Patents by Inventor Douglas Pennell

Douglas Pennell has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11242806
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for controlling fuel injection in a reheat combustor of a gas turbine combustor assembly including a combustor casing defining a gas flow channel and a plurality of injection nozzles distributed in or around the gas flow channel; the method includes the step of distributing fuel among the injection nozzles according to a non-uniform distribution pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: POWER SYSTEMS MFG., LLC
    Inventors: Mirko Ruben Bothien, Douglas Pennell, Peter Stuttaford
  • Patent number: 10718525
    Abstract: Systems and methods for dual-fuel operation of a gas turbine combustor are provided. An exemplary gas turbine combustor may comprise one or more components, such as a cylindrical combustion liner, a flow sleeve, a main mixer, a radial inflow swirler, a combustor dome, and a fuel cartridge assembly, one or more of which may be configured to supply either a gaseous or a liquid fuel to the combustion liner, depending on whether gaseous fuel operation or liquid fuel operation of the combustor is desired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: ANSALDO ENERGIA IP UK LIMITED
    Inventors: Stephen W. Jorgensen, Joshua R. McNally, Douglas Pennell, Donald Gauthier, Pawel Matys, Marc Paskin, Thomas R. Ruck, Peter John Stuttaford, Bernard Tam-Yen Sam
  • Patent number: 10571128
    Abstract: Gas turbine combustion systems and fuel cartridge assemblies are provided. An exemplary combustion system may comprise a combustor including one or more components, such as a cylindrical combustion liner, a flow sleeve, a main mixer, a radial inflow swirler, a combustor dome, and a fuel cartridge assembly. An exemplary fuel cartridge assembly may comprise first and second fuel manifolds which are connected to respective fuel circuits which supply fuel, such as liquid fuel, through a plurality of fuel passages within the fuel cartridge assembly or to other locations within an associated combustor. The fuel cartridge assembly may further include a plurality of fuel injector tips located at a tip plate of the fuel cartridge assembly through which fuel may be supplied to an associated combustor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: ANSALDO ENERGIA IP UK LIMITED
    Inventors: Stephen W. Jorgensen, Joshua R. McNally, Douglas Pennell, Donald Gauthier, Pawel Matys, Marc Paskin, Thomas R. Ruck, Peter John Stuttaford, Bernard Tam-Yen Sam
  • Publication number: 20190154263
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for controlling fuel injection in a reheat combustor of a gas turbine combustor assembly including a combustor casing defining a gas flow channel and a plurality of injection nozzles distributed in or around the gas flow channel; the method includes the step of distributing fuel among the injection nozzles according to a non-uniform distribution pattern.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2017
    Publication date: May 23, 2019
    Inventors: Mirko Ruben BOTHIEN, Douglas PENNELL, Peter STUTTAFORD
  • Publication number: 20170002743
    Abstract: Gas turbine combustion systems and fuel cartridge assemblies are provided. An exemplary combustion system may comprise a combustor including one or more components, such as a cylindrical combustion liner, a flow sleeve, a main mixer, a radial inflow swirler, a combustor dome, and a fuel cartridge assembly. An exemplary fuel cartridge assembly may comprise first and second fuel manifolds which are connected to respective fuel circuits which supply fuel, such as liquid fuel, through a plurality of fuel passages within the fuel cartridge assembly or to other locations within an associated combustor. The fuel cartridge assembly may further include a plurality of fuel injector tips located at a tip plate of the fuel cartridge assembly through which fuel may be supplied to an associated combustor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2016
    Publication date: January 5, 2017
    Inventors: Stephen W. Jorgensen, Joshua R. McNally, Douglas Pennell, Donald Gauthier, Pawel Matys, Marc Paskin, Thomas R. Ruck, Peter John Stuttaford, Bernard Tam-Yen Sam
  • Publication number: 20170003032
    Abstract: Gas turbine combustion systems and fuel cartridge assemblies are provided. An exemplary combustion system may comprise a combustor including a cylindrical combustion liner, a flow sleeve, a main mixer, a radial inflow swirler, a combustor dome, and a fuel cartridge assembly. An exemplary combustor and/or fuel cartridge assembly may comprise first and second fuel circuits or manifolds. Methods and systems are also provided for staging and controlling a flow of fuel and/or water through different fuel circuits and pilot injectors, to allow purging and ignition using different fuel circuits, pilot injectors, and fuel sources.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2016
    Publication date: January 5, 2017
    Inventors: Stephen W. Jorgensen, Joshua R. McNally, Douglas Pennell, Donald Gauthier, Pawel Matys, Marc Paskin, Thomas R. Ruck, Peter John Stuttaford, Bernard Tam-Yen Sam
  • Publication number: 20170002742
    Abstract: Systems and methods for dual-fuel operation of a gas turbine combustor are provided. An exemplary gas turbine combustor may comprise one or more components, such as a cylindrical combustion liner, a flow sleeve, a main mixer, a radial inflow swirler, a combustor dome, and a fuel cartridge assembly, one or more of which may be configured to supply either a gaseous or a liquid fuel to the combustion liner, depending on whether gaseous fuel operation or liquid fuel operation of the combustor is desired.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2016
    Publication date: January 5, 2017
    Inventors: Stephen W. Jorgensen, Joshua R. McNally, Douglas Pennell, Donald Gauthier, Pawel Matys, Marc Paskin, Thomas R. Ruck, Peter John Stuttaford, Bernard Tam-Yen Sam
  • Patent number: 8684130
    Abstract: An acoustic damper arrangement for a combustor which has an inner liner configured for use at a first temperature during operation and an outer liner configured for operation at a second temperature lower than the first temperature during operation is disclosed, the acoustic damper arrangement comprising: a plurality of flexible sheets; and at least one hollow body having an interior volume, each of said at least one hollow body being fixed to one of the plurality of flexible sheets, wherein the acoustic damper arrangement is configured to be fixed to both the inner liner and the outer liner such that the interior volume of the at least one hollow body is in communication with a chamber formed by the inner liner, and the plurality of flexible sheets accommodate expansion and contraction of the inner liner relative to the outer liner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Alstom Technology Ltd.
    Inventors: Mirko Ruben Bothien, Stephen W. Jorgensen, Douglas Pennell
  • Publication number: 20140069738
    Abstract: An acoustic damper arrangement for a combustor which has an inner liner configured for use at a first temperature during operation and an outer liner configured for operation at a second temperature lower than the first temperature during operation is disclosed, the acoustic damper arrangement comprising: a plurality of flexible sheets; and at least one hollow body having an interior volume, each of said at least one hollow body being fixed to one of the plurality of flexible sheets, wherein the acoustic damper arrangement is configured to be fixed to both the inner liner and the outer liner such that the interior volume of the at least one hollow body is in communication with a chamber formed by the inner liner, and the plurality of flexible sheets accommodate expansion and contraction of the inner liner relative to the outer liner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2012
    Publication date: March 13, 2014
    Applicant: ALSTOM Technology Ltd
    Inventors: Mirko Ruben BOTHIEN, Stephen W. Jorgensen, Douglas Pennell
  • Patent number: 8516825
    Abstract: In a method for reducing the NOx emissions from a burner arrangement comprising a plurality of burners (B1, . . . , Bn), in particular in a gas turbine, which burners (B1, . . . , Bn) are operated in parallel and each burner supplied fuel by means of combustion air to form a flame (F1, . . . , Fn), an effective drop is achieved in a simple way by virtue of the fact that at a predetermined time the flame temperatures of individual burners (B1, . . . , Bn) or burner groups or differences between the flame temperatures of individual burners (B1, . . . , Bn) or burner groups are measured directly or indirectly. The fuel supply to those burners or burner groups whose flame temperature exceeds a predetermined value for the flame temperature is selectively throttled in order to homogenize the flame temperatures of the burners (B1, . . . , Bn).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Alstom Technology Ltd
    Inventors: Ken-Yves Haffner, Douglas Pennell, Christian Steinbach
  • Publication number: 20120047907
    Abstract: A combustion chamber and method for operating a combustion chamber are disclosed. The combustion chamber having at least a mixing device connected to a combustion device. The mixing device has a first fuel feeding stage, to inject fuel into the mixing device and mix the fuel with an oxidizer to then burn the fuel in the combustion device. The combustion device has a second fuel feeding stage to inject fuel into the combustion device. The fuel of the second stage is mixed with only an inert fluid to form a mixture that is then injected into the combustion chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2011
    Publication date: March 1, 2012
    Applicant: ALSTOM Technology Ltd
    Inventors: Martin ZAJADATZ, Douglas PENNELL, Klaus DĂ–BBELING
  • Patent number: 7513117
    Abstract: A method for operating a furnace with a multi-burner system for generating a hot gas is provided. The furnace has a combustion chamber with a plurality of burners, each having a fuel feed. The method includes regulating a first fuel feed to at least one of the plurality of burners as a function of pressure pulsations that occur in the combustion chamber so as to achieve a steady operation of the furnace. The multi-burner system may be a gas turbine, preferably of a power plant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2009
    Assignee: Alstom Technology Ltd
    Inventors: Mauricio Garay, Gianfranco L Guidati, Douglas A. Pennell, Frank Reiss
  • Patent number: 7189073
    Abstract: A burner with staged fuel injection includes at least two separate stages (4a, 4b) for fuel injection arranged along the swirl body (1). The burner is distinguished in that, between the first and the second stage (4a, 4b), a separating element (8) is provided, which extends in the direction of the combustion chamber (3) and separates the combustion air flow which enters in the region of the first stage (4a) from the combustion air flow which enters in the region of the second stage (4b). The burner can be operated with low combustion pulsations even in the case of low burner powers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2007
    Assignee: ALSTOM Technology Ltd.
    Inventors: Douglas Pennell, Adnan Eroglu
  • Publication number: 20060144049
    Abstract: In a method for reducing the NOx emissions from a burner arrangement comprising a plurality of burners (B1, . . . , Bn), in particular in a gas turbine, which burners (B1, . . . , Bn) are operated in parallel and each burner supplied fuel by means of combustion air to form a flame (F1, . . . , Fn), an effective drop is achieved in a simple way by virtue of the fact that at a predetermined time the flame temperatures of individual burners (B1, . . . , Bn) or burner groups or differences between the flame temperatures of individual burners (B1, . . . , Bn) or burner groups are measured directly or indirectly. The fuel supply to those burners or burner groups whose flame temperature exceeds a predetermined value for the flame temperature is selectively throttled in order to homogenize the flame temperatures of the burners (B1, . . . , Bn).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2006
    Publication date: July 6, 2006
    Applicant: ALSTOM TECHNOLOGY LTD.
    Inventors: Ken-Yves Haffner, Douglas Pennell, Christian Steinbach
  • Publication number: 20060040225
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating a furnace with a multi-burner system for generating hot gas, particularly a gas turbine, preferably of a power plant, comprising a combustion chamber (1) with at least one burner (2). In order to operate the combustion chamber (1) in a stable manner close to the lean extinguishing limit, the fuel feed to at least one burner (2) is regulated as a function of the pressure pulsations that occur in the combustion chamber (1) in order to achieve a steady operation of the gas turbine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2005
    Publication date: February 23, 2006
    Applicant: ALSTOM Technology Ltd
    Inventors: Mauricio Garay, Gianfranco Guidati, Douglas Pennell, Frank Reiss
  • Publication number: 20050175948
    Abstract: A burner with staged fuel injection includes at least two separate stages (4a, 4b) for fuel injection arranged along the swirl body (1). The burner is distinguished in that, between the first and the second stage (4a, 4b), a separating element (8) is provided, which extends in the direction of the combustion chamber (3) and separates the combustion air flow which enters in the region of the first stage (4a) from the combustion air flow which enters in the region of the second stage (4b). The burner can be operated with low combustion pulsations even in the case of low burner powers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2004
    Publication date: August 11, 2005
    Inventors: Douglas Pennell, Adnan Eroglu
  • Publication number: 20040053181
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a burner with staged fuel injection, in which at least two separate stages (4a, 4b) for fuel injection are arranged along the swirl body (1). The burner is distinguished in that, between the first and the second stage (4a, 4b), a separating element (8) is provided, which extends in the direction of the combustion chamber (3) and separates the combustion air flow which enters in the region of the first stage (4a) from the combustion air flow which enters in the region of the second stage (4b).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2003
    Publication date: March 18, 2004
    Inventors: Douglas Pennell, Adnan Eroglu