Thermal management for fuel injectors

摘要

Methods of managing fuel temperatures in fuel injectors for gas turbine engines include cooling fuel circuits by initiating fuel flow therethrough using opened, closed, and semi-open control techniques. A fuel injector for a gas turbine engine includes a feed arm having a fuel inlet fitting for delivering fuel to at least one fuel conduit extending through the feed arm. A nozzle body depends from the feed arm and has at least one fuel circuit extending therethrough. The fuel circuit is configured and adapted to receive fuel from the feed arm and to issue fuel from an exit orifice of the nozzle body. Sensing means are provided adjacent to the at least one fuel circuit. The sensing means are configured and adapted to provide temperature feedback in order to control fuel flow in the at least one fuel circuit to maintain fuel temperature within a predetermined range.