Patents by Inventor David Spencer Ewens

David Spencer Ewens has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20230086029
    Abstract: A system includes a gas turbine system including a compressor, a combustor, a turbine, and an exhaust section. The system also includes multiple sensors coupled to components of the gas turbine system. The system further includes a controller communicatively coupled to the gas turbine system and the multiple sensors and configured to control operations of the gas turbine system, wherein the controller is configured to calculate a surrogate value for turbine exit Mach number based on the feedback from the multiple sensors and to utilize the surrogate value to derive a control action for the gas turbine system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2021
    Publication date: March 23, 2023
    Inventors: Harold Lamar Jordan, David Spencer Ewens
  • Patent number: 11525375
    Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure provide a method for operating a combined cycle power plant (CCPP). The method may include creating a variant control profile for the CCPP for a power plant model of the CCPP. The method may include modifying the variant control profile in response to the variant control profile not reducing the fuel consumption or meeting the quality threshold. The method may also include adjusting the CCPP to use the variant control profile in response to the variant control profile reducing the fuel consumption and meeting the quality threshold. Using the variant control profile adjusts a turbine section inlet temperature schedule or an exhaust temperature schedule for the CCPP.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Nilesh Tralshawala, David Spencer Ewens, Difei Wang, Karthik Subramanyan, Anthony Bruce Campbell
  • Publication number: 20210317782
    Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure provide a method for operating a combined cycle power plant (CCPP). The method may include generating a power plant model for operating the CCPP, determining whether at least two gas turbines in the power plant model generate a power output, and modeling a fuel consumption of the CCPP for a baseline split ratio between the at least two gas turbines. The method may also include determining whether the variant split ratio meets a quality threshold for the CCPP, and adjusting the CCPP to use the variant split ratio in response to the variant split ratio meeting the quality threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2020
    Publication date: October 14, 2021
    Inventors: Nilesh Tralshawala, Difei Wang, David Spencer Ewens, Karthik Subramanyan, Aditya Kumar, Junqiang Zhou, Anthony Bruce Campbell
  • Publication number: 20210317759
    Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure provide a method for operating a combined cycle power plant (CCPP). The method may include creating a variant control profile for the CCPP for a power plant model of the CCPP. The method may include modifying the variant control profile in response to the variant control profile not reducing the fuel consumption or meeting the quality threshold. The method may also include adjusting the CCPP to use the variant control profile in response to the variant control profile reducing the fuel consumption and meeting the quality threshold. Using the variant control profile adjusts a turbine section inlet temperature schedule or an exhaust temperature schedule for the CCPP.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2020
    Publication date: October 14, 2021
    Inventors: Nilesh Tralshawala, David Spencer Ewens, Difei Wang, Karthik Subramanyan, Anthony Bruce Campbell
  • Patent number: 10697318
    Abstract: A non-transitory computer readable medium stores instructions that are executed by a processor of a monitoring that when executed, the processor receives a state of at least one operational parameter of the turbomachinery. Then, the processor determines whether the state is within a region of accuracy of a stored record of a stored state stored in the memory. When the state is within the region of accuracy, the processor determines at least one operating condition from the stored record. Alternatively, when the state is not within the first region of accuracy, the processor stores the state as a new record in the memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Sidharth Abrol, David Spencer Ewens, Prabhanjana Kalya, Samhitha Palanganda Poonacha
  • Patent number: 10508597
    Abstract: A system includes a controller coupled to an inlet bleed heat system of a compressor. The controller is configured to detect an icing condition of an inlet portion of the compressor by determining a current compressor efficiency value of the compressor, a current compressor flow value of the compressor, or any combination thereof, comparing the current compressor efficiency value to a compressor efficiency model of the compressor, the current compressor flow value to a compressor flow model of the compressor, or any combination thereof, and providing an icing indication to the inlet bleed heat system if a first difference between the current compressor efficiency value and the compressor efficiency model is greater than a first threshold, a second difference between the current compressor flow value and the compressor flow model is greater than a second threshold, or any combination thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Prabhanjana Kalya, Sidharth Abrol, Matthew John McKeever, David Spencer Ewens
  • Patent number: 10474113
    Abstract: A system includes a power generation system and a controller. The controller includes processors that receive a first set of inputs. The processors also generate a first set of modeled outputs system based on a model of the power generation system and the first set of inputs. The processors further receive a first set of measured outputs corresponding to the first set of modeled outputs. The processors determine a first correction factor based on the first set of modeled outputs and the first set of measured outputs. The first correction factor includes differences between the first set of modeled outputs and the first set of measured outputs. The processors also generate a second set of modeled outputs based on the model, a second set of inputs, and the first correction factor. The processors further control an operation of the power generation system based on the second set of modeled outputs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: David Spencer Ewens, William Forrester Seely
  • Patent number: 10408132
    Abstract: A method includes instructing a purge valve of a gas turbine system to open, thereby purging a fuel circuit by filling the fuel circuit with purge gas, wherein the fuel circuit initially contains fuel. The method also includes generating a model of the gas turbine system that simulates a modeled output based on a model input corresponding to a measured input. The method further includes receiving a measured output of the gas turbine system. The method also includes adjusting the model input such that the modeled output more closely matches the measured output when the measured output is not approximately equal to the modeled output. The method further includes instructing the purge valve to open during a subsequent purge operation and a gas control valve to open more fully or at least partially close during the subsequent purge operation based at least in part on adjusting the model input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: David Spencer Ewens
  • Patent number: 10401881
    Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure can relate to quantification of gas turbine inlet filter blockage. In one embodiment, a method can include receiving data associated with an inlet flow conditioning system associated with a turbine in a power plant. The method may further include determining an inlet flow associated with the turbine, based at least in part on operational data from the turbine. The method may further include determining an effective area of the inlet flow conditioning system, based at least in part on the inlet flow associated with the turbine. The method can further include determining a fouling rate of the inlet flow conditioning system, based at least in part on a difference between the effective area of the inlet flow conditioning system and a corresponding effective area of the inlet flow conditioning system determined at a prior operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: David Spencer Ewens, John Raffensperger
  • Publication number: 20180298817
    Abstract: A system includes a controller coupled to an inlet bleed heat system of a compressor. The controller is configured to detect an icing condition of an inlet portion of the compressor by determining a current compressor efficiency value of the compressor, a current compressor flow value of the compressor, or any combination thereof, comparing the current compressor efficiency value to a compressor efficiency model of the compressor, the current compressor flow value to a compressor flow model of the compressor, or any combination thereof, and providing an icing indication to the inlet bleed heat system if a first difference between the current compressor efficiency value and the compressor efficiency model is greater than a first threshold, a second difference between the current compressor flow value and the compressor flow model is greater than a second threshold, or any combination thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2017
    Publication date: October 18, 2018
    Inventors: Prabhanjana Kalya, Sidharth Abrol, Matthew John McKeever, David Spencer Ewens
  • Publication number: 20180259917
    Abstract: A system includes a power generation system and a controller. The controller includes processors that receive a first set of inputs. The processors also generate a first set of modeled outputs system based on a model of the power generation system and the first set of inputs. The processors further receive a first set of measured outputs corresponding to the first set of modeled outputs. The processors determine a first correction factor based on the first set of modeled outputs and the first set of measured outputs. The first correction factor includes differences between the first set of modeled outputs and the first set of measured outputs. The processors also generate a second set of modeled outputs based on the model, a second set of inputs, and the first correction factor. The processors further control an operation of the power generation system based on the second set of modeled outputs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2017
    Publication date: September 13, 2018
    Inventors: David Spencer Ewens, William Forrester Seely
  • Publication number: 20180253087
    Abstract: A system includes a power generation system and controllers that control operations of the power generation system. The controllers include processors that receive multiple values associated with operating parameters of the power generation system, and determine a degradation cost function that quantifies a degradation cost based on the values. The processors further receive an operation cost that includes a fixed financial cost of performing an operation on the power generation system, and determine an operation cost function that quantifies the operation cost. The processors further determine a total cost function of the power generation system based on the degradation cost function and the operation cost function, and determine times to perform the operation on the power generation system based on the total cost function. The processors further send an alert to perform the operation of the power generation system at the times.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2017
    Publication date: September 6, 2018
    Inventors: David Spencer Ewens, John Joseph Raffensperger, William Forrester Seely
  • Publication number: 20180230907
    Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure can relate to quantification of gas turbine inlet filter blockage. In one embodiment, a method can include receiving data associated with an inlet flow conditioning system associated with a turbine in a power plant. The method may further include determining an inlet flow associated with the turbine, based at least in part on operational data from the turbine. The method may further include determining an effective area of the inlet flow conditioning system, based at least in part on the inlet flow associated with the turbine. The method can further include determining a fouling rate of the inlet flow conditioning system, based at least in part on a difference between the effective area of the inlet flow conditioning system and a corresponding effective area of the inlet flow conditioning system determined at a prior operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2017
    Publication date: August 16, 2018
    Inventors: David Spencer Ewens, John Raffensperger
  • Publication number: 20180195405
    Abstract: A non-transitory computer readable medium stores instructions that are executed by a processor of a monitoring that when executed, the processor receives a state of at least one operational parameter of the turbomachinery. Then, the processor determines whether the state is within a region of accuracy of a stored record of a stored state stored in the memory. When the state is within the region of accuracy, the processor determines at least one operating condition from the stored record. Alternatively, when the state is not within the first region of accuracy, the processor stores the state as a new record in the memory.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2017
    Publication date: July 12, 2018
    Inventors: Sidharth Abrol, David Spencer Ewens, Prabhanjana Kalya, Samhitha Palanganda Poonacha
  • Publication number: 20180135528
    Abstract: A method includes instructing a gas control valve of a gas turbine system to open, thereby prefilling a fuel circuit of the gas turbine system with fuel, wherein the fuel circuit is initially filled with purge gas. The method also includes generating a model of the gas turbine system that simulates a modeled output of the gas turbine system based on a model input corresponding to a measured input to the gas turbine system. The method further includes receiving a measured output of the gas turbine system. The method also includes adjusting the model input such that the modeled output more closely matches the measured output when the measured output is not approximately equal to the modeled output. The method further includes instructing the gas control valve to open to prefill the fuel circuit during a subsequent prefill operation based at least in part on adjusting the model input.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2016
    Publication date: May 17, 2018
    Inventor: David Spencer Ewens
  • Publication number: 20180135530
    Abstract: A method includes instructing a purge valve of a gas turbine system to open, thereby purging a fuel circuit by filling the fuel circuit with purge gas, wherein the fuel circuit initially contains fuel. The method also includes generating a model of the gas turbine system that simulates a modeled output based on a model input corresponding to a measured input. The method further includes receiving a measured output of the gas turbine system. The method also includes adjusting the model input such that the modeled output more closely matches the measured output when the measured output is not approximately equal to the modeled output.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2016
    Publication date: May 17, 2018
    Inventor: David Spencer Ewens
  • Publication number: 20180135534
    Abstract: A method includes instructing a gas control valve to open to a first position, thereby sending fuel to a respective fuel circuit at a first flow rate, based on a first relationship between flow rate and a first set of operating parameters. The method also includes instructing the gas control valve to open to a second position, thereby adjusting the first flow rate of the fuel to the respective fuel circuit to a second flow rate, based on a set of output parameters. The method further includes determining a second relationship between adjusting the first flow rate and a second set of operating parameters. The method also includes instructing the gas control valve to open a third position, thereby sending the fuel to the respective fuel circuit at a third flow rate, based on the first relationship and the second relationship.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2016
    Publication date: May 17, 2018
    Inventors: David Spencer Ewens, Jonathan York Smith, Benjamin David Laskowski
  • Patent number: 9896960
    Abstract: A system includes a power generation system and a controller that controls the power generation system. The controller includes a processor that generates a model of the power generation system that estimates a value for a first parameter of the power generation system. The processor also receives a measured value of the first parameter. The processor further adjusts a correction factor of the model such that the estimated value of the first parameter output by the model is approximately equal to the measured value of the first parameter. The processor also generates a transfer function that represents the correction factor as a function of a second parameter of the power generation system. The processor further displays the transfer function along with one or more previously generated transfer functions to quantify degradation of the power generation system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: David Spencer Ewens, Frederick William Block, William Forrester Seely
  • Publication number: 20170350271
    Abstract: A system includes a power generation system and a controller that controls the power generation system. The controller includes a processor that generates a model of the power generation system that estimates a value for a first parameter of the power generation system. The processor also receives a measured value of the first parameter. The processor further adjusts a correction factor of the model such that the estimated value of the first parameter output by the model is approximately equal to the measured value of the first parameter. The processor also generates a transfer function that represents the correction factor as a function of a second parameter of the power generation system. The processor further displays the transfer function along with one or more previously generated transfer functions to quantify degradation of the power generation system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2016
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Inventors: David Spencer Ewens, Frederick William Block, William Forrester Seely
  • Patent number: 9797315
    Abstract: Various embodiments include a system having: at least one computing device configured to tune a set of gas turbines (GTs) by performing actions including: commanding each GT in the set of GTs to a base load level, based upon a measured ambient condition for each GT; commanding each GT in the set of GTs to adjust a respective power output to match a nominal power output value, and subsequently measuring an actual emissions value for each GT; adjusting an operating condition of each GT in the set of GTs based upon a difference between the respective measured actual emissions value and a nominal emissions value at the ambient condition; and setting a target operating condition for each GT to match the adjusted operating condition after the adjusting of the operating condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Harold Lamar Jordan, Jr., Lewis Berkley Davis, Jr., Scott Arthur Day, David Spencer Ewens, Rex Allen Morgan