure side and an opposing suction side and extending axially along a respective one of a corresponding array of chordal axes each disposed at a given turning angle to the longitudinal axis from a leading edge surface to a tapering trailing edge surface, the suction side of each of the second turning vanes being spaced-apart from a juxtaposing pressure side of an adjacent one of the second turning vanes to define a corresponding one of a plurality of aligned air flow channels therebetween, said method further comprising the additional steps of:directing an atomizing air flow through said the air flow channels; and discharging the atomizing air flow from the third discharge orifice as a second generally helical flow into the combustion chamber, the atomizing air flow being directed to impinge on the discharges from the first and the second discharge orifice.