IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,546,475
Granted Patent B2
US 12,546,475 · App. 18/429,661 · Granted Feb 10, 2026

Injector with fairing and annular passage for hydrogen-driven gas turbine engine

Inventor: Tin Cheung John Hu (Markham, CA)
Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
F23R3/28F23R3/286
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,546,475
App. No.
18/429,661
Granted
Feb 10, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

An injector for introducing hydrogen and air into a combustion chamber of a gas turbine engine includes a convergent-divergent nozzle head, a fairing, a fuel nozzle, and an air nozzle. The convergent-divergent nozzle head has in fluid communication in series a convergent section, a throat, and a divergent section. The fairing extends through the convergent section and through the throat to define an annular passage between the fairing and the convergent-divergent nozzle head that has an outlet in the divergent section. The fuel nozzle has multiple feed conduits that open to the annular passage for providing hydrogen fuel. The gas nozzle is upstream of the convergent-divergent nozzle head for providing gas into the annular passage.

Claims (22)

1 . An injector for a gas turbine engine comprising:

a convergent-divergent nozzle head defining a nozzle axis and having in fluid communication in series a convergent section, a throat, and a divergent section;

a fairing extending along the nozzle axis, through the convergent section, and through the throat to define an annular passage between the fairing and the convergent-divergent nozzle head, the annular passage having an outlet in the divergent section;

a fuel nozzle having multiple feed conduits opening to the annular passage for providing hydrogen fuel, the fuel nozzle including a forward face facing the convergent-divergent nozzle head, and the fairing extends off of the forward face, the fairing diametrically increasing in size along the nozzle axis from the forward face to a first axial location in the convergent section, the fairing diametrically decreasing in size from the first axial location to a second axial location in the divergent section, and the multiple feed conduits opening at an axial location between the first axial location and the second axial location; and

a gas nozzle upstream of the convergent-divergent nozzle head for providing gas into the annular passage.

2 . The injector as recited in claim 1 , wherein the convergent-divergent nozzle head includes an open-cell metallic foam disposed in the annular passage.

3 . The injector as recited in claim 1 , wherein the annular passage tapers through the convergent section.

4 . The injector as recited in claim 1 , wherein the convergent-divergent nozzle head includes an open-cell metallic foam disposed in the annular passage between the first axial location and the second axial location.

5 . The injector as recited in claim 1 , wherein the convergent-divergent nozzle head includes a nozzle surface and fairing includes a fairing surface, and the nozzle surface and the fairing surface have a surface roughness of 100-300 Ra.

6 . A gas turbine engine comprising:

a combustor section having a combustion chamber;

hydrogen source; and

an injector for introducing hydrogen from the hydrogen source and air into the combustion chamber, the injector including

a convergent-divergent nozzle head defining a nozzle axis and having in fluid communication in series a convergent section, a throat, and a divergent section,

a fairing extending along the nozzle axis, through the convergent section, and through the throat to define an annular passage between the fairing and the convergent-divergent nozzle head, the annular passage having an outlet in the divergent section,

a fuel nozzle having multiple feed conduits opening to the annular passage for providing hydrogen fuel, the fuel nozzle including a forward face facing the convergent-divergent nozzle head, and the fairing extends off of the forward face, the fairing diametrically increasing in size along the nozzle axis from the forward face to a first axial location in the convergent section, the fairing diametrically decreasing in size from the first axial location to a second axial location in the divergent section, and the multiple feed conduits opening at an axial location between the first axial location and the second axial location, and

a gas nozzle upstream of the convergent-divergent nozzle head for providing gas into the annular passage.

7 . The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 6 , wherein the convergent-divergent nozzle head includes an open-cell metallic foam disposed in the annular passage.

8 . The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 6 , wherein the annular passage tapers through the convergent section.

9 . The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 6 , wherein the convergent-divergent nozzle head includes an open-cell metallic foam disposed in the annular passage between the first axial location and the second axial location.

10 . The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 6 , including a compressor section providing gas to the combustor section, a turbine section in fluid communication with the combustor section, and a fan coupled to be driven by the turbine section.

11 . The injector as recited in claim 1 , wherein the throat is axially between the first axial location and the second axial location.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 1, 2024
From: HU, TIN CHEUNG JOHN
To: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
Reel/Frame 066322/0737 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63482819 · Feb 2, 2023
Related Publication 20240263784A1 · Aug 8, 2024
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