Patent ID: 7779636

Claim:
A lean direct injection fuel nozzle for a gas turbine comprising: a) a radially outer main fuel delivery system including a main fuel path, and a main inner air swirler defined in part by a main inner air passage having a radially inner wall with a diverging, conically expanding downstream surface, wherein the main fuel path has a downstream exit located in a conically expanding part of the main inner air passage; b) an intermediate air swirler radially inward of the main inner air swirler for providing a cooling air flow along the conically expanding downstream surface of the radially inner wall of the main inner air passage; and c) a radially inner pilot fuel delivery system radially inward of the intermediate air swirler and including a converging pilot air cap terminating upstream from the conically expanding downstream surface of the main inner air passage for confining an outer air stream of the pilot fuel delivery system passing inboard of the pilot air cap, wherein a terminal edge of the converging pilot air cap is exposed to the outer air steam of the pilot fuel delivery system.