Gaseous Fuel At Standard Temperature And Pressure Patents (Class 60/39.465)
  • Patent number: 6951097
    Abstract: Disclosed is a burner apparatus comprising an inner tube defining a second channel and an outer tube defining a first channel surrounding the inner tube, air supplying means for supplying air to the first channel and the second channel, and gas supplying means for supplying fuel gas to the first channel and the second channel, either the first channel or the second channel being used as a main combustion channel and the other being used as a pilot combustion channel, the main combustion channel and the pilot combustion channel receiving the supply of fuel gas for combusting it. A plurality of first supply openings for supplying the fuel gas into the main combustion channel are distributed in the main combustion channel in a direction away from the pilot combustion channel. Discharging resistance of the fuel gas from each first supply opening due to passage of the oxygen-containing gas is set so as to increase as being distant from the pilot combustion channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2005
    Assignee: Osaka Gas Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koji Moriya, Tsutomu Wakabayashi, Takahiro Sako, Yuji Nakamura, Shonosuke Koga, Masamichi Ippommatsu, Seiichi Ito, Kazuo Suzuki, Kazuo Shimodaira
  • Patent number: 6907722
    Abstract: A gas compressor control device and a gas turbine plant control mechanism are disclosed. A fuel gas pressurized by a gas compressor is supplied to a gas turbine via fuel gas piping. A gas turbine control device adjusts the flow rate of the fuel gas into the gas turbine by exercising opening and closing control of a pressure control valve and a flow control valve. The gas compressor control device controls a fuel gas pressure at the outlet of the gas compressor by effecting opening and closing control of a recycle valve and an IGV. If load rejection or load loss occurs, the gas compressor control device opens the recycle valve in a preceding manner and closes the IGV in a preceding manner. Thus, elevation of the fuel gas pressure at the gas compressor outlet can be prevented, and elevation of a fuel gas pressure at an inlet of the gas turbine can be suppressed, thereby ensuring stable operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2005
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Satoshi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 6907737
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a method of fueling gas turbines from natural gas reserves with relatively low methane concentrations. The invention uses such reserves to generate electric power. The invention permits the use of these reserves at significantly lower cost than by producing pipeline natural gas to fuel gas turbines to generate electric power. These reserves currently generally are used only after the removal of impurities to produce pipeline natural gas quality turbine fuel. The latter current technology is capital intensive, and at current natural gas prices, economically unattractive. The process of the invention can remove the impurities from the gas from the natural gas reserve necessary for protection of the environment, and leaves inert gasses in the fuel in an amount which will increase the output of a gas turbine for the generation of power by about 5 to about 20%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2005
    Assignee: Exxon Mobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Frank F. Mittricker, Donald J. Victory
  • Patent number: 6901735
    Abstract: A fuel conditioning system for a turbine plant may include an inlet fuel module followed by a turbine fuel module for each turbine, the modules being monitored and controlled by a programmable logic controller. The inlet fuel module may include a metering station, an inlet pressure control station, an inlet scrubber station, and an inlet coalescing filter station. Each turbine fuel module has a turbine pressure control station, a turbine super-heater station, and a turbine coalescing filter station. The fuel conditioning system may also include a trip transient mitigation system and a latent fuel venting system. The programmable logic controller collects data from all of the stations and systems as well as the turbine and then uses self-correcting algorithms to control the stations and systems. The programmable logic controller also stores the data collected and transmits the data to an off-site storage and verification center.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2005
    Assignee: Pipeline Controls, Inc.
    Inventor: Paul Lohn
  • Patent number: 6892542
    Abstract: The present invention may include a microturbine power generating system which may include a combustor for combusting a gaseous fuel to provide a supply of gaseous heat energy, a radial gas compressor for delivering said gaseous fuel to said combustor, and an electric motor to power said radial gas compressor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2005
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Soren Voinov
  • Publication number: 20050091985
    Abstract: A gas-turbine power generating installation capable of effectively utilizing gases produced in overage gas fields, etc. and a method of operating the installation are provided. The gas-turbine power generating installation is installed in the vicinity of an outrage gas field or an oil field. In the installation, air compressed by a compressor is introduced to a combustor for combustion after being mixed with fuel, a gas turbine is driven by generated combustion gas, and a power generator is driven by motive power obtained from a rotary shaft of the gas turbine. A boosting compressor is driven by the motive power obtained from the rotary shaft of the gas turbine, whereby natural gas or accompanying gas is boosted in pressure and supplied as fuel to the combustor. The gas turbine generates electric power by using natural gas produced in the outrage gas field or accompanying gas produced in the oil field, and the generated electric power is supplied to a consuming site.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2004
    Publication date: May 5, 2005
    Inventors: Kazunori Yamanaka, Shinya Marushima, Hisashi Hamatake, Mutsumi Horitsugi
  • Patent number: 6874323
    Abstract: A method of operating a gas turbine combustor to achieve overall lower emissions of nitrous oxides by supplying a mixture of natural gas and hydrogen gas to the combustion chamber of the gas turbine in a manner that the localized concentration of hydrogen gas is greater than 0.1% by mass of the mass of the mixture, and less than 20.0% by mass of the mixture prior to combusting the mixture in the combustion chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2005
    Assignee: Power System MFG., LLC
    Inventor: Peter J. Stuttaford
  • Patent number: 6871488
    Abstract: A gas fuel nozzle for mounting in a combustor wall of a gas turbine engine, with an at least partially radially-directed array of gas fuel outlets extending beyond an air flow head having an array of compressed air jet apertures around the gas fuel outlets. The air flow head also has a deflector for creating an axial flow of air for deflecting in an axial direction the radially-injected gas fuel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2005
    Assignee: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
    Inventors: Saeid Oskooei, Kian McCaldon
  • Patent number: 6865877
    Abstract: A device for compressing and feeding to a microturbine power generator a high humidity fuel gas such as biogas, which cools the high humidity fuel gas condensed by the compressor using an air-cooling type fin-tube radiator, condenses and liquefies the moisture, then removes it by a moisture-removing means such as a gas/liquid separator or adsorption type moisture-removing tank, which requires only enough power to drive a cooling fan, which heats the fuel gas from which the majority of the moisture has been removed in a heat exchanger utilizing the heat of compression generated in the compressor, then feeds it to piping leading to the microturbine power generator, and which is free from the residual moisture liquefying and freezing even if the fuel gas is cooled in the piping.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2005
    Assignees: Kanamoto Co., Ltd., Unozawa-gumi Iron Works, Ltd.
    Inventors: Michinobu Yoshida, Toshiaki Saisho
  • Publication number: 20050034446
    Abstract: An energy capture system to capture the heat and thrust produced from a hydrogen and oxygen reaction. This is accomplished by means of heat exchangers and turbines. It is intended to replace steam generators that rely on fossil fuels and uranium and used in electric power plants. This invention also provides for the capture of the water produced, from the said reaction, and may be used to supplement or completely supply a community's water requirements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2004
    Publication date: February 17, 2005
    Inventor: William Fielder
  • Patent number: 6854258
    Abstract: Disclosed is a burner apparatus comprising an inner tube defining a second channel and an outer tube defining a first channel surrounding the inner tube air supplying means for supplying air to the first channel and the second channel, and gas supplying means for supplying fuel gas to the first channel and the second channel, either the first channel or the second channel being used as a main combustion channel and the other being used as a pilot combustion channel, the main combustion channel and the pilot combustion channel receiving the supply of fuel gas for combusting it. The burner apparatus including a common channel formed at one end of the inner tube and the outer tube for supplying the oxygen-containing gas to the main combustion channel and the pilot combustion channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2005
    Assignee: Osaka Gas Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koji Moriya, Tsutomu Wakabayashi, Takahiro Sako, Yuji Nakamura, Shonosuke Koga, Masamichi Ippommatsu, Seiichi Ito
  • Publication number: 20050011179
    Abstract: The present invention is aimed at providing a gas turbine system, in particular a gas turbine power generation system, which is configured to use a coal bed methane and to collect substantially all of generated carbon dioxide to inhibit release of carbon dioxide to atmosphere. For this purpose, the gas turbine system of the present invention is configured to inhibit release of carbon dioxide to atmosphere in such a manner that methane is combusted with oxygen separated from air by an oxygen generator (3) to allow an oxygen combustion type gas turbine (1) to be driven, carbon dioxide emitted from the turbine is fed under pressure into an underground coal bed (7) along with air component after separating oxygen from air, and fixed into the coal bed (7), and the coal bed methane is collected up above the ground by a gas drive action of the gas and supplied to the gas turbine as fuel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2002
    Publication date: January 20, 2005
    Inventors: Yuji Ooka, Paul Sims
  • Publication number: 20040261395
    Abstract: An apparatus for vaporizing liquefied natural gas (LNG) is disclosed. The apparatus comprises an LNG side with a plurality of heat transfer circuits and a heating medium side with a plurality of passages within a trough like containment. The vaporizer is designed for high heat transfer rates and reduced thermal stresses. The vaporizer can be brought on line quickly, and can utilize sea water and other fluids as the heating medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2004
    Publication date: December 30, 2004
    Inventor: Gerald E. Engdahl
  • Patent number: 6820427
    Abstract: A method for operating a turbine is provided. The method includes supplying working fluid to a first flow path input and routing the fluid through a heating unit coupled in flow communication to the flow path between first flow path input and the turbine. The method also includes extracting a portion of the working fluid from first flow path at a point intermediate the heating unit and an inlet of the turbine. The method further includes re-circulating the extracted fluid through a second flow path such that the extracted fluid is discharged upstream from the heating unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2004
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Colin Wilkes
  • Publication number: 20040226299
    Abstract: A method of reducing NOx emissions of gas turbines in which supplementary compressed air streams are introduced into compressors of the gas turbine. The supplementary compressed air streams have a pressure higher than that of compressor air being used to support combustion within the combustor to enhance mixing of the compressed air streams with gaseous fuel and the compressor air. The compressed air stream and the supplementary compressed air streams are introduced into the combustors at a rate greater than that required to support combustion of the gaseous fuel to thereby lower flame temperature of the combustion and therefore the NOx emissions that would be otherwise produced by the combustion. A hydrogen containing stream can be introduced into the combustors along with the fuel to enhance flame stability of the combustion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2003
    Publication date: November 18, 2004
    Inventor: Raymond Francis Drnevich
  • Patent number: 6813875
    Abstract: A system for controlling a gas-turbine engine having a combustor which generates a combustion such that resulting combustion gas rotates a turbine that is connected to the compressor and a load such as a generator to drive the compressor and the generator. In the system, the oxygen concentration of the resulting combustion gas is detected and the adiabatic flame temperature is calculated based on at least the detected oxygen concentration such that the combustion mode is switched between the premix combustion and the diffusive combustion by calculated temperature. With this, the system, when operated using a gas fuel whose composition is not constant can control the fuel supply through a multiple venturi mixer, while avoiding flame-out and operate stably in response to load demand and achieving excellent emission performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2004
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tsutomu Inoue
  • Publication number: 20040206065
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a method of fueling gas turbines from natural gas reserves with relatively low methane concentrations. The invention uses such reserves to generate electric power. The invention permits the use of these reserves at significantly lower cost than by producing pipeline natural gas to fuel gas turbines to generate electric power. These reserves currently generally are used only after the removal of impurities to produce pipeline natural gas quality turbine fuel. The latter current technology is capital intensive, and at current natural gas prices, economically unattractive. The process of the invention can remove the impurities from the gas from the natural gas reserve necessary for protection of the environment, and leaves inert gasses in the fuel in an amount which will increase the output of a gas turbine for the generation of power by about 5 to about 20%.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2003
    Publication date: October 21, 2004
    Inventors: Frank F. Mittricker, Donald J. Victory
  • Patent number: 6792761
    Abstract: A fuel gas processed and preheated in a processing unit (6) is burned in a gas turbine unit or in a boiler plant. A continuously operating detector (9) for determining the condensate content in the processed fuel gas is arranged in a line (5) connecting the processing unit (6) with the burner immediately before the burner. This detector (9) is connected to an alarm device (10) and to a shut off device (11).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2004
    Assignee: Man Turbomaschinen AG GHH Borsig
    Inventors: Emil Aschenbruck, Hans Weibel, Markus Beukenberg
  • Publication number: 20040172949
    Abstract: A method of operating a gas turbine combustor to achieve overall lower emissions of nitrous oxides by supplying a mixture of natural gas and hydrogen gas to the combustion chamber of the gas turbine in a manner that the localized concentration of hydrogen gas is greater than 0.1% by mass of the mass of the mixture, and less than 20.0% by mass of the mixture prior to combusting the mixture in the combustion chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2003
    Publication date: September 9, 2004
    Inventor: Peter J. Stuttaford
  • Publication number: 20040079087
    Abstract: A novel process and apparatus for power generation from biomass and other carbonaceous feedstocks are provided. The process integrates a pulse combustor steam reformer with a gas turbine to generate electricity such that (i) efficiency is higher than those of conventional and current advanced power systems, (ii) emissions are lower than those proposed in the new environmental regulations, and (iii) performance is comparable to that of combined cycle, even though a bottoming cycle is not included here. The pulse combustor steam reformer generates a hydrogen-rich, medium-Btu fuel gas that is fired in a gas turbine to generate electricity. The apparatus may be configured to produce only power or combined heat and power.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2003
    Publication date: April 29, 2004
    Inventors: Ravi Chandran, Momtaz N. Mansour
  • Publication number: 20040079071
    Abstract: A gas turbine has a fuel injection system for supplying pressurized fuel gas to a combustion chamber of a gas turbine. The fuel injection system has at least one electrically controllable magnetic valve working with pulse-width modulation, i.e., controlling the gas flow by varying the length of its opening time pulses in relation to its closing time, in a gas supply conduit. The fuel injection system has at least one electrically controllable magnetic main valve arranged in the supply conduit. Moreover, at least one pilot valve is connected to the supply conduit with its upstream end after the main valve and with its downstream end connected to a conduit leading into a pilot flame chamber inside the combustion chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2002
    Publication date: April 29, 2004
    Inventors: Johnny Rehn, Jan Magnusson, Alf Andersson
  • Publication number: 20040050065
    Abstract: The present invention may include a microturbine power generating system which may include a combustor for combusting a gaseous fuel to provide a supply of gaseous heat energy, a radial gas compressor for delivering said gaseous fuel to said combustor, and an electric motor to power said radial gas compressor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2002
    Publication date: March 18, 2004
    Inventor: Soren Voinov
  • Patent number: 6698183
    Abstract: A system for converting hydrogen into mechanical energy. The system comprises a combustion chamber, an ignition system, and accumulator, a propulsion system, and a control valve. Hydrogen, oxygen, and water are introduced into the combustion chamber. The ignition system ignites a mixture of hydrogen and oxygen in the combustion chamber. A source of working fluid is operatively connected to the combustion chamber such that expanding fluid within the combustion chamber acts on the working fluid to pressurize the working fluid. The accumulator is connected to the combustion chamber such that pressurized fluid within the combustion chamber flows into the accumulator. The propulsion system comprises a cylinder and a piston member arranged within the cylinder. The control valve is connected between the accumulator and the cylinder to control a flow of pressurized working fluid from the accumulator to the cylinder to cause the piston member to move relative to the cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2004
    Inventor: Petur Thordarson
  • Patent number: 6691515
    Abstract: A combustion system including a plurality of axially staged tubular premixers to control emissions and minimize combustion noise. The combustion system includes a radial inflow premixer that delivers the combustion mixture across a contoured dome into the combustion chamber. The axially staged premixers having a twist mixing apparatus to rotate the fluid flow and cause improved mixing without causing flow recirculation that could lead to pre-ignition or flashback.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2004
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventors: Albert J. Verdouw, Duane Smith, Keith McCormick, Mohan K. Razdan
  • Patent number: 6691504
    Abstract: A gaseous-fuel rocket engine in which an expanding oxidizer driven turbine or electric motor drives the an axial gaseous-fuel turbine compressor. The oxidizer is subsequently injected into a gaseous-fuel duct surrounding the axial gaseous-fuel compressor and defining a gaseous-fuel path having an inlet. The gaseous-fuel and oxygen mixture is ignited and the burned gases are expanded through a converging-diverging exhaust nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2004
    Inventor: Anthony Italo Provitola
  • Patent number: 6684644
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a method of fueling gas turbines from natural gas reserves with relatively low methane concentrations. The invention uses such reserves to generate electric power. The invention permits the use of these reserves at significantly lower cost than by producing pipeline natural gas to fuel gas turbines to generate electric power. These reserves currently generally are used only after the removal of impurities to produce pipeline natural gas quality turbine fuel. The latter current technology is capital intensive, and at current natural gas prices, economically unattractive. The process of the invention can remove the impurities from the gas from the natural gas reserve necessary for protection of the environment, and leaves inert gasses in the fuel in an amount which will increase the output of a gas turbine for the generation of power by about 5 to about 20%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2004
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: Frank F. Mittricker, Donald J. Victory
  • Publication number: 20040011021
    Abstract: A gas-turbine engine combustor having a plurality of venturi mixers, each connected to an air supply path that passes air compressed by a compressor and to a supply source of gaseous fuel, which mix the air and the gaseous fuel to produce an air-fuel mixture and supply the air-fuel mixture to a combustion chamber for generating premixed combustion or diffusive combustion such that produced combustion gas is supplied to a turbine through a turbine nozzle to rotates the turbine that outputs its rotation through an output shaft, while driving the compressor by the rotation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2002
    Publication date: January 22, 2004
    Applicant: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tsutomu Inoue, Atsushi Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 6666027
    Abstract: A turbine power generation system is provided for use with an off-gas fuel source. The system comprises first compression means for compressing air; second compression means for compressing off-gas; combustion means for combusting a mixture of said compressed air and a fuel comprising said off-gas; turbine means for converting energy released from combustion into mechanical energy; transduction means for converting the mechanical energy into electrical energy; a shaft linking the first compression means, turbine means, and transduction means, to allow mechanical energy produced by the turbine means to be used by the transduction means and first compression means; and an off-gas heating means for heating the compressed off-gas to a temperature greater than the gas dew point of the off-gas to ensure that no liquids are formed in the fuel gas supply to the combustor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2003
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Manuel M. Cardenas, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20030188536
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a method of fueling gas turbines from natural gas reserves with relatively low methane concentrations. The invention permits the use of such reserves to be used to fuel gas turbines to generate electric power. The method of the invention includes providing a natural gas comprising not more than about 40 percent methane on a volume basis and mixing the methane of the natural gas with hydrogen gas to provide a hydrogen enhanced methane/hydrogen gas blend which has sufficient hydrogen to provide flame stability during burning. Thereafter, if required, the hydrogen enhanced methane/hydrogen gas blend is dehydrated to remove a sufficient amount of water to provide a flame stable hydrogen enhanced dehydrated methane/hydrogen gas blend. The hydrogen enhanced natural gas blend is used to fuel gas turbine generators.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2003
    Publication date: October 9, 2003
    Inventor: Frank F. Mittricker
  • Patent number: 6571561
    Abstract: A process for generating electricity in which a gas/liquid mixture is compressed in a compressor, partially purified in an accumulator/separator, partially purified in a coalescent filter, subjected to pressure regulation, and then fed to a microturbine. The microturbine produces a direct current which is used to drive a direct current motor which, in turn, drives a generator which produces alternating current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2003
    Inventors: Giovanni Aquino, Ewan Choroszylow, Howard J. Greenwald
  • Publication number: 20030084668
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a method of fueling gas turbines from natural gas reserves with relatively low methane concentrations. The invention uses such reserves to generate electric power. The invention permits the use of these reserves at significantly lower cost than by producing pipeline natural gas to fuel gas turbines to generate electric power. These reserves currently generally are used only after the removal of impurities to produce pipeline natural gas quality turbine fuel. The latter current technology is capital intensive, and at current natural gas prices, economically unattractive. The process of the invention can remove the impurities from the gas from the natural gas reserve necessary for protection of the environment, and leaves inert gasses in the fuel in an amount which will increase the output of a gas turbine for the generation of power by about 5 to about 20%.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2002
    Publication date: May 8, 2003
    Inventors: Frank F. Mittricker, Donald J. Victory
  • Publication number: 20030019213
    Abstract: A pilot nozzle of a gas turbine combustor comprises a first structure, provided near a main nozzle of a combustor that injects fuel oil, having a flow channel for a fuel gas and an outlet for the fuel gas. The first structure diffusion-injecting the fuel gas obliquely forward through the outlet to maintain a flame and to aid ignition of the fuel oil injected from the main nozzle. There is further provided a second structure which circulates in whirls a combustion gas generated due to the combustion of the fuel gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2002
    Publication date: January 30, 2003
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Masataka Ohta, Kuniaki Aoyama, Mitsuru Inada, Shigemi Mandai, Satoshi Tanimura, Katsunori Tanaka, Koichi Nishida
  • Patent number: 6484490
    Abstract: A gas booster system in which a variable frequency drive is used to control, by means of a variable speed motor, the compression rate of a pump in a gas turbine combustion engine. The rate of the variable speed motor, and thus the rate of compression, is controlled by monitoring turbine temperature. The gas turbine system responds to the turbine temperature to regulate the rate of compression of the fuel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2002
    Assignee: Ingersoll-Rand Energy Systems Corp.
    Inventors: Andrew J. Olsen, John H. Thomson, Jason K. Hargrove
  • Publication number: 20020148226
    Abstract: A segmented radiant gas burner features wide modulation of thermal output simply by the independent control of fuel gas flow to each burner segment. The burner also features a porous fiber burner face, preferably having dual porosities, and a metal liner positioned to provide a compact combustion zone adjacent the burner face. The segmented radiant burner is ideally suited for use with gas turbines not only because of its compactness and broad thermal modulation but also because only the flow of fuel gas to each burner segment requires control while the flow of compressed air into all segments of the burner remains unchanged.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2002
    Publication date: October 17, 2002
    Applicant: Alzeta Corporation
    Inventors: Robert M. Kendall, Scott H. Smith
  • Patent number: 6460326
    Abstract: A diffusion flame nozzle gas tip is provided to convert a dual fuel nozzle to a gas only nozzle. The nozzle tip diverts compressor discharge air from the passage feeding the diffusion nozzle air swirl vanes to a region vacated by removal of the dual fuel components, so that the diverted compressor discharge air can flow to and through effusion holes in the end cap plate of the nozzle tip. In a preferred embodiment, the nozzle gas tip defines a cavity for receiving the compressor discharge air from a peripheral passage of the nozzle for flow through the effusion openings defined in the end cap plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2002
    Inventors: William Theodore Bechtel, David Orus Fitts, Guy Wayne DeLeonardo
  • Patent number: 6393821
    Abstract: A building structure encloses a gaseous mixture of air and a combustible fuel. Air is obtained from the atmosphere, and the gaseous fuel is obtained from natural evolution and diffusion processes associated with rotting of materials, as from landfills, and gaseous digestion products from livestock, etc. A process control system is engaged for drawing off the gaseous mixture, at a selected air-fuel ratio, from the structure. The selected gaseous mixture is drawn from the building, through a compressor and then a pre-heater, into a catalytic combustor where the mixture is burned and directed into a turbine for producing work. This work is preferably converted into electricity by a generator driven by the turbine. A process controller senses process variables such as temperature, pressure, latent heat of fusion, etc. so as to assure that combustion cannot occur prematurely, but does occur most efficiently in the catalytic combustor. Process heat is exchanged for preheating the mixture to be burned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2002
    Inventor: Edan Prabhu
  • Patent number: 6351936
    Abstract: A device for elimination of hydrogen including (a) a reactor for reacting hydrogen and oxygen, the reactor being provided with a first inlet line, a second inlet line and an outlet line, the first inlet line admits a hydrogen-containing gas mixture into the reactor, the second inlet line admits a compressed oxygen-containing gas mixture into the reactor, and the outlet line serves to discharge the resultant gas mixture after at least a partial reaction of the hydrogen and oxygen in the reactor, (b) a turbine connected to a shaft which rotates with the turbine, and (c) a compressor which is connected to the shaft, so that the shaft transmits rotational movement generated by the turbine to the compressor, the compressor receives an oxygen-containing gas mixture and provides the compressed oxygen-containing gas mixture, the compressor being joined by a conduit to the second inlet line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2002
    Assignee: Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH
    Inventors: Peter Bröckerhoff, Werner Von Lensa, Ernst-Arndt Reinecke, Moritz Voswinckel
  • Patent number: 6345495
    Abstract: A gas turbine system for utilizing waste fuel gas is described that includes a combustor that provides combusted fuel to the expansion stage of the turbine. The fuel gas entering the combustor by an inlet pipeline is a compressed admixture with air of a concentration below the lower explosive limit. The fuel gas/air admixture passes within a tube to pass to the combustion zone where combustion occurs only by reaction/self-combustion. The combusted gas passes by a tortuous path provided by an arrangement of baffles to the outlet duct. The exhausting combusted gas passes over the outer surface of the tube and gives up preheating heat to the inlet gas therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2002
    Assignee: Isentropic Systems Ltd.
    Inventor: Donald Ray Cummings
  • Publication number: 20020014068
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a method of fueling gas turbines from natural gas reserves with relatively low methane concentrations. The invention uses such reserves to generate electric power. The invention permits the use of these reserves at significantly lower cost than by producing pipeline natural gas to fuel gas turbines to generate electric power. These reserves currently generally are used only after the removal of impurities to produce pipeline natural gas quality turbine fuel. The latter current technology is capital intensive, and at current natural gas prices, economically unattractive. The process of the invention can remove the impurities from the gas from the natural gas reserve necessary for protection of the environment, and leaves inert gasses in the fuel in an amount which will increase the output of a gas turbine for the generation of power by about 5 to about 20%.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2001
    Publication date: February 7, 2002
    Inventors: Frank F. Mittricker, Donald J. Victory
  • Publication number: 20010047650
    Abstract: In a method of operating a gas turbine, in which a gaseous fuel is burned in a combustion chamber and the hot combustion gases which are produced in the process are directed through the gas turbine, and in which method the gaseous fuel is fed to the combustion chamber via a plurality of controllable burners, working in parallel and arranged on one or more concentric, essentially circular rings, and is sprayed into the combustion chamber via fuel holes, high safety and availability within various operating ranges is achieved in a simple manner owing to the fact that the burners are divided into at least two groups (40-42) of burners, these groups in each case comprise the burners of one of the rings, and these groups are individually activated as a function of the operating state of the gas turbine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 1999
    Publication date: December 6, 2001
    Inventors: GERHARD MULLER, FRANK REISS, PIRMIN SCHIESSEL, STEFAN TSCHIRREN
  • Publication number: 20010022080
    Abstract: The gas turbine fuel gas filling apparatus comprises a fuel main valve, a fuel valve, an inert gas purge valve, and a pressure detector for detecting a pressure in the fuel line. The fuel main valve is gradually opened, and fixed to a valve opening at a time when a predetermined first pressure condition is established. Pressure is measured after lapse of a predetermined time. The fuel main valve is gradually opened until a second pressure condition is established. Pressure is measured upon a completion of gas-filling. With establishment of a third pressure condition, the inert purge relief valve is closed. With establishment of a fourth pressure condition, the fuel main valve is fully opened.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2001
    Publication date: September 20, 2001
    Inventors: Tomoka Tanaka, Kazuya Higashi, Shigeki Wakamatsu
  • Patent number: 6282883
    Abstract: Easy plant starting is provided in a hydrogen burning turbine plant for burning hydrogen and oxygen to generate high temperature steam for driving a turbine. There is constructed a semi-closed cycle such that low temperature steam from compressor 1 enters combustion chamber 2, hydrogen and oxygen are burned in the combustion chamber 2 to become high temperature steam for driving turbine 3, and the steam provides exhaust heat at heat exchanger 4 and then returns to low pressure compressor 1-1. Steam from midway of the heat exchanger 4 enters low pressure turbine 6 for work therein, and is condensed to water. The water from condenser 7 is heated at heat exchangers 4-4, 4-3, 4-2 to become steam for driving high pressure turbine 5, and returns to the combustion chamber 2 through the heat exchanger 4. An a auxiliary boiler is provided at inlet side of the compressor 1, and the high temperature steam generated at the combustion chamber 2 at the starting time is diluted and supplied into the turbine 3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2001
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuo Uematsu, Takashi Sonoda
  • Patent number: 6216441
    Abstract: In a method of operating a gas turbine wherein process by-product gases (e.g., from a blast furnace) are used as fuel in the gas turbine, an improvement which includes the steps of a) removing inert gases from the process gas to thereby form an enriched process gas; b) raising the enriched process gas to a minimum pressure sufficient for combustion in the gas turbine, and c) feeding the enriched process gas to the gas turbine for combustion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2001
    Assignee: General Electric CO
    Inventors: David Andrew Stats, Hans Peter Luessen, Ashok K. Anand, Michael Jandrisevits
  • Patent number: 6209308
    Abstract: A gaseous sub-product from an industrial unit is compressed and then treated in a permeator to bring its hydrogen content to a value below or equal to 5% to provide a combustible gas for a gas turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2001
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventor: Christian LaCoste
  • Patent number: 6192668
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a rotatable impeller having a plurality of vanes with inlet and outlet ends. A plurality of diffuser channels are spaced apart radially beyond the outlet ends. A movable source of gaseous fuel is positioned adjacent the inlet ends of the vanes. The movable source of gaseous fuel is movable as a function of the rotational speed of the impeller, whereby the flow of gaseous fuel injected from the movable source is ejected from the outlet ends of the vanes into a selected one of the plurality of diffuser channels to facilitate combustion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2001
    Assignee: Capstone Turbine Corporation
    Inventor: Robin Mackay
  • Patent number: 6195607
    Abstract: A fuel control system for controlling the ratio of ring temperature adjustment in rings of a combustor in a gas turbine. The fuel control system consists of employing a computer to perform the steps of; defining an operational boundary inner ring temperature adjustments versus outer ring temperature adjustments that defines a safe operating region for the annular combustor of the gas turbine; calculating a point of operation of the inner ring temperature adjustment versus the outer ring temperature adjustment within a safety margin of the operational boundary, wherein nitrous oxide (NOx) emission levels of the gas turbine is reduced; and regulating the ring temperatures to maintain a near global minimum point of operation, while maintaining normal operation of the gas turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2001
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ravi Rajamani, George Charles Goodman, Narendra Digamber Joshi, Richard Bradford Hook