Patent ID: 6883332

Claim:
A fuel nozzle comprising: a body assembly including an inner first air passage which extends axially along a longitudinal axis to a first terminal end defining a first discharge orifice of the nozzle, and an annular outer fuel passage extending coaxially with the inner first air passage along the longitudinal axis to a second terminal end disposed concentrically with the first terminal end and defining a second discharge orifice oriented such that the discharge therefrom impinges on the air discharge from the first discharge orifice; and an array of first turning vanes each being configured generally in the shape of an airfoil and disposed within the fuel passage in a circular locus about the longitudinal axis, each of the first turning vanes having a pressure side and an opposing suction side and extending axially along a respective one of a corresponding array of chordal axes each disposed at a given turning angle to said longitudinal axis from a leading edge surface to a tapering trailing edge surface, the suction side of each of the first turning vanes being spaced-apart from a juxtaposing pressure side of an adjacent one of the first turning vanes to define a corresponding one of a plurality of aligned fuel flow channels therebetween, whereby fuel is directed through said fuel flow channels to be issued from the second discharge orifice as a first generally helical flow having a substantial uniform velocity profile.