当前申请(专利权)人：
GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
原始申请(专利权)人：
GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
当前申请(专利权)人地址：
Incorporated in USA - New York, 1 River Road, Schenectady, New York 12345, United States of America
摘要：
A fuel nozzle 100 for a gas turbine engine is disclosed, the Ruel nozzle comprising at least one unitary component made using a rapid manufacturing process. In one aspect, the rapid manufacturing process is a laser sintering process. Unitary components disclosed include a conduit, swirler, distributor, venturi and a centerbody.
权利要求：
WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:
1. A fuel nozzle 100 for a gas turbine engine, the fuel nozzle 100 comprising at least one unitary component made using a rapid manufacturing process.
2. A fuel nozzle 100 according to claim 1 wherein said at least one unitary component is a unitary conduit 80 capable of flowing a fluid.
3. A fuel nozzle 100 according to claim 2 wherein the rapid manufacturing process is a laser sintering process.
4. A fuel nozzle 100 according to claim 2 wherein the unitary conduit 80 comprises a plurality of passages 84, 85 located within a body 87.
5. A fuel nozzle 100 according to claim 2 wherein the unitary conduit 80 comprises a passage 86 located within a body that branches to a plurality of sub- passages 88, 89.
6. A fuel nozzle 100 according to claim 1 wherein said at least one unitary component is a unitary distributor 300 having a distributor ring and at least one passage that is located in the distributor ring and capable of distributing a fuel to a plurality of locations in the fuel nozzle.
7. A fuel nozzle 100 according to claim 6 wherein the unitary distributor comprises a conduit capable of flowing a fuel into the unitary distributor.
8. A fuel nozzle 100 according to claim 6 wherein the unitary distributor comprises a main fuel flow passage and a pilot fuel flow passage that are at least partially located in the distributor ring.
9. A fuel nozzle 100 according to claim 6 comprising at least two pilot fuel flow passages.
10. A fuel nozzle 100 according to claim 6 further comprising an insulation gap 116 around a portion of the at least one passage 102.
11. A fuel nozzle 100 according to claim 6 wherein the rapid manufacturing process is a laser sintering process.
12. A fuel nozzle 100 according to claim 1 wherein said at least one unitary component is a unitary swirler capable of swirling an airflow within the fuel nozzle.
13. A fuel nozzle 100 according to claim 12 wherein the rapid manufacturing process a laser sintering process.
14. A fuel nozzle 100 according to claim 12 wherein the unitary swirler further comprises an adaptor that facilitates coupling of the unitary swirler to another component in the fuel nozzle.
15. A fuel nozzle 100 according to claim 14 wherein the adaptor comprises a groove capable of receiving a braze material in an arcuate wall.
16. A fuel nozzle 100 according to claim 12 wherein the unitary swirler further comprises a plurality of vanes arranged circumferentially around a swirler axis 11.
17. A fuel nozzle 100 according to claim 12 wherein the unitary swirler further comprises a body, a rim and a wall that extends between a portion of the rim and the body.
18. A fuel nozzle 100 according to claim 12 wherein the unitary swirler further comprises an insulation gap 216.
19. A fuel nozzle 100 according to claim 12 wherein the unitary swirler further comprises at least one vane that has a different geometry from another vane in the unitary swirler.
20. A fuel nozzle 100 according to claim 1 wherein said at least one unitary component is a unitary venturi that forms a mixing cavity for mixing fuel and air in the fuel nozzle.
21. A fuel nozzle 100 according to claim 20 wherein the rapid manufacturing process is a laser sintering process.
22. A fuel nozzle 100 according to claim 20 wherein the unitary venturi further comprises a swirler located between a wall and an annular splitter.
23. A fuel nozzle 100 according to claim 20 wherein the unitary venturi further comprises a heat shield located near an aft end.
24. A fuel nozzle 100 according to claim 23 wherein the heat shield further comprises a plurality of cooling slots.
25. A fuel nozzle 100 according to claim 20 wherein the unitary venturi further comprises at least one groove capable of receiving a brazing material.
26. A fuel nozzle 100 according to claim 1 wherein the at least one unitary component is a unitary centerbody 450 having an annular wall 461 that surrounds at least a portion of a distributor 300.
27. A fuel nozzle 100 according to claim 26 wherein the rapid manufacturing process is a laser sintering process.
28. A fuel nozzle 100 according to claim 26 wherein the centerbody 450 further comprises a plurality of cooling holes in the annular wall 461 arranged in a circumferential direction.
29. A fuel nozzle 100 according to claim 26 wherein the centerbody 450 further comprises a plurality of scarfs 452, 454 circumferentially arranged on the outer side of the wall 461 near the locations where fuel exits radially from the fuel nozzle.
30. A fuel nozzle 100 comprising:
a unitary distributor 300 having an annular distributor ring around an axis 11;
a unitary swirler 200 coaxially located radially inboard from the unitary distributor 300;
a pilot fuel swirler coaxially located radially inboard from the unitary swirler 200; a unitary venturi coaxially located with the pilot swirler, the unitary venturi forming an annular cavity for mixing a fuel and air within the fuel nozzle; and
a centerbody that surrounds at least a portion of the distributor ring and located coaxially with it.
31. A fuel nozzle according to claim 28 further comprising a heat shield located at an aft end of the fuel nozzle.
32. A fuel nozzle according to claim 29 wherein the heat shield forms a portion of the venturi.
33. A fuel nozzle according to claim 29 wherein the heat shield forms a portion of the centerbody.