General Electric Company

Warren James Mick

Lewis Berkley Davis, Jr

Fei Han

Masayoshi Kuwata

Eamon Patrick Gleeson

Charles E Steber

Mitchell Dean Cohen

Mitchell R Cohen

Michael B Sciocchetti

Robert Joseph Iasillo

David Orus Fitts

George Edward Williams

Scott Alan Kopcho

Ilan Leibu

Willy Steve Ziminsky

Michael Joseph Alexander

Scott William Szepek

Shiva Kumar Srinivasan

Jeffery Allan Lovett

William Theodore Bechtel

Shivakumar Srinivasan

Prabhat Kumar Tekriwal

Richard J Borkowicz

Daniel Michael Popa

Ronald Joseph Beaudoin

Urmila Chennuru Reddy

David Justin Balevic

David T Foss

John Michael Undrill

Aparna Basker

L Berkley Davis, Jr

A method for determining a lean blow out condition for a combustor. In an exemplary embodiment, the method includes determining acoustical frequency data for the combustor, determining a combustor flame temperature based on the acoustical frequency data, determining an existing fuel/air ratio in the combustor based on the combustor flame temperature, and comparing the existing fuel/ratio to a lean blow out fuel/air ratio. A lean blow out condition for the combustor is indicated when the existing fuel/air ratio is about equal to the lean blow out fuel/air ratio.

Method and system for determining lean blow out condition for gas turbine combustion cans

A method for transient fuel control for fuel delivery circuits for a plurality of connected gas turbines, the method includes: detecting a transient grid event based on an indication of at least one of a rapid change in a fuel command to the gas turbine or an acceleration of the turbine shaft; upon detection of the transient grid event, commanding a gas turbine controller to transfer the gas turbine to at least one intermediate load; adjusting a fuel split to maintain combustor stability during the transient grid event, and using a predetermined island load demand signal to apportion an island load demand among the connected gas turbine generators.

Method and system for detection and transfer to electrical island operation

A method for determining when a combustor is experiencing hardware damage includes sensing acoustic vibrations of a plurality of combustor cans, determining a center frequency for each acoustic tone of the sensed acoustic vibrations within a predetermined frequency range, and indicating an alarm when a center frequency of one or more of the combustor cans changes in a different manner compared to a representative center frequency of the plurality of combustor cans.

Method and apparatus to detect onset of combustor hardware damage

In a gas turbine having a compressor, a combustor and a turbine, a gaseous fuel supply coupled to provide gaseous fuel to the combustor, a liquid fuel supply coupled to provide liquid fuel to the combustor via nozzle assembly. The nozzle assembly includes a plurality of passageways for flowing a fluid into the combustor, one of the passageways being an atomizing air passageway conduit interconnecting the atomizing air passageway to one of the plurality of passageways to enable fluid flow therebetween, while not allowing the flow of fluid back into the atomizing air passageway. High pressure air from the atomizing air passageway is diverted into one of the plurality of passageways via the conduit to protect the nozzle from ingestion of hot combustor gases, thus eliminating a need for a dedicated air purge system for that one of the plurality of passageways.

Liquid fuel nozzle apparatus with passive water injection purge

A method of determining the temperature inside a combustion liner without making a direct measurement of the actual temperature. The technique is based on a measurement of the frequency of one of the transverse acoustic modes occurring inside the combustion chamber. The frequency is determined from the transverse geometric dimensions of the combustion chamber and the speed of sound in the gas inside the combustion chamber. The speed of sound in the gas is known from thermodynamics to be a function of gas temperature and gas properties. Thus, from a measurement of the resonant frequency and knowing the combustor dimensions and gas properties, the temperature can be determined with accuracy.

Estimating combustor flame temperature based on frequency of combustor dynamics transverse mode

In a gas turbine having a compressor, a combustor and a turbine, a gaseous fuel supply coupled to provide gaseous fuel to the combustor, a liquid fuel supply coupled to provide liquid fuel to the combustor via nozzle assembly. The nozzle assembly includes a plurality of passageways for flowing a fluid into the combustor, one of the passageways being a fuel passageway conduit interconnect the fuel passageway to one of the plurality of passageways to enable fluid flow therebetween. High pressure air from one of the plurality of passageways is diverted into the fuel passageway via the conduit to protect nozzle from ingestion of hot combustor gases.

Liquid fuel nozzle apparatus with passive protective purge

Each combustor for a gas turbine includes a fuel supply line for supplying fuel to a plurality of nozzles in the combustor. A remotely controlled valve has a valve member movable between valve-open and valve-closed positions. In a valve-closed position, fuel is supplied to a first group of one or more nozzles of the combustor, while fuel is cut off to a second group of one or more nozzles of the combustor. In a valve-open position, fuel is supplied to all nozzles of the combustor. By positively and selectively actuating the valve, the fuel/air ratio of the nozzles supplied by the fuel is increased to enhance flame stability.

Fuel staging apparatus and methods for gas turbine nozzles

A combustor assembly comprises a plurality of circumferentially arranged fuel nozzles, which fuel nozzles have a first end coupled to a combustion chamber and a second end attached to an endcover. The plurality of fuel nozzles define a central region therebetween. A baffle is disposed within the central region. The baffle has an upstream base portion adjacent the endcover and a contoured downstream portion having a width that is smaller with respect to a width of the upstream base portion so as to transition a recirculating flow into a downstream flow to minimize flashback occurrences within the central region.

Combustor baffle

In a gas turbine having a plurality of combustors, each having an annular array of outer fuel nozzles arranged about a center axis, an improved construction is provided wherein each combustor has a center nozzle located on the center axis. Various methods of operating the improved combustor are also disclosed. For example, one method of operating a combustor for a gas turbine wherein the combustor has a plurality of fuel nozzles in an annular array arranged about a center axis and has a center nozzle located on the center axis, and wherein the annular array is supplied with fuel from at least one pre-mix fuel manifold, and further wherein the center nozzle is supplied with fuel from a center nozzle pre-mix fuel manifold includes the steps of:

Center burner in a multi-burner combustor

In a gas turbine having a plurality of combustors, each having an annular array of outer fuel nozzles arranged about a center fuel nozzle. A method for operating the combustors wherein the annular array is supplied with fuel from a diffusion manifold and at least one pre-mix manifold, and further wherein the center nozzle is supplied with fuel from a center premix manifold includes the steps of:

A liquid fuel injector nozzle for a gas turbine combustor delivers liquid fuel to the combustion chamber in discrete jets. The liquid fuel injector nozzle includes a fuel passage that terminates with a swirl pilot including a plurality of swirl slots for imparting swirl to the liquid fuel. The spin chamber disposed downstream of the swirl pilot is configured to deliver the liquid fuel to the discharge orifice in discrete jets. The discrete fuel streams are concentrated in a fashion to minimize atomization until the fuel adequately penetrates the premixer air stream, resulting in burning properties that lead to increased efficiency, lower emissions, greater flame stability and improved pattern factor when compared to hollow cone spray pattern injection techniques.

Air atomized discrete jet liquid fuel injector and method

A fuel nozzle for a gas turbine includes a nozzle body having a tip portion, the nozzle body including an inner tube defining an axially extending air passage; an intermediate tube concentrically arranged and radially spaced from the inner tube and defining a diffusion fuel passage therebetween; and an outer tube concentrically arranged and radially spaced from the intermediate tube and defining a premix fuel passage therebetween. The outer tube has a plurality of radially extending injectors in communication with the premix fuel passage. The premix fuel passage is further defined in part by an outer tube wall portion formed with at least one weakened region adapted to burn through in the event of a flashback, thereby causing a substantial portion of premix fuel to bypass the injectors and to exit the nozzle body at the at least one weakened region. A related method is also disclosed.

Diffusion-premix nozzle for a gas turbine combustor and related method

A method of operating a combustor for a turbine in the premixed mode includes flowing fuel through a symmetrical annular array of fuel nozzles to provide an asymmetrical fuel pattern across the combustor. Each nozzle includes an air swirler and the fuel is injected at axially spaced locations on opposite sides of the swirler. The asymmetrical fuel flow is provided during a diffusion mode of operation prior to transition between the diffusion mode and also during the transition. Near full power, the fuel is supplied equally among the fuel nozzles operating in the premixed mode. The asymmetric fuel flow stabilizes the combustor and inhibits high amplitude combustion noise and the axial staging of the fuel achieves low emission operation in the premixed mode.

Method for staging fuel in a turbine in the premixed operating mode

A method of operating a combustor for a turbine includes flowing fuel through a symmetrical annular array of fuel nozzles to provide an asymmetrical fuel pattern across the combustor. The asymmetrical fuel flow is provided during a diffusion mode of operation prior to transition between the diffusion mode and a premixed mode of operation, during the transition and during the premixed mode of operation. Near full power, the fuel is supplied equally among the fuel nozzles operating in the premixed mode. The asymmetric fuel flow stabilizes the combustor and inhibits high amplitude combustion noise while achieving low emission operation in the premixed mode.

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Altamont, NY, United States of America

Warren James Mick