Radial vane inner air swirlers
View Patent ↗A swirler includes a swirler body defining a diverging upstream surface defining a longitudinal axis and a plurality of swirl vanes extending from the diverging upstream surface. The swirl vanes are angled to impart swirl around the longitudinal axis on a fluid flow over the diverging upstream surface. An airblast injector includes a swirler as described above, and a nozzle body defining an air passage therethrough along the longitudinal axis with a diverging outlet. The swirler is operatively associated with a diverging outlet of the nozzle body. An annular swirler outlet area can be defined between downstream ends of the swirler and diverging outlet of the air passage. A throat area can be defined in the air passage upstream of the diverging outlet thereof. The swirler outlet area can be greater than the throat area.
1. An airblast injector for atomizing a liquid, comprising:
a swirler with a longitudinal axis; and
a nozzle body defining an air passage therethrough along the longitudinal axis with a diverging outlet, wherein the swirler is operatively associated with the diverging outlet of the nozzle body,
wherein the nozzle body includes a liquid circuit having an outlet radially outward of and axially overlapping the diverging outlet of the air passage for airblast atomization of liquid sprayed from the outlet of the liquid circuit assisted by swirling air from the swirler,
wherein the swirler further comprises:
a swirler body defining a diverging upstream surface and the longitudinal axis, the diverging surface extending between an upstream tip and a downstream end of the swirler body; and
a plurality of swirl vanes extending from the diverging upstream surface,
wherein the swirl vanes are angled to impart swirl around the longitudinal axis on air flowing over the diverging upstream surface,
wherein the diverging upstream surface of the swirler body and the diverging outlet of the air passage define a conical flow passage, and
wherein the plurality of swirl vanes are substantially disposed within the conical flow passage between the diverging surface of the swirler body and the diverging outlet of the nozzle body,
wherein swirl vane end surfaces of the plurality of swirl vanes are affixed to a surface of the diverging outlet defined by the nozzle body.
2. An injector as recited in claim 1 , wherein an annular swirler outlet area is defined between the downstream end of the swirler and the diverging outlet of the air passage, wherein a throat area is defined in the air passage upstream of the diverging outlet thereof, and wherein the swirler outlet area is greater than the throat area.
3. An injector as recited in claim 2 , wherein the swirler outlet area is greater than the throat area by more than 30%.
4. An injector as recited in claim 1 , wherein the swirl vane end surfaces are operatively associated with the diverging outlet radially outboard of the diverging upstream surface to form the conical flow passage through the swirl vanes that diverges away from the longitudinal axis.
5. An injector as recited in claim 4 , wherein a clearance is defined between the upstream diverging surface of the swirler and the diverging outlet of the nozzle body, wherein the clearance diminishes in the downstream direction relative to the longitudinal axis downstream of the plurality of vanes.
6. An injector as recited in claim 1 , wherein the swirler body extends further downstream along the longitudinal axis than the diverging outlet of the air passage of the nozzle body.
7. An injector as recited in claim 1 , wherein the diverging upstream surface of the swirler body intersects the longitudinal axis.
8. An injector as recited in claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of swirler vanes extend longitudinally between a leading edge and a trailing edge, both the leading edge and the trailing edge being disposed in the diverging outlet of the nozzle body air passage.
9. An airblast injector for atomizing a liquid, comprising:
a swirler with a longitudinal axis; and
a nozzle body defining an air passage therethrough along the longitudinal axis with a diverging outlet, wherein the swirler is operatively associated with the diverging outlet of the nozzle body,
wherein the nozzle body includes a liquid circuit having an outlet outboard of and directly adjacent to the diverging outlet of the air passage for airblast atomization of liquid sprayed from the outlet of the liquid circuit assisted by swirling air from the swirler,
wherein the swirler further comprises:
a swirler body defining a diverging upstream surface and the longitudinal axis, the diverging surface defining an arcuate profile extending between an upstream tip and a downstream end of the swirler body; and
a plurality of swirl vanes having leading edges extending from the diverging upstream surface,
wherein the swirl vanes are angled to impart swirl around the longitudinal axis on air flowing over the diverging upstream surface,
wherein swirl vane end surfaces of the plurality of swirl vanes are affixed to a surface of the diverging outlet defined by the nozzle body
wherein the swirl vanes overlap the outlet of the liquid circuit along the longitudinal axis of the nozzle body;
wherein the swirler body extends further in a downstream direction along the longitudinal axis than the diverging outlet of the air passage of the nozzle body.
10. An airblast injector for atomizing a liquid, comprising:
a swirler with a longitudinal axis; and
a nozzle body defining an air passage therethrough along the longitudinal axis with a diverging outlet, wherein the swirler is operatively associated with the diverging outlet of the nozzle body,
wherein the nozzle body includes a liquid circuit having an outlet radially outward and directly adjacent to the diverging outlet of the air passage for airblast atomization of liquid sprayed from the outlet of the liquid circuit assisted by swirling air from the swirler,
wherein the swirler further comprises:
a swirler body defining a diverging upstream surface and the longitudinal axis, the diverging surface extending between an upstream tip and a downstream end of the swirler body; and
a plurality of swirl vanes having leading edges extending from the diverging upstream surface,
wherein the swirl vanes are angled to impart swirl around the longitudinal axis on air flowing over the diverging upstream surface;
wherein the diverging upstream surface of the swirler body and the diverging outlet of the air passage define a conical flow passage,
wherein swirl vane end surfaces of the plurality of swirl vanes are affixed to a surface of the diverging outlet defined by the nozzle body, and
wherein each of the plurality of swirl vanes are completely disposed within the conical flow passage,
wherein each of the plurality of swirl vanes are completely disposed between the diverging upstream surface of the swirler body and the diverging outlet of the air passage.