Ignition Or Fuel Injection After Starting Patents (Class 60/776)
  • Patent number: 10495313
    Abstract: A fuel nozzle for gas turbine combustor of the present invention includes a diffusion combustion burner including a diffusion fuel nozzle, a premixing combustion burner including a premixing fuel nozzle, an end flange to which the diffusion combustion burner and the premixing combustion burner are mechanically joined, and a diffusion combustion burner support which fixes the diffusion combustion burner to the end flange and is mounted around the premixing fuel nozzle in a manner to cover a root portion of the premixing fuel nozzle, the root portion being a junction between the premixing fuel nozzle and the end flange. An outside diameter of the premixing fuel nozzle longitudinally varies in a manner to progressively increase toward the junction. A maximum diameter of the root portion of the premixing fuel nozzle is greater than an inside diameter of a hole formed in the diffusion combustion burner support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshihide Wadayama, Satoshi Kumagai, Yasuhiro Wada, Hirokazu Takahashi
  • Patent number: 10408457
    Abstract: A gas turbine combustor includes a plurality of fuel nozzles, an air hole plate, a plate lip that covers an outer circumference side of the air hole plate, and an outer channel that supplies compressed air to an outer circumferential part of a portion on the plate lip side of the combustion chamber. The outer circumferential surface of the air hole plate includes a first surface joined to the plate lip and a second surface located further on the radial direction inner side of the air hole plate than the first surface to form a space between the second surface and the inner circumferential surface of the plate lip. A communicating hole that communicates the outer channel and the space is provided in the plate lip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Akiyama, Akinori Hayashi, Tomohiro Asai
  • Patent number: 10371048
    Abstract: A combustor having a plurality of nozzles (main nozzles) to supply fuel disposed, includes a water supplier that is connected to all or part of the plurality of nozzles to supply water to each of a plurality of fuel pipes. The water supplier is configured to vary a supply amount of water for each of plurality of nozzles to which the water is supplied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HITACHI POWER SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Takahiro Yamauchi, Keijiro Saito, Satoshi Takiguchi, Koichi Nishida, Masakazu Nose
  • Patent number: 10309653
    Abstract: A bundled tube fuel nozzle includes a forward plate, a first intermediate plate and an outer sleeve defining a fuel plenum, a second intermediate plate axially spaced from the first intermediate plate where the first intermediate plate, the second intermediate plate and the outer sleeve define a purge air plenum, an aft plate axially spaced from the second intermediate plate where the second intermediate plate, the aft plate and the outer sleeve define a cooling air plenum and an annular wall that extends from the second intermediate plate to the aft plate. The annular wall defines a cooling flow channel within the bundled tube fuel nozzle. A plurality of apertures is defined proximate to a cool side of the aft plate and provide for fluid communication between the cooling flow channel and the cooling air plenum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Patrick Benedict Melton, David William Cihlar, Timothy James Purcell
  • Patent number: 10196977
    Abstract: Experimental and numerical investigations on an atmospheric diffusion oxy-combustion flame in a gas turbine model combustor are conducted. The combustor is fuelled with CH4CH4 and a mixture of CO2 and O2 as oxidizer. The stability of the oxy-combustion flame is affected when the operating percentage of oxygen in the oxidizer mixture is reduced below 25%. A new 3D reactor design is introduced for the substitution of ITM reactors into a gas turbine combustor. A new oxygen permeation equation model has been developed by fitting the experimental data available in the literature for a LSCF ion transport membrane. The monolith structure design ITM reactor is capable of delivering power ranging from 5 to 8 MWe based on cycle first law efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals
    Inventors: Medhat Ahmed Nemitallah, Mohamed Abdel-Aziz Habib
  • Patent number: 10184396
    Abstract: Experimental and numerical investigations on an atmospheric diffusion oxy-combustion flame in a gas turbine model combustor are conducted. The combustor is fuelled with CH4CH4 and a mixture of CO2 and O2 as oxidizer. The stability of the oxy-combustion flame is affected when the operating percentage of oxygen in the oxidizer mixture is reduced below 25%. A new 3D reactor design is introduced for the substitution of ITM reactors into a gas turbine combustor. A new oxygen permeation equation model has been developed by fitting the experimental data available in the literature for a LSCF ion transport membrane. The monolith structure design ITM reactor is capable of delivering power ranging from 5 to 8 MWe based on cycle first law efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals
    Inventors: Medhat Ahmed Nemitallah, Mohamed Abdel-Aziz Habib
  • Patent number: 10145253
    Abstract: A stator vane for a turbine machine includes a set of vane parts arranged relative to each other to define air flow stream paths between vane parts, and a mechanism circulating a fluid to be cooled by the air flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES
    Inventor: Nils Bordoni
  • Patent number: 10101033
    Abstract: An engine includes an elongated pulse detonation combustor tube having an arcuate combustion path over a majority of an entire length of the combustor tube, and an elongated portion of the combustor tube being oriented transverse to a central axis of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: James D. Hill, Michael J. Cuozzo
  • Patent number: 10066854
    Abstract: A movable fluid fuel heater to heat air and to introduce it into an environment to be heated. The heater includes a flow rate variator device for varying the flow rate of oxidizing air introduced in the combustion chamber by a forced ventilation device between a minimum flow rate value and a maximum flow rate value. The heater also includes a reference device comprising a plurality of reference values of a parameter representative of the pressure and a plurality of reference temperature values of the environmental air upstream of the combustion chamber. The reference device is configured to suggest an optimal setting value to set the flow rate variator device, at each pair of values formed by a value of the plurality of reference values of a parameter representative of the pressure and a value of the plurality of reference temperature values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: Dantherm S.p.A.
    Inventors: Enzo Giaretta, Stefano Marchiotto, Giuseppe Toniato, Stefano Verani
  • Patent number: 10036551
    Abstract: A flat flame oxy-fuel burner including a gaseous fuel nozzle having a hydraulic diameter Dh-NG and a width to height ratio w/a of at least 2; a primary oxidant conduit surrounding the fuel nozzle to form an annular primary oxidant nozzle between the fuel nozzle and the oxidant conduit, the oxidant conduit having a height b, the respective outlet ends of the fuel nozzle and the oxidant nozzle being aligned; and a precombustor extending from the outlet end of the fuel and oxidant nozzles and having a length L and a hydraulic diameter Dh; wherein the ratio L/Dh is non-zero and less than or equal to 4; wherein the ratio L/Dh-NG, is non-zero and less than or equal to 12; and wherein the dimensions a, b, and w are sized to yield a primary oxidant Reynolds number from 200 to 22,000 during burner is operation at 0.05 to 1 MMBtu/hr.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: Tunc Goruney, Xiaoyi He
  • Patent number: 10018359
    Abstract: A gas turbine combustor 2 according to the present invention comprises: a combustion chamber 50 in which fuel is burned with air to generate combustion gas; a plurality of fuel nozzles 30 arranged in multiple concentric annular rows; a first plate 32 arranged downstream of the fuel nozzles 30 and having multiple concentric circular air hole rows made up of a plurality of air holes corresponding to the fuel nozzles 30; a second plate 33 arranged downstream of the first plate 32 and having multiple air hole rows corresponding to the air hole rows of the first plate 32; and a partition wall part 37 which partitions a space part 46 between the first plate 32 and the second plate 33 into rooms corresponding to the air hole rows.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuki Abe, Tomomi Koganezawa, Keisuke Miura
  • Patent number: 9976522
    Abstract: A fuel injector for a combustion engine includes an injector head including a nozzle, a premixer, and a distributor structured to distribute a plurality of different fuels to different sets of fueling orifices in the premixer. A pilot assembly of the fuel injector is coupled to the premixer and includes a first fueling passage for a first fuel and a second fueling passage for a second fuel. Multiple sets of fueling orifices are positioned within the fuel injector, the fueling orifice sets being selectively connectable to a plurality of different fuel supplies, and both located and sized so as to accommodate a wide range of flow rates to enable a combustion engine coupled with the fuel injector to operate on fuels having a range of Wobbe indices and compositions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: Solar Turbines Incorporated
    Inventors: Rajeshriben Patel, James Scott Piper, Raymond Alvarez, Rasoul Paydar, Ram Srinivasan
  • Patent number: 9909999
    Abstract: An inspection method include introducing a mixture of expanding foam and a particulate material into a region of interest of an object, fixing the powder within the region of the interest relative to the object, and acquiring image data of the object and particulate mixture using an x-ray source and an x-ray detector. The particulate has a density that is greater than the density of a material forming the object to provide contrast between the region of interest and the object in an image generated using the image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: Delavan Inc.
    Inventors: Eric Karlen, William L. Wentland
  • Patent number: 9897322
    Abstract: A combustor can assembly includes a plurality of combustor cans spaced circumferentially about a gas turbine engine. Each combustor can is coupled in flow communication with at least one fuel manifold via a respective can fuel line. The combustor can assembly also includes a first interconnecting fuel line that includes a first end and a second end. The first end is coupled in flow communication with the can fuel line of a first combustor can, and the second end is coupled in flow communication with the can fuel line of a second combustor can that is not circumferentially adjacent to the first combustor can. The combustor can assembly further includes a first control device operatively coupled to the can fuel line of the first combustor can. The first control device is operable to change a dynamic operational characteristic of the first and second combustor cans independently of other combustor cans.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Kihyung Kim, Diego Fernando Rancruel, Prashant C. Mahalingappanavar
  • Patent number: 9803867
    Abstract: A premix pilot nozzle includes a tip portion having a downstream surface that extends between a downstream end of an inner wall of the tip portion and a downstream end of an outer wall of the tip portion. The downstream end of the inner wall terminates axially upstream from the downstream end of the outer wall. At least a portion of the downstream surface is curvilinear. The tip portion further comprises a plurality of axially extending premix tubes annularly arranged about the tip portion. Each premix tube defines a premix flow passage through the tip portion. Each premix tube also includes an outlet that is axially offset from the downstream surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventor: Jason Thurman Stewart
  • Patent number: 9664391
    Abstract: An annular type gas turbine combustor having a plurality of fuel nozzle assemblies (10) on a circumference includes a pilot nozzle unit (12) for spraying a fuel for diffusive combustion from a pilot outer peripheral nozzle (34) into a combustion chamber (8), a main nozzle unit (14) provided so as to surround the pilot nozzle unit (12) for spraying a fuel for premix combustion, and a flow guide (27) disposed on a downstream side of each of the fuel nozzle assemblies (10) and having a sectional area of a passage for air and air-fuel mixture from each of the fuel nozzle assemblies (10), which gradually increase in a downstream direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignees: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA, JAPAN AEROSPACE EXPLORATION AGENCY
    Inventors: Masayoshi Kobayashi, Takeo Oda, Ryusuke Matsuyama, Atsushi Horikawa, Hitoshi Fujiwara
  • Patent number: 9599019
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates generally to a dual oil supply tube for a gas turbine engine. The dual oil supply tube locates a scheduled damper supply tube inside a compartment oil supply tube which remains full while the engine is operating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Marc J. Muldoon, Gary L. Grogg, Grace E. Szymanski
  • Patent number: 9464807
    Abstract: Provided is a combustor including a support shaft, a wing portion provided on the support shaft and configured to swirl a first fluid around the support shaft, and a cover housing enclosing the support shaft and the wing portion and includes a space enlarging portion provided at a downstream of of the wing portion, where a distance of the space enlarging portion from an outer surface of the support shaft is different from distances of other portions of the cover housing from the outer surface of the support shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: Hanwha Techwin Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sinhyun Kim, Seungchai Jung, Siwon Yang
  • Patent number: 9464575
    Abstract: A method and device for igniting a turbomachine combustion chamber including alternately: an intake phase of a fluid into a chamber through an intake port, during which a piston compresses an elastic mechanism under pressure of the fluid such that the elastic mechanism applies onto a piezoelectric element a force sufficient for the piezoelectric element to induce between the electrodes an electric voltage enabling an electric arc to be generated, until the piston reaches a predetermined position for closing a valve for sealing the intake port; and an exhaust phase of the fluid, during which the elastic mechanism pushes back the piston to induce a fluid ejection out of the chamber through an exhaust port, and the valve is open.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: SNECMA
    Inventors: Etienne Juchauld, Jean-Pierre Badinier, Jean Pierre Roberdeau, Marc Serrau
  • Patent number: 9453429
    Abstract: A turbine casing includes at least one shell adapted to enclose one or more turbine stages in a gas turbine engine; an air inlet in the at least one shell; a flow sleeve secured to an inside surface of the at least one shell, the flow sleeve comprising at least two arcuate segments. Each arcuate segment includes an arcuate base, a pair of sidewalls extending radially outwardly of the base thereby forming a circumferentially-extending flow channel defined by the base, the sidewalls and the inside surface. The air inlet is aligned with the flow channel and the sleeve is configured to distribute air flowing in the channel into spaces proximate the one or more turbine stages in circumferential, radial and axial directions, including along the inside surface of the at least one shell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Radu Ioan Danescu, David Martin Johnson, Kenneth Damon Black, Christopher Paul Cox, Ozgur Bozkurt
  • Patent number: 9430117
    Abstract: In a stream computing application, data may be transmitted between operators using tuples. However, the receiving operator may not evaluate these tuples as they arrive but instead wait to evaluate a group of tuples—i.e., a window. A window is typically triggered when a buffer associated with the receiving operator reaches a maximum window size or when a predetermined time period has expired. Additionally, a window may be triggered by a monitoring a tuple rate—i.e., the rate at which the operator receives the tuples. If the tuple rate exceeds or falls below a threshold, a window may be triggered. Further, the number of exceptions, or the rate at which an operator throws exceptions, may be monitored. If either of these parameters satisfies a threshold, a window may be triggered, thereby instructing an operator to evaluate the tuples contained within the window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michael J. Branson, John M. Santosuosso, Brandon W. Schulz
  • Patent number: 9400114
    Abstract: A gas turbine comprises a compressor discharge casing that is coupled to an outer turbine shell. The compressor discharge casing includes a combustor opening that extends through the compressor discharge casing and an outer mating surface that circumferentially surrounds the combustor opening. The outer turbine shell defines an inner mating surface. A combustion module extends through the combustor opening. The combustion module includes a forward end that is circumferentially surrounded by a mounting flange and an aft end that is circumferentially surrounded by an aft frame. The mounting flange extends circumferentially around the combustor opening. The mounting flange is coupled to the outer mating surface of the compressor discharge casing and the aft frame is coupled to the inner mating surface of the outer turbine shell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2016
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Patrick Benedict Melton, Lucas John Stoia, Richard Martin DiCintio, Christopher Paul Willis
  • Patent number: 9383106
    Abstract: An annular combustion chamber for a turbomachine, including an external wall and an internal wall which are oriented substantially axially relative to the rotation axis of the turbomachine, the combustion chamber being closed upstream by a chamber end wall oriented substantially radially, the chamber being supplied with compressed air coming from a compressor via a nozzle, the output direction of which is offset radially relative to the mid-axis of the combustion chamber, the chamber end wall including cooling air supply holes inclined to the direction normal to the chamber end wall. The number of holes oriented radially in the direction opposite to that where the outlet of the nozzle is located is greater than the number of holes oriented radially in the direction of the outlet of the nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: SNECMA
    Inventor: Thierry Cortes
  • Patent number: 9366189
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a system for reducing pressure oscillations within a gas turbine engine includes at least one fuel injector configured to inject fuel into a combustor. The system also includes a valve fluidly coupled to the at least one fuel injector. The system further includes a controller communicatively coupled to the valve. The controller is configured to cycle the valve between an open position and a closed position at a first frequency and a first duty cycle while a magnitude of pressure oscillations within the combustor is less than a threshold value, to cycle the valve between the open position and the closed position at a second frequency and a second duty cycle while the magnitude of the pressure oscillations within the combustor is greater than or equal to the threshold value, and to adjust the second frequency based on a measured frequency of the pressure oscillations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Zekai Hong, Joel Meier Haynes, Keith Robert McManus, John Thomas Herbon
  • Patent number: 9366442
    Abstract: A fuel injector includes: a pilot injector configured to spray fuel so as to form a first combustion region in a combustion chamber; and a main injector provided coaxially with the pilot injector so as to surround the pilot injector and configured to supply a fuel-air mixture that is a mixture of the fuel and air to form a second combustion region in the combustion chamber, wherein the pilot injector includes: a center nozzle configured to eject air jet flowing straight in an axial direction on a central axis of the pilot injector; an inside swirler provided on a radially outer side of the center nozzle and configured to cause inflow air to swirl around the central axis; and a pilot fuel injecting portion configured to inject the fuel from between the center nozzle and the inside swirler to air flow in the center nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignees: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency
    Inventors: Ryusuke Matsuyama, Masayoshi Kobayashi, Takeo Oda, Atsushi Horikawa, Shigeru Hayashi, Kazuo Shimodaira, Kazuaki Matsuura, Hideshi Yamada, Youji Kurosawa, Hitoshi Fujiwara
  • Patent number: 9353947
    Abstract: A combustor includes a combustor housing defining a combustion chamber having a plurality of combustion zones. A plurality of temperature detectors are disposed in communication with the combustion chamber. The plurality of temperature detectors detect a temperature in the plurality of combustion zones. A controller communicating with the plurality of temperature detectors is programmed to determine an occurrence of a flame holding condition or a flashback condition in the plurality of combustion zones based on signals from the plurality of temperature detectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventor: Anthony Krull
  • Patent number: 9297534
    Abstract: A turbomachine combustor portion includes a combustion chamber. A center injection nozzle is arranged within the combustion chamber and includes a center nozzle inlet and a center nozzle outlet. An outer premixed injection nozzle is positioned radially outward of the center injection nozzle and includes an outer nozzle inlet and an outer nozzle outlet that is arranged upstream of the center nozzle outlet. A late lean injector is positioned downstream of the center nozzle and the outer premixed nozzle. The combustor portion includes a first combustion zone arranged downstream of the outer nozzle outlet, a second combustion zone arranged downstream of the center nozzle outlet, and a third combustion zone arranged further downstream of the center nozzle outlet. The center injection nozzle, outer premixed injection nozzle, and late lean injector are selectively operated to establish a combustion flame front in the first, second, and third combustion zones.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Joseph Citeno, Dmitry Alexandrovitch Lysenko, Sergey Anatolievich Meshkov, Valery Alexandrovich Mitrofanov, Almaz Valeev
  • Patent number: 9272905
    Abstract: A method of optimizing steam methane reforming in a multiple cell, down-fired furnace. The method includes the steps of introducing hydrocarbons and steam to a plurality of catalyst filled process tubes, combusting gases through a plurality of center cell down-fired burners at a burner discharge velocity of V m/s, and a mass flow rate of 1 kg/s, combusting gases through outer cell down-fired burners at a burner discharge velocity of 1.5V-2V m/s and a mass flow rate of 0.5-0.65 kg/s, and finally discharging combustion products from the outer cell down-fired burners and the center cell down-fired burners at a substantially uniform momentum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL, INC.
    Inventors: Richard Ray Martin, Matthew Martin
  • Patent number: 9272706
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for enabling engine diagnostics, including visual inspections of an engine cylinder, using existing hardware from a laser ignition system. Light pulses from a laser ignition device are received at a photodetector during non-combusting conditions and used to generate images of an inside of the cylinder that can be assessed by a service technician. An electric motor of the vehicle system can be used during a service mode of the vehicle to rotate the engine to, and hold the engine at, specified engine positions that enable the technician to perform selected diagnostic tests.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Douglas Raymond Martin, Lauren Angelina Martin
  • Patent number: 9255711
    Abstract: First and second combustors are provided, and each combustor includes a fuel nozzle and a combustion chamber downstream from the fuel nozzle. Each fuel nozzle includes an axially extending center body, a shroud that circumferentially surrounds at least a portion of the center body, and vanes that extend radially between the center body and the shroud. A first fuel port through at least one of the vanes is located at a first axial distance from the combustion chamber, a second fuel port through the center body is located at a second axial distance from the combustion chamber, and the vanes are located at a third axial distance from the combustion chamber. The system varies one or more of the first, second, and third axial distances from combustor-to-combustor to produce a combustion instability frequency in the first combustor that is different from the combustion instability frequency in the second combustor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Sarah Lori Crothers, Gilbert Otto Kraemer
  • Patent number: 9249978
    Abstract: A gas turbine combustion liner having a novel and improved system for receiving a peripheral device through a floating collar is disclosed. The retaining collar assembly provides planar movement for receiving the peripheral device while preventing the floating collar from rotational movement through an anti-rotation tab on the collar and a collar cap, resulting in reduced wear to the peripheral device. The collar cap can include different configurations for reducing any vibratory effects caused by an oncoming airflow directly contacting the floating collar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: Alstom Technology Ltd
    Inventors: Brian K. Richardson, Alfredo Cires, John Henriquez, Daniel J. Sullivan, Kevin B. Powell
  • Patent number: 9239165
    Abstract: A combustor liner includes a heat shield, a shell, a series of trip strips, and a series of projecting walls. The heat shield has a shield cold side. The shell is attached to the heat shield and includes a shell hot side facing the shield cold side, a shell cold side facing away from the shield cold side, and a row of cooling holes. The trip strips run parallel to each other and all project from the shield cold side the same distance. Each projecting wall runs parallel to, and opposite of, a corresponding trip strip and projects from the shell hot side such that the distance to which each projecting wall projects is greater for projecting walls farther from the row of cooling holes, creating successive gaps between the projecting walls and corresponding trip strips that decrease from the row of cooling holes to create a convergent channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2016
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Frank J. Cunha, Nurhak Erbas-Sen
  • Patent number: 9228498
    Abstract: A fuel injector for a gas turbine engine may include a center body disposed about a longitudinal axis, and a premix barrel positioned radially outwardly from the center body to define an annular passageway between the center body and the premix barrel. The annular passageway may extend from an upstream end that is configured to be fluidly coupled to a compressor to a downstream end that is configured to be fluidly coupled to a combustor. The premix barrel may include a first portion at the upstream end and a second portion at the downstream end. The first portion may include a stainless steel material, and the second portion may include a nickel based superalloy material. The second portion may be coupled to the first portion by a laser clad coupling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: Solar Turbines Incorporated
    Inventors: Alexander Ilich Krichever, Robert Anthony Corr, II, Peter Barker, Bruno Enriquez Struck, John Preston Montague
  • Patent number: 9217570
    Abstract: An axial flow fuel nozzle for a gas turbine includes a plurality of annular passages for delivering materials for combustion. An annular air passage receives compressor discharge air, and a plurality of swirler vane slots are positioned adjacent an axial end of the annular air passage. A first next annular passage is disposed radially inward of the annular air passage and includes first openings positioned adjacent an axial end of the first annular passage and downstream of the swirler vane slots. A second next annular passage is disposed radially inward of the first annular passage and includes second openings positioned adjacent an axial end of the second annular passage and downstream of the first openings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Nishant Govindbhai Parsania, Geoffrey D. Myers, Gregory Allen Boardman
  • Patent number: 9175604
    Abstract: A gas turbine combustor (26) disposed in a combustion air plenum (65) and a transition piece (28) for the combustor disposed in a separate cooling air plenum (58, 67). The combustion air plenum may receive combustion air (50) from a high-pressure compressor stage (22A). The cooling air plenum may receive cooling air (52) from an intermediate-pressure compressor stage (22B) at lower temperature and pressure than the combustion air. This cools the transition piece using less air than prior systems, thus making the gas turbine engine (20) more efficient and less expensive, because less expensive materials are needed and/or higher combustion temperatures are allowed. The cooling air may exit the cooling air plenum through holes (62) in a downstream portion (61) of the transition piece. An outer wall (72) on the transition piece may provide forced convection along the transition piece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: Siemens Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard C. Charron, David A. Little
  • Patent number: 9151502
    Abstract: A system and method for reducing combustion dynamics includes first and second combustors, and each combustor includes a fuel nozzle and a combustion chamber downstream from the fuel nozzle. Each fuel nozzle includes an axially extending center body, a shroud that circumferentially surrounds at least a portion of the axially extending center body, a plurality of vanes that extend radially between the center body and the shroud, a first fuel port through at least one of the plurality of vanes at a first axial distance from the combustion chamber, the plurality of vanes being located at a second axial distance from the combustion chamber. A second fuel port is provided through the center body at a third axial distance from the combustion chamber. The system further includes structure for producing a combustion instability frequency in the first combustor that is different from the combustion instability frequency in the second combustor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Sarah Lori Crothers, Gilbert Otto Kraemer
  • Patent number: 9140454
    Abstract: A turbomachine includes a compressor, a combustor operatively connected to the compressor, an end cover mounted to the combustor, and an injection nozzle assembly operatively connected to the combustor. The injection nozzle assembly includes a cap member having a first surface that extends to a second surface. The cap member further includes a plurality of openings. A plurality of bundled mini-tube assemblies are detachably mounted in the plurality of openings in the cap member. Each of the plurality of bundled mini-tube assemblies includes a main body section having a first end section and a second end section. A fluid plenum is arranged within the main body section. A plurality of tubes extend between the first and second end sections. Each of the plurality of tubes is fluidly connected to the fluid plenum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Benjamin Paul Lacy, Willy Steve Ziminsky, Thomas Edward Johnson, Baifang Zuo, William David York, Jong Ho Uhm
  • Patent number: 9121352
    Abstract: A device for purging a feed device that supplies liquid fuel to a gas turbine includes a combustion chamber that can be supplied alternately with gaseous and liquid fuel, and a purge air circuit that includes a manifold to distribute air to the combustion chamber, and at least one valve for regulating the air pressure in the purge air circuit. The purge device includes an electronic control unit that makes it possible to regulate the air pressure and flow rate in the purge air circuit according to the mode of operation of the gas turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignee: GE Energy Products France SNC
    Inventors: Pierre Montagne, Daniel Deloge, Alexandre Picard, Olivier Chapuis, Benoît Gartner
  • Patent number: 9103285
    Abstract: A purge system and liquid fuel atomizing system, a system including a purge system and liquid fuel atomizing system, and a method of purging and atomizing are disclosed. The purging involves a first nozzle, a second nozzle, a third nozzle, and a staged compression system having a first stage and a second stage. The first stage is configured to selectively direct a first pressurized fluid stream to the first nozzle and the second nozzle. The second stage is configured to selectively direct a second pressurized fluid stream to the third nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Venugopala Raju, Anil Kumar Sharma, Indrajit Mazumder, Bhaskar Pemmi, Rajarshi Saha
  • Patent number: 9068751
    Abstract: An annular combustor for a gas turbine engine is provided that facilitates staged combustion in a lean direct ignition (LDI) mode over an extended range of operating fuel air ratios. A method is also provided for operating a gas turbine engine over a power demand range that facilitates staged combustion in a lean direct ignition (LDI) mode over an extended range of operating fuel air ratios.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Timothy S. Snyder
  • Patent number: 9057524
    Abstract: A burner assembly for a firing system for firing fluidic fuels is provided. The burner assembly has a burner hub, an air inlet channel and a fuel inlet channel, wherein the fuel inlet channel is at least partially designed in the burner hub. A screening wall is arranged in the fuel inlet channel. The screening wall is spaced apart from a wall of the fuel inlet channel so that an intermediate space is formed between the wall of the fuel inlet channel and the screening wall. A sleeve is equipped with at least one radial positioning means that ensures a clearance of the sleeve from the wall of the fuel inlet channel. The at least one radial positioning means of the sleeve is designed as a positioning projection arranged in a circular manner, protruding out radially.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Karsten Jordan, Tobias Krieger
  • Publication number: 20150135723
    Abstract: A combustor nozzle includes a fuel passage that extends generally axially in the nozzle and a surface that extends radially across at least a portion of the fuel passage. A projection in the surface extends generally axially down-stream from the surface, and an indention in the surface radially surrounds the projection. An oxidant supply is in fluid communication with an oxidant passage, and the oxidant passage is radially displaced from the fuel passage and terminates at an oxidant outlet. A method of supplying a fuel to a combustor includes flowing fuel through a projection in a surface, wherein the projection extends generally axially downstream from the surface, and flowing fuel through an indention in the surface, wherein the indention radially surrounds the projection. The method further includes flowing an oxidant through an oxidant outlet that circumferentially surrounds the indention in the surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2012
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Vladimir Vasilyevich Belyaev, Gilber Otto Kraemer, Predrag Popovic
  • Publication number: 20150135724
    Abstract: A fuel pressure regulation system is provided. The fuel pressure regulation system includes a supply arrangement for supplying an outlet flow. The supply arrangement includes a primary pressure regulator and a bypass pressure regulator. The primary pressure regulator is operably connected to downstream pressures of each of a plurality of parallel metering circuits. The bypass pressure regulator is upstream from an output of a pump or pumps, which in combination with the primary pressure regulator, is operable to increase the output of the pump or pumps to accommodate for downstream pressure spikes in any one of the parallel metering circuits.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2014
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Applicant: Woodward, Inc.
    Inventor: Carthel C. Baker
  • Publication number: 20150128606
    Abstract: The present application provides a pilot manifold system for a combustor of a gas turbine engine. The pilot manifold system may include a casing with a casing manifold, an end cover connected to the casing and having an end cover passage in communication with the casing manifold, and a fuel nozzle mounted about the end cover. The fuel nozzle may include a pilot system in communication with the end cover passage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2013
    Publication date: May 14, 2015
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Bryan Wesley Romig, Brandon Taylor Overby
  • Publication number: 20150128607
    Abstract: A gas turbine combustor assembly has a fuel/air mixer assembly with a plurality of fuel/air mixer elements. Each fuel/air mixer element defines an air flow passage therethrough. A fuel injector is coupled to the fuel/air mixer assembly. The fuel injector has a tip portion with a plurality of fuel outlets arranged to direct fuel into the air flow passages of the air/fuel mixer elements. Each of the fuel/air mixer elements has at least one outlet arranged to supply fuel to the element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2013
    Publication date: May 14, 2015
    Applicant: Woodward, Inc.
    Inventor: Fei Philip Lee
  • Patent number: 9021781
    Abstract: A fuel injector for a combustor of a gas turbine includes an annular main body. A fluid circuit extends at least partially through the main body. An axially extending inner body extends within the main body. The inner body at least partially defines an inner chamber that extends at least partially through the inner body. The inner chamber is in fluid communication with the fluid circuit. A retractable igniter extends linearly outward from the inner chamber when the fluid circuit is charged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Kaitlin Marie Graham, James Scott Flanagan, Jeffrey Scott LeBegue
  • Publication number: 20150113998
    Abstract: The burners include a central burner and a plurality of outer burners disposed around the central burner. Each of the outer burners is equipped with a fuel supply system that includes a fuel flow regulating valve. The outer circumference of the combustor liner is provided with a cylindrical flow sleeve. At least one flow velocity measurement unit is disposed in a circular flow path formed between the combustor liner and the flow sleeve to measure the flow velocity of air flowing downward. The gas turbine combustor also includes a control device that adjusts the fuel flow rate of the fuel, which is to be supplied to the outer burners, in accordance with the flow velocity of the air in the circular flow path, which is measured by the flow velocity measurement units.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2014
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Inventors: Tetsuma TATSUMI, Shohei NUMATA, Osami YOKOTA
  • Publication number: 20150107260
    Abstract: A gas turbine afterburner includes a gutter electrode that helps to hold an afterburner flame. A charge source applies a majority charge to be carried by a turbine exhaust gas. Electrical attraction between the majority charge and the gutter electrode helps to hold the afterburner flame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2014
    Publication date: April 23, 2015
    Inventors: JOSEPH COLANNINO, IGOR A. KRICHTAFOVICH, ROBERT E. BREIDENTHAL, CHRISTOPHER A. WIKLOF
  • Publication number: 20150107259
    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: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2014
    Publication date: April 23, 2015
    Inventors: Adnan EROGLU, Juergen HOFFMANN
  • Publication number: 20150101342
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an engine having two modes of operation—air breathing and rocket—that may be used in aerospace applications such as in an aircraft, flying machine, or aerospace vehicle. The engine's efficiency can be maximized by using a precooler arrangement to cool intake air in air breathing mode using cold fuel delivery systems used for the rocket mode. By introducing the precooler and certain other engine cycle components, and arranging and operating them as described, problems such as those associated with higher fuel and weight requirements and frost formation can be alleviated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2014
    Publication date: April 16, 2015
    Inventors: Alan Bond, Richard Varvill