Water Or Steam Patents (Class 60/39.3)
  • Patent number: 11519631
    Abstract: An adaptive flow limit controller for controlling a flow rate of a fluid through a heat exchanger includes a processing circuit. The processing circuit is configured to use an adaptive model to determine a threshold flow rate of the fluid through the heat exchanger at which a gradient of a temperature difference of the fluid across the heat exchanger with respect to the flow rate of the fluid through the heat exchanger has a threshold gradient value. The processing circuit is configured to operate a flow control device to maintain the flow rate of the fluid of through the heat exchanger at less than or equal to the threshold flow rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Tyco IP Holdings LLP
    Inventors: Brennan H. Fentzlaff, Kirk H. Drees, Timothy I. Salsbury, John M. House
  • Patent number: 11236676
    Abstract: The invention aims to shorten the time required for start-up and prevent excessive increases in the heat loads on turbine blades.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: Mitsubishi, Power, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasushi Iwai, Hidefumi Araki, Takuya Takeda
  • Patent number: 11187150
    Abstract: A combined cycle heat engine (10). The engine (10) comprises a first gas turbine engine (11) comprising a first air compressor system (14), a first combustion system (16) and a first turbine system (18) and a second gas turbine engine (32) comprising a second air compression system (36), a second turbine system (40), and a heat exchanger (38) configured to transfer heat from an exhaust (24) of the first turbine system (18) to compressed air from the second air compressor (36). The second gas turbine engine (32) comprises a second combustion system (20) downstream of the heat exchanger (38) and upstream of the second turbine system (40).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC
    Inventors: Ahmed M Y Razak, Arthur L Rowe
  • Patent number: 10739007
    Abstract: A diffusion cartridge assembly for a gas turbine engine, and methods of using the same. The diffusion cartridge assembly includes a tip plate with an array of fuel supply openings and a mounting hole radially inward of the array of fuel supply openings, an end cover, and an outer sleeve extending from the tip plate to the end cover and defining an open inner chamber. A fuel supply line is coupled to the end cover and extends within the open inner chamber toward the tip plate. A manifold is coupled to an end of the fuel supply line proximate to the tip plate, and includes an array of fuel injector tips. Each of the fuel injector tips extends through a respective one of the array of fuel supply openings in the tip plate. The manifold also includes a thermally free mounting pin extending into the mounting hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: POWER SYSTEMS MFG., LLC
    Inventors: Alfredo Cires, Peter Stuttaford, Matthew Yaquinto, Hany Rizkalla, Khalid Oumejjoud, Fred Hernandez, Bryan Kalb, Nicolas Demougeot, Joshua R McNally, Ramesh Keshava Bhattu, Bernard Tam-Yen Sam
  • Patent number: 10619572
    Abstract: A purging and/or sealing apparatus for conveying a purging and/or sealing fluid to at least one burner of a gas turbine plant. The purging and/or sealing apparatus has a pressure accumulator and a heating device, wherein the pressure accumulator is connected to the at least one burner via a first fluid line, with the heating device connected therebetween. A gas turbine plant and a method for purging and/or sealing has at least one burner and a purging and/or sealing apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Andreas Waruschewski, Ismail Belkahla, Volker Ertle, Kirjiakos Galanakis, Gülsen Schymetzko, James Smith, Patrick Wünsche
  • Patent number: 10495381
    Abstract: An exhaust quenching system is provided for use in connection with an asphalt concrete production plant having a dryer for drying aggregate material, an exhaust gas outlet conduit for discharge of exhaust gases from the dryer, and a dust collection assembly that is adapted to receive exhaust gases and entrained dust from the dryer via the exhaust gas outlet conduit. The exhaust quenching system is adapted to effect evaporative cooling of the exhaust gases in the exhaust gas outlet conduit upstream of the dust collection assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: Astec Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Christopher Varner, Ted Jonas Hope, III
  • Patent number: 10215060
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a novel apparatus and methods for augmenting the power of a gas turbine engine, improving gas turbine engine operation, and reducing the response time necessary to meet changing demands of a power plant. Improvements in power augmentation and engine operation include systems and methods for preheating a steam injection system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: POWERPHASE LLC
    Inventors: Robert J. Kraft, Scott Auerbach
  • Patent number: 10054002
    Abstract: A method for assisting with the detection of damage to a duct, the duct being designed such as to convey a pressurized air flow collected at the outlet of a high pressure compressor of a turbine engine to a first pressure sensor and a second pressure sensor of a computer, the method including: (A) measuring a first air pressure at the first pressure sensor; (B) measuring a second air pressure at the second pressure sensor; (C) determining a theoretical pressure of the air flow at the outlet of the high-pressure compressor; (D) performing a first test regarding the difference between the first value and the theoretical pressure; (E) performing a second test regarding the difference between the second value and the theoretical pressure; and performing a final test, which is positive if the first difference test and the second difference test are positive, and negative otherwise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES
    Inventor: Guilhem Alcide Auguste Foiret
  • Patent number: 9863315
    Abstract: A gas turbine having a compressor for compressing air, a combustor for taking in compressed air discharged from the compressor, mixing it with fuel, and burning them, and a turbine driven by combustion gas generated in the combustor, comprising: inlet guide vanes installed at a stage near an inlet of the compressor for adjusting a compressor flow rate by changing an attaching angle thereof, a steam injection mechanism for injecting steam to the combustor, a steam adjustment valve for adjusting the steam injection rate, and a steam rate control mechanism for adjusting an opening of the steam adjustment valve, a steam monitoring mechanism for monitoring the steam rate injected to the combustor, an air temperature monitoring mechanism for monitoring an atmospheric temperature, and a control unit for determining whether a restriction value of the steam injection rate using a temperature, an opening of the inlet guide vanes, and the steam injection rate as indexes is satisfied, and controlling at least one of a te
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroki Takeda, Ryo Akiyama, Yasuo Takahashi
  • Patent number: 9784183
    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 output to match a nominal mega-watt power output value, and subsequently measuring an actual fuel flow value and an actual emissions value for each GT; adjusting at least one of a fuel flow or a water flow for each GT to an adjusted water/fuel ratio in response to the actual emissions value deviating from an emissions level associated with the base load level, while maintaining the respective adjusted output; 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, while maintaining the adjusted water/fuel ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Lewis Berkley Davis, Jr., Harold Lamar Jordan, Jr., Rex Allen Morgan, Raub Warfield Smith
  • Patent number: 9650955
    Abstract: A system includes a multi-fuel gas turbine configured to operate on both a liquid fuel system and a gas fuel system, wherein the multi-fuel gas turbine comprises a compressor, a combustor, and a turbine. The system also includes a gas fuel purge system configured to purge a gas fuel circuit of the gas fuel system during liquid fuel operation of the gas turbine, wherein the gas fuel purge system is configured to sequentially purge the gas fuel circuit with air and steam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Eric Michael Sabelhaus, Thomas Edward Stowell, James Charles Przytulski, Raymundo Aviles Sandoval
  • Patent number: 9534789
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine combustion system including a mixing duct that separates into at least two branch passages for the delivery of a fuel and working fluid to distinct locations within a combustion chamber. The residence time for the fuel and working fluid within each of the two branch passages is distinct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: INDUSTRIAL TURBINE COMPANY (UK) LIMITED
    Inventor: Thomas Scarinci
  • Patent number: 9535481
    Abstract: The techniques described herein include for forming a power grid array with multiple power generators coupled to a power distribution unit. The power distribution unit is adapted to monitor operational data from each of the power generators to perform load balancing among the generators and to optimize the performance of the power grid array. A microgrid network is also provided within the power grid array to enable communication among the power distribution unit and the multiple generators in the array. This communication facilitates monitoring of the power grid as well as receiving and storing the operational data from each of the generators in the grid. The microgrid network can then be used to communicate the operational data over one or more connected networks allowing users to remotely access the power grid and to monitor and control the operational characteristics of the generators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: ENGINEERED ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Christopher J. Vaum, Gene Frohman
  • Patent number: 9334808
    Abstract: A fuel control device and method of a gas turbine combustor, for advanced humid air turbines, in which plural combustion units comprising plural fuel nozzles for supplying fuel and plural air nozzles for supplying air for combustion are provided. A part of the plural combustion units are more excellent in flame stabilizing performance than the other combustion units. A fuel ratio, at which fuel is fed to the part of the combustion units is set on the basis of internal temperature of the humidification tower and internal pressure of the humidification tower to control a flow ratio of the fuel fed to the plural combustion units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuki Abe, Tomomi Koganezawa
  • Patent number: 9239013
    Abstract: A method for assembling a rotary machine includes providing at least one combustor assembly that includes at least one fuel nozzle. The method also includes coupling at least one fuel source to the at least one combustor assembly. The method further includes coupling at least one solvent-based purge system in flow communication with the at least one combustor assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2016
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Hua Zhang, Gilbert Otto Kraemer, Douglas S. Byrd
  • Patent number: 9188061
    Abstract: A system includes a gas turbine engine having a combustor, a liquid fuel supply coupled to the combustor, and a water supply coupled to the liquid fuel supply. The water supply is configured to flow water through the liquid fuel supply while the liquid fuel supply is not in use to flow a liquid fuel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Hua Zhang, Douglas Frank Beadie, Geoffrey David Myers, Fabien Thibault Codron, Gregory Allen Boardman
  • Patent number: 8984892
    Abstract: A combined cycle power plant includes a gas turbomachine, a steam turbomachine operatively coupled to the gas turbomachine, and a heat recovery steam generator operatively coupled to the gas turbomachine and the steam turbomachine. The heat recovery steam generator includes a high pressure reheat section provided with at least one high pressure superheater and at least one reheater. The combined cycle power plant further includes a controller operatively connected to the gas turbomachine, the steam turbomachine and the heat recovery steam generator. The controller is selectively activated to initiate a flow of steam through the heat recovery steam generator following shutdown of the gas turbomachine to lower a temperature of at least one of the high pressure superheater and the at least one reheater and reduce development of condensate quench effects during HRSG purge of a combined cycle power plant shutdown.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Tailai Hu, Kelvin Rafael Estrada, Joel Donnell Holt, Diego Fernando Rancruel, Leslie Yung-Min Tong
  • Patent number: 8978386
    Abstract: Provided is a gas turbine system capable of dealing with a request for output increase even when high-pressure hot water generated using solar thermal energy cannot be used according to the operating state of the gas turbine system. A gas turbine system which sucks in intake air from an air intake duct by a compressor and drives a gas turbine by combustion gas obtained by burning air and fuel by a combustor, said gas turbine system being provided with pipes for generating high-pressure hot water by providing a solar collecting tube that utilizes solar heat and spraying the high-pressure hot water into the intake air sucked in by the compressor, and pipes for spraying normal temperature water into the intake air sucked in by the compressor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takaaki Sekiai, Kazuhito Koyama, Shigeo Hatamiya, Fumio Takahashi, Naoyuki Nagafuchi, Kazuo Takahashi
  • Patent number: 8973372
    Abstract: A shell air recirculation system for use in a gas turbine engine includes one or more outlet ports located at a bottom wall section of an engine casing wall and one or more inlet ports located at a top wall section of the engine casing wall. The system further includes a piping system that provides fluid communication between the outlet port(s) and the inlet port(s), a blower for extracting air from a combustor shell through the outlet port(s) and for conveying the extracted air to the inlet port(s), and a valve system for selectively allowing and preventing air from passing through the piping system. The system operates during less than full load operation of the engine to circulate air within the combustor shell but is not operational during full load operation of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Ching-Pang Lee, Evan C. Landrum, Jiping Zhang
  • Patent number: 8950191
    Abstract: Variable speed drive controlled discharge pumps are used for pumping chilled water from a chilled water storage tank to coils operatively associated with the air inlet of a gas turbine, wherein the gas turbine is used to generate electricity. Use of the variable speed drive controlled discharge pumps aids is protecting the temperature distribution in the chilled water storage tank so that a thermocline rises with the addition of chilled water during charging of the tank with chilled water, and lowers during discharge of the tank when using the chilled water to cool inlet air at one or more gas turbines operated at a facility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Bicent Power LLC
    Inventors: Frank Landis, James Nolan
  • Patent number: 8931283
    Abstract: A reformer for use in a gas turbine engine specially configured to treat a supplemental fuel feed to the combustor that includes a reformer core containing a catalyst composition and an inlet flow channel for transporting the reformer fuel mixture, air and steam (either saturated or superheated) into a reformer core. An outlet flow channel transports the resulting reformate stream containing reformed and thermally cracked hydrocarbons and substantial amounts of hydrogen out of the reformer core for later combination with the main combustor feed. Because the catalytic partial oxidation reaction in the reformer is highly exothermic, the additional heat is transferred (and thermally integrated) using one or more heat exchange units for a first and/or second auxiliary gas turbine fuel stream that undergo thermal cracking and vaporization before combining with the reformate. The combined, hydrogen-enriched feed significantly improves combustor performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Abdul Rafey Khan, Hasan Karim, Jonathan Dwight Berry
  • Patent number: 8881498
    Abstract: A method for primary regulation of a combined gas and steam turbine installation in network operation, wherein the combined gas and steam turbine installation includes a gas turbine and a steam turbine arranged along at least one shaft includes operating at least one steam turbine actuating valve on a restricted basis along a working steam supply line to at least one pressure stage of the steam turbine so as to provide a steady-state steam turbine reserve power, wherein the at least one steam turbine actuating valve is changed to a less restricted state if a network frequency decreases so as to require network frequency support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Alstom Technology Ltd
    Inventors: Hamid Olia, Jan Schlesier, Martin Schoenenberger
  • Publication number: 20140325990
    Abstract: A gas turbine having a compressor for compressing air, a combustor for taking in compressed air discharged from the compressor, mixing it with fuel, and burning them, and a turbine driven by combustion gas generated in the combustor, comprising: inlet guide vanes installed at a stage near an inlet of the compressor for adjusting a compressor flow rate by changing an attaching angle thereof, a steam injection mechanism for injecting steam to the combustor, a steam adjustment valve for adjusting the steam injection rate, and a steam rate control mechanism for adjusting an opening of the steam adjustment valve, a steam monitoring mechanism for monitoring the steam rate injected to the combustor, an air temperature monitoring mechanism for monitoring an atmospheric temperature, and a control unit for determining whether a restriction value of the steam injection rate using a temperature, an opening of the inlet guide vanes, and the steam injection rate as indexes is satisfied, and controlling at least one of a te
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2013
    Publication date: November 6, 2014
    Applicant: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroki TAKEDA, Ryo AKIYAMA, Yasuo TAKAHASHI
  • Patent number: 8820047
    Abstract: A combustion burner 10A according to one embodiment of the present invention includes: a fuel nozzle 110; a burner tube 120 forming the air passage 111 between the burner tube 120 and the fuel nozzle 110; swirler vanes (swirler vanes) 130 arranged in a plurality of positions in the circumferential direction on the external circumferential surface of the fuel nozzle 110, each extending along the axial direction of the fuel nozzle 110, and gradually curving from upstream toward downstream; and a liquid fuel injecting hole 133A from which a liquid fuel is injected to a surface of each of the swirler vanes 130. The combustion burner 10A also includes multi-purpose injecting holes 11-1 to 11-3 as a cooling unit that cools a part of a vane pressure surface 132a of the swirler vane 130 on which the liquid fuel LF hits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshihiko Saito, Koichi Ishizaka, Satoshi Tanimura
  • Patent number: 8807094
    Abstract: The hybrid multi-power stroke engine is an improved internal combustion engine that includes a steam engine integrated into the design, which derives power from heat generated at the combustion chamber as well as exhaust manifold of the internal combustion engine. The steam engine injects and exhausts superheated steam directly into the cylinder on a 5th and 6th stroke thereby alternating the engine from internal combustion to steam. A water tank is in fluid communication with a water pump and piping that passes across the cylinder block whereby heat is removed therefrom. The piping is in fluid communication with an exhaust manifold that transfers superheated steam to an electronic steam intake valve that injects the superheated steam on a 5th stroke. An auxiliary camshaft opens an exhaust steam valve on a 6th stroke in order to exhaust the expanded steam from the cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Inventor: Emilio D. Lopez-Pino
  • Patent number: 8783043
    Abstract: A combined cycle power generation system (10) includes a steam turbine (14, 16, 18), a combustion system (12) including a compressor (24), a combustion chamber (26), a gas turbine (28), and a HRSG (20) to generate steam with energy from the combustion turbine. A flow line (60, 70) passes superheated steam into the combustion chamber. In an associated method a first source of power is provided via a combustion process having a variable reaction temperature in a first turbine. A second source of power is provided via a second turbine. Components of the system are placed in a mode of increasing power output with steam generated from the HRSG, during which a portion of the steam is provided into a combustion chamber associated with operation of the second turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: James C. Bellows
  • Patent number: 8720180
    Abstract: A turbine engine includes an air inlet fluidly coupleable with an air compressor subassembly. The air compressor subassembly is fluidly coupleable with a combustion subassembly. The combustion subassembly generates and combusts ionic hydrogen, and is fluidly coupleable with a mid-turbine subassembly. The mid-turbine subassembly is fluidly coupleable with a rear turbine subassembly. The rear turbine subassembly is fluidly coupleable with an exhaust outlet for exhausting combustion products from said mid-turbine subassembly. The combustion subassembly includes an electrostatic subassembly fluidly coupleable with a combustion chamber subassembly. The combustion chamber subassembly is fluidly coupleable with the mid-turbine subassembly. The air compressor subassembly can compress and humidify air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Inventor: Dirk A. Nyenhuis
  • Patent number: 8720206
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for inducing combustion dynamics within turbine engines to remove combustion deposits within the turbine engine during operation of the turbine engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Kevin Weston McMahan, Mark Allan Hadley, Geoffrey D. Myers, Sam D. Draper
  • Patent number: 8671658
    Abstract: A mixture of air and fuel is received into a reaction chamber of a gas turbine system. The fuel is oxidized in the reaction chamber, and a maximum temperature of the mixture in the reaction chamber is controlled to be substantially at or below an inlet temperature of a turbine of the gas turbine system. The oxidation of the fuel is initiated by raising the temperature of the mixture to or above an auto-ignition temperature of the fuel. In some cases, the reaction chamber may be provided without a fuel oxidation catalyst material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Ener-Core Power, Inc.
    Inventor: Edan Prabhu
  • Publication number: 20130318985
    Abstract: A combined cycle power plant may include a gas turbine comprising a feed forward signal generator and configured to operate in one of one or more firing modes and generate exhaust gas and a heat recovery steam generator configured to receive the exhaust gas and extract thermal energy from the exhaust gas to generate steam. The feed forward signal generator may be configured to generate a feed forward signal that is used to control the temperature of the steam generated by the heat recovery steam generator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2012
    Publication date: December 5, 2013
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventor: John Petzen
  • Patent number: 8584467
    Abstract: A method of controlling a combustor of a gas turbine is disclosed. The method includes operatively disposing a combustor can in a combustor of a gas turbine. The combustor can comprising a plurality of combustor fuel nozzles, each having a fuel injector and configured to selectively provide a liquid fuel, a liquid fluid or liquid fuel and liquid fluid to a fuel injector nozzle that is configured to provide, respectively, a plurality of liquid fuel jets, a plurality of liquid fluid jets or a combination thereof, that are in turn configured to provide an atomized liquid fuel stream, an atomized liquid fluid stream, or an atomized and emulsified liquid fuel-liquid fluid stream, respectively. The method also includes selectively providing an amount of fuel, fluid or a combination thereof to the fuel injector nozzle to produce an atomized fuel stream, atomized fluid stream, or an atomized and emulsified fuel-fluid stream, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Sachin Khosla, Mihir Lal, Daniel Scott Zehentbauer
  • Patent number: 8567177
    Abstract: A system including a gas turbine engine having a compressor portion, a combustion portion and an exhaust portion is disclosed. The system includes a first regulating nozzle for injecting water into the compressor portion, a second regulating nozzle for injecting water into the combustion portion, a third regulating nozzle for injecting water into the exhaust portion, and a condenser apparatus for extracting water from flue gases in the exhaust portion. The system further includes a pump for pumping water from the condenser apparatus to the first, second and third regulating nozzles, wherein said nozzles inject water supplied solely from the condenser apparatus, and a processor communicatively coupled to said regulating nozzles, wherein the processor is configured for transmitting control signals to the first, second and third regulating nozzles, and wherein the control signals are configured to command said regulating nozzles to inject predefined amounts of water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Yoganeck, LLC
    Inventors: Zeev Drori, Anastasia Samoylova, Vladimir Sizov
  • Patent number: 8566001
    Abstract: Methods for controlling a gas turbine engine are provided, where a compressor inlet temperature, ambient temperature, and relative humidity are measured. Utilizing these measurements, it is first determined whether an evaporation cooler is actively importing water content into inlet air entering the compressor. This determination is based on whether the inlet air is substantially cooler than the ambient temperature. If so, an EC correction factor is added to an inlet air temperature value (CTIM) and set as an air temperature parameter (INLETIM). Second, it is determined whether the relative humidity is greater than a predefined threshold. If so, a relative humidity (RH) correction factor is added to CTIM and set as the INLETIM. Next, the INLETIM and TTRF are located in a look-up table, and a bias value corresponding to these inputs is identified. The fuel-flow for a fuel circuit is adjusted according to the identified bias value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Alstom Technology Ltd.
    Inventors: Peter Stuttaford, Nicolas Demougeot, Melvin Swann
  • Patent number: 8534038
    Abstract: A combined power plant that is capable of reducing the time required for restarting is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshinori Kitaguchi
  • Publication number: 20130192193
    Abstract: Disclosed is a solar assisted combined cycle power plant having a compressor that pressurizes combustion air, a combustor that mixes and burns the combustion air and gas turbine fuel to generate a high-temperature combustion gas, a gas turbine that drives the compressor by using the combustion gas, an exhaust heat recovery steam generator that obtains steam from thermal energy of a gas exhausted from the gas turbine, and a steam turbine that is driven by using the steam obtained by the exhaust heat recovery steam generator. The solar assisted combined cycle power plant includes a solar collector to turn supplied water to warm water; a heat accumulator that stores pressurized hot water from the solar collector and the exhaust heat recovery steam generator; and a spray device that handles the pressurized hot water as spray water and sprays the spray water onto the air to be taken into the compressor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2010
    Publication date: August 1, 2013
    Applicant: Hitachi ,Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Yoshida, Yukinori Katagiri, Tatsurou Yashiki, Takuya Yoshida, Kazuo Takahashi, Naohiro Kusumi, Takaaki Sekiai
  • Patent number: 8475160
    Abstract: Clean combustion and equilibration equipment and methods are provided to progressively deliver, combust and equilibrate mixtures of fuel, oxidant and aqueous diluent in a plurality of combustion regions and in one or more equilibration regions to further progress oxidation of products of incomplete combustion, in a manner that sustains combustion while controlling temperatures and residence times sufficiently to reduce CO and NOx emissions to below 25 ppmvd, and preferably to below 3 ppmvd at 15% O2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Vast Power Portfolio, LLC
    Inventors: Paul Andrew Campbell, David Hagen
  • Patent number: 8438850
    Abstract: A waste heat utilization system and associated methods for preheating fuel for a turbine engine component. The turbine engine component includes at least one heat generating source. The system includes structure for applying heat from the at least one heat generating source to relatively cold fuel for the turbine engine component to preheat the fuel prior to ignition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ravindra Annigeri, David Lee Rogers, Douglas Rush, Kevin J. Gersch
  • Publication number: 20130091855
    Abstract: A control system is provided. The control system includes at least one sensor that is positioned within a turbine engine and is configured to detect at least one first operating parameter therein. A controller is coupled to the sensor. The controller is configured to receive at least one second operating parameter of the turbine engine. Moreover, the controller is configured to control a flow of a fluid to a rotor assembly within the turbine engine such that at least one of the first operating parameter and the second operating parameter is less than at least one threshold value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2011
    Publication date: April 18, 2013
    Inventor: Nathan Stafford Race
  • Patent number: 8419844
    Abstract: A moisture removal system for removing water moisture from an air stream and an associated method are provided. The moisture removal system includes one or more packed beds that include a water-entry surface at which liquid water is received and an air-entry surface that is located substantially opposite the water-entry surface and at which the air stream is received. The air stream passes through the one or more packed beds in a direction substantially counter-current to the passage of the liquid water and the liquid water and the air stream contact one another in the one or more packed beds resulting in the removal of at least a portion of the water moisture from the air stream. The moisture removal system can be located upstream of and be operably connected to the inlet of a gas turbine system to which the air stream is delivered from the moisture removal system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Inventors: Abhijeet Madhukar Kulkarni, Richard Michael Ashley Mass, John Carl Davies
  • Patent number: 8402735
    Abstract: The amount of water to be injected in an intercooler is controlled to cool the compressed gas to the saturation temperature. It is difficult to adjust the amount of the water to be injected, however, since the temperature of the compressed gas at an intercooler outlet is actually higher than the saturation temperature. An intercooling system is configured so as to cool a gas to the saturation temperature without controlling the amount of water injection and thereby maintain the reliability of the compressor while improving the cooling efficiency. The intercooling system is located between a plurality of compression stages of a gas compressor to cool the gas that has been in the compressor. A desired amount of liquid is sprinkled to cool the compressed gas while restraining inflow of the liquid into the compression stages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidefumi Araki, Takanori Shibata, Shigeo Hatamiya, Moriaki Tsukamoto
  • Patent number: 8365530
    Abstract: A system for conditioning an airstream entering an air-breathing machine includes an air conditioning system (ACS) configured for adjusting a physical property of the airstream, wherein the ACS comprises a module. The module includes a non-media conditioning system configured for adjusting a physical property of the airstream if an ambient condition is within a range, wherein the non-media conditioning system comprises nozzles adapted for spraying a fluid onto the airstream. The module also includes a media conditioning system configured for adjusting a physical property of the airstream to provide additional output of the air-breathing machine, wherein the media conditioning system comprises a direct exchange medium and a fluid distribution manifold. The ACS operates in a direct evaporative mode if the fluid is approximately greater than a dew point temperature and operates in a direct chilling mode if the fluid is approximately less than a dew point temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jianmin Zhang, Douglas S. Byrd, James P. Tomey
  • Patent number: 8359870
    Abstract: A flame-holding control method in a gas turbine having a combustor can and a fuel nozzle disposed in the combustor can. The method can include performing a first scheduled injection of a diluent stream into the nozzle, checking to see if a time period has exceeded a time threshold and in response to the time period being greater than that the time threshold, performing a second scheduled injection of the diluent stream into the nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Robert Thomas Thatcher, Joel Meador Hall, Andrew Mitchell Rodwell
  • Patent number: 8327615
    Abstract: A combined cycle power generating plant that can realize a reduction in the start-up time includes a gas turbine, a steam turbine, a steam supplying section that supplies steam to the gas turbine, a first steam pipe that directs steam from the steam supplying section to the gas turbine, a second steam pipe that directs steam from the gas turbine to the steam turbine, a first release section that carries out control such that the supply destination of steam that is directed to the first steam pipe is one of either the outside of the gas turbine or the outside of the first steam pipe, a second release section that carries out control such that the supply destination of steam that is directed to the second steam pipe is one of either the outside of the steam turbine or the outside of the second steam pipe, and a bypass pipe that directs at least a portion of the steam inside the first steam pipe to the second steam pipe between the gas turbine and the second steam pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshinori Kitaguchi
  • Patent number: 8277726
    Abstract: A steam generation system comprises: an oxygenated water treatment (OWT) sub-system configured to generate water having oxidizing chemistry; a steam generation sub-system configured to convert the water having oxidizing chemistry into steam having oxidizing chemistry; an attemperator or other injection device or devices configured to add an oxygen scavenger to the steam having oxidizing chemistry to generate steam having less oxidizing or reducing chemistry; and a condenser configured to condense the steam having less oxidizing or reducing chemistry into condensed water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Inventors: Steven C. Kung, Dennis K. McDonald
  • Patent number: 8240122
    Abstract: The amount of water to be injected in an intercooler is controlled to cool the compressed gas to the saturation temperature. It is difficult to adjust the amount of the water to be injected, however, since the temperature of the compressed gas at an intercooler outlet is actually higher than the saturation temperature. An intercooling system is configured so as to cool a gas to the saturation temperature without controlling the amount of water injection and thereby maintain the reliability of the compressor while improving the cooling efficiency. The intercooling system is located between a plurality of compression stages of a gas compressor to cool the gas that has been in the compressor. A desired amount of liquid is sprinkled to cool the compressed gas while restraining inflow of the liquid into the compression stages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidefumi Araki, Takanori Shibata, Shigeo Hatamiya, Moriaki Tsukamoto
  • Patent number: 8204631
    Abstract: Discussed is a method and device for increasing the operational flexibility of a current-generating system with a turboset, comprising a turbine coupled to an electrical generator, a power set point value being predefined, and a future target time at which the turboset is supposed to be at the power set point value, so that a power curve is determined via the power set point value and the target time, the turboset being operated starting from a actual power value at an actual time along the power curve such that the predefined power set point value is reached at the predefined target time. Also discussed is a gas turbine and to a steam turbine in accordance with the above description.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Günther Ebner, Tobias Herzog
  • Patent number: 8141369
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of regulation of the temperature of a hot gas of a gas turbine, particularly of a stationary gas turbine used for generating electricity, which comprises injecting a liquid into an airflow, which can be drawn into a compressor and with the aid of which a fuel inside a combustion chamber, which is situated downstream, combusts while producing the hot gas that is subsequently expanded when flowing through the turbine part located downstream. A temperature measuring device is provided that measures the temperature of the airflow before the compressor, whereby the temperature of the hot gas is regulated by the quantity of fuel. The aim of the invention is to provide a regulation with which, during wet compression operation, the serviceable life of the components subjected to the action of hot gas is lengthened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Joachim-Rene Nuding, Christoph Pels Leusden, Marco Tappen
  • 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 DÖBBELING
  • Patent number: 8061117
    Abstract: System, methods and apparatus for dynamic control of mixing of diluent and fuel at desired diluent-to-fuel ratios to obtain low level of undesirable emissions in a combustion system are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Cheng Power Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Dah Yu Cheng
  • Patent number: 8006499
    Abstract: The present invention provides a humid air turbine having a compressor, a humidificator for generating humid air by adding moisture to compressed air supplied from the compressor, a combustor, a turbine, a recuperator for effecting heat exchange between exhaust from the turbine and the humid air, an economizer for effecting heat exchange between exhaust from the recuperator and water, and a system for supplying the water heated by the economizer to the humidificator. The humid air turbine includes a temperature measurement device for measuring the temperature of gas discharged from the economizer, and a control device for adjusting the amount of moisture to be supplied to the humidificator in accordance with a temperature signal from the temperature measurement device. The present invention assures low NOx of combustor and flame stability before and after water addition to the humid air turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomomi Koganezawa, Yukinori Katagiri, Keisuke Miura