Effusion cooled fuel nozzle tip

Abstract

A fuel injector includes a nozzle and a cap for delivering an oxidant-fuel mixture along a nozzle axis. The nozzle includes a fuel passage and a swirler. The fuel passage extends along the nozzle axis. The swirler circumscribes the fuel passage and includes an oxidant passage that converges towards the nozzle axis. The cap includes a peripheral body, an end body, and an effusion passage. The peripheral body circumscribes the swirler. The end body joins to the peripheral body and extends radially towards the nozzle axis. The effusion passage extends through the cap to intersect at least one of the peripheral body and the end body.

1 . A fuel injector configured to inject fuel along a nozzle axis, the fuel injector comprising:
 a nozzle comprising:
 a fuel passage extending along the nozzle axis; and 
 a swirler circumscribing the fuel passage and including a plurality of oxidant passages that converge towards the nozzle axis; and 
   a cap surrounding at least a portion of the nozzle, the cap comprising:
 a peripheral body circumscribing the swirler; 
 an end body joined to the peripheral body and extending radially towards the nozzle axis, the end body having an exterior end surface normal to the nozzle axis; and 
 an effusion passage extending through the cap to intersect at least one of the peripheral body and the end body from an inlet to an outlet at the exterior surface, wherein the inlet of the effusion passage fluidly communicates with a first oxidant passage of the plurality of oxidant passages, and wherein the outlet is radially outward from the plurality of oxidant passages relative to the nozzle axis; 
 wherein the effusion passage is configured to divert a portion of oxidant flow within the first oxidant passage, and 
 wherein the effusion passage is sized such that the portion of oxidant flow diverted from the first oxidant passage is less than or equal to ten percent of the oxidant flow within the first oxidant passage, and 
 wherein the effusion passage forms a circumferential angle with respect to a radial line extending from the nozzle axis, and 
 wherein the circumferential angle is greater than or equal to sixty degrees and less than or equal to eighty degrees, and 
 wherein the effusion passage forms a planar angle with respect to the exterior end surface, and 
 wherein the planar angle is greater than zero degrees and less than or equal to thirty degrees. 
   
     
     
         2 . The fuel injector of  claim 1 , wherein the effusion passage extends along a passage centerline from the inlet to the outlet that diverges radially from the nozzle axis. 
     
     
         3 . (canceled) 
     
     
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         5 . (canceled) 
     
     
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         8 . (Withdrawn, Previously Presented) The fuel injector of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of oxidant passages fluidly communicates with a region exterior to the nozzle. 
     
     
         9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . A fuel injector configured to inject fuel along a nozzle axis, the fuel injector comprising:
 a nozzle comprising:
 a fuel passage extending along the nozzle axis; and 
 a swirler circumscribing the fuel passage and including a plurality of oxidant passages that converge towards the nozzle axis; and 
   a cap surrounding at least a portion of the nozzle, the cap comprising:
 a peripheral body circumscribing the swirler; 
 an end body joined to the peripheral body and extending towards the nozzle axis, the end body having an exterior end surface normal to the nozzle axis; and 
 a plurality of effusion passages extending through the cap to intersect at least one of the peripheral body and the end body from an inlet to an outlet at the exterior surface, wherein respective inlets of the plurality of effusion passages fluidly communicate with one of the oxidant passages, and wherein respective outlets are radially outward from the plurality of oxidant passages relative to the nozzle axis; 
 wherein the plurality of effusion passages is configured to divert a portion of oxidant flow within the plurality of oxidant passages, and 
 wherein each of the plurality of effusion passages is sized such that, collectively, the portion of oxidant flow diverted from the plurality of oxidant passages is less than or equal to ten percent of the oxidant flow within the plurality of oxidant passages, and 
 wherein each effusion passage forms a circumferential angle with respect to a radial line extending from the nozzle axis, and 
 wherein each circumferential angle is greater than or equal to sixty degrees and less than or equal to eighty degrees, and 
 wherein each effusion passage forms a planar angle with respect to the exterior end surface, and 
 wherein each planar angle is greater than zero degrees and less than or equal to thirty degrees. 
   
     
     
         12 . The fuel injector of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of effusion passages diverges radially from the nozzle axis along respective centerlines extending from the inlet to the outlet of each effusion passage. 
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . (canceled)