US20050144960A1 - System and method to stage primary zone airflow - Google Patents
System and method to stage primary zone airflow Download PDFInfo
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- US20050144960A1 US20050144960A1 US11/074,892 US7489205A US2005144960A1 US 20050144960 A1 US20050144960 A1 US 20050144960A1 US 7489205 A US7489205 A US 7489205A US 2005144960 A1 US2005144960 A1 US 2005144960A1
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- flow
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- combustion
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F02—COMBUSTION ENGINES; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS
- F02C—GAS-TURBINE PLANTS; AIR INTAKES FOR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS; CONTROLLING FUEL SUPPLY IN AIR-BREATHING JET-PROPULSION PLANTS
- F02C7/00—Features, components parts, details or accessories, not provided for in, or of interest apart form groups F02C1/00 - F02C6/00; Air intakes for jet-propulsion plants
- F02C7/08—Heating air supply before combustion, e.g. by exhaust gases
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F02—COMBUSTION ENGINES; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS
- F02C—GAS-TURBINE PLANTS; AIR INTAKES FOR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS; CONTROLLING FUEL SUPPLY IN AIR-BREATHING JET-PROPULSION PLANTS
- F02C9/00—Controlling gas-turbine plants; Controlling fuel supply in air- breathing jet-propulsion plants
- F02C9/16—Control of working fluid flow
- F02C9/18—Control of working fluid flow by bleeding, bypassing or acting on variable working fluid interconnections between turbines or compressors or their stages
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F23—COMBUSTION APPARATUS; COMBUSTION PROCESSES
- F23L—SUPPLYING AIR OR NON-COMBUSTIBLE LIQUIDS OR GASES TO COMBUSTION APPARATUS IN GENERAL ; VALVES OR DAMPERS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR CONTROLLING AIR SUPPLY OR DRAUGHT IN COMBUSTION APPARATUS; INDUCING DRAUGHT IN COMBUSTION APPARATUS; TOPS FOR CHIMNEYS OR VENTILATING SHAFTS; TERMINALS FOR FLUES
- F23L15/00—Heating of air supplied for combustion
- F23L15/04—Arrangements of recuperators
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F23—COMBUSTION APPARATUS; COMBUSTION PROCESSES
- F23R—GENERATING COMBUSTION PRODUCTS OF HIGH PRESSURE OR HIGH VELOCITY, e.g. GAS-TURBINE COMBUSTION CHAMBERS
- F23R3/00—Continuous combustion chambers using liquid or gaseous fuel
- F23R3/02—Continuous combustion chambers using liquid or gaseous fuel characterised by the air-flow or gas-flow configuration
- F23R3/26—Controlling the air flow
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F23—COMBUSTION APPARATUS; COMBUSTION PROCESSES
- F23R—GENERATING COMBUSTION PRODUCTS OF HIGH PRESSURE OR HIGH VELOCITY, e.g. GAS-TURBINE COMBUSTION CHAMBERS
- F23R3/00—Continuous combustion chambers using liquid or gaseous fuel
- F23R3/28—Continuous combustion chambers using liquid or gaseous fuel characterised by the fuel supply
- F23R3/286—Continuous combustion chambers using liquid or gaseous fuel characterised by the fuel supply having fuel-air premixing devices
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- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
- Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- Y02E20/00—Combustion technologies with mitigation potential
- Y02E20/34—Indirect CO2mitigation, i.e. by acting on non CO2directly related matters of the process, e.g. pre-heating or heat recovery
Definitions
- the present invention relates to a system and apparatus for optimizing airflow to a combustor and particularly to a system and method for controlling airflow to the combustor. More particularly, the present invention relates to a system and method for controlling the quantity of airflow to the primary zone of the combustor.
- Present combustors are typically designed for a specific fuel to be combusted. Each fuel requires a specific fuel-to-air ratio (FAR) to be combusted efficiently without producing excessive undesirable emissions (e.g., NO x , CO, and unburned hydrocarbons).
- FAR fuel-to-air ratio
- a combustor that operates well using natural gas may not be efficient or may produce undesirable emissions when operated using a different fuel such as butane.
- fuel-staging is used to allow one combustor design to operate with multiple fuels. However, fuel-staging increases unwanted emissions when operating at part power.
- the present invention provides a combustion turbine engine adapted for use with a source of fuel.
- the engine includes a compressor operable to produce a flow of compressed air, a recuperator, and a bypass duct extending around said recuperator.
- a flow divider selectively divides the flow of compressed air into a first flow of compressed air flowing through said recuperator and a second flow of compressed air flowing through said bypass duct around said recuperator.
- the first flow of compressed air is preheated within said recuperator.
- An adjustable valve operably interacts with at least one of said first and second flows of compressed air to selectively adjust the flow rate of the same.
- a premix chamber is adapted to receive a flow of fuel from the source of fuel.
- the premix chamber communicates with said bypass duct to receive said second flow of compressed air and to mix said flow of fuel and said second flow of compressed air into a premixture.
- the invention also includes a combustor having a primary zone in communication with both of said premix chamber and said recuperator such that said preheated first flow of compressed air from said recuperator and said premixture from said premix chamber are mixed within said primary zone to create a combustible mixture.
- the combustor combusts said combustible mixture to produce a flow of products of combustion.
- the invention further includes a power turbine driven by the flow of products of combustion from said combustor and a power generator generating power in response to operation of said power turbine, wherein the flow of products of combustion flows through said recuperator to preheat said first flow of compressed air.
- the invention provides a combustion air delivery system comprising a compressor operable to provide a stream of compressed air and a bypass duct positioned to divide the stream of compressed air into a bypass flow stream and a primary flow stream.
- a recuperator is operable to preheat the primary flow to produce a flow of preheated compressed air.
- a premix chamber receives the bypass flow stream and mixes the bypass flow stream with a flow of fuel to produce a fuel-air flow.
- a can member at least partially defines a primary zone that receives the fuel-air flow and includes an aperture sized to admit a predetermined portion of the flow of preheated compressed air. The fuel-air flow and predetermined portion of the flow of preheated compressed air mix in the primary zone to produce a combustible flow.
- An igniter is operable to ignite the combustible flow.
- the invention provides a method of operating a combustion turbine engine.
- the method includes separating a flow of compressed air into a first flow stream and a second flow stream and preheating the first flow stream to produce a preheated flow stream.
- the method also includes premixing the second flow stream with a flow of fuel to produce a premixture.
- the invention further includes mixing the premixture with a portion of the preheated first flow stream to produce a combustible mixture and combusting the combustible mixture to produce a flow of hot products of combustion.
- FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a combustion turbine engine
- FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of a combustion system embodying the present invention and including a combustion section;
- FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of another combustion system embodying the present invention.
- FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of an orifice plate
- FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the combustion section of FIG. 2 and including a swirler head;
- FIG. 6 is a partially broken away perspective view of the swirler head of FIG. 5 ;
- FIG. 7 is another perspective view of the swirler head of FIG. 6 ;
- FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the swirler head of FIG. 6 with a skirt attached.
- a combustion turbine engine 10 is illustrated as including a compressor 15 , a gasifier turbine 20 , a power turbine 25 , a recuperator 30 , a combustion section 35 including a combustor 37 ( FIGS. 2, 3 , and 5 ), and various air passages.
- the engine 10 generally includes a driven element such as a generator 40 .
- the gasifier turbine 20 is connected to the compressor 15 such that operation of the gasifier turbine 20 drives the compressor 15 .
- the power turbine 25 is connected to the generator 40 or another component to be driven (e.g., a pump) such that operation of the power turbine 25 drives the generator 40 .
- the single turbine would be sized to drive both the compressor 15 and the generator 40 .
- atmospheric air is drawn into the compressor 15 and compressed to produce a flow of compressed air 45 (shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 ).
- a portion of the flow of compressed air 45 flows through the recuperator 30 where it is preheated.
- the preheated compressed air 50 enters the combustion section 35 and combines with a flow of fuel 55 to produce a combustible fuel-air mixture 60 (shown in FIGS. 2, 3 , and 5 ).
- the fuel-air mixture 60 is combusted to produce an expanding flow of combustion gas or products of combustion 65 .
- the flow of combustion gas 65 passes through the gasifier turbine 20 to power the gasifier turbine 20 and drive the compressor 15 .
- the flow of combustion gas 65 then flows through the power turbine 25 to drive the generator 40 .
- the flow of combustion gas 65 proceeds through the recuperator 30 and preheats the flow of compressed air 45 a exiting the compressor 15 before being discharged to the atmosphere.
- the flow of combustion gas 65 leaving the recuperator 30 is used in another process before being discharged (e.g., heating water).
- FIG. 2 the engine air passages are illustrated in more detail.
- various terms such as “passage,” “duct,” “pipe,” and “flow path,” among others, are used herein to describe devices suited to conducting fluids from one point to another. These terms should be considered interchangeable and should not be read to limit the invention in any way.
- the term “pipe” should be interpreted broadly to include “duct,” “tube,” “plenum,” and “flow path” among other terms.
- the flow of compressed air 45 exits the compressor 15 and is divided into two distinct flow streams.
- the first flow stream 45 a enters the recuperator 30 and is preheated as described above.
- the preheated compressed air 50 then flows to the combustion section 35 .
- the second flow stream 45 b or bypass flow stream, enters a bypass duct 70 that directs the bypass flow stream 45 b around the recuperator 30 and into the combustion section 35 without preheating the air.
- the second flow stream 45 b is further divided into a plurality of flow paths 75 .
- Each of the plurality of flow paths 75 include a valve 80 that can control the flow through the individual flow path 75 and an orifice 85 that limits the amount of flow to a predetermined rate.
- the valve 80 itself acts as the orifice 85 by limiting the amount of flow even when fully opened.
- orifice plates 90 (shown in FIG. 4 ) are positioned in each of the flow paths 75 . The use of the orifice plates 90 allows for precise control of the mass flow rate through each of the flow paths 75 under given operating conditions.
- the orifice plates 90 can be changed to increase or decrease the flow capacity of a particular flow path 75 if desired.
- each valve 80 is set to either an open position or a closed position to reduce the likelihood of air leakage at the valve 80 .
- the use of multiple valves 80 and multiple flow streams 75 allows for adequate control over the quantity of air being bypassed without the use of a complex control scheme or expensive valve.
- FIG. 3 a second construction of the engine 10 a is illustrated in which the second flow stream 45 b is not divided into a plurality of flow paths 75 . Rather, the engine 10 a includes a single flow path 45 b having a controllable multi-position valve 95 .
- a controller 100 adjusts the valve 95 as needed based on one or more control parameters (e.g., turbine temperature, exhaust temperature, turbine inlet temperature, turbine exhaust composition, combustor pressure, fuel type, power level, operating temperature, ambient air temperature, etc.). In some constructions, the valve position is preset and is not adjusted during operation.
- a particular engine that is capable of operating on several different fuels (e.g., natural gas, propane, butane, JP-8, etc.) operates most efficiently if the combustor 37 is specifically configured for the particular fuel being burned.
- a switch (not shown), operated by the user, repositions the controllable valve 95 to a fuel-specific position before operation of the engine 10 a.
- the engine 10 a operates efficiently with any of the fuels.
- the valve 95 is controlled during engine operation by the controller 100 .
- One or more engine parameters are used to periodically or constantly adjust the position of the valve 95 to achieve the desired performance.
- many different control parameters and control systems could be used to control the valve position.
- controllable valves 95 should not be limited to constructions similar to that of FIG. 3 alone.
- the valve 95 of FIG. 3 could be manually controlled to achieve the desired results.
- the valve 95 is positioned in predetermined positions based on various factors (e.g., turbine temperature, exhaust temperature, turbine inlet temperature, turbine exhaust composition, combustor pressure, fuel type, power level, operating temperature, ambient air temperature, etc.).
- FIG. 5 shows a sectional view of a can-type combustor.
- the combustor 37 is positioned within an outer wall 105 .
- the outer wall 105 is formed as part of the recuperator 30 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 .
- This arrangement reduces the space occupied by the engine 10 and reduces the number of components such as pipes, flanges, and valves needed to assemble the engine 10 .
- Other constructions may employ a combustion section 35 spaced some distance from the recuperator 30 and use pipes or other ducts to direct the preheated compressed air 50 from the recuperator to the combustion section 35 and from the combustion section 35 to the turbine 20 .
- the combustor 37 illustrated in FIG. 5 includes a swirler head 110 attached to a can 115 and positioned substantially within the outer wall 105 defined by the recuperator 30 .
- the combustor 37 is generally divided into zones including a primary zone 120 and a secondary zone 125 , with many constructions also including a tertiary or dilution zone 130 .
- combustion is initiated and maintained within the primary zone 120 .
- Additional air may be added in the secondary zone 125 to assure complete combustion and reduce the quantity of undesirable emissions.
- the tertiary or dilution zone 130 if employed, receives a large quantity of air to cool the flow of combustion gas 65 to a desired combustor outlet temperature before the flow of combustion gas 65 enters the turbine 20 .
- the primary zone 120 is defined by a portion of the swirler head 110 and a portion of the combustor can 115 .
- the swirler head 110 includes a body 135 that defines a premix chamber 140 (shown broken away in FIG. 6 and in cross-section in FIG. 5 ) and a plurality of flow guides 145 .
- the body 135 also includes a flange 150 that facilitates the attachment of the combustor 37 to the recuperator 30 .
- the flange 150 separates the swirler head 110 into an outer portion 155 , illustrated in FIG. 6 , and an inner portion 160 illustrated in FIG. 7 .
- the inner portion 160 is substantially within the primary zone 120 of the combustor 37 , while the outer portion 155 is not.
- the swirler head 110 is a separate component that attaches to the can 115 .
- other constructions employ a swirler head 110 that is formed as part of the can 115 .
- the swirler head 110 is a separate component positioned away from the remainder of the combustion section 35 .
- the premix chamber 140 is an annular chamber within the body 135 of the swirler head 110 . As shown in FIG. 6 , a bypass air inlet 170 and a fuel inlet 175 both attach to the outer surface of the cover plate 165 and/or the body 135 of the swirler head 110 to deliver bypass air and fuel to the combustor 37 .
- pilot fuel inlet 180 Also visible on the outer portion 155 of the swirler head 110 is a pilot fuel inlet 180 and an ignitor 185 that is received in a hole 187 in the head 110 .
- the pilot fuel inlet 180 provides a separate flow of fuel that may be used to maintain the flame stability within the combustor 37 at low power settings or to initiate combustion within the combustor 37 during an engine start.
- the igniter 185 is a spark-producing device that provides a spark to initiate combustion during engine start-up or at any other time when the flame is desired but not present. Alternatively, a heat-producing device such as a glow plug is used. As one of skill in the art will realize, many other devices are well suited to the task of initiating a flame and as such are contemplated by the present invention.
- Both the fuel inlet 175 and the pilot fuel inlet 180 receive a flow of fuel 55 from an external fuel source 190 ( FIGS. 2 and 3 ) such as a tank or gas line.
- an external fuel source 190 FIGS. 2 and 3
- a fuel pump/compressor and/or assorted valves are in fluid communication with the fuel source 190 and the swirler head 110 to control the rate of fuel flow.
- the engine 10 is able to deliver fuel at a desired rate to the combustor 37 .
- the inner portion 160 includes the plurality of flow guides 145 that are partially encircled by a skirt 195 (shown in FIGS. 5 and 8 ).
- the flow guides 145 are generally raised triangular blocks having two planar surfaces 200 and an arcuate outer surface 205 .
- the outer surfaces 205 and the skirt 195 cooperate to define a partial annular air chamber 210 .
- the planar surfaces 200 of each flow guide 145 are arranged such that they are substantially parallel to the planar surfaces 200 of the adjacent flow guides 145 .
- a plurality of flow paths 215 or apertures, are defined between the annular air chamber 210 and a primary zone neck 220 ( FIG. 5 ).
- the skirt 195 guides compressed air exiting the recuperator 30 into the flow paths 215 .
- many different arrangements are possible to direct compressed air into the primary zone 120 . As such, the present invention should not be limited to the aforementioned example.
- each flow path 215 are two fuel inlets.
- the first of the inlets 225 is located adjacent the flow path inlets and includes an injector 230 that directs the fuel flow in the flow direction of the compressed air.
- the first fuel inlet 225 is in fluid communication with, and receives a flow of fuel or fuel-air from the premix chamber 140 .
- the second fuel inlet 235 comprises a small bore located adjacent the individual flow path outlets. This inlet 235 is in fluid communication with the pilot fuel inlet 180 .
- the primary zone neck 220 is a substantially cylindrical region of the can 115 that defines a portion of the primary zone 120 of the combustor 37 .
- the flow paths 215 defined by the flow guides 145 direct the compressed air from the annular air chamber 210 into the primary zone neck 220 .
- the igniter 185 (shown in FIG. 5 ) is positioned within the primary zone 120 to enable it to ignite the fuel-air mixture therewithin. Alternatively, the igniter 185 could be positioned elsewhere in the head 110 or neck 220 .
- the secondary zone 125 is positioned downstream of the primary zone 120 and includes additional apertures 240 that admit air.
- the apertures 240 direct compressed air along the inner wall of the can 115 in the secondary zone 125 .
- additional apertures may be used to admit air to further sustain combustion.
- the tertiary zone or dilution zone 130 is located downstream of the secondary zone 125 and includes large apertures 245 that admit the remaining compressed air into the combustor as the air exits the recuperator 30 .
- the flow of combustion gas 65 exits the can 115 and then mixes with the remaining compressed air before finally flowing to the turbine 20 . In either construction, the remaining compressed air mixes with the flow of combustion gas 65 .
- the compressed air exits the compressor 15 and divides into the two flow streams 45 a , 45 b .
- the first flow stream 45 a is directed to a plenum in the recuperator 30 , then through the recuperator 30 where the air is preheated until finally reaching the air space between the recuperator 30 and the combustor 37 .
- the second flow stream (bypass air stream) 45 b proceeds from the compressor 15 directly to the swirler head 110 without passing through the recuperator 30 .
- the bypass air enters the premix chamber 140 through the bypass air inlet 170 .
- a plurality of air inlets 170 may be used.
- the bypass air is recombined into a single flow before being admitted into the premix chamber 140 .
- the premix chamber 140 for this construction would require only a single air inlet 170 , thereby simplifying the manufacture of the swirler head 110 .
- the premix chamber 140 could be designed to have multiple air inlets 170 if desired, no matter the arrangement of the engine 10 .
- the bypass air and the fuel mix to produce a fuel-air mixture.
- the fuel inlet(s) 175 and air inlet(s) 170 are arranged such that the air and fuel mix thoroughly within the premix chamber 140 .
- the fuel/air ratio (FAR) of the mixture within the premix chamber 140 is typically too high (i.e., rich mixture) to sustain combustion. Thus, additional air must be added to the fuel-air mixture to initiate and sustain combustion.
- the fuel-air mixture within the premix chamber 140 is injected into the primary zone 120 of the combustor 37 via the fuel inlets 225 .
- the flow paths 215 are sized to admit sufficient air into the primary zone 120 to sustain combustion at a desired or target equivalence ratio (ER).
- ER is defined as the ratio of the actual FAR and the stoichiometric fuel-air ratio.
- the stoichiometric fuel-air ratio is the ideal ratio of a particular fuel and air for combustion. At the stoichiometric fuel-air ratio, all of the fuel and all of the oxygen are consumed during combustion.
- the target ER value is 0.5.
- the fuel-air mixture in the primary zone 120 is lean (i.e., excess oxygen is available for combustion).
- the lean mixture reduces the undesirable engine emissions during operation.
- Natural gas has a stoichiometric fuel-air ratio of 0.058 (i.e., for every kilogram of fuel, 17.25 kilograms of air are required).
- the actual FAR must be 0.029 (i.e., for every kilogram of fuel, 34.5 kilograms of air are supplied).
- a portion of the necessary air is supplied in the fuel-air mixture delivered from the premix chamber 140 .
- the flow paths 215 in the swirler head 110 are sized to admit the remaining air.
- air may be supplied to the premix chamber 140 at a fuel-air ratio of 0.10 (i.e., for every kilogram of fuel, ten kilograms of air are supplied).
- the flow paths 215 must be sized to admit the remaining 24.5 kilograms of air needed to reach the targeted ER.
- the mixture in the primary zone 120 tends to become more lean (excessive air).
- the FAR can fall below the lean extinction FAR of the combustor 37 , thereby causing blowout, flame extinction, or other flame related problems.
- the present invention allows for the maintenance of the target ER during turndown operation by reducing the air flow into the premix chamber 140 . This has the desirable effect of reducing the total air in the primary zone 120 as the quantity of fuel is reduced.
- the present invention facilitates the efficient and clean operation of a single combustor 37 using multiple fuels.
- the combustor 37 were switched from natural gas to another fuel such as butane, its performance would suffer.
- Butane has a stoichiometric fuel-air ratio of 0.067 (i.e., for every kilogram of butane, 14.9 kilograms of air are required).
- a stoichiometric fuel-air ratio 0.067 (i.e., for every kilogram of butane, 14.9 kilograms of air are required).
- to operate at an ER of 0.5 29.8 kilograms of air must be admitted to the primary zone for each kilogram of fuel.
- the above-described combustor 37 includes flow paths 215 sized to admit 24.5 kilograms of compressed air for every kilogram of fuel.
- the ER would be 0.43 with the valves 80 and combustor 37 configured as above for natural gas (i.e., 10 kilograms of air being mixed with one kilogram of fuel in the premix chamber 140 ).
- This ER may be low enough to cause flame instability and other operational problems.
- the flow rate of bypass air to the premix chamber 140 is reduced.
- the actual FAR must be approximately 0.034. (i.e., for every kilogram of fuel, 29.8 kilograms of air are present).
- valve or valves 80 are adjusted to allow the passage of 5.3 kilograms of air per kilogram of fuel, rather than the 10 kilograms passed when operating with natural gas as the fuel.
- the flow paths 215 remain fixed and admit the remainder of the required air (i.e., 24.5 kilograms per kilogram of fuel).
- the present system can be designed to operate efficiently with several different fuels rather than just the two described.
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Abstract
A method of operating a combustion turbine engine that includes separating a flow of compressed air into a first flow stream and a second flow stream. The method also includes preheating the first flow stream to produce a preheated flow stream and premixing the second flow stream with a flow of fuel to produce a premixture. The method further includes mixing the premixture with a portion of the preheated first flow stream to produce a combustible mixture and combusting the combustible mixture to produce a flow of hot products of combustion.
Description
- This application is a divisional application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/417,016 filed Apr. 16, 2003, the entire contents of which are herein incorporated by reference.
- The present invention relates to a system and apparatus for optimizing airflow to a combustor and particularly to a system and method for controlling airflow to the combustor. More particularly, the present invention relates to a system and method for controlling the quantity of airflow to the primary zone of the combustor.
- Present combustors are typically designed for a specific fuel to be combusted. Each fuel requires a specific fuel-to-air ratio (FAR) to be combusted efficiently without producing excessive undesirable emissions (e.g., NOx, CO, and unburned hydrocarbons). Thus, a combustor that operates well using natural gas may not be efficient or may produce undesirable emissions when operated using a different fuel such as butane. At present, fuel-staging is used to allow one combustor design to operate with multiple fuels. However, fuel-staging increases unwanted emissions when operating at part power.
- The present invention provides a combustion turbine engine adapted for use with a source of fuel. The engine includes a compressor operable to produce a flow of compressed air, a recuperator, and a bypass duct extending around said recuperator. A flow divider selectively divides the flow of compressed air into a first flow of compressed air flowing through said recuperator and a second flow of compressed air flowing through said bypass duct around said recuperator. The first flow of compressed air is preheated within said recuperator. An adjustable valve operably interacts with at least one of said first and second flows of compressed air to selectively adjust the flow rate of the same. A premix chamber is adapted to receive a flow of fuel from the source of fuel. The premix chamber communicates with said bypass duct to receive said second flow of compressed air and to mix said flow of fuel and said second flow of compressed air into a premixture. The invention also includes a combustor having a primary zone in communication with both of said premix chamber and said recuperator such that said preheated first flow of compressed air from said recuperator and said premixture from said premix chamber are mixed within said primary zone to create a combustible mixture. The combustor combusts said combustible mixture to produce a flow of products of combustion. The invention further includes a power turbine driven by the flow of products of combustion from said combustor and a power generator generating power in response to operation of said power turbine, wherein the flow of products of combustion flows through said recuperator to preheat said first flow of compressed air.
- In another embodiment, the invention provides a combustion air delivery system comprising a compressor operable to provide a stream of compressed air and a bypass duct positioned to divide the stream of compressed air into a bypass flow stream and a primary flow stream. A recuperator is operable to preheat the primary flow to produce a flow of preheated compressed air. A premix chamber receives the bypass flow stream and mixes the bypass flow stream with a flow of fuel to produce a fuel-air flow. A can member at least partially defines a primary zone that receives the fuel-air flow and includes an aperture sized to admit a predetermined portion of the flow of preheated compressed air. The fuel-air flow and predetermined portion of the flow of preheated compressed air mix in the primary zone to produce a combustible flow. An igniter is operable to ignite the combustible flow.
- In yet another embodiment, the invention provides a method of operating a combustion turbine engine. The method includes separating a flow of compressed air into a first flow stream and a second flow stream and preheating the first flow stream to produce a preheated flow stream. The method also includes premixing the second flow stream with a flow of fuel to produce a premixture. The invention further includes mixing the premixture with a portion of the preheated first flow stream to produce a combustible mixture and combusting the combustible mixture to produce a flow of hot products of combustion.
- Additional features and advantages will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of preferred embodiments exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the invention as presently perceived.
- The detailed description particularly refers to the accompanying figures in which:
-
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a combustion turbine engine; -
FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of a combustion system embodying the present invention and including a combustion section; -
FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of another combustion system embodying the present invention; -
FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of an orifice plate; -
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the combustion section ofFIG. 2 and including a swirler head; -
FIG. 6 is a partially broken away perspective view of the swirler head ofFIG. 5 ; -
FIG. 7 is another perspective view of the swirler head ofFIG. 6 ; and -
FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the swirler head ofFIG. 6 with a skirt attached. - With reference to
FIG. 1 , acombustion turbine engine 10 is illustrated as including acompressor 15, agasifier turbine 20, apower turbine 25, arecuperator 30, acombustion section 35 including a combustor 37 (FIGS. 2, 3 , and 5), and various air passages. In addition, theengine 10 generally includes a driven element such as agenerator 40. In a two-turbine engine 10 such as the one illustrated inFIG. 1 , thegasifier turbine 20 is connected to thecompressor 15 such that operation of thegasifier turbine 20 drives thecompressor 15. Thepower turbine 25 is connected to thegenerator 40 or another component to be driven (e.g., a pump) such that operation of thepower turbine 25 drives thegenerator 40. In a one-turbine engine 10, the single turbine would be sized to drive both thecompressor 15 and thegenerator 40. - During engine operation, atmospheric air is drawn into the
compressor 15 and compressed to produce a flow of compressed air 45 (shown inFIGS. 2 and 3 ). A portion of the flow of compressedair 45 flows through therecuperator 30 where it is preheated. The preheated compressedair 50 enters thecombustion section 35 and combines with a flow offuel 55 to produce a combustible fuel-air mixture 60 (shown inFIGS. 2, 3 , and 5). The fuel-air mixture 60 is combusted to produce an expanding flow of combustion gas or products ofcombustion 65. The flow ofcombustion gas 65 passes through thegasifier turbine 20 to power thegasifier turbine 20 and drive thecompressor 15. The flow ofcombustion gas 65 then flows through thepower turbine 25 to drive thegenerator 40. The flow ofcombustion gas 65 proceeds through therecuperator 30 and preheats the flow of compressedair 45 a exiting thecompressor 15 before being discharged to the atmosphere. In some constructions, the flow ofcombustion gas 65 leaving therecuperator 30 is used in another process before being discharged (e.g., heating water). - Turning to
FIG. 2 , the engine air passages are illustrated in more detail. Before describing the passages, it should be noted that various terms such as “passage,” “duct,” “pipe,” and “flow path,” among others, are used herein to describe devices suited to conducting fluids from one point to another. These terms should be considered interchangeable and should not be read to limit the invention in any way. For example, and without limiting the foregoing, the term “pipe” should be interpreted broadly to include “duct,” “tube,” “plenum,” and “flow path” among other terms. - The flow of compressed
air 45 exits thecompressor 15 and is divided into two distinct flow streams. Thefirst flow stream 45 a enters therecuperator 30 and is preheated as described above. The preheated compressedair 50 then flows to thecombustion section 35. Thesecond flow stream 45 b, or bypass flow stream, enters abypass duct 70 that directs thebypass flow stream 45 b around therecuperator 30 and into thecombustion section 35 without preheating the air. - The
second flow stream 45 b is further divided into a plurality offlow paths 75. Each of the plurality offlow paths 75 include avalve 80 that can control the flow through theindividual flow path 75 and anorifice 85 that limits the amount of flow to a predetermined rate. In some constructions, thevalve 80 itself acts as theorifice 85 by limiting the amount of flow even when fully opened. In other constructions, orifice plates 90 (shown inFIG. 4 ) are positioned in each of theflow paths 75. The use of theorifice plates 90 allows for precise control of the mass flow rate through each of theflow paths 75 under given operating conditions. In addition, theorifice plates 90 can be changed to increase or decrease the flow capacity of aparticular flow path 75 if desired. It should be understood that even a pipe with no flow obstructions could be considered “orificed,” as the size or diameter of the pipe limits flow under any given operating condition. As such, the invention should not be limited to arrangements that requireorifice plates 90 or other components that act asorifices 85. Rather, theorifices 85 are used to increase the accuracy and predictability of engine performance. - The use of
multiple flow paths 75 allows for more refined control when compared to a single-path system, as one ormore valves 80 can be partially or totally opened to allow the desired amount of air to bypass therecuperator 30. In most constructions, eachvalve 80 is set to either an open position or a closed position to reduce the likelihood of air leakage at thevalve 80. Thus, the use ofmultiple valves 80 and multiple flow streams 75 allows for adequate control over the quantity of air being bypassed without the use of a complex control scheme or expensive valve. - Turning now to
FIG. 3 , a second construction of theengine 10 a is illustrated in which thesecond flow stream 45 b is not divided into a plurality offlow paths 75. Rather, theengine 10 a includes asingle flow path 45 b having a controllablemulti-position valve 95. Acontroller 100 adjusts thevalve 95 as needed based on one or more control parameters (e.g., turbine temperature, exhaust temperature, turbine inlet temperature, turbine exhaust composition, combustor pressure, fuel type, power level, operating temperature, ambient air temperature, etc.). In some constructions, the valve position is preset and is not adjusted during operation. For example, a particular engine that is capable of operating on several different fuels (e.g., natural gas, propane, butane, JP-8, etc.) operates most efficiently if thecombustor 37 is specifically configured for the particular fuel being burned. A switch (not shown), operated by the user, repositions thecontrollable valve 95 to a fuel-specific position before operation of theengine 10 a. Thus, theengine 10 a operates efficiently with any of the fuels. In another construction, thevalve 95 is controlled during engine operation by thecontroller 100. One or more engine parameters are used to periodically or constantly adjust the position of thevalve 95 to achieve the desired performance. As one of ordinary skill in the art will realize, many different control parameters and control systems could be used to control the valve position. - A person of ordinary skill will also realize that the
controller 100 and system as just described with regard toFIG. 3 could be applied to theengine 10 ofFIG. 2 to achieve similar results. Thus, the use ofcontrollable valves 95 should not be limited to constructions similar to that ofFIG. 3 alone. Furthermore, thevalve 95 ofFIG. 3 could be manually controlled to achieve the desired results. In these constructions, thevalve 95 is positioned in predetermined positions based on various factors (e.g., turbine temperature, exhaust temperature, turbine inlet temperature, turbine exhaust composition, combustor pressure, fuel type, power level, operating temperature, ambient air temperature, etc.). -
FIG. 5 shows a sectional view of a can-type combustor. As seen inFIG. 5 , thecombustor 37 is positioned within an outer wall 105. In most constructions, the outer wall 105 is formed as part of therecuperator 30 as shown inFIGS. 2 and 3 . This arrangement reduces the space occupied by theengine 10 and reduces the number of components such as pipes, flanges, and valves needed to assemble theengine 10. Other constructions may employ acombustion section 35 spaced some distance from therecuperator 30 and use pipes or other ducts to direct the preheatedcompressed air 50 from the recuperator to thecombustion section 35 and from thecombustion section 35 to theturbine 20. - The
combustor 37, illustrated inFIG. 5 includes a swirlerhead 110 attached to a can 115 and positioned substantially within the outer wall 105 defined by therecuperator 30. Thecombustor 37 is generally divided into zones including aprimary zone 120 and asecondary zone 125, with many constructions also including a tertiary ordilution zone 130. In general, combustion is initiated and maintained within theprimary zone 120. Additional air may be added in thesecondary zone 125 to assure complete combustion and reduce the quantity of undesirable emissions. The tertiary ordilution zone 130, if employed, receives a large quantity of air to cool the flow ofcombustion gas 65 to a desired combustor outlet temperature before the flow ofcombustion gas 65 enters theturbine 20. - The
primary zone 120 is defined by a portion of the swirlerhead 110 and a portion of the combustor can 115. The swirlerhead 110, best illustrated inFIGS. 6 and 7 , includes abody 135 that defines a premix chamber 140 (shown broken away inFIG. 6 and in cross-section inFIG. 5 ) and a plurality of flow guides 145. Thebody 135 also includes aflange 150 that facilitates the attachment of thecombustor 37 to therecuperator 30. Theflange 150 separates the swirlerhead 110 into anouter portion 155, illustrated inFIG. 6 , and aninner portion 160 illustrated inFIG. 7 . Theinner portion 160 is substantially within theprimary zone 120 of thecombustor 37, while theouter portion 155 is not. As illustrated herein, the swirlerhead 110 is a separate component that attaches to the can 115. However, other constructions employ a swirlerhead 110 that is formed as part of the can 115. In still other constructions, the swirlerhead 110 is a separate component positioned away from the remainder of thecombustion section 35. - The
premix chamber 140 is an annular chamber within thebody 135 of the swirlerhead 110. As shown inFIG. 6 , abypass air inlet 170 and afuel inlet 175 both attach to the outer surface of thecover plate 165 and/or thebody 135 of the swirlerhead 110 to deliver bypass air and fuel to thecombustor 37. - Also visible on the
outer portion 155 of the swirlerhead 110 is apilot fuel inlet 180 and anignitor 185 that is received in ahole 187 in thehead 110. Thepilot fuel inlet 180 provides a separate flow of fuel that may be used to maintain the flame stability within thecombustor 37 at low power settings or to initiate combustion within thecombustor 37 during an engine start. Theigniter 185 is a spark-producing device that provides a spark to initiate combustion during engine start-up or at any other time when the flame is desired but not present. Alternatively, a heat-producing device such as a glow plug is used. As one of skill in the art will realize, many other devices are well suited to the task of initiating a flame and as such are contemplated by the present invention. - Both the
fuel inlet 175 and thepilot fuel inlet 180 receive a flow offuel 55 from an external fuel source 190 (FIGS. 2 and 3 ) such as a tank or gas line. In most constructions, a fuel pump/compressor and/or assorted valves are in fluid communication with thefuel source 190 and the swirlerhead 110 to control the rate of fuel flow. Thus, theengine 10 is able to deliver fuel at a desired rate to thecombustor 37. - In one construction of a swirler
head 110 shown inFIG. 7 , theinner portion 160 includes the plurality of flow guides 145 that are partially encircled by a skirt 195 (shown inFIGS. 5 and 8 ). The flow guides 145 are generally raised triangular blocks having two planar surfaces 200 and an arcuate outer surface 205. The outer surfaces 205 and theskirt 195 cooperate to define a partialannular air chamber 210. The planar surfaces 200 of eachflow guide 145 are arranged such that they are substantially parallel to the planar surfaces 200 of the adjacent flow guides 145. Using this arrangement, a plurality offlow paths 215, or apertures, are defined between theannular air chamber 210 and a primary zone neck 220 (FIG. 5 ). Theskirt 195 guides compressed air exiting therecuperator 30 into theflow paths 215. As one of ordinary skill will realize, many different arrangements are possible to direct compressed air into theprimary zone 120. As such, the present invention should not be limited to the aforementioned example. - Within each
flow path 215 are two fuel inlets. The first of theinlets 225 is located adjacent the flow path inlets and includes aninjector 230 that directs the fuel flow in the flow direction of the compressed air. Thefirst fuel inlet 225 is in fluid communication with, and receives a flow of fuel or fuel-air from thepremix chamber 140. Thesecond fuel inlet 235 comprises a small bore located adjacent the individual flow path outlets. Thisinlet 235 is in fluid communication with thepilot fuel inlet 180. - The
primary zone neck 220 is a substantially cylindrical region of the can 115 that defines a portion of theprimary zone 120 of thecombustor 37. Theflow paths 215 defined by the flow guides 145 direct the compressed air from theannular air chamber 210 into theprimary zone neck 220. The igniter 185 (shown inFIG. 5 ) is positioned within theprimary zone 120 to enable it to ignite the fuel-air mixture therewithin. Alternatively, theigniter 185 could be positioned elsewhere in thehead 110 orneck 220. - The
secondary zone 125 is positioned downstream of theprimary zone 120 and includesadditional apertures 240 that admit air. Theapertures 240 direct compressed air along the inner wall of the can 115 in thesecondary zone 125. In other constructions, additional apertures may be used to admit air to further sustain combustion. - The tertiary zone or
dilution zone 130 is located downstream of thesecondary zone 125 and includeslarge apertures 245 that admit the remaining compressed air into the combustor as the air exits therecuperator 30. In other constructions, the flow ofcombustion gas 65 exits the can 115 and then mixes with the remaining compressed air before finally flowing to theturbine 20. In either construction, the remaining compressed air mixes with the flow ofcombustion gas 65. - In operation, the compressed air exits the
compressor 15 and divides into the twoflow streams first flow stream 45 a is directed to a plenum in therecuperator 30, then through therecuperator 30 where the air is preheated until finally reaching the air space between therecuperator 30 and thecombustor 37. Meanwhile, the second flow stream (bypass air stream) 45 b proceeds from thecompressor 15 directly to the swirlerhead 110 without passing through therecuperator 30. - The bypass air enters the
premix chamber 140 through thebypass air inlet 170. For engines configured as shown inFIG. 2 , a plurality ofair inlets 170 may be used. However, in other constructions the bypass air is recombined into a single flow before being admitted into thepremix chamber 140. Thepremix chamber 140 for this construction would require only asingle air inlet 170, thereby simplifying the manufacture of the swirlerhead 110. One of ordinary skill in the art will realize that thepremix chamber 140 could be designed to havemultiple air inlets 170 if desired, no matter the arrangement of theengine 10. - Within the
premix chamber 140, the bypass air and the fuel mix to produce a fuel-air mixture. The fuel inlet(s) 175 and air inlet(s) 170 are arranged such that the air and fuel mix thoroughly within thepremix chamber 140. The fuel/air ratio (FAR) of the mixture within thepremix chamber 140 is typically too high (i.e., rich mixture) to sustain combustion. Thus, additional air must be added to the fuel-air mixture to initiate and sustain combustion. After mixing, the fuel-air mixture within thepremix chamber 140 is injected into theprimary zone 120 of thecombustor 37 via thefuel inlets 225. - The
flow paths 215 are sized to admit sufficient air into theprimary zone 120 to sustain combustion at a desired or target equivalence ratio (ER). The ER is defined as the ratio of the actual FAR and the stoichiometric fuel-air ratio. The stoichiometric fuel-air ratio is the ideal ratio of a particular fuel and air for combustion. At the stoichiometric fuel-air ratio, all of the fuel and all of the oxygen are consumed during combustion. - In one construction, the target ER value is 0.5. Thus, the fuel-air mixture in the
primary zone 120 is lean (i.e., excess oxygen is available for combustion). The lean mixture reduces the undesirable engine emissions during operation. - As an example, many
combustion turbine engines 10 use natural gas as the primary fuel. Natural gas has a stoichiometric fuel-air ratio of 0.058 (i.e., for every kilogram of fuel, 17.25 kilograms of air are required). For a target equivalence ratio of 0.5 using natural gas, the actual FAR must be 0.029 (i.e., for every kilogram of fuel, 34.5 kilograms of air are supplied). A portion of the necessary air is supplied in the fuel-air mixture delivered from thepremix chamber 140. As such, theflow paths 215 in theswirler head 110 are sized to admit the remaining air. For example, at one operating condition, air may be supplied to thepremix chamber 140 at a fuel-air ratio of 0.10 (i.e., for every kilogram of fuel, ten kilograms of air are supplied). Thus, theflow paths 215 must be sized to admit the remaining 24.5 kilograms of air needed to reach the targeted ER. - During turndown (part load) operation, the mixture in the
primary zone 120 tends to become more lean (excessive air). In some cases, the FAR can fall below the lean extinction FAR of thecombustor 37, thereby causing blowout, flame extinction, or other flame related problems. The present invention allows for the maintenance of the target ER during turndown operation by reducing the air flow into thepremix chamber 140. This has the desirable effect of reducing the total air in theprimary zone 120 as the quantity of fuel is reduced. - In addition to improved turndown operation, the present invention facilitates the efficient and clean operation of a
single combustor 37 using multiple fuels. Continuing the example from above, if thecombustor 37 were switched from natural gas to another fuel such as butane, its performance would suffer. Butane has a stoichiometric fuel-air ratio of 0.067 (i.e., for every kilogram of butane, 14.9 kilograms of air are required). Thus, to operate at an ER of 0.5, 29.8 kilograms of air must be admitted to the primary zone for each kilogram of fuel. - The above-described
combustor 37 includesflow paths 215 sized to admit 24.5 kilograms of compressed air for every kilogram of fuel. Thus, the ER would be 0.43 with thevalves 80 andcombustor 37 configured as above for natural gas (i.e., 10 kilograms of air being mixed with one kilogram of fuel in the premix chamber 140). This ER may be low enough to cause flame instability and other operational problems. To counteract this and return thecombustor 37 to optimal performance, the flow rate of bypass air to thepremix chamber 140 is reduced. To return thecombustor 37 to an ER of 0.5, the actual FAR must be approximately 0.034. (i.e., for every kilogram of fuel, 29.8 kilograms of air are present). To achieve this, the valve orvalves 80 are adjusted to allow the passage of 5.3 kilograms of air per kilogram of fuel, rather than the 10 kilograms passed when operating with natural gas as the fuel. Theflow paths 215 remain fixed and admit the remainder of the required air (i.e., 24.5 kilograms per kilogram of fuel). As one skilled in the art will realize, the present system can be designed to operate efficiently with several different fuels rather than just the two described. - It should be noted that the above description is for exemplary purposes only. The invention should in no way be limited to mass flow rates similar to those described, as larger or smaller fuel and air flow rates, as well as different ERs and FARs may be desirable and would be achievable with the invention as described herein.
- Although the invention has been described in detail with reference to certain preferred embodiments, variations and modifications exist within the scope and spirit of the invention as described and defined in the following claims.
Claims (9)
1. A method of operating a combustion turbine engine comprising:
separating a flow of compressed air into a first flow stream and a second flow stream;
preheating the first flow stream to produce a preheated flow stream;
premixing the second flow stream with a flow of fuel to produce a premixture;
mixing the premixture with a portion of the preheated first flow stream to produce a combustible mixture; and
combusting the combustible mixture to produce a flow of hot products of combustion.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising operating a compressor to produce the flow of compressed air.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising passing the first flow of compressed air through a recuperator to preheat the flow of compressed air, and bypassing the second flow of compressed air around the recuperator.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising dividing the first flow stream into a primary air stream and a secondary air stream, wherein the step of mixing the premixture with a portion of the preheated first flow stream includes mixing the primary air stream with the premixture.
5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising mixing the hot products of combustion with the secondary air stream.
6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising directing the flow of products of combustion into a turbine section of the engine and rotating the turbine section in response to the flow of products of combustion.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising metering the flow rate of at least one of the first and second flow streams.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein metering the flow rate of at least one of the first and second flow streams includes moving a valve member in the second flow stream between a first position and a second position.
9. The method of claim 7 , wherein metering the flow rate of at least one of the first and second flow streams includes moving at least one of a plurality of valve members in the second flow stream between a first position and a second position.
Priority Applications (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US11/074,892 US20050144960A1 (en) | 2003-04-16 | 2005-03-08 | System and method to stage primary zone airflow |
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US10/417,016 US6971227B2 (en) | 2003-04-16 | 2003-04-16 | System and method to stage primary zone airflow |
US11/074,892 US20050144960A1 (en) | 2003-04-16 | 2005-03-08 | System and method to stage primary zone airflow |
Related Parent Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
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US10/417,016 Division US6971227B2 (en) | 2003-04-16 | 2003-04-16 | System and method to stage primary zone airflow |
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Publication Number | Publication Date |
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US20050144960A1 true US20050144960A1 (en) | 2005-07-07 |
Family
ID=32326278
Family Applications (2)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
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US10/417,016 Expired - Fee Related US6971227B2 (en) | 2003-04-16 | 2003-04-16 | System and method to stage primary zone airflow |
US11/074,892 Abandoned US20050144960A1 (en) | 2003-04-16 | 2005-03-08 | System and method to stage primary zone airflow |
Family Applications Before (1)
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US10/417,016 Expired - Fee Related US6971227B2 (en) | 2003-04-16 | 2003-04-16 | System and method to stage primary zone airflow |
Country Status (3)
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US (2) | US6971227B2 (en) |
FR (1) | FR2854924A1 (en) |
GB (1) | GB2401426A (en) |
Families Citing this family (6)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
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US7549292B2 (en) * | 2005-10-03 | 2009-06-23 | General Electric Company | Method of controlling bypass air split to gas turbine combustor |
JP4787715B2 (en) * | 2006-10-16 | 2011-10-05 | 株式会社荏原製作所 | Gas turbine equipment |
RU2506499C2 (en) * | 2009-11-09 | 2014-02-10 | Дженерал Электрик Компани | Fuel atomisers of gas turbine with opposite swirling directions |
US9068506B2 (en) | 2012-03-30 | 2015-06-30 | Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp. | Turbine engine heat recuperator system |
US9534541B2 (en) | 2013-10-11 | 2017-01-03 | General Electric Company | System and method for improving efficiency of a gas turbine engine |
CN108954380A (en) * | 2018-03-29 | 2018-12-07 | 李京泽 | A kind of thermostatically controlled combustion chamber for preheating of calming the anger |
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-
2003
- 2003-04-16 US US10/417,016 patent/US6971227B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
-
2004
- 2004-04-15 GB GB0408365A patent/GB2401426A/en not_active Withdrawn
- 2004-04-16 FR FR0403995A patent/FR2854924A1/en not_active Withdrawn
-
2005
- 2005-03-08 US US11/074,892 patent/US20050144960A1/en not_active Abandoned
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Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
FR2854924A1 (en) | 2004-11-19 |
US20040206088A1 (en) | 2004-10-21 |
GB2401426A (en) | 2004-11-10 |
US6971227B2 (en) | 2005-12-06 |
GB0408365D0 (en) | 2004-05-19 |
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