Combustor burner arrangement

Abstract

A burner for a combustor having a burner axis, a fuel lance, an igniter and a main air flow passage(s). The passage is angled relative to the burner axis and creates a main vortex thereabout in a first rotational direction. The main vortex travels in a direction along the burner axis, away from the surface. The fuel lance is located downstream of the igniter with respect to the first rotational direction of the main vortex so that a part of a main air flow washes over the fuel lance and over the igniter. The fuel lance has a fuel lance axis, a liquid fuel tip having a fuel outlet and an array of air assist passages having outlets arranged thereabout. The air assist passages are angled relative to create an air assist vortex about the fuel lance axis in the same rotational direction to the first rotational direction.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A burner for a combustor of a gas turbine combustor, the burner comprises comprising:
 a body having a surface and an burner axis, a fuel lance, an igniter and a main air flow passage or passages,   wherein the main air flow passage or passages is angled relative to the burner axis and creates a main vortex about the burner axis in a first rotational direction, the main vortex travels in a direction along the burner axis and away from the surface,   wherein the fuel lance is located downstream of the igniter with respect to the first rotational direction of the main vortex so that a part of a main air flow washes over the fuel lance and then over the igniter,   wherein the fuel lance comprises a fuel lance axis, a liquid fuel tip having a fuel outlet and an array of air assist passages having outlets arranged about the fuel outlet,   wherein the air assist passages are angled relative to the fuel lance axis to create an air assist vortex about the fuel lance axis in the same rotational direction to the first rotational direction.   
     
     
         2 . A-The burner for a combustor of a gas turbine combustor as claimed in  claim 1 ,
 wherein the main air flow passage or passages is tangentially angled relative to the burner axis.   
     
     
         3 . The burner for a combustor of a gas turbine combustor as claimed in  claim 1 ,
 wherein the air assist passages are radially angled μ relative to the fuel lance axis.   
     
     
         4 . The burner for a combustor of a gas turbine combustor as claimed in  claim 3 ,
 wherein the air assist passages are radially angled μ between and including 15° and 60° relative to the fuel lance axis.   
     
     
         5 . The burner for a combustor of a gas turbine combustor as claimed in  claim 3 ,
 wherein the air assist passages are radially angled μ approximately 30° relative to a tangent of the fuel lance axis.   
     
     
         6 . The burner for a combustor of a gas turbine combustor as claimed in  claim 1 ,
 wherein the air assist passages have a tangential angle δ between +/−45° relative to a tangent of the fuel lance axis.   
     
     
         7 . The burner for a combustor of a gas turbine combustor as claimed in claim k
 wherein the air assist passages have a tangential angle δ approximately 0° relative to a tangent of the fuel lance axis.   
     
     
         8 . The burner for a combustor of a gas turbine combustor as claimed in  claim 1 ,
 wherein the fuel lance and the igniter are located at the same radial distance from the burner axis.   
     
     
         9 . The burner for a combustor of a gas turbine combustor as claimed in  claim 1 ,
 wherein the fuel lance and the igniter are located at different radial distances from the burner axis.   
     
     
         10 . The burner for a combustor of a gas turbine combustor as claimed in  claim 1 ,
 wherein the fuel outlet of the fuel lance is located at or near to the surface.   
     
     
         11 . The burner for a combustor of a gas turbine combustor as claimed in  claim 1 ,
 wherein the igniter is at least partly housed within the body and has an end face, the end face is located at or near to the surface.   
     
     
         12 . The burner for a combustor of a gas turbine combustor as claimed in  claim 1 ,
 wherein the burner comprises an annular array of swirl vanes arranged about the burner axis and which form the main air flow passages.   
     
     
         13 . The burner for a combustor of a gas turbine combustor as claimed in  claim 1 ,
 wherein the main air flow passages are angled in an anti-clockwise direction and the air assist passages are angled in an anti-clockwise direction relative to a view on to the surface.   
     
     
         14 . The burner for a combustor of a gas turbine combustor as claimed in  claim 1 ,
 wherein the main air flow passages are angled in a clockwise direction and the air assist passages are angled in a clockwise direction relative to a view on to the surface.   
     
     
         15 . The burner for a combustor of a gas turbine combustor as claimed in  claim 1 ,
 wherein the fuel outlet is any one of a fuel prefilmer, an orifice or a number of orifices.   
     
     
         16 . The burner for a combustor of a gas turbine combustor as claimed in  claim 9 ,
 wherein the igniter is radially inwardly of the fuel lance.