Patents by Inventor Sanji Ekanayake

Sanji Ekanayake 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).

  • Publication number: 20180100442
    Abstract: Systems and methods to control performance via control of compressor operating limit line (OLL) protection actions. According to an embodiment of the disclosure, a method of controlling a turbine in a power plant can be provided. The method may include receiving a selection of a desired performance parameter associated with an operational mode of a power plant; receiving a set of measured performance parameters at a current operating condition of a turbine associated with the power plant; receiving an operating limit line (OLL) of a compressor associated with the turbine; and receiving a compressor pressure ratio (CPR) at the current operating condition of the turbine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2016
    Publication date: April 12, 2018
    Inventors: George Vargese Mathai, Joseph Klosinski, Sanji Ekanayake, Alston Scipio
  • Patent number: 9909507
    Abstract: A control system for a combustor system including a plurality of can combustors, each can combustor accommodating combustion of a plurality of combustion fluids in a combustion chamber thereof is provided. The control system may include a calculator calculating: a) a pressure drop for each respective can combustor of the plurality of can combustors between a selected combustion fluid upstream of the combustion chamber and a combustion flow within the combustion chamber of the respective can combustor, and b) a differential between the respective pressure drop for each of the plurality of can combustors and an average pressure drop across all of the plurality of can combustors. The differentials identify can-to-can variation. A controller can modify a combustion parameter of at least one can combustor to reduce the differential for the at least one can combustor. The system can work iteratively to reduce can-to-can variation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Scott Andrew Childers, Sanji Ekanayake, Brett Matthew Thompson
  • Publication number: 20180058334
    Abstract: A method to adjust the back pressure applied to an exhaust of a gas turbine, the method including: exhausting hot combustion gas from the gas turbine; passing the hot combustion gas through a heat recovery steam generator; actuating an exhaust gas damper in the stream of the hot combustion gases, wherein actuation moves the exhaust gas damper to a restricted position, and while in the restricted position, the exhaust damper creates a backpressure applied to the exhaust gas, wherein the backpressure reduces an exhaust gas velocity at an exhaust of the gas turbine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2016
    Publication date: March 1, 2018
    Inventors: George Vargese MATHAI, Alston Ilford Scipio, Sanji Ekanayake, Joseph Philip Klosinki, Larry William Swanson
  • Publication number: 20180058317
    Abstract: A gas turbine injection system having a gas turbine with an inlet section, a compressor section, at least one combustor in a combustion section, and a turbine section is disclosed. Air supply piping, water supply piping, and chemical reactant supply piping is in fluid communication with the injection system. A mixing chamber is in fluid communication with at least one of the water supply piping, air supply piping, and the chemical reactant supply piping to produce a chemical mixture. Chemical mixture supply piping is in fluid communication with the mixing chamber and at least one spray nozzle configured to selectively combine the chemical mixture with the air and inject an atomized chemical mixture into at least one section of the turbine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2016
    Publication date: March 1, 2018
    Inventors: Jason Brian Shaffer, Alston Ilford Scipio, Sanji Ekanayake, Lewis Berkley Davis, JR., Edwin Wu
  • Patent number: 9890710
    Abstract: A power plant includes a gas turbine having a combustor downstream from a compressor, a turbine disposed downstream from the combustor and an exhaust duct downstream from an outlet of the turbine. The combustor includes an extraction port that is in fluid communication with a hot gas path of the combustor. The extraction port defines a flow path for a stream of combustion gas to flow out of the hot gas path. The exhaust duct receives exhaust gas from the turbine outlet. A coolant injection system injects a coolant into the stream of combustion gas upstream from the exhaust duct such that the stream of combustion gas blends with the exhaust gas from the turbine within the exhaust duct and forms an exhaust gas mixture within the exhaust duct. A heat exchanger is disposed downstream from the exhaust duct and receives the exhaust gas mixture from the exhaust duct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Joseph Philip Klosinski, Alston Ilford Scipio, Sanji Ekanayake
  • Patent number: 9890709
    Abstract: A method and system to extract gas from a gas turbine having at least one gas extraction mechanism placed at the turbine section that extracts exhaust gas directly from the turbine stages through the turbine casing, providing a first exhaust gas path that extends from the turbine section through the exhaust section to the exhaust gas outlet, and a second exhaust gas path for extracted exhaust gas extending directly from the turbine stages inside the turbine casing to a duct outside of the turbine casing. The gas extraction system and method can be applied to a cogeneration system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Joseph Philip Klosinski, Michael Anthony Cocca, Alston Ilford Scipio, Patrick C. Bowling, Sanji Ekanayake
  • Patent number: 9874143
    Abstract: A power plant includes a first gas turbine and a second gas turbine. The first gas turbine includes a turbine extraction port that is in fluid communication with a hot gas path of the turbine and an exhaust duct that receives exhaust gas from the turbine outlet. The power plant further includes a first gas cooler having a primary inlet fluidly coupled to the turbine extraction port, a secondary inlet fluidly coupled to a coolant supply system and an outlet in fluid communication with the exhaust duct. The first gas cooler provides a cooled combustion gas to the exhaust duct which mixes with the exhaust gas to provide an exhaust gas mixture to a first heat exchanger downstream from the exhaust duct. The first gas cooler is also in fluid communication with a combustor of the second gas turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Joseph Philip Klosinski, Alston Ilford Scipio, Sanji Ekanayake, Paul Robert Fernandez
  • Publication number: 20180016985
    Abstract: A turbomachine includes a compressor configured to compress air received at an intake portion to form a compressed airflow that exits into an outlet portion. A combustor is operably connected with the compressor, and receives the compressed airflow. A turbine is operably connected with the combustor, and receives the combustion gas flow. The turbine has a plurality of wheels and a plurality of buckets. The turbine receives compressor bleed off air to cool the wheels and buckets. A cooling system is operatively connected to the turbine. The cooling system includes a plurality of heat pipes located axially upstream of at least one of the wheels. The heat pipes are operatively connected to a bearing cooler system. The heat pipes and the bearing cooler system are configured to transfer heat from the compressor bleed off air to one or more heat exchangers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2015
    Publication date: January 18, 2018
    Inventors: Sanji EKANAYAKE, Thomas Edward WICKERT, Alston Ilford Scipio
  • Patent number: 9863285
    Abstract: A power generation system may include a generator; a gas turbine system for powering the generator, the gas turbine system including a turbine component, an integral compressor and a combustor to which air from the integral compressor and fuel are supplied, the combustor arranged to supply hot combustion gases to the turbine component, and the integral compressor having a flow capacity greater than an intake capacity of at least one of the combustor and the turbine component, creating an excess air flow. A first control valve system controls flow of the excess air flow along an excess air flow path to a supplemental gas turbine system. The excess air flow may be combusted with a fuel and supplied to the supplemental gas turbine system. An eductor may be positioned in the excess air flow path for using the excess air flow as a motive force to augment the excess air flow with additional gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Sanji Ekanayake, Thomas John Freeman, John David Memmer, Timothy Joseph Rehg, Alston Ilford Scipio
  • Patent number: 9863284
    Abstract: A power generation system includes: a first gas turbine system including a first turbine component, a first integral compressor and a first combustor to which air from the first integral compressor and fuel are supplied, the first combustor arranged to supply hot combustion gases to the first turbine component, and the first integral compressor having a flow capacity greater than an intake capacity of the first combustor and/or the first turbine component, creating an excess air flow. A second gas turbine system may include similar components to the first except but without excess capacity in its compressor. A control valve system controls flow of the excess air flow from the first gas turbine system to the second gas turbine system. A cooling fluid injector may be coupled to the excess air flow path for injecting a cooling fluid such as water or steam into the excess air flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Sanji Ekanayake, Dale Joel Davis, George Vargese Mathai, Julio Enrique Mestroni, Alston Ilford Scipio
  • Publication number: 20170357223
    Abstract: A control system for a gas turbine includes a processor. The processor configured to access data indicative of environmental conditions of a location of the gas turbine. The processor is configured to predict an occurrence of an event associated with the gas turbine based on the environmental conditions, wherein the event comprises a change in operation of the gas turbine due to the environmental conditions. The processor is configured to send a signal indicating the occurrence of the event to an electronic device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2016
    Publication date: December 14, 2017
    Inventors: Xiaomo Jiang, Alston IIford Scipio, Sanji Ekanayake, Rebecca Evelyn Hefner
  • Publication number: 20170356342
    Abstract: A gas turbine fuel heating system is disclosed having at least one coalescing filter configured to accept a main fuel supply and a plurality of fuel circuit heaters. Each fuel circuit heater can be configured to accept an independent fuel circuit portion of the main fuel supply leaving the at least one coalescing filter and also configured to accept a heating medium circuit portion of a heating medium. The system can have a plurality of scrubbers, a plurality of fuel circuit manifolds, and a plurality of fuel premix tubes. A controller circuit determines the MWI for each independent fuel circuit portion and adjusts the heating medium circuit portion passed to the corresponding fuel circuit heater to maintain at least one parameter selected from the group consisting of a baseline independent fuel circuit portion MWI setpoint and a predetermined independent fuel circuit portion nozzle gas injector pressure ratio.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2016
    Publication date: December 14, 2017
    Inventors: David Leach, Daniel R. Tegel, Alston Ilford Scipio, Praveen Kumar Uppaluri, Vishwanath R. Ardha, Sanji Ekanayake
  • Publication number: 20170342903
    Abstract: A system includes a controller configured to control a heated flow discharged from an outlet of a mixing chamber to an inlet control system to control a temperature of an intake flow through a compressor inlet of a compressor of a gas turbine system. The controller is configured to control a turbine extraction gas (TEG) flow to the mixing chamber. The controller is configured to control at least one of a pressurized flow of the compressor to the mixing chamber and a steam flow to the mixing chamber. The TEG flow is extracted through a turbine casing. The heated flow includes the TEG flow and the at least one of the pressurized flow and the steam flow.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2016
    Publication date: November 30, 2017
    Inventors: Alston Ilford Scipio, Jason Brian Shaffer, Joseph Philip Klosinski, Sanji Ekanayake
  • Publication number: 20170342902
    Abstract: A system includes a compressor having a compressor inlet, a turbine having a plurality of stages disposed within a turbine casing, and a turbine extraction gas (TEG) heating system. The turbine is configured to drive the compressor via expansion of combustion products through the plurality of stages. The TEG heating system includes a turbine gas extraction system coupled to the turbine casing and to the compressor inlet. The turbine gas extraction system is configured to receive a portion of the combustion products as a turbine extraction gas (TEG) from the turbine. The TEG is received through the turbine casing, the TEG heating system is configured to supply a heated flow to the compressor inlet, and the heated flow includes the TEG.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2016
    Publication date: November 30, 2017
    Inventors: Alston Ilford Scipio, Jason Brian Shaffer, Joseph Philip Klosinski, Sanji Ekanayake
  • Publication number: 20170342911
    Abstract: An airflow control system control system for a gas turbine system according to an embodiment includes: an airflow generation system including a plurality of air moving systems for selective attachment to a rotatable shaft of a gas turbine system, the airflow generation system drawing in an excess flow of air through an air intake section; and a mixing area for receiving an exhaust gas stream of the gas turbine system; the airflow generation system: directing a first portion and a second portion of the excess flow of air generated by the airflow generation system into the mixing area to reduce a temperature of the exhaust gas stream; and directing a third portion of the excess flow of air generated by the airflow generation system into a discharge chamber of a compressor component of the gas turbine system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2016
    Publication date: November 30, 2017
    Inventors: Parag Prakash Kulkarni, Lewis Berkley Davis, JR., Sanji Ekanayake, Alston Ilford Scipio
  • Patent number: 9828887
    Abstract: A power generation system may include: a first gas turbine system including a first turbine component, a first integral compressor and a first combustor to which air from the first integral compressor and fuel are supplied. The first integral compressor has a flow capacity greater than an intake capacity of the first combustor and/or the first turbine component, creating an excess air flow. A second gas turbine system may include similar components to the first except but without excess capacity in its compressor. A turbo-expander may be operatively coupled to the second gas turbine system. Control valves may control flow of the excess air flow from the first gas turbine system to at least one of the second gas turbine system and the turbo-expander, and flow of a discharge of the turbo-expander to an exhaust of at least one of the first turbine component and the second turbine component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Sanji Ekanayake, Dale Joel Davis, Kihyung Kim, Alston Ilford Scipio, Leslie Yung Min Tong
  • Patent number: 9822670
    Abstract: A power generation system may include: a first gas turbine system including a first turbine component, a first integral compressor and a first combustor to which air from the first integral compressor and fuel are supplied. The first integral compressor has a flow capacity greater than an intake capacity of the first combustor and/or the first turbine component, creating an excess air flow. A second gas turbine system may include similar components to the first except but without excess capacity in its compressor. A turbo-expander may be operatively coupled to the second gas turbine system. Control valves may control flow of the excess air flow from the first gas turbine system to at least one of the second gas turbine system and the turbo-expander, and flow of a discharge of the turbo-expander to an inlet of at least one of the first integral compressor and the second compressor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Sanji Ekanayake, Thomas John Freeman, Kihyung Kim, Alston Ilford Scipio, Leslie Yung Min Tong
  • Patent number: 9816391
    Abstract: The present application thus provides a cleaning system for use with a compressor of a turbine engine. The cleaning system may include a wash nozzle positioned about the compressor and a spheroid injection port to inject a number of spheroids therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Sanji Ekanayake, Alston Ilford Scipio, Julio Enrique Mestroni, Timothy Joseph Rehg
  • Patent number: 9797310
    Abstract: A turbomachine includes a compressor having an inter-stage gap between adjacent rows of rotor blades and stator vanes. A combustor is connected to the compressor, and a turbine is connected to the combustor. An intercooler is operatively connected to the compressor, and includes a first plurality of heat pipes that extend into the inter-stage gap. The first plurality of heat pipes are operatively connected to a first manifold, and the heat pipes and the first manifold are configured to transfer heat from the compressed airflow from the compressor to heat exchangers. A cooling system is operatively connected to the turbine, and includes a second plurality of heat pipes located in the turbine nozzles. The second plurality of heat pipes are operatively connected to a second manifold, and the heat pipes and the second manifold are configured to transfer heat from the turbine nozzles to the heat exchangers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Sanji Ekanayake, Joseph Paul Rizzo, Alston Ilford Scipio, Timothy Tahteh Yang, Thomas Edward Wickert
  • Patent number: 9759131
    Abstract: Methods and systems for imparting corrosion resistance to gas turbine engines are disclosed. Existing and/or supplemental piping is connected to existing compressor section air extraction piping and turbine section cooling air piping to supply water and anti-corrosion agents into areas of the gas turbine engine not ordinarily and/or directly accessible by injection of cleaning agents into the bellmouth of the turbine alone and/or repair methods. An anti-corrosion mixture is selectively supplied as an aqueous solution to the compressor and/or the turbine sections of the gas turbine engine to coat the gas turbine engine components therein with a metal passivation coating which mitigates corrosion in the gas turbine engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Alston Ilford Scipio, Dale Joel Davis, Sanji Ekanayake, Paul Robert Fernandez