General Electric Company

Gary L Leonard

George A Coffinberry

Roger Neal Johnson

Francis P Bundy

Ching-Pang Lee

Narendra Digamber Joshi

Steven Clayton Vise

Charles Erklin Seeley

Shai Birmaher

Herbert Kopecek

Sudhir D Savkar

Clifford L Spiro

Gabor Ast

Chiranjeev Kalra

William F Banholzer

Douglas Marti Fortuna

Richard Wade Stickles

Bertrand Dahung Hsu

Phillip D Napoli

Shiro G Kimura

William M Farrell

Patrick Edward Pastecki

Paul Edward Sabla

Chukwueloka Obiora Umeh

Richard L Mehan

Dmytro Floriyovych Opaits

Mark Patrick Kelsey

Sara Rocci Denis

Jack Willard Smith, Jr

Sunilkumar Onkarnath Soni

Douglas George Shafer

William T Houchens

Danielle Marie Kalitan

Sanjay M Carrea

Russell Paul Fitzgerald

A sensor apparatus and methods for facilitating combustion of a gaseous fuel are provided. The sensor apparatus comprises a combustion apparatus defining a combustion chamber therein. The combustion apparatus is configured to combust a fuel-air mixture within the combustion chamber to produce at least one combustion product. At least one optical diagnostic apparatus is coupled to the combustion apparatus for measuring at least one property of the at least one combustion product within the combustion chamber. A controller is coupled to the at least one optical diagnostic apparatus, and is configured to determine the Wobbe index of the fuel in real-time based on the measured at least one property of the at least one combustion product and pre-determined combustion state data stored within the controller.

Methods and apparatus for rapid sensing of fuel wobbe index

An electro-hydrodynamic wind energy conversion system is presented. The system includes a wind passage allowing wind flow. Further, the system includes a reservoir having an opening in communication with the wind passage and configured to hold a liquid. The system also includes an agitator coupled to the reservoir and configured to convert the liquid into droplets. Additionally, the system includes a charging system disposed substantially opposite the reservoir opening and configured to deposit an electrostatic charge on the droplets and draw the droplets into the wind passage. Moreover, the system includes a charge collector disposed at a distal end of the wind passage and configured to collect the electrostatic charge from the droplets.

Systems and methods for electro-hydrodynamic wind energy conversion

A laser ignition system for an internal combustion engine, and more specifically a gas turbine engine, is provided. The system including a laser light source configured to generate a laser beam, an ignition port configured to provide optimized optical access of the laser beam to a combustion chamber and an optical beam guidance component disposed between the laser light source and the ignition port. The optical beam guidance component is configured to include optimized optic components to transmit the laser beam to irradiate on a fuel mixture supplied into the combustion chamber to generate a combustor flame in a flame region. A method for igniting a fuel mixture in an internal combustion engine is also presented.

Advanced optics and optical access for laser ignition for gas turbines including aircraft engines

A fuel-air mixer for a gas turbine engine combustor having a primary swirler and a venturi that effectively reduces carboning via purge air. Purge air flows axially through the fuel-air mixer forming a boundary layer of air on the inner surface of the venturi. The boundary layer of air minimizes the amount of fuel contacting the inner surface of the venturi resulting in reduced carbon resin or coke formation.

Anti-carboning fuel-air mixer for a gas turbine engine combustor

A gas turbine engine that includes a 2/3 stage intercooled booster compressor is described. In one embodiment, the engine includes a low pressure turbine and a booster compressor rotatable on a low pressure shaft. The engine further includes a high pressure compressor, a high pressure combustor, and a high pressure turbine rotatable on a high pressure (HP) shaft and forming the core engine. A low pressure combustor is located at the outlet of the high pressure turbine and a power turbine. The booster compressor includes first and second stage compressors, and air flow from the first stage compressor is supplied to a first intercooler, and air flow from the second stage compressor is supplied to a second intercooler. Airflow from the first intercooler is supplied to the inlet of the second stage compressor, and airflow from the second intercooler is split between being provided to the inlet of the high pressure compressor and a recuperator. The recuperator also is coupled to receive air from the power turbine so that air from the power turbine heats air split away from the second stage compressor before being exhausted to atmosphere. Air heated in the recuperator drives the low pressure turbine connected to the booster compressors.

Intercooled gas turbine engine with integral air bottoming cycle

A system and method for providing clean cooling air to a hot portion of a gas turbine engine is disclosed, where the engine includes a compressor. The system includes a turbocompressor (66) having a compressor section and a turbine section, wherein the compressor and turbine sections each have an inlet and an outlet. The system further includes a heat exchanger (64) having a first inlet and a first outlet for a first fluid flow providing cooling to the heat exchanger, the first inlet being in fluid communication with a low temperature fluid. The heat exchanger (64) also has a second inlet and a second outlet for a second air flow receiving cooling from the heat exchanger, the second inlet being in fluid communication with high temperature air from the engine compressor and the second outlet being in fluid communication with the inlet of the compressor section of the turbocompressor. The outlet of the compressor section of the turbocompressor is in fluid communication with the filter inlet and the outlet of the filter (72) is in fluid communication with the engine hot portion so that clean cooling air is supplied to the engine hot portion.

System and method of providing clean filtered cooling air to a hot

A combustor, for a gas turbine engine, employing regenerative combustor cooling. The combustion gas flow direction extends generally longitudinally aft of the combustor fuel nozzle. A coolant flowpath between the combustor casing and the combustor liner has: 1) a longitudinally aft inlet in fluid communication with a source of compressor-derived cooling air, of lower temperature and higher pressure than diffused air from the combustor diffuser; and 2) a longitudinally forward outlet in fluid communication with the combustor fuel nozzle for 'spent' cooling air to be used for combustion.

Regenerative combustor cooling in a gas turbine engine

A gas turbine engine having improved output horsepower and a method of achieving it. The engine has, in order, a low pressure compressor, a high pressure compressor, a combustor, a high pressure turbine and a low pressure turbine. The high pressure turbine is drivingly connected to both compressors with a speed reducing gear box therebetween. An intercooler between the compressors reduces the horsepower requirement of the high pressure compressor. Flow from the combustor is sufficiently heated to enable the high pressure turbine to drive both compressors with the output horsepower of the low pressure turbine devoted to the engine load.

Intercooled gas turbine engine

In its broadest aspects, the present invention is directed to a method for improving the abrasion resistance of the annular interior surface of an annulus. Such method comprises the steps of (a) placing said annulus heated to an elevated CVD diamond-forming temperature in a vacuum chamber held under reduced pressure; (b) providing a hydrocarbon/hydrogen gaseous mixture within said chamber; (c) at least partially decomposing said gaseous mixture in said chamber; and (d) directing said at least partially decomposed gaseous mixture into said heated annular interior for diamond deposition/growth to occur on said annular interior surface. As noted above, spray nozzles, valves, injectors, wire drawing dies, and like annular products are ideally suited for use in accordance with the precepts of the present invention.

CVD diamond coating annulus components and method of their fabrication

This invention relates to fuel staged premixed dry low NO.sub.x gas turbine combustors of the type that are constructed with multiple concentric cylinders to which fuel manifolds are mounted. The cylinders are spaced in a staggered arrangement. Such structures of this type achieve stable combustion over a wide range of fuel-to-air ratios and low flame temperature in the combustor resulting in low emissions of nitrogen oxides (NO.sub.x).

Fuel staged premixed dry low NO.sub.x combustor

An air staged premixed dry low NO.sub.x combustor of the type that is constructed of a premixing chamber and a centerbody porous plug premixed flame stabilizer. Such structures of this type maintain very low flame temperatures and, ultimately, low NO.sub.x emissions.

Air staged premixed dry low NO.sub.x combustor

This invention relates to air staged premixed dry low NO.sub.x combustors of the type that are constructed of a premixing chamber, a centerbody plug premixed flame stabilizer and a venturi modulated flow split. Such structures of this type maintain very low flame temperatures and, ultimately, low NO.sub.x emissions while still providing adequate cooling for the combustor.

Air staged premixed dry low NO.sub.x combustor with venturi modulated

In order to reduce emissions of NO.sub.x, CO and unburned hydrocarbons, the flame temperature must be kept between 2500.degree.-2800.degree. F. Premixing combustor tubes are used to premix the fuel and air before the mixture is burned in the combustion chamber. The tubes are flashback resistant due to the flow of the fuel and air mixture through them. If it is desired to reduce the load operation of the combustor to substantially below 100% of its maximum load operation, as is the case during off-peak hours, the fuel and air flow rate can be regulated to reduce the load operation while still keeping the low emissions and the low flame temperature.

Flashback resistant fuel staged premixed combustor

Apparatus for transmitting pressure from hydraulic fluid to a slurry material includes a housing having a piston chamber defined therein surrounded by a piston chamber wall. The housing also contains an inlet port and an outlet port, through which ports slurry material enters and leaves the piston chamber. A piston is slidably disposed in the chamber so that sliding movement of the piston produces pressurization of the slurry material and movement thereof through the outlet port. A hydraulic fluid channel is disposed in the housing so that pressurized hydraulic fluid therein produces a force on the piston which causes sliding movement thereof, so as to produce a pressure in the slurry material which is proportional to the pressure in the hydraulic fluid. Preferably, the hydraulic fluid channel is further disposed in the flow communication with the clearance gap between the outer surface of the piston and the corresponding surface of the piston chamber wall, so that at least a portion of the pressurized hydraulic fluid passes through the clearance gap and flushes solid particles therefrom. In a preferred embodiment, the apparatus further includes means for counterbalancing the force produced by the slurry material on the interior surface of the piston chamber wall, with an oppositely directed force on the opposite surface of the piston chamber wall.

Apparatus for transmitting pressure from a hydraulic fluid to a material

Wear is minimized in a reciprocating internal combustion engine operated by fuel with abrasive particles, such as coal based fuel. A flexible diaphragm is used to equalize pressure in a ring pack area having lubricating film with the combustion chamber pressure. This equalization of pressure minimizes the pressure differential which might occur across an oil scraper ring separating the combustion chamber from the ring pack area. This minimizing of the pressure differential prevents or minimizes the passage of abrasive particles behind the oil scraper ring. A second ring, further from the combustion chamber end of the piston than is the oil scraper ring, serves as a high pressure sealing ring and separates the ring pack area from an oil blowby chamber. The second ring provides a predetermined amount of blowby from the ring pack area into the blowby chamber, which is also bounded by a third ring. In order to remove abrasive particles which may get into the ring pack area by deposition on the exposed areas of the cylinder wall, a pump and filter are used to draw in oil from the oil blowby chamber when the piston is in its bottom dead center position and to supply clean oil to the ring pack area.

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Cincinnati, OH, United States of America

Gary L Leonard