Patent ID: 8671691

Claim:
A dual fuel nozzle for a gas turbine combustor, the dual fuel nozzle comprising: an annular air passage; a swirler disposed entirely in the annular air passage, the swirler imparting swirl to air flowing in the annular air passage; a splitter ring disposed in the annular air passage, said splitter ring disposed partially downstream of the swirler for splitting the airflow from the swirler into two portions; a hub defining a liquid fuel inlet; and a plurality of liquid fuel jets surrounding a downstream end of the hub and in fluid communication with the liquid fuel inlet, each of the plurality of liquid fuel jets being positioned to radially eject liquid fuel into the annular air passage into contact with the splitter ring, wherein the swirler and the plurality of liquid fuel jets are positioned such that fuel/air mixing is completed in the air passage upstream of a combustion zone, and wherein the splitter ring is positioned upstream of a nozzle exit by a distance that permits the liquid fuel to vaporize before combustion.