Air shrouds with improved air wiping
View Patent ↗An air shroud for a nozzle includes an air shroud body defining an inlet and an outlet in fluid communication with one another to allow an outer airflow to issue therefrom, the air shroud body defining a downstream surface. A plurality of air wipe channels are defined within the air shroud body, wherein each of the plurality of air wipe channels is in fluid communication with at least one of a plurality of air wipe outlets and air wipe inlets. Each air wipe outlet is defined in the downstream surface of the air shroud body such that air can flow through each air wipe outlet and wipe the downstream surface of the air shroud body.
1. An air shroud for a nozzle, comprising:
a cylindrical air shroud body defining an inlet and a central mixing outlet in fluid communication with one another to allow an airflow to issue from the central mixing outlet, the cylindrical air shroud body defining a downstream exterior surface and an upstream interior surface, wherein the cylindrical air shroud body defines a cavity configured to surround the nozzle, the central mixing outlet located in the downstream exterior surface; and
a plurality of air wipe channels defined within the cylindrical air shroud body, wherein each of the plurality of air wipe channels is in fluid communication with at least one of a plurality of air wipe outlets and air wipe inlets, wherein each air wipe inlet is defined in the upstream interior surface of the cylindrical air shroud body,
wherein each air wipe outlet is defined in the downstream exterior surface of the air shroud body such that air can flow through each air wipe outlet and wipe the downstream exterior surface of the air shroud body, wherein at least one of the plurality of air wipe channels is spiraled around a central axis of the cylindrical air shroud body in at least a portion of the air wipe channel between the at least one of said plurality of air wipe outlets and air wipe inlets.
2. The air shroud of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of the air wipe channels is straight between the at least one of said plurality of air wipe outlets and air wipe inlets.
3. The air shroud of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of air wipe channels is defined non-lineraly between the at least one of said plurality of air wipe outlets and air wipe inlets.
4. The air shroud of claim 1 , wherein the at least one of said plurality of air wipe outlets are defined to direct air normally toward a central axis of the cylindrical air shroud body.
5. The air shroud of claim 1 , wherein the at least one of said plurality of air wipe outlets are defined to direct air tangentially relative to a central axis of the cylindrical air shroud body to swirl airflow about the central axis of the cylindrical air shroud body.
6. The air shroud of claim 1 , wherein the at least one of said plurality of air wipe inlets is defined on the upstream interior surface of the cylindrical air shroud body.
7. The air shroud of claim 1 , wherein the at least one of said plurality of air wipe inlets is defined on the upstream interior surface of the cylindrical air shroud body such that the plurality of air wipe channels is defined along the entire length of the cylindrical air shroud body.
8. The air shroud of claim 1 , wherein the downstream exterior surface of the cylindrical air shroud body is axially angled.
9. The air shroud of claim 1 , wherein the downstream exterior surface of the cylindrical air shroud body is conical.
10. A fuel nozzle, comprising:
a nozzle body defining a fuel circuit connecting a fuel inlet to a fuel outlet and including a prefilmer disposed in fluid communication with the fuel outlet; and
an air shroud disposed outboard of the prefilmer to direct air toward fuel issued from the nozzle body, the air shroud including: a cylindrical air shroud body defining an inlet and a central mixing outlet in fluid communication with one another to allow an airflow to issue from the central mixing outlet, the cylindrical air shroud body defining a downstream exterior surface and an upstream interior surface, wherein the cylindrical air shroud body defines a cavity configured to surround the nozzle, the central mixing outlet located in the downstream exterior surface; and a plurality of air wipe channels defined within the cylindrical air shroud body, wherein each of the plurality of air wipe channels is in fluid communication with at least one of a plurality of air wipe outlets and air wipe inlets, wherein each air wipe inlet is defined in the upstream interior surface of the cylindrical air shroud body,
wherein each air wipe outlet is defined in the downstream exterior surface of the air shroud body such that air can flow through each air wipe outlet and wipe the downstream exterior surface of the air shroud body, wherein at least one of the air wipe channels is spiraled around a central axis of the cylindrical air shroud body in at least a portion of the air wipe channel between the at least one of said plurality of air wipe outlets and air wipe inlets.
11. The air shroud of claim 10 , wherein at least one of the plurality of the air wipe channels is straight between the at least one of said plurality of air wipe outlets and air wipe inlets.
12. The air shroud of claim 10 , wherein at least one of the plurality of air wipe channels is defined non-lineraly between the at least one of said plurality of air wipe outlets and air wipe inlets.
13. The air shroud of claim 10 , wherein the at least one of said plurality of air wipe outlets are defined to direct air normally toward a central axis of the cylindrical air shroud body.
14. The air shroud of claim 10 , wherein the at least one of said plurality of air wipe outlets are defined to direct air tangentially relative to a central axis of the cylindrical air shroud body to swirl airflow about the central axis of the cylindrical air shroud body.
15. The air shroud of claim 10 , wherein the at least one of said plurality of air wipe inlets is defined on the upstream interior of the cylindrical air shroud body.
16. The air shroud of claim 10 , wherein the at least one of said plurality of air wipe inlets is defined on an upstream interior surface of the cylindrical air shroud body such that the plurality of air wipe channels is defined along the entire length of the cylindrical air shroud body.
17. The air shroud of claim 10 , wherein the downstream exterior surface of the cylindrical air shroud body is axially angled.
18. The air shroud of claim 1 , wherein the downstream exterior surface of the cylindrical air shroud body is conical.