EP2592345A1 - Brennkammer und Verfahren zur Versorgung einer Brennkammer mit Brennstoff - Google Patents

Brennkammer und Verfahren zur Versorgung einer Brennkammer mit Brennstoff Download PDF

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Publication number
EP2592345A1
EP2592345A1 EP12191369.3A EP12191369A EP2592345A1 EP 2592345 A1 EP2592345 A1 EP 2592345A1 EP 12191369 A EP12191369 A EP 12191369A EP 2592345 A1 EP2592345 A1 EP 2592345A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
end cap
combustor
plenum
downstream
tubes
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
EP12191369.3A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP2592345B1 (de
Inventor
Patrick Benedict Melton
lll James Harold Westmoreland
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
General Electric Co
Original Assignee
General Electric Co
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by General Electric Co filed Critical General Electric Co
Publication of EP2592345A1 publication Critical patent/EP2592345A1/de
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP2592345B1 publication Critical patent/EP2592345B1/de
Not-in-force legal-status Critical Current
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical

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Classifications

    • 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
    • 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
    • F23R2900/00—Special features of, or arrangements for continuous combustion chambers; Combustion processes therefor
    • F23R2900/00002—Gas turbine combustors adapted for fuels having low heating value [LHV]

Definitions

  • the present invention generally involves a combustor and method for supplying fuel to a combustor.
  • Combustors are commonly used in industrial and power generation operations to ignite fuel to produce combustion gases having a high temperature and pressure.
  • gas turbines typically include one or more combustors to generate power or thrust.
  • a typical gas turbine used to generate electrical power includes an axial compressor at the front, one or more combustors around the middle, and a turbine at the rear.
  • Ambient air may be supplied to the compressor, and rotating blades and stationary vanes in the compressor progressively impart kinetic energy to the working fluid (air) to produce a compressed working fluid at a highly energized state.
  • the compressed working fluid exits the compressor and flows through one or more nozzles into a combustion chamber in each combustor where the compressed working fluid mixes with fuel and ignites to generate combustion gases having a high temperature and pressure.
  • the combustion gases expand in the turbine to produce work. For example, expansion of the combustion gases in the turbine may rotate a shaft connected to a generator to produce electricity.
  • combustion gas temperatures generally improve the thermodynamic efficiency of the combustor.
  • higher combustion gas temperatures also promote flashback or flame holding conditions in which the combustion flame migrates towards the fuel being supplied by the nozzles, possibly causing severe damage to the nozzles in a relatively short amount of time.
  • localized hot streaks in the combustion chamber may increase the disassociation rate of diatomic nitrogen, increasing the production of nitrogen oxides (NO X ) at higher combustion gas temperatures.
  • lower combustion gas temperatures associated with reduced fuel flow and/or part load operation (turndown) generally reduce the chemical reaction rates of the combustion gases, increasing the production of carbon monoxide and unburned hydrocarbons.
  • a plurality of tubes may be radially arranged in an end cap to provide fluid communication for the working fluid to flow through the end cap and into the combustion chamber.
  • a fuel and/or a diluent may be supplied to the end cap and injected into the tubes to enhance mixing between the working fluid and fuel prior to combustion.
  • the enhanced mixing between the working fluid and fuel prior to combustion reduces hot streaks in the combustion chamber that can be problematic with higher combustion gas temperatures.
  • the tubes are effective at preventing flashback or flame holding and/or reducing NO X production, particularly at higher operating levels.
  • an improved combustor and method for supplying fuel to the combustor that allows for staged fueling, multiple fuels, and/or diluents to be supplied to the tubes without obstructing the tubes would be useful.
  • One aspect of the present invention is a combustor that includes an end cover and an end cap downstream from the end cover that extends radially across at least a portion of the combustor.
  • the end cap includes an upstream surface axially separated from a downstream surface.
  • a plurality of tubes extends from the upstream surface through the downstream surface to provide fluid communication through the end cap.
  • An outer support tube extends downstream from the end cover and connects to the upstream surface of the end cap.
  • An inner support tube extends downstream from the end cover and connects to the downstream surface of the end cap.
  • a first plenum surrounds the inner support tube between the end cover and the upstream surface, and the first plenum extends radially between the upstream and downstream surfaces.
  • a second plenum surrounds the first plenum between the end cover and the upstream surface, and the second plenum extends radially between the upstream and downstream surfaces.
  • a combustor that includes an end cover and a fuel conduit that extends downstream from the end cover.
  • a downstream surface connected to the fuel conduit extends radially across at least a portion of the combustor.
  • An upstream surface axially separated from the downstream surface extends radially across at least a portion of the combustor.
  • a plurality of tubes extends from the upstream surface through the downstream surface to provide fluid communication through the upstream and downstream surfaces.
  • a first plenum surrounds the fuel conduit between the end cover and the upstream surface, and the first plenum extends radially between the upstream and downstream surfaces.
  • a second plenum that surrounds the first plenum between the end cover and the upstream surface, and the second plenum extends radially between the upstream and downstream surfaces.
  • the present invention may also resides in a method for supplying fuel to a combustor.
  • the method includes flowing a working fluid through a plurality of tubes radially arranged in an end cap, wherein the end cap extends radially across at least a portion of the combustor.
  • the method further includes flowing at least one of a first fuel or a first diluent through a first plenum, wherein the first plenum is at least partially defined by an inner support tube that connects to a downstream surface of the end cap, and flowing at least one of a second fuel or a second diluent through a second plenum that circumferentially surrounds at least a portion of the first plenum, wherein the second plenum is at least partially defined by an outer support tube that connects to an upstream surface of the end cap.
  • the combustor generally includes a plurality of tubes radially arranged in an end cap to enhance mixing between a working fluid and fuel prior to combustion.
  • an inner and an outer support may connect to the end cap, and multiple plenums may supply one or more fuels and/or diluents to the end cap to flow through the tubes.
  • a fuel conduit may connect to the end cap to support the end cap, and plenums surrounding the fuel plenum may supply one or more fuels and/or diluents to the end cap to flow through the tubes.
  • the various embodiments within the scope of the present invention may reduce flow disturbances through the tubes, increase structural support provided to the end cap, reduce manufacturing costs of the combustor, and/or enable staged fueling and/or multiple fuels and/or diluents to be supplied to the tubes over a wide range of operating conditions without exceeding design margins associated with flashback, flame holding, and/or emissions limits.
  • exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described generally in the context of a combustor incorporated into a gas turbine for purposes of illustration, one of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate that embodiments of the present invention may be applied to any combustor and are not limited to a gas turbine combustor unless specifically recited in the claims.
  • Fig. 1 provides a simplified cross-section view of an exemplary combustor 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention
  • Fig. 2 provides a downstream cross-section view of the combustor shown in Fig. 1 taken along line A-A.
  • a casing 12 generally surrounds the combustor 10 to contain a working fluid 14 flowing to the combustor 10
  • an end cover 16 provides an interface for supplying fuel, diluent, and/or other additives to the combustor 10.
  • Possible diluents may include, for example, water, steam, working fluid, air, fuel additives, various inert gases such as nitrogen, and/or various non-flammable gases such as carbon dioxide or combustion exhaust gases supplied to the combustor 10.
  • An end cap 18 may extend radially across at least a portion of the combustor 10, and the casing 12 may circumferentially surround at least a portion of the end cap 18 to define an annular passage 20 between the end cap 18 and the casing 12.
  • the end cap 18 and a liner 22 may define at least a portion of a combustion chamber 24 downstream from the end cap 18.
  • the working fluid 14 may flow through the annular passage 20 along the outside of the liner 22 to provide convective cooling to the liner 22.
  • the working fluid 14 may reverse direction to flow through the end cap 18 and into the combustion chamber 24.
  • the end cap 18 may include an upstream surface 26 axially separated from a downstream surface 28, and a shroud 29 may surround the upstream and downstream surfaces 26, 28.
  • a plurality of tubes 30 may extend axially from the upstream surface 26 to the downstream surface 28 to provide fluid communication through the end cap 18.
  • the particular shape, size, number, and arrangement of the tubes 30 may vary according to particular embodiments.
  • the tubes 30 are generally illustrated as having a cylindrical shape; however, alternate embodiments within the scope of the present invention may include tubes having virtually any geometric cross-section.
  • the tubes 30 may be radially arranged across the end cap 18 in one or more sets or groups of various shapes and sizes, with each set of tubes 30 having one or more separate fuel supplies.
  • multiple tubes 30 may be radially arranged around a fuel nozzle, or multiple sets of tubes 30 may be radially arranged across the end cap 18.
  • One or more fluid conduits may provide one or more fuels, diluents, and/or other additives to each set of tubes 30, and the type, fuel content, and reactivity of the fuel and/or diluent may vary for each fluid conduit or set of tubes. In this manner, different types, flow rates, and/or additives may be supplied to one or more sets of tubes to enhance staged fueling of the tubes 30 over a wide range of operating conditions.
  • the combustor 10 may include one or more structures that extend downstream from the end cover 16 to support the end cap 18 and/or provide various fluid passages between the end cover 16 and the end cap 18.
  • the combustor 10 may include an inner support tube 40 and an outer support tube 42 that extend downstream from the end cover 16.
  • the inner support tube 40 may connect to the downstream surface 28 of the end cap 18 to partially support the end cap 18 axially inside the combustor 10.
  • the inner support tube 40 may also function as or include a fuel conduit 40 that extends downstream from the end cover 16 to define a fuel plenum 44 inside the inner support tube 40. In this manner, the inner support tube/fuel conduit 40 may provide fluid communication from the end cover 16 to the end cap 18 to supply fuel to the end cap 18 and/or combustion chamber 24.
  • the outer support tube 42 may circumferentially surround the inner support tube 40 and connect to the upstream surface 26 of the end cap 18 to partially support the end cap 18 axially inside the combustor 10.
  • the outer support tube 42 may define one or more fluid passages between the end cover 16 and the end cap 18.
  • a barrier 46 may extend axially between the inner and outer support tubes 40, 42 upstream from the upstream surface 26 to partially define first and second plenums 50, 52 between the inner and outer support tubes 40, 42. Downstream from the upstream surface 26, the barrier 46 may extend radially between the first and second plenums 50, 52 to further separate the first and second plenums 50, 52 inside the end cap 18.
  • the first plenum 50 may circumferentially surround the inner support tube/fuel conduit 40 between the end cover 16 and the upstream surface 26 before extending radially inside the end cap 18 between the upstream and downstream surfaces 26, 28.
  • the second plenum 52 may circumferentially surround the first plenum 50 between the end cover 16 and the upstream surface 26 before extending radially inside the end cap 18 between the upstream and downstream surfaces 26, 28.
  • the first plenum 50 thus extends radially inside the end cap 18 downstream from the second plenum 52 with respect to the direction of the working fluid 14 through the end cap 18.
  • the first and second plenums 50, 52 provide fluid communication between the end cover 16 and the end cap 18 to allow various fuels, diluents, or other fluid additives to be supplied to the tubes 30.
  • Each tube 30 in turn may include one or more ports 54 that provide fluid communication through the tube 30 from the first and/or second fuel plenums 50, 52.
  • the ports 54 may be angled radially, axially, and/or azimuthally to project and/or impart swirl to the fluid flowing through the ports 54 and into the tubes 30.
  • the particular number, size, and location of the ports 54 in the tubes 30 may be varied to allow staged fluid flow to the tubes 30. For example, as shown in Fig.
  • a first set of tubes 60 may include ports 54 that provide fluid communication with only the first plenum 50
  • a second set of tubes 62 may include ports 54 that provide fluid communication with only the second plenum 52.
  • the working fluid 14 may flow outside of the end cap 18 through the annular passage 20 until it reaches the end cover 16 and reverses direction to flow through the tubes 30.
  • a first fuel or diluent may flow around the tubes 30 in the first plenum 50 to provide convective cooling to the tubes 30 before flowing through the ports 54 and into the first set of tubes 60 to mix with the working fluid 14.
  • a second fuel or diluent may flow around the tubes 30 in the second plenum 52 to provide convective cooling to the tubes 30 before flowing through the ports 54 and into the second set of tubes 60 to mix with the working fluid 14.
  • the mixture from each set of tubes 60, 62 may then flow into the combustion chamber 24.
  • the combustor 10 may also include additional structures for supporting the end cap 18 and/or allowing thermal expansion between the various components.
  • the combustor 10 may include a flexible coupling 64 between the end cover 16 and the inner support tube/fuel conduit 40 and/or the barrier 46.
  • the flexible coupling 64 may include an expansion joint, bellows, or other device that allows for axial displacement of the inner support tube/fuel conduit 40 and/or barrier 46 caused by thermal expansion and contraction of the outer support tube 42 and/or tubes 30.
  • the combustor 10 may also include a support 66 that extends radially between the end cap 18 and the casing 12 in the annular passage 20.
  • the support 66 may have an airfoil shape to reduce flow resistance of the working fluid 14 flowing across the support 66 in the annular passage 20.
  • the support 66 may be angled to impart swirl to the working fluid 14 flowing through the annular passage 20.
  • the combustor 10 may include a cap shield 68 that circumferentially surrounds the end cap 18 and/or a sliding engagement 70 between the end cap 18 and the cap shield 68.
  • the cap shield 68 may be connected to the support 66 and/or the shroud 29 that surrounds the end cap 18.
  • the sliding engagement 70 may include a spring washer, a hula seal, or similar device and may extend continuously around the end cap 18 or in segments around the end cap 18, as shown in Fig. 2 , to allow axial movement of the end cap 18 with respect to the cap shield 68 and/or support 66.
  • the sliding engagement 70 may also provide a variable radial stiffness to the end cap 18 to allow slight modifications to the natural or resonant frequency of the end cap 18.
  • the working fluid 14 may be supplied through the annular passage 20 and tubes 30 radially arranged in the end cap 18.
  • a first fuel or a first diluent may be supplied through the first plenum 50 to the first set of tubes 60, and a second fuel or a second diluent may be supplied through the second plenum 52 to the second set of tubes 62.
  • a third fuel or third diluent may be supplied through the fuel plenum 44 to the combustion chamber 24.
  • the first, second, and third fuels and diluents may be the same or different, thus providing very flexible methods for providing staged fueling to various locations across the combustor 10 to enable the combustor 10 to operate over a wide range of operating conditions without exceeding design margins associated with flashback, flame holding, and/or emissions limits.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Feeding And Controlling Fuel (AREA)
  • Gas Burners (AREA)
EP12191369.3A 2011-11-08 2012-11-06 Brennkammer und Verfahren zur Versorgung einer Brennkammer mit Brennstoff Not-in-force EP2592345B1 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US13/291,441 US20130115561A1 (en) 2011-11-08 2011-11-08 Combustor and method for supplying fuel to a combustor

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP2592345A1 true EP2592345A1 (de) 2013-05-15
EP2592345B1 EP2592345B1 (de) 2017-03-08

Family

ID=47143692

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP12191369.3A Not-in-force EP2592345B1 (de) 2011-11-08 2012-11-06 Brennkammer und Verfahren zur Versorgung einer Brennkammer mit Brennstoff

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Country Link
US (1) US20130115561A1 (de)
EP (1) EP2592345B1 (de)
CN (1) CN103090415B (de)

Families Citing this family (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US9033699B2 (en) * 2011-11-11 2015-05-19 General Electric Company Combustor
US20130122436A1 (en) * 2011-11-11 2013-05-16 General Electric Company Combustor and method for supplying fuel to a combustor
US9291103B2 (en) * 2012-12-05 2016-03-22 General Electric Company Fuel nozzle for a combustor of a gas turbine engine
CN106907740B (zh) 2013-10-18 2019-07-05 三菱重工业株式会社 燃料喷射器
US9423135B2 (en) * 2013-11-21 2016-08-23 General Electric Company Combustor having mixing tube bundle with baffle arrangement for directing fuel
US9631816B2 (en) * 2014-11-26 2017-04-25 General Electric Company Bundled tube fuel nozzle
US10634344B2 (en) * 2016-12-20 2020-04-28 General Electric Company Fuel nozzle assembly with fuel purge

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4100733A (en) * 1976-10-04 1978-07-18 United Technologies Corporation Premix combustor
GB2197714A (en) * 1986-11-18 1988-05-25 Freiberg Brennstoffinst Gas burner
US20100031662A1 (en) * 2008-08-05 2010-02-11 General Electric Company Turbomachine injection nozzle including a coolant delivery system
EP2236931A2 (de) * 2009-03-18 2010-10-06 General Electric Company Verfahren und Vorrichtung zur Zuführung eines Brennstoff-Verbrennungsluftgemisches zu einem Gasturbinenmotor

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5605287A (en) * 1995-01-17 1997-02-25 Parker-Hannifin Corporation Airblast fuel nozzle with swirl slot metering valve
JP2004137977A (ja) * 2002-10-18 2004-05-13 Usui Kokusai Sangyo Kaisha Ltd 燃料配管系の脈動低減システム
JP4922878B2 (ja) * 2007-09-19 2012-04-25 株式会社日立製作所 ガスタービン燃焼器
US8091370B2 (en) * 2008-06-03 2012-01-10 United Technologies Corporation Combustor liner cap assembly
US8661779B2 (en) * 2008-09-26 2014-03-04 Siemens Energy, Inc. Flex-fuel injector for gas turbines
US8424311B2 (en) * 2009-02-27 2013-04-23 General Electric Company Premixed direct injection disk

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4100733A (en) * 1976-10-04 1978-07-18 United Technologies Corporation Premix combustor
GB2197714A (en) * 1986-11-18 1988-05-25 Freiberg Brennstoffinst Gas burner
US20100031662A1 (en) * 2008-08-05 2010-02-11 General Electric Company Turbomachine injection nozzle including a coolant delivery system
EP2236931A2 (de) * 2009-03-18 2010-10-06 General Electric Company Verfahren und Vorrichtung zur Zuführung eines Brennstoff-Verbrennungsluftgemisches zu einem Gasturbinenmotor

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
CN103090415B (zh) 2016-09-21
CN103090415A (zh) 2013-05-08
US20130115561A1 (en) 2013-05-09
EP2592345B1 (de) 2017-03-08

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