Swirler for a burner of a gas turbine engine, burner of a gas turbine engine and gas turbine engine

Abstract

A swirler for a burner of a gas turbine engine, having a plurality of vanes extending from an outer radius of the swirler to an inner radius of the swirler and a plurality of mixing channels between the vanes to channel air from a radially outer end of the mixing channel, located essentially at an outer radius of the swirler, to a radially inner end of the mixing channel, located essentially at an inner radius of the swirler, at least one main injector for providing fuel for a main flame of the gas turbine engine, the main injector arranged at and/or in at least one of the mixing channels, and at least one pilot injector for providing fuel for a pilot flame of the gas turbine engine. A burner of a gas turbine engine and a gas turbine engine include the swirler.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A swirler for a burner of a gas turbine engine, the swirler comprising:
 a central axis,   a base plate having a base plate surface,   an annular array of vanes mounted on the base plate and each vane having a first side surface and a second side surface which meet at a trailing edge,   wherein the first side surfaces, the second side surfaces the base plate surfaces define a plurality of mixing channels between the vanes to channel air from a radially outer end of the mixing channel to a radially inner end of the mixing channel,   wherein at least one vane has a height and the trailing edge is at an inner radius from the central axis,   at least one main injector for providing fuel for a main flame, the main injector arranged at and/or in at least one of the mixing channels, and   at least one pilot injector for providing fuel for a pilot flame,   wherein the at least one pilot injector has an outlet that is arranged within 30% of the height from the base plate surface and between 80% and 150% of the inner radius.   
     
     
         2 . The swirler according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the at least one pilot injector is at least partly housed within or through an orifice in any one or more of the vane or base plate.   
     
     
         3 . The swirler according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the at least one pilot injector is arranged radially inwardly of the at least one main fuel injector.   
     
     
         4 . The swirler according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the at least one pilot injector is arranged at a distance from a center of the swirler of 100% to 120%, of the inner radius of the swirler.   
     
     
         5 . The swirler according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the at least one pilot injector is at least partly arranged in a region between an extended plane of the first side surface and an extended plane of the second side surface.   
     
     
         6 . The swirler according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the at least one pilot injector is constructed as a fuel injection lance.   
     
     
         7 . The swirler according to  claim 6 ,
 wherein the fuel injection lance comprises an angled tip.   
     
     
         8 . The swirler according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the at least one pilot injector comprises pilot fuel injectors arranged relative to alternate mixing channels or vanes.   
     
     
         9 . The swirler according to  claim 8 ,
 wherein the at least one main injector comprises main fuel injectors arranged relative to alternate mixing channels.   
     
     
         10 . The swirler according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the at least one pilot injector is arranged at and/or extends into the at least one mixing channel between 5% to 10% of the height of the trailing edge.   
     
     
         11 . The swirler according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the swirler comprises at least two pilot injectors, the at least two pilot injectors arranged at or near different mixing channels of the swirler.   
     
     
         12 . The swirler according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the at least one pilot injector and the at least one main injector are arranged at and/or in different mixing channels of the swirler.   
     
     
         13 . The swirler according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the at least one pilot injector and the at least one main injector are arranged at different heights and/or extend into different heights of the respective at least one mixing channel of the swirler and/or cause fuel to penetrate to different heights of the respective at least one mixing channel of the swirler.   
     
     
         14 . A burner of a gas turbine engine, comprising
 a swirler and   a combustion chamber,   wherein the swirler is constructed according to  claim 1 .   
     
     
         15 . A gas turbine engine, comprising
 at least one burner,   wherein the burner is constructed according  claim 14 .   
     
     
         16 . The swirler according to  claim 6 ,
 wherein the at least one pilot injector is constructed as a removable fuel injection lance.   
     
     
         17 . The swirler according to  claim 13 ,
 wherein the fuel penetrates to different heights of the respective at least one mixing channel of the swirler by regulation of an injection velocity.