Fuel Patents (Class 60/39.281)
  • Patent number: 9828916
    Abstract: A fuel system includes a fuel pump formed of a constant-volume pump for changing a discharge flow rate in conjunction with a variation in a speed of revolution of a drive shaft, a boost pump disposed upstream from the fuel pump and formed of a constant-volume pump of which a discharge flow rate per unit of revolution of a drive shaft is greater than that of the fuel pump, a single electric motor rotationally driving the drive shaft of the fuel pump and the drive shaft of the boost pump in a state in which the speeds of revolution thereof are equal to each other, a return flow channel connecting an upstream side and a downstream side of the boost pump, and a relief valve disposed in the return flow channel and opened when an internal pressure of the return flow channel is greater than a reference pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: IHI Corporation
    Inventor: Seiei Masuda
  • Patent number: 9822703
    Abstract: A fuel supply system is provided having a first fuel gas compressor configured to be driven by a motor and a second fuel gas compressor configured to be driven by a shaft of a gas turbine system. The first fuel gas compressor and the second fuel gas compressor are configured to supply a pressurized fuel flow to a combustor of the gas turbine system, and the first fuel gas compressor and the second fuel gas compressor are coupled to one another in series.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ping Yu, Wenjie Wu, Zhiyong Chen
  • Patent number: 9810156
    Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling mode transfers of a turbine combustor are provided. According to one embodiment, a system may include a controller to control a combustor, and a processor communicatively coupled to the controller. The processor may be configured to receive current operating conditions, target operating limits, and combustor transfer functions. The combustor transfer functions may be evaluated to estimate operating limits associated with one or more combustion modes under the current operating conditions. The estimated operating limits associated with the one or more combustor modes may be compared to the target operating limits, and, based on the comparison, at least one of the combustion modes may be selected. The combustor may then be selectively transferred to the selected combustion mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jason Charles Terry, Timothy Andrew Healy
  • Patent number: 9804054
    Abstract: A system for early detection of onset of oscillatory instabilities in practical devices is described. The system consists of a measuring device, an instability detection unit and a control unit. The measuring device is configured to generate signals corresponding to the dynamics happening inside the practical device. The instability detection unit is configured to diagnose the stability of the practical device from the signals that are generated by the measuring device. Further, the control unit is configured to control various operating parameters in the practical device based on the information obtained from the instability detection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: INDIAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY MADRAS
    Inventors: Vineeth Nair Vinod, Gireeshkumaran Thampi, Sulochana Karuppusamy, Saravanan Gopalan, Sujith Raman Pillai Indusekharan Nair
  • Patent number: 9790807
    Abstract: An aircraft turbine engine including at least one spool rotating at speed N1 and a monitoring system including: a regulating module including at least one regulation measurement channel to obtain a measurement of the speed N1 and a mechanism to compare the obtained speed measurement with a thrust setpoint to provide a thrust status; and a module for engaging a protection function of UHT or ATTCS type of the turbine engine. The turbine engine further includes a system for protection against overspeed to prevent ejection of high-energy debris outside the turbine engine, the protection system including at least one overspeed measurement channel to obtain an overspeed of the rotating spool of the turbine engine. The engagement module compares at least one overspeed obtained with at least one reference speed defined according to the protection function to be engaged, to engage the protection function according to results of the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: SNECMA
    Inventors: Cecile Valerie Marie Cointe, Michael Dinsart, Cedrik Djelassi, Bruno Robert Gaully
  • Patent number: 9771906
    Abstract: An engine fuel control system includes a fuel metering valve operable to control the flow of fuel between a supply line and a delivery line. The delivery line is configured to receive fuel from one or more fuel pumps. The engine fuel control system further includes a pressure raising arrangement which receives the fuel flow from the delivery line and raises the fuel pressure therein. The engine fuel control system further includes a pressure sensor arranged to sense the pressure of the fuel in the supply line between the one or more fuel pumps and the fuel metering valve, or to sense the pressure of the fuel in the delivery line between the fuel metering valve and the pressure raising arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC
    Inventor: Nigel Henson
  • Patent number: 9739199
    Abstract: A control system for a gas turbine includes a controller. The controller includes a processor configured to access an operational parameter associated with the gas turbine. The processor is configured to calculate a bias based on the operational parameter, wherein the bias indicates an amount of change in a temperature of an oxidant entering a compressor of the turbine to reach a reference temperature. The processor is further configured to control the temperature of the oxidant based on the bias to improve power output of the gas turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Daniel Aaron Kessler, Christopher Hung Vu, Veronica Elizabeth Vela
  • Patent number: 9739208
    Abstract: An engine fuel control system is provided, including a supply line for the supply of fuel to a fuel metering valve which controls the flow of fuel to burners of an engine. Fuel is delivered at a first high pressure to the supply line by a pump arrangement. The engine fuel control system includes a restrictor located in the supply line for passage of the fuel delivered by the pump arrangement therethrough. The restrictor is configured such that fuel exiting the restrictor for onward supply to the fuel metering valve is at a second high pressure which is lower than the first high pressure. The engine fuel control system includes pressure limiting valves which actuate when the pressure difference between the first high and low pressure reaches a predetermined level to open a flow path for fuel on the supply line to by-pass the restrictor, thereby limiting the pressure difference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC
    Inventors: Michael Griffiths, Roger Southeran
  • Patent number: 9731723
    Abstract: A working vehicle includes an engine, a pair of right and left traveling portions rotated by a power of the engine, a pair of right and left brake operation devices for respectively operating to brake the traveling portions, an engine controller which controls driving of the engine, and a control mode selection switch which can alternatively select the isochronous control and the droop control. The engine controller selects any of an isochronous control and a droop control so as to control the engine. In the case that the isochronous control is designated by the control mode selection switch, the engine is controlled according to the isochronous control when one of the right and left brake operation devices is under a non-operation state, and the engine is controlled according to the droop control when both of the right and left brake operation devices are under an operation state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: Yanmar Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akimichi Iwata, Hiroshi Isobe
  • Patent number: 9726085
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for controlling a gas turbine group including, a first combustion chamber, a first turbine connected, a second combustion chamber, a second turbine, and a load. The method includes: measuring a temperature TAT1 at an outlet of the first turbine; determining a ratio S1R of a fuel mass flow feeding a pilot flame of the first combustion chamber to a total fuel mass flow feeding the first combustion chamber based upon the measured temperature TAT1 in accordance with a predetermined mapping table between ratio S1R and temperature TAT1; adopting the larger one between the determined ratio S1R and a predetermined booster ratio S1R to be used in the controlling fuel flow feeding the first combustion chamber of the gas turbine group. Pulsation behavior of the gas turbine group may be improved. High pulsation during fast de-loading of the gas turbine group is substantially is decreased, avoiding potential damage to the parts of the gas turbine group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: ANSALDO ENERGIA SWITZERLAND AG
    Inventors: Sebastian Lipari, Ghislain Singla, Thiemo Meeuwissen, Theodoros Ferreira-Providakis
  • Patent number: 9708983
    Abstract: The present disclosure refers to a method for operating a gas turbine with sequential combustors having a first-burner, a first combustion chamber, and a second combustor arranged sequentially in a fluid flow connection. To minimize emissions and combustion stability problems during transient changes when the fuel flow to a second combustor is initiated the method includes the steps of increasing the second fuel flow to a minimum flow, and reducing the first fuel flow to the first-burner of the same sequential combustor and/or the fuel flow to at least one other sequential combustor of the sequential combustor arrangement in order keep the total fuel mass flow to the gas turbine substantially constant. Besides the method a gas turbine with a fuel distribution system configured to carry out such a method is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: ANSALDO ENERGIA SWITZERLAND AG
    Inventors: Adnan Eroglu, Juergen Hoffmann
  • Patent number: 9709278
    Abstract: A system includes a gas turbine engine that includes a first combustor and a second combustor. The first combustor includes a first fuel nozzle disposed in a first head end chamber of the first combustor and a first fuel injector. The first fuel nozzle is configured to inject a first fuel and an oxidant into a first combustion chamber of the first combustor. The second combustor includes a second fuel nozzle disposed in a second head end chamber of the second combustor, a second fuel injector, and a second orifice plate disposed in a second fuel path upstream of the second fuel injector. The second fuel nozzle is configured to inject the first fuel and the oxidant into a second combustion chamber of the second combustor and the second orifice plate is configured to help reduce modal coupling between the first combustor and the second combustor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Sarah Lori Crothers, Charlotte Cole Wilson
  • Patent number: 9695750
    Abstract: A turbine engine assembly having a turbine core with a compressor section, a combustion section, a turbine section, and a nozzle section and a liquid natural gas (LNG) fuel system having a LNG reservoir, a vaporizer heat exchanger, a first liquid supply line operably coupling the LNG reservoir to an input of the vaporizer heat exchanger, a gas supply line operably coupling an output of the vaporizer heat exchanger to the combustion section, a second liquid supply line operably coupling the LNG reservoir to the gas supply line and a thermostatic expansion valve (TEV) and a dual fuel aircraft control system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Gary Craig Wollenweber
  • Patent number: 9677476
    Abstract: Presented herein are turbine machines, turbine control systems, methods, and computer-readable storage devices for controlling turbines including a compressor, a combustion system, and a turbine section comprising a turbine operating at an initial turbine output while using initial parameter values for the respective control parameters of the turbine. The techniques involve, for respective selected control parameters, selecting an adjustment of the initial parameter value of the selected control parameter, and predicting a predicted turbine output of the turbine operated using the adjustment of the selected control parameter and the initial parameter values for other control parameters; comparing the predicted turbine outputs for the adjustments of the respective control parameters to select, from the control parameters, a target control parameter having a target adjustment that results in the target turbine output; and operating the turbine with the target adjustment of the target control parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jonathan York Smith, John Rogers Huey, Prabhanjana Kalya
  • Patent number: 9678161
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to checking a rotational speed relay of a wind turbine. The wind turbine comprises a rotational speed sensor for the rotational speed of a shaft. The rotational speed sensor outputs a rotational speed signal, which is fed to a signal input of the rotational speed relay. According to disclosure, the rotational speed signal fed to the rotational speed relay is first inactivated. Then a signal generator is activated, which produces a check signal equivalent to the rotational speed signal. The check signal is fed to the signal input of the rotational speed relay. The signal generator is operated with a check signal that is beyond a rotational speed limit, and a check is performed to determine if the rotational speed relay generates a switch-off command. This allows the functional capability of the rotational speed relay to be checked reliably and at low cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: SENVION SE
    Inventor: Soenke Bolln
  • Patent number: 9677686
    Abstract: A gas supply system of a gas turbine and a method for controlling an operation of the gas supply system. A gas supply system includes a first valve connected in series to a set of second valves that are in parallel with each other. At least one second valve from the set of second valves is connected to a combustion chamber of the gas turbine. A degree of opening of the first valve and the at least one second valve is changed to in a manner that controls a total mass flow of gas output by the set of second valves during the change in the degree of opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Christian-Anghel Solacolu
  • Patent number: 9664656
    Abstract: A method for monitoring the concentration of a gas in an enclosed space is provided. A gas is injected into the space, by a gas injection system. The concentration of the gas is measured using a gas sensor. The concentration is compared with predetermined limits, and the gas injection system is shut off if the concentration is above one of the predetermined limits. In addition, hardware, software, and signal control elements which perform the monitoring, are continuously monitored for faults, and if a fault is detected, the gas injection system is shut off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: Ruks Engineering Ltd.
    Inventors: Narayan Krishnan, Santanam Sridhar
  • Patent number: 9639071
    Abstract: A method and system for transferring between combustion modes in a gas turbine engine is provided. A processor generates data representative of an initial set of splits for providing at least one of fuel and air to at least one combustor in the gas turbine engine. A gas turbine engine model module generates data representative of at least one engine operating condition. A first split calculation module generates data representative of at least one set of active control splits to control the engine in a first combustion mode, using as an input the initial split data. A second split calculation module generates data representative of at least one set of passive control splits to control the engine in at least a second combustion mode. Transfer between combustion modes may be accomplished via use of at least one of the active control splits and the passive control splits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Prabhanjana Kalya, Steven William Backman, Laura Lea Boes, David Spencer Ewens, Trevor Valder Jones
  • Patent number: 9625886
    Abstract: A conditionally active limit regulator may be used to regulate the performance of engines or other limit regulated systems. A computing system may determine whether a variable to be limited is within a predetermined range of a limit value as a first condition. The computing system may also determine whether a current rate of increase or decrease of the variable to be limited is great enough that the variable will reach the limit within a predetermined period of time with no other changes as a second condition. When both conditions are true, the computing system may activate a simulated or physical limit regulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: The United States of America as Represented by the Administrator of National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventors: Sanjay Garg, Ryan D. May
  • Patent number: 9624777
    Abstract: A rotor of an aircraft turbomachine having a main axis A, which includes modifying the critical speed of the rotor, depending on whether the rotational speed of the rotor is lower or higher than a predefined rotational speed, including a component that is capable of occupying a first state or a second state depending on whether the rotational speed of the rotor is lower or higher than the predefined rotational speed, each state of the component corresponding to a critical speed of the rotor, and driving the component to one or the other of the two states thereof, depending on the rotational speed of the rotor, wherein modifying the critical speed of the rotor further includes a component that engages with the drive means and is capable of being deformed elastically between one or the other of two stable forms, each of which corresponds to a state of the component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: SNECMA
    Inventor: Julien Michel Patrick Christian Austruy
  • Patent number: 9611791
    Abstract: Various embodiments include a system having: at least one computing device configured to tune a set of gas turbines (GTs) by performing actions including: commanding each GT in the set of GTs to a base load level, based upon a measured ambient condition for each GT; commanding each GT in the set of GTs to adjust a respective fuel flow to match a nominal fuel flow value, and subsequently measuring an actual power output value for each GT; and adjusting an operating condition of each GT in the set of GTs based upon a difference between the respective measured actual power output value and a nominal power output value at the ambient condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Rex Allen Morgan, Lewis Berkley Davis, Jr., Scott Arthur Day, Harold Lamar Jordan, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9612016
    Abstract: The state of a flame in a subject combustor of a gas turbine engine is acoustically monitored using a dynamic pressure sensor within the subject combustor and one or more additional sensors in nearby combustors. Dynamic pressure sensor output signals from the sensors are cross correlated to identify acoustic oscillations generated by a flame in the subject combustor and received by the sensors. The cross correlation may be constrained by a maximum time delay between correlated components of the signals, based on physical characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: Siemens Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Heiko Claussen, Nancy H. Ulerich, Zainul Momin, Patrick Ronald Flohr
  • Patent number: 9605595
    Abstract: A method for eliminating rotational stall in a compressor of a turbine engine, includes automatically detecting surge in the turbine engine; automatically shutting-down the turbine engine; in the event surge is detected, automatically restoring a surge margin; and automatically re-igniting the turbine machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: SNECMA
    Inventor: Cédrik Djelassi
  • Patent number: 9599018
    Abstract: A method and a device are disclosed for the safe operation of a gas turbine plant, whose operation is both controlled by at least one process controller, which at least triggers and/or influences operationally relevant processes of the gas turbine plant, and is also monitored by a separate protection unit that is operated independently of the process controller on the basis of at least one first limit value for a safety-relevant operating parameter, wherein the gas turbine plant is subjected to an emergency switch-off once the at least one first limit value is exceeded. In that in the case of a defined transient operating state of the gas turbine plant that can be detected by the protection unit, the at least one first limit value of the safety-relevant operating parameter is raised to a second limit value, wherein the gas turbine plant is protected by an emergency switch-off of the gas turbine plant once said second limit value is exceeded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC TECHNOLOGY GMBH
    Inventor: Andreas Belzner
  • Patent number: 9599027
    Abstract: Various embodiments include a system having: at least one computing device configured to tune a set of gas turbines (GTs) by performing actions including: commanding each GT in the set of GTs to a base load level, based upon a measured ambient condition for each GT; commanding each GT in the set of GTs to adjust a respective emissions value to match a nominal emissions value, and subsequently measuring an actual exhaust energy value for each GT; and adjusting an operating condition of each GT in the set of GTs based upon a difference between the respective measured actual exhaust energy value and a nominal exhaust energy value at the ambient condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Rex Allen Morgan, Lewis Berkley Davis, Jr., Scott Arthur Day, Harold Lamar Jordan, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9599024
    Abstract: Various embodiments include a system having: at least one computing device configured to tune a set of gas turbines (GTs) by performing actions including: commanding each GT in the set of GTs to a base load level, based upon a measured ambient condition for each GT; commanding each GT in the set of GTs to adjust a respective exhaust energy to match a nominal exhaust energy value, and subsequently measuring an actual emissions value for each GT; and adjusting an operating condition of each GT in the set of GTs based upon a difference between the respective measured actual emissions value and a nominal emissions value at the ambient condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Rex Allen Morgan, Lewis Berkley Davis, Jr., Scott Arthur Day, Harold Lamar Jordan, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9599026
    Abstract: Various embodiments include a system having: at least one computing device configured to tune a set of gas turbines (GTs) by performing actions including: commanding each GT in the set of GTs to a base load level, based upon a measured ambient condition for each GT; commanding each GT in the set of GTs to adjust a respective exhaust energy to match a nominal exhaust energy value, and subsequently measuring an actual power output value for each GT; and adjusting an operating condition of each GT in the set of GTs based upon a difference between the respective measured actual power output value and a nominal power output value at the ambient condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Rex Allen Morgan, Lewis Berkley Davis, Jr., Scott Arthur Day, Harold Lamar Jordan, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9599030
    Abstract: Various embodiments include a system having: at least one computing device configured to tune a set of gas turbines (GTs) by performing actions including: commanding each GT in the set of GTs to a base load level, based upon a measured ambient condition for each GT; commanding each GT in the set of GTs to adjust a respective exhaust energy to match a nominal exhaust energy value, and subsequently measuring an actual fuel flow value for each GT; and adjusting an operating condition of each GT in the set of GTs based upon a difference between the respective measured actual fuel flow value and a nominal fuel flow value at the ambient condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Rex Allen Morgan, Lewis Berkley Davis, Jr., Scott Arthur Day, Harold Lamar Jordan, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9599032
    Abstract: Various embodiments include a system having: at least one computing device configured to tune a set of gas turbines (GTs) by performing actions including: commanding each GT in the set of GTs to a base load level, based upon a measured ambient condition for each GT; commanding each GT in the set of GTs to adjust a respective emissions value to match a nominal emissions value, and subsequently measuring an actual fuel flow value for each GT; and adjusting an operating condition of each GT in the set of GTs based upon a difference between the respective measured actual fuel flow value and a nominal fuel flow value at the ambient condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Rex Allen Morgan, Lewis Berkley Davis, Jr., Scott Arthur Day, Harold Lamar Jordan, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9599527
    Abstract: The flame status of a group of gas turbine combustors is acoustically monitored using dynamic pressure sensors within the combustor. Dynamic pressure sensor output signals are received from the sensors and processed to determine flame status. The signals are processed both by performing a correlation analysis within each combustor and by applying a wavelet-based flame detection algorithm to each output signal. A flame is determined to be present based on the correlation analysis and the wavelet-based flame detection algorithm. The wavelet-based flame detection algorithm is chosen based on whether the gas turbine combustors are in an ignition phase or a monitoring phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Siemens Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Heiko Claussen, Nancy H. Ulerich, Zainul Momin, Justinian Rosca
  • Patent number: 9599025
    Abstract: Various embodiments include a system having: at least one computing device configured to tune a set of gas turbines (GTs) by performing actions including: commanding each GT in the set of GTs to a base load level, based upon a measured ambient condition for each GT; commanding each GT in the set of GTs to adjust a respective power output to match a nominal power output value, and subsequently measuring an actual exhaust energy value for each GT; and adjusting an operating condition of each GT in the set of GTs based upon a difference between the respective measured actual exhaust energy value and a nominal exhaust energy value at the ambient condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Rex Allen Morgan, Lewis Berkley Davis, Jr., Scott Arthur Day, Harold Lamar Jordan, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9599031
    Abstract: Various embodiments include a system having: at least one computing device configured to tune a set of gas turbines (GTs) by performing actions including: commanding each GT in the set of GTs to a base load level, based upon a measured ambient condition for each GT; commanding each GT in the set of GTs to adjust a respective power output to match a nominal power output value, and subsequently measuring an actual emissions value for each GT; and adjusting an operating condition of each GT in the set of GTs based upon a difference between the respective measured actual emissions value and a nominal emissions value at the ambient condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Rex Allen Morgan, Lewis Berkley Davis, Jr., Scott Arthur Day, Harold Lamar Jordan, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9599029
    Abstract: Various embodiments include a system having: at least one computing device configured to tune a set of gas turbines (GTs) by performing actions including: commanding each GT in the set of GTs to a base load level, based upon a measured ambient condition for each GT; commanding each GT in the set of GTs to adjust a respective fuel flow to match a nominal fuel flow value, and subsequently measuring an actual emissions value for each GT; and adjusting an operating condition of each GT in the set of GTs based upon a difference between the respective measured actual emissions value and a nominal emissions value at the ambient condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Rex Allen Morgan, Lewis Berkley Davis, Jr., Scott Arthur Day, Harold Lamar Jordan, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9599033
    Abstract: Various embodiments include a system having: at least one computing device configured to tune a set of gas turbines (GTs) by performing actions including: commanding each GT in the set of GTs to a base load level, based upon a measured ambient condition for each GT; commanding each GT in the set of GTs to adjust a respective fuel flow value to match a nominal fuel flow value, and subsequently measuring an actual exhaust energy value for each GT; and adjusting an operating condition of each GT in the set of GTs based upon a difference between the respective measured actual exhaust energy value and a nominal exhaust energy value at the ambient condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Rex Allen Morgan, Lewis Berkley Davis, Jr., Scott Arthur Day, Harold Lamar Jordan, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9587834
    Abstract: A distributed sensing system for detecting a flashback condition in a combustor for a gas turbine engine The distributed sensing system includes one or more strategically positioned fiber optic cables provided upstream of the combustion area in the combustor. The distributed sensing system employs Rayleigh backscattering and swept-wavelength interferometry to measure temperature and reliably identify the location of the flashback condition The fiber optic cable is specially fabricated to have a high temperature resistance suitable for those temperatures existing during flashback conditions. The fiber optic cable can be wrapped on an inside of a combustion basket or on an outside of the combustion basket, and in a serpentine manner or otherwise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: SIEMENS ENERGY, INC.
    Inventors: Upul P. DeSilva, Christine P. Spiegelberg
  • Patent number: 9574500
    Abstract: A direct metering architecture is provided having a metering pump and a servo pump wherein the metering and servo pumps are driven by an engine shaft by way of a gearbox transmission. The system reduces wasted horsepower previously occurring with oversized fixed displacement pumps, reduces instances of engine flameout and reduces the amount of heat added to fuel which ultimately improves engine oil cooling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Lauren Marie Kelly, Robert Edward Goeller, William James Mailander
  • Patent number: 9568197
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a combustor having a fuel nozzle assembly for delivering fuel to a combustion chamber. A sensor is at least partially housed within the fuel nozzle assembly for sensing a parameter associated with the delivery of fuel to the combustion chamber. In one example, the sensor is an optical sensor coupled to an optical decoder for ascertaining the parameter. A trim valve is in communication with the fuel nozzle assembly. A controller is in communication with the sensor and is programmed to actuate the trim valve to adjust the amount of fuel delivered through the fuel nozzle assembly in response to the parameter. In one example, an end of the optical sensor is arranged near a fuel exit of the fuel nozzle assembly. The controller actuates the trim valve for the fuel nozzle assembly to achieve a desired air/fuel ratio and/or balance the fuel delivery of the fuel nozzle assembly relative to another fuel nozzle assembly within the gas turbine engine's combustor system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: John T. Ols, Stephen K. Kramer, Sheree R. Swenson-Dodge
  • Patent number: 9562479
    Abstract: A system includes a controller configured to control an operational behavior of a turbine system. The controller includes a droop response system configured to detect one or more operational characteristics of the turbine system as an indication of a frequency variation of an electric power system associated with the turbine system. The droop response system is further configured to generate a response to vary an output of the turbine system in response to the indication of the frequency variation. The controller includes a multivariable droop response correction system configured to determine one or more possible errors associated with the one or more operational characteristics of the turbine system, and to generate a plurality of correction factors to apply to the response generated by the droop response system. The plurality of correction factors is configured to correct the response generated by the droop response system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Yuhui Chen, John Dalton Warren
  • Patent number: 9556797
    Abstract: A fuel divider included in a fuel supply device of a gas turbine engine includes a movable member which is movable according to a fuel pressure at a fuel entrance, opens only a pilot port when the fuel pressure at the fuel entrance is lower than a first pressure, and opens both of the pilot port and the main port when the fuel pressure at the fuel entrance is higher than the first pressure. In addition, the fuel divider includes an adjusting means which adjusts a value of the first pressure in such a manner that it applies to the movable member a counter force in a direction opposite to a direction in which the movable member moves according to the fuel pressure at the fuel entrance, and adjusts the counter force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hideki Ogata
  • Patent number: 9546599
    Abstract: A turbine engine for an aircraft including a turbine engine shaft and a pumping module, including: a pump shaft, connected to the turbine engine shaft; a pump for supplying fuel to the turbine engine, mounted on the pump shaft, configured to deliver a flow of fuel as a function of a speed of rotation of the turbine engine shaft; and an electrical device mounted on the pump shaft and configured, according to a first mode of operation, to drive the pump shaft in rotation to actuate the supply pump and, according to a second mode of operation, to be driven in rotation by the pump shaft to supply electrical power to equipment of the turbine engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: TURBOMECA
    Inventors: Jean Lindeman, Philippe Jean René Marie Benezech, Jean-Luc Charles Gilbert Frealle, Bertrand Moine
  • Patent number: 9540944
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine comprises a compressor, a combustor, a turbine, and an electronic engine control system. The compressor, combustor, and turbine are arranged in flow series. The electronic engine control system is configured to generate a real-time estimate of compressor stall margin from an engine model, and command engine actuators to correct for the difference between the real time estimate of compressor stall margin and a required stall margin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Richard P. Meisner, Brian V. Winebrenner, Matthew R. Feulner, Boris Karpman, Juan A. Marcos, David L. Ma
  • Patent number: 9528913
    Abstract: A system for remote detection of surge in a fleet of turbine engines includes an on-site monitoring device coupled to each turbine engine of the fleet of turbine engines. The on-site monitoring device is configured to continuously receive operating parameter measurements indicative of operational and thermodynamic conditions of the turbine engine. The operational condition includes a compressor exit condition of the turbine engine compressor. The on-site monitoring device is configured to compile and transmit a snapshot of the operating parameter measurements to a remote monitoring unit. The remote monitoring unit is positioned remote from each turbine engine of the fleet of turbine engines. The remote monitoring unit is configured to receive the snapshot of operating parameter measurements from the on-site monitoring device. The remote monitoring unit is further configured to detect surge in the turbine engine based on analysis of the snapshot of operating parameter measurements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Sanjeev Shyam Heda, Steven William Backman, Matthew John Mckeever, Scott Alan Wood, Carlo Angelo Yon, Robert Joseph Iasillo, Christopher Childs
  • Patent number: 9500134
    Abstract: Provided is a gas turbine including: a first compressor which compresses air; a mixer which adds the compressed air from the first compressor to fuel and generates a fuel mixture; a combustor which combusts the generated fuel mixture from the mixer; a plurality of flow meters which adjusts an amount of the air or the fuel injected into the mixer; and a control unit which maintains the Wobbe Index of the fuel mixture within a predetermined Wobbe Index range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: Hanwha Techwin Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Chul-Ju Ahn
  • Patent number: 9476363
    Abstract: A method for calibrating a fuel control valve assembly including a valve and an actuator is disclosed. The method includes determining an encoder offset by actuating the valve until a predetermined value for the effective flow area is measured to obtain an actual calibration encoder count and comparing the actual calibration encoder count to an initial calibration encoder count. The method also includes adjusting an alignment encoder count and a maximum encoder count by an amount of the encoder offset. The method further includes associating the adjusted alignment encoder count with an alignment command value and the adjusted maximum encoder count with a maximum command value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Solar Turbines Incorporated
    Inventors: Louis James Bertsch, IV, Roy Thomas Collins
  • Patent number: 9470152
    Abstract: An engine fuel control system includes a metering valve to control fuel flow between the supply and delivery line with a pressure drop control regulating the pressure across the valve and maintain a substantially constant pressure across the valve. The fuel control system includes a backup system controllable by a pullback signal to operate the pressure control, thus increasing the pullback signal reducing the fuel flow between the supply and delivery line. The fuel control system detects a start of an engine overthrust event, and when the upward runaway is caused by the arrested overthrust event. The fuel control system's controller which (i) determines the overthrust detection, the pullback signal increase rate and the pullback signal offset, (ii) sends the pullback signal to the backup system at the rate of increase, and (iii), reduces the pullback signal to the backup system when the upward runaway is arrested by the offset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE CONTROLS AND DATA SERVICES LIMITED
    Inventors: Alexander MacDonald, Mohammad Khalid Khan, Nigel Herbert Henson
  • Patent number: 9464576
    Abstract: A system including a fuel-supply system including, an auxiliary-fuel-gas compressor configured to compress a fuel for use by a gas-turbine system, an expander configured to generate power by expanding an oxidant from the gas-turbine system, and a motor/generator configured to function in a motor mode and in a generator mode, wherein the motor/generator drives fuel compression with the auxiliary fuel-gas compressor in the motor mode, and the motor/generator generates power in the generator mode as the expander uses oxidant from the gas-turbine system to drive the motor/generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Hua Zhang, Wenjie Wu, Yongjiang Hao
  • Patent number: 9435458
    Abstract: An electric solenoid valve, methods for operating and/or actuating the solenoid valve, valve system diagnostics, and applications for use are described. The valve may be designed to actuate in a manner so as to control liquid flow into and/or through a device, such as a spray nozzle. By altering the characteristics of the electrical signal transmitted to the solenoid valve, the instantaneous pressure across the valve and duration of fluid flow through the valve can be controlled with a single actuator. Controlled cyclic durations of flow may be implemented to regulate the exact timing of flow through the valve. Alternatively, cyclic durations may occur with a pulse-width modulation technique in which the duty cycle regulates average flow rate through the valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: Capstan Ag Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Duane Needham, Andrew J. Holtz
  • Patent number: 9382847
    Abstract: A speed control system for an engine comprising at least one rotary load is provided. The speed control system may include a rotor speed controller configured to regulate speed in the rotary load based on a sensed rotor speed, exclusive of resonant mode speed oscillations, in closed loop feedback with a commanded rotor speed. To provide active damping of resonant mode speed oscillations, a resonance disturbance rejection controller may be configured to compensate a speed control signal by observing a component of the sensed rotor speed that is due to resonant mode oscillations. Based on the observed resonance component, the resonance disturbance rejection controller may compute an adjustment value for the speed control signal. In the particular case of gas turbine engines, the resonance disturbance rejection controller may effect active damping by compensation of a fuel flow request for a gas generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventor: Peter Ficklscherer
  • Patent number: 9382850
    Abstract: A system includes a gas turbine engine having a combustor, and a fuel blending system. The fuel blending system further includes a first fuel supply configured to supply a first fuel, a second fuel supply configured to supply a second fuel, a first fuel circuit, a second fuel circuit, and a controller. The first fuel circuit may be configured to blend the first fuel and the second fuel to form a first to form a first fuel mixture. The second fuel circuit may be configured to blend the first fuel and the second fuel to form a second fuel mixture. The controller may be configured to regulate blending of the first fuel mixture and the second fuel mixture based on a measured operating parameter of the combustor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Arvind Venugopal Menon, Alan Meier Truesdale, Abhijit Prabhakar Kulkarni, Predrag Popovic
  • Patent number: 9377192
    Abstract: A highly-reliable combustor is provided that allows flash back of flame into a premixer to be suppressed. The combustor has a mixing chamber forming member 110 that forms a mixing chamber thereinside. The mixing chamber includes a first mixing chamber 200 broadening toward a downstream side. The member 110 includes air introduction holes 202, 203, 204 formed in a plurality of rows in an axial direction, with the air introduction holes being arranged plurally in a circumferential direction of the mixing chamber. The member 110 includes a fuel ejection hole 206 provided in a wall surface which forms the air introduction hole. The air introduction holes 202, 203, 204 are circumferentially eccentrically installed. The air introduction holes 202 located in the most upstream row are more inclined toward the downstream side than the air introduction holes 203, 204 located in the rows other than the most upstream row.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Hirata, Shohei Yoshida, Tatsuya Sekiguchi, Akinori Hayashi, Hirokazu Takahashi