Patent ID: 8393157

Claim:
A fuel nozzle for a combustor of a gas turbine engine comprising: a nozzle inlet; a combustion area; and a swirler disposed between the nozzle inlet and combustion area, the swirler including: a plurality of swirler vanes, each swirler vane creating a pressure difference in fluid flow between a pressure side and suction side of the swirler vane; and at least one through hole disposed in at least one swirler vane of the plurality of swirler vanes, the at least one through hole utilizing the pressure difference to promote fluid flow through the at least one through hole to prevent separation of an aerodynamic boundary layer from the at least one swirler vane, the at least one swirler vane including a downstream turning section having a reduced radius of curvature relative to an upstream portion of said at least one swirler vane to create the pressure difference, the at least one through hole disposed at or downstream of the turning section, the at least one through hole is fluidly connected through an internal plenum and is flowing fluid from the pressure side to the suction side of the at least one swirler vane.