초록 ▼

A fuel injector assembly includes a fuel injector that provides fuel to be mixed with air for ignition in a combustor. The fuel injector assembly includes a fuel shroud and a plurality of spanning members. The spanning members are spaced circumferentially on the fuel shroud between the fuel shroud a

A fuel injector assembly includes a fuel injector that provides fuel to be mixed with air for ignition in a combustor. The fuel injector assembly includes a fuel shroud and a plurality of spanning members. The spanning members are spaced circumferentially on the fuel shroud between the fuel shroud and a base plate assembly, which supports the fuel injector assembly within the combustor. The spanning members space the fuel shroud from the base plate assembly such that an annular gap is formed therebetween. The gap permits a flow of purge air therethrough to be mixed with compressed air entering the fuel shroud and with fuel provided by the fuel injector. The spanning members comprise elongate members having upstream ends that are circumferentially offset from opposed downstream ends so that the spanning members provide tangential velocity to the purge air flowing through the annular gap.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A fuel injector assembly including a fuel supply element that provides fuel to be mixed with air for ignition in a main combustion chamber of a combustor, the fuel injector assembly comprising: a pilot fuel shroud disposed about the fuel supply element, said pilot fuel shroud including a forward

1. A fuel injector assembly including a fuel supply element that provides fuel to be mixed with air for ignition in a main combustion chamber of a combustor, the fuel injector assembly comprising: a pilot fuel shroud disposed about the fuel supply element, said pilot fuel shroud including a forward end defining a compressed air inlet and an opposed aft end defining an outlet; anda plurality of spanning members spaced circumferentially on a radially outer surface of said pilot fuel shroud and extending between said pilot fuel shroud and a base plate assembly that supports said pilot fuel shroud and said spanning members within the combustor and that comprises a base plate, a pilot annulus, and a cone structure, said spanning members spacing said pilot fuel shroud from said base plate assembly such that an annular gap is formed between said radially outer surface of said pilot fuel shroud and said base plate assembly, said gap permitting a flow of purge air therethrough to be mixed with compressed air entering said pilot fuel shroud compressed air inlet and passing out said pilot fuel shroud outlet, wherein said spanning members comprise elongate members having an upstream end and an opposed downstream end, said upstream end of each said spanning member circumferentially offset from its downstream end so that said spanning members provide tangential velocity to said purge air flowing through said annular gap. 2. The fuel injector assembly according to claim 1, wherein said pilot fuel shroud comprises a swirler shroud having swirler vanes providing tangential velocity to said compressed air entering said compressed air inlet and passing out said outlet. 3. The fuel injector assembly according to claim 2, wherein said spanning members provide said tangential velocity to said purge air in a direction of rotation about said swirler shroud that is the same as a direction of rotation of said compressed air passing out said outlet. 4. The fuel injector assembly according to claim 1, wherein said spanning members extend between said pilot fuel shroud and said pilot annulus. 5. The fuel injector assembly according to claim 1, wherein said spanning members substantially center said pilot fuel shroud within an opening formed in said base plate assembly. 6. The fuel injector assembly according to claim 1, wherein said spanning members extend on said pilot fuel shroud radially outer surface at an angle relative to an axial direction, wherein said angle relative to said axial direction is between about 10 degrees and about 70 degrees. 7. The fuel injector assembly according to claim 6, wherein said angle relative to said axial direction is between about 25 degrees and about 55 degrees. 8. The fuel injector assembly according to claim 1, wherein said spanning members comprise curved members, a curvature thereof in an axial direction between said upstream and downstream ends. 9. The fuel injector assembly according to claim 1, wherein: said upstream end is a leading edge having a first thickness and said downstream end is a trailing edge having a second thickness different than said first thickness; andan intermediate section of each of said spanning members is located between said leading edge and said trailing edge thereof, said intermediate section comprising a curvature in an axial direction. 10. The fuel injector assembly according to claim 1, wherein a radial height of each of said spanning members is from about 1 mm to about 10 mm. 11. The fuel injector assembly according to claim 1, wherein a length of each of said spanning members from said upstream end to said downstream end is at least about 30 mm. 12. A fuel injector assembly including a fuel supply element that provides fuel to be mixed with air for ignition in a main combustion chamber of a combustor, the fuel injector assembly comprising: a fuel shroud disposed about the fuel supply element; anda plurality of spanning members extending between said fuel shroud and a base plate assembly that supports said fuel shroud and said spanning members in the combustor, said spanning members spacing said fuel shroud from said base plate assembly such that a gap is formed between said fuel shroud and said base plate assembly, said gap permitting a flow of purge air therethrough to be mixed with compressed air entering and then passing out of said fuel shroud, wherein said spanning members provide tangential velocity to said purge air flowing through said gap in a direction of rotation about said fuel shroud that is the same as a direction of rotation of said air passing out said fuel shroud;wherein said fuel shroud comprises one of: a pilot fuel shroud, wherein said base plate assembly comprises a base plate, a pilot annulus, and a cone structure; anda main fuel injector swirler assembly, wherein said base plate assembly comprises a base plate and a main swirler cup. 13. The fuel injector assembly according to claim 12, wherein said fuel shroud comprises a swirler shroud having swirler vanes providing tangential velocity to said compressed air entering and then passing out of said fuel shroud. 14. The fuel injector assembly according to claim 12, wherein said spanning members substantially center said fuel shroud within an opening formed in said base plate assembly. 15. The fuel injector assembly according to claim 12, wherein said spanning members extend on said fuel shroud radially outer surface at an angle relative to an axial direction, wherein said angle relative to said axial direction is between about 25 degrees and about 55 degrees. 16. The fuel injector assembly according to claim 12, wherein said spanning members comprise curved members, a curvature thereof in an axial direction between said upstream and downstream ends. 17. A fuel injector assembly including a fuel supply element that provides fuel to be mixed with air for ignition in a main combustion chamber of a combustor, the fuel injector assembly comprising: a fuel shroud comprising a main fuel injector swirler assembly disposed about the fuel supply element, said fuel shroud including a forward end defining a compressed air inlet and an opposed aft end defining an outlet; anda plurality of spanning members spaced circumferentially on a radially outer surface of said fuel shroud and extending between said main fuel injector swirler assembly and a main swirler cup of a base plate assembly that supports said fuel shroud and said spanning members within the combustor and that comprises a base plate and said main swirler cup, said spanning members spacing said fuel shroud from said base plate assembly such that an annular gap is formed between said radially outer surface of said fuel shroud and said base plate assembly, said gap permitting a flow of purge air therethrough to be mixed with compressed air entering said fuel shroud compressed air inlet and passing out said fuel shroud outlet, wherein said spanning members comprise elongate members having an upstream end and an opposed downstream end, said upstream end of each said spanning member circumferentially offset from its downstream end so that said spanning members provide tangential velocity to said purge air flowing through said annular gap. 18. The fuel injector assembly according to claim 17, wherein said spanning members at least one of: extend on said fuel shroud radially outer surface at an angle relative to an axial direction, wherein said angle relative to said axial direction is between about 25 degrees and about 55 degrees; andcomprise curved members, a curvature thereof in an axial direction between said upstream and downstream ends. 19. The fuel injector assembly according to claim 17, wherein said fuel shroud comprises a swirler shroud having swirler vanes providing tangential velocity to said compressed air entering said compressed air inlet and passing out said outlet. 20. The fuel injector assembly according to claim 19, wherein said spanning members provide said tangential velocity to said purge air in a direction of rotation about said swirler shroud that is the same as a direction of rotation of said compressed air passing out said outlet.