Power Systems Mfg., LLC

Alstom Technology Limited

Ansaldo Energia IP UK Limited

Other

General Electric Technology Gmbh

Ansaldo Energia Switzerland Ag

Khalid Oumejjoud

Peter Stuttaford

Hany Rizkalla

Yan Chen

Mirko Ruben Bothien

Stephen Wilder Jorgensen

Stephen R Jennings

Nicolas Demougeot

Donald Gauthier

Sumit Soni

Matthew Yaquinto

Fred Hernandez

Timothy Hui

Nuria Margarit-Bel

Robert J Kraft

Lee Jonathan Rosen

Alfredo Cires

Joshua R McNally

Jeremy Metternich

Brian K Richardson

Paul Economo

Daniel J Sullivan

Peter So

Bernard Tam-Yen Sam

Jon Glende

John Thomas Cutright

Bryan Kalb

Jesse Sewell

Richard Parker

Ramesh Keshava Bhattu

Nikki McMullen

Max Dufflocq

Dwain P Terrell

Peter John Stuttaford

Stephen Jorgensen

A diffusion cartridge assembly for a gas turbine engine, and methods of using the same. The diffusion cartridge assembly includes a tip plate with an array of fuel supply openings and a mounting hole radially inward of the array of fuel supply openings, an end cover, and an outer sleeve extending from the tip plate to the end cover and defining an open inner chamber. A fuel supply line is coupled to the end cover and extends within the open inner chamber toward the tip plate. A manifold is coupled to an end of the fuel supply line proximate to the tip plate, and includes an array of fuel injector tips. Each of the fuel injector tips extends through a respective one of the array of fuel supply openings in the tip plate. The manifold also includes a thermally free mounting pin extending into the mounting hole.

Flamesheet diffusion cartridge

The present invention discloses a novel way of controlling a gas turbine engine using detected temperatures and detected turbine rotor speed. An operating system provides a series of operating modes for a gas turbine combustor through which fuel is staged to gradually increase engine power, yet harmful emissions, such as carbon monoxide, are kept within acceptable levels.

Method of operating a multi-stage flamesheet combustor

The present invention discloses a novel apparatus and way for controlling combustion dynamics in a premix combustion system. The apparatus comprises a hemispherical dome assembly with a plurality of dome dampers having a predetermined damper volume and air supply with the damper in fluid communication with the combustion chamber. The dome dampers are pressurized with a volume of air to dampen pressure waves received from the combustion chamber. One or more combustor frequencies can be targeted through use of the present invention.

Combustor dome damper system

The present invention discloses a novel apparatus and way for controlling a velocity of a fuel-air mixture entering a gas turbine combustion system. The apparatus comprises a hemispherical dome assembly which directs a fuel-air mixture along a portion of the outer wall of a combustion liner and turns the fuel-air mixture to enter the combustion liner in a manner coaxial to the combustor axis and radially outward of a pilot fuel nozzle so as to regulate the velocity of the fuel-air mixture.

Flamesheet combustor dome

A system and method for improving the cooling to a portion of a combustion liner of a gas turbine combustor is disclosed. The combustion liner is cooled by supplying air through a plurality of cooling holes arranged in axially spaced rows in an upper and lower portion of the liner. The cooling holes are spaced accordingly so as to direct additional cooling flow to an area of the combustion liner not receiving sufficient flow due to maldistributions of air from the compressor discharge.

Combustion liner with bias effusion cooling

A tuning process is provided for dynamically tuning a gas-turbine (GT) engine to correct for flashback events without directly measuring occurrences of the flashback events at the GT engine. Initially, readings are taken that measure low-frequency dynamics at the GT engine. A determination of whether flashback criteria are met by an instantaneous signal that quantifies a detected spike within the measured low-frequency dynamics is carried out, where the flashback criteria include the following: identifying the spike overcomes a multiple of an average of the low-frequency dynamics measured over a predefined period of time; and identifying the spike overcomes a preestablished minimum amplitude. Upon the spike meeting the flashback criteria, a count is added to a running record of spikes, which is compared to an alarm limit. If the alarm limit is triggered, action(s) are invoked to address the flashback events, such as adjusting fuel-flow splits of the GT engine.

Detecting flashback by monitoring engine-dynamic spikes

The present invention discloses a novel apparatus and method for operating a gas turbine combustor having a structural configuration proximate a pilot region of the combustor which seeks to minimize the onset of thermo acoustic dynamics. The pilot region of the combustor includes a generally cylindrical extension having an outlet end with an irregular profile which incorporates asymmetries into the system so as to destroy any coherent structures.

Variable length combustor dome extension for improved operability

An auto-tune controller and tuning process implemented thereby for measuring and tuning the combustion dynamics and emissions of a GT engine, relative to predetermined upper limits, are provided. Initially, the tuning process includes monitoring the combustion dynamics of a plurality of combustors and emissions for a plurality of conditions. Upon determination that one or more of the conditions exceeds a predetermined upper limit, a fuel flow split to a fuel circuit on all of the combustors on the engine is adjusted by a predetermined amount. The control system continues to monitor the combustion dynamics and to recursively adjust the fuel flow split by the predetermined amount until the combustion dynamics and/or emissions are operating within a prescribed range of the GT engine.

Stabilizing a gas turbine engine via incremental tuning

Embodiments for minimizing relative thermal growth within a fuel nozzle of a gas turbine combustor are disclosed. Fuel nozzle configurations are provided in which a heating fluid is provided to one or more passages in a fuel nozzle from feed holes in the fuel nozzle base. The heating fluid passes through the fuel nozzle, thereby raising the operating temperature of portions of the fuel nozzle to reduce differences in thermal gradients within the fuel nozzle. Various fuel nozzle configurations and passageway geometries are also disclosed.

Gas turbine fuel nozzle having improved thermal capability

Embodiments for an apparatus and associated method for reducing the residence time in a gas turbine combustor are disclosed. The embodiments of the present invention comprise a fuel nozzle that extends to a downstream plane of an end cap for a combustion liner where the axial distance of the premixer is reduced, however the swirl for mixing the fuel and air, is increased. As a result, the mixing of the fuel and air is essentially unchanged, thereby allowing higher air pressures and operating temperatures within the premixer without inducing auto-ignition.

Low residence combustor fuel nozzle

A fuel supply system and method thereof that utilizes an off-gas in addition to the primary fuel to lower the emissions of a gas turbine combustion system is disclosed. The fuel supply system apparatus comprises a fuel gas supply conduit and an off-gas supply conduit in fluid communication with the fuel gas supply conduit such that the flow of an off-gas to the fuel gas supply conduit can be regulated as required by the operator to the desired fuel nozzle(s). The fuel gas supply preferably operates with natural gas and the off-gas supply preferably comprises the constituents hydrogen and methane.

Apparatus and method for providing an off-gas to a combustion system

The present invention discloses an apparatus and method for reducing the carbon monoxide emissions emitted by a pilot injector of a gas turbine combustor. Multiple embodiments of a means for establishing a recirculation zone are disclosed whereby a portion of the fuel and air mixture from the pilot injector recirculates and a flame is held, thereby increasing the local reaction temperature at the desired location and lowering carbon monoxide emissions.

Apparatus and method for reducing carbon monoxide emissions

A method of operating a gas turbine engine combustion system at lower load conditions while maintaining required emissions levels is disclosed. The present invention includes multiple embodiments of axial, radial, and circumferential fuel staging within a can-type combustor having alternate ignition techniques of spark ignition or torch ignition.

Method of operating a combustion system for increased turndown capability

Growing community of inventors

Palm Beach Gardens, FL, United States of America

Khalid Oumejjoud