Solar Turbines Inc.

Terry R Tarver

Mario Eugene Abreu

James W Blust

Felipe Ochoa

Gwenn A Peters

Trey Taylor

Hernan Fernandez

Chris Z Twardochleb

David W Howarth

Even if the fuel pressure to a torch for igniting an air-fuel mixture in a gas turbine engine is set to an ideal value, the actual fuel pressure supplied to the torch may differ due to modifications, drift, changes in ambient temperature or pressure, fuel composition, and/or the like. This may result in failure of the gas turbine engine to ignite. Accordingly, disclosed embodiments introduce a torch active pressure control (TAPC) system into the flow path of fuel to the torch. The TAPC system is controlled to modulate the fuel pressure of the fuel supplied to the torch, according to a modulation profile. The modulation profile may traverse a range of fuel pressures in each of one or a plurality of sinusoidal, V-shaped, stepped, or other-shaped cycles, to increase the probability that the ideal fuel pressure, and therefore, flame height, is achieved, thereby increasing the likelihood of a successful lightoff.

Torch active control system

A system and method for modifying the supply of fuel to injectors to attenuate combustion oscillations in a gas turbine engine. The gas turbine engine may comprise a combustor, a plurality of injectors and a manifold. The plurality of injectors may be operable to provide fuel to the combustor. The manifold may be configured to supply fuel to all of the plurality of injectors or to only a portion of the plurality of injectors in reaction to a determination of an existence of combustion oscillations.

System and method for attenuating combustion oscillations in a gas turbine engine

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Ramona, CA, United States of America

Terry R Tarver