Patents by Inventor Klaus Dobbeling

Klaus Dobbeling 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).

  • Patent number: 6045351
    Abstract: In a method of operating a burner of a heat generator, in which the burner essentially includes a swirl generator for a combustion-air flow, a mechanism for injecting at least one fuel into the combustion-air flow, and a number of transition passages for passing a flow formed in the swirl generator into a mixing tube arranged downstream of the transition passages, a predetermined quantity of a second fuel having a good ignition quality is injected into the reaction zone in order to stabilize the combustion in the combustion space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2000
    Assignee: ABB Alstom Power (Switzerland) Ltd
    Inventors: Klaus Dobbeling, Christian Steinbach
  • Patent number: 6027331
    Abstract: In a burner for operating a combustion chamber, which burner essentially comprises a swirl generator (100), a transition piece (200) arranged downstream of the swirl generator, and a mixing tube (20), transition piece (200) and mixing tube (20) forming the mixing section of the burner and being arranged upstream of a combustion space (30). The swirl generator (100) itself comprises at least two hollow, conical sectional bodies (140, 141, 142, 143) which are nested one inside the other in the direction of flow, the respective center axes of these sectional bodies running mutually offset in such a way that the adjacent walls of the sectional bodies form inlet ducts (120), tangential in their longitudinal extent, for a combustion-air flow (115).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2000
    Assignee: ABB Research Ltd.
    Inventors: Klaus Dobbeling, Hans Peter Knopfel, Thomas Ruck
  • Patent number: 5957067
    Abstract: In the case of a ceramic liner for combustion spaces, comprising at least one wall element (3), made of refractory structural ceramic and having at least one through-opening (6), and a fastening element (4), consisting of refractory structural ceramic, per opening (6), the fastening element (4) is resiliently fastened by its foot in a metallic holding device (5) fastened on the metallic supporting wall (1). The head (20) of the fastening element (4) rests in the opening (6) in the wall element (3).The wall element (3) is designed in the form of a box, having a base (25) which runs parallel to the metallic wall (1), having an inside wall (23) which surrounds the opening (6) in an annular manner and is supported directly or indirectly on the metallic supporting wall (1), and having outside walls (24) which extend up to the metallic supporting wall (1) without touching the latter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 28, 1999
    Assignee: ABB Research Ltd.
    Inventors: Klaus Dobbeling, Armin Heger, Andreas Pfeiffer
  • Patent number: 5954496
    Abstract: In a burner for operating a combustion chamber, which burner essentially comprises a swirl generator (100) and a mixing section (220) arranged downstream of the swirl generator, this mixing section acting upstream of a combustion chamber (30), the swirl flow induced by the swirl generator (100) is directed via transition passages (201) into the mixing section (220). At the outlet of a mixing tube (20) belonging to the mixing section (220), the burner front (70) of the mixing tube (20) is provided with at least one torus-like notch (71) on the combustion-chamber side. Thus the stability of the backflow zone (50) can be intensified, which has a positive effect on the combustion from all aspects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 21, 1999
    Assignee: ABB Research Ltd.
    Inventors: Klaus Dobbeling, Hans Peter Knopfel, Donald Frank Walker
  • Patent number: 5937632
    Abstract: In the case of a method for operating a gas turbine group, the gas turbine group essentially consists of a compressor (1), a combustion chamber (5), a turbine (2) and a generator (3). Fuel is mixed in a premixer (18) of the combustion chamber (5), prior to the combustion, with air compressed in the compressor (1), and subsequently burned in a combustion space (19).Compressed air, fed via an air line element (15) , is mixed with fuel fed via a fuel line element (16) and delivered to a reactor (10) having a catalytic coating. The air/fuel mixture is converted in the reactor (10) into a synthesis gas comprising hydrogen, carbon monoxide, residual air and residual fuel and this synthesis gas is injected into the zones of the combustion chamber (5) where the flame is stabilized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 17, 1999
    Assignee: ABB Research Ltd.
    Inventors: Klaus Dobbeling, Timothy Griffin
  • Patent number: 5934555
    Abstract: A pressure atomizer nozzle comprises a nozzle body (30) in which is formed a turbulence and/or swirl chamber (39) and having a nozzle bore (33). At least one first feed channel (41, 41a) for the liquid (37) to be atomized connects to the chamber as a first feed stage for feeding said liquid (37) under pressure. At least one second feed channel (38) connects to the chamber as a second feed stage for feeding part of the liquid (37) to be atomized or for feeding a second liquid (37') to be atomized. The second feed channel feeds liquid into the chamber under pressure and with a swirl. The two stage pressure atomizer nozzle allows, for example, simple adaptation of the fuel spray cone angle to the respective operating conditions of a gas turbine burner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 10, 1999
    Assignee: ABB Research Ltd.
    Inventors: Klaus Dobbeling, Peter Jansohn, Hans Peter Knopfel, Christian Steinbach
  • Patent number: 5921766
    Abstract: In a burner of the double-cone design for burning liquid (12) and gaseous fuels (16), the at least two sectional cone bodies (1, 2) overlap at least partly, the overlap angle (.delta.) increasing in the direction of flow of the burner, and the distance between the fuel injectors (15) and the air-inlet plane (21) into the burner increasing simultaneously with the increase in the overlap angle (.delta.). As a result, the air-inlet plane (21) and the fuel-injection plane (22) no longer coincide. Improved premixing of the gaseous fuel (16) with the combustion air is achieved by the invention, which leads to lower NOx emissions of the burner and to lower thermal loading of the burner front.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 13, 1999
    Assignee: ABB Research Ltd.
    Inventors: Klaus Dobbeling, Hans Peter Knopfel, Dieter Winkler
  • Patent number: 5918457
    Abstract: In a method of operating a plant with staged combustion, the first combustion stage (1a) is operated with a fuel/air mixture (3) whose air coefficient is larger than the overall air coefficient of the combustion system. The hot combustion gases (5) from the first combustion stage (1a) are mixed with an additional fuel/air mixture (4) whose air coefficient is smaller than the overall air coefficient of the combustion system, before the further combustion in the second stage (2a) takes place. Since hot-gas backmixing is no longer required in the second stage (2a) for the flame stabilization, this combined mixture burns without the formation of further NOx emissions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 6, 1999
    Assignee: ABB Research Ltd.
    Inventors: Klaus Dobbeling, Dieter Winkler, Wolfgang Polifke, Thomas Sattelmayer
  • Patent number: 5885068
    Abstract: In a combustion chamber of a gas-turbine group which essentially comprises a mixing section (2) for premixing an air/fuel mixture (16) and a downstream combustion space (3), a jump (5) in cross section is provided at the transition between the two said flow sections (2/3). This jump (5) in cross section induces the cross section of flow of the combustion space (3) and at the same time forms outer recirculation zones (10) in the combustion space (3). Flow passages (4) branch off in the end phase of the mixing section (2), which flow passages (4) then lead into the outer recirculation zones (10). A portion (9) of the air/fuel mixture flows out of the mixing section (2) through these flow passages (4) and into the outer recirculation zones (10), the portion being enriched here with an additional fuel (6). This fuel (6) is introduced via a circular line (19) provided with bores (18).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 23, 1999
    Assignee: ABB Research Ltd.
    Inventors: Klaus Dobbeling, Timothy Griffin, Hans Peter Knopfel
  • Patent number: 5839283
    Abstract: In a gas-turbine annular combustion chamber (4) which is arranged downstream of a compressor (1) and is equipped on its front plate with at least one row of premix burners (5) arranged in an annular form, in each case a combustion-air duct (15) designed as a diffuser leads directly downstream of the compressor outlet from the guide vanes (9) of the last compressor row to each burner (5), at the downstream end of which combustion-air duct (15) at least one longitudinal-vortex generator (16) is located, at least one fuel injection means (17) being provided in or downstream of the longitudinal-vortex generator (16). A mixing duct (19) which ends in the combustion chamber (4) and has a constant height (H) and a length (L) which corresponds approximately to twice the value of the hydraulic duct diameter (D) is arranged downstream of the fuel injection means (17). The overall size of the gas turbine in the region of the combustion chamber (4) can thereby be substantially reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 24, 1998
    Assignee: ABB Research Ltd.
    Inventor: Klaus Dobbeling
  • Patent number: 5807097
    Abstract: The object of the invention is to provide a novel cone burner for gaseous and/or liquid fuels which has a reduced NOx and CO emission. According to the invention, this is achieved in that the sectional cone bodies (1, 2) have a common outlet diffuser (27) at their downstream end. They have a transition region (28) to the outlet diffuser (27), in which the size of the air-inlet slots (7, 8) decreases continuously in the direction (3) of flow. The outlet diffuser (27) is designed to be circular and without air-inlet slots (7, 8).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 15, 1998
    Assignee: ABB Research Ltd.
    Inventors: Klaus Dobbeling, Adnan Eroglu, Hans Peter Knopfel, Wolfgang Polifke, Thomas Sattelmayer
  • Patent number: 5791894
    Abstract: In a premix burner having a swirl-stabilizing interior space (20) which is essentially formed by sectional shells (11, 12) nested one inside the other in a mutually offset manner as well as by a conically running inner body (13), one feed duct (11c, 12c) each extends upstream of the tangential air-inlet slots (11a, 12a) formed by the offset sectional shells, which feed duct (11c, 12c) is fitted at least with means (11d, 12d) for swirling an air flow (23) and with means for introducing a fuel (24). The introduction of the fuel is preferably arranged downstream of the means for swirling the air flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 11, 1998
    Assignee: ABB Research Ltd.
    Inventors: Klaus Dobbeling, Adnan Eroglu, Hans Peter Knopfel, Wolfgang Polifke, Dieter Winkler
  • Patent number: 5791892
    Abstract: In a premix burner for the combustion of gaseous and/or liquid fuel, in which the fuel is injected as secondary flow into a gaseous, ducted main flow, the premix duct (20) through which flow occurs being annular and being defined by an inner (21a) and an outer cylinder wall (21b), and the main flow being guided via vortex generators (9, 9a) which generate longitudinal vortices without a recirculation area and of which a plurality are arranged next to one another over the periphery of the annular duct (20) on at least one duct wall (21), and means for injecting fuel being arranged directly downstream of the vortex generators (9, 9a) on the inner and/or outer duct wall (21a, 21b), the vortex generators (9, 9a) generate such vortices which leave behind a residual vortex after the complete mixing of the fuel with the air of the fuel/air mixture flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 11, 1998
    Assignee: ABB Research Ltd.
    Inventors: Klaus Dobbeling, Adnan Eroglu, Peter Senior
  • Patent number: 5782627
    Abstract: In a burner of the double-cone design, bores (27) are arranged in the burner sickle (26), via which bores (27) the gaseous fuel (16), to the extent of about 3 to 8% of the total mass fuel flow, is mixed into the outer recirculation zone (28) of the burner. This leads to additional outer stabilization of the flame and to an extended operating range of the burner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 21, 1998
    Assignee: ABB Research Ltd.
    Inventors: Klaus Dobbeling, Hans Peter Knopfel, Timothy Griffin
  • Patent number: 5738508
    Abstract: In a burner (1) for heat generation, the inflowing air (4) is first of all directed into a hollow conical swirl generator (3) which is surrounded by a mixing tube (2). This swirl generator (3) tapers in the direction of flow in such a way that a hollow cone results therefrom. Furthermore, the swirl generator (3) has tangential openings (6, 7) in the direction of flow, which are preferably designed as ducts through which the combustion air (5) flows out of the hollow space (16) into the mixing tube (2). In the region of the tangential openings (6, 7), nozzles (12, 13) are provided through which a fuel (14) is injected into the combustion air (5) flowing past there. A fuel, whether liquid or gaseous, may be supplied by further means in operative connection with the burner (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 14, 1998
    Assignee: ABB Research Ltd.
    Inventors: Klaus Dobbeling, Hans Peter Knopfel, Wolfgang Polifke, Peter Senior
  • Patent number: 5673551
    Abstract: In a premixing burner for the operation of an internal combustion engine, a combustion chamber of a gas turbine group or a firing system, which burner can be used for the combustion of fuels with very different properties, a diffuser (4) is arranged after a swirl generator (1), a convergent part (2) and a throat (3) for the supply of the fuel (9). The convergent part (2), the throat (3) and the diffuser (4) have a rotationally symmetrical configuration and the variation in cross section is adapted in such a way that no flow separation is possible at the wall. Gaseous fuels having a high flame speed are introduced counter to the swirl generated by the swirl generator (1). Gaseous fuels having a low flame speed are introduced in the same direction as the swirl generated by the swirl generator (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 7, 1997
    Assignee: Asea Brown Boveri AG
    Inventor: Klaus Dobbeling
  • Patent number: 5656043
    Abstract: When carrying out a radiant heat exchange between two media, one medium being a hot gas (5) and the other medium being a gasification mixture (11) of fuel and steam, the device consists of a gasification vessel (1) which, for its part, consists of a reaction space (2), an intermediate tube (4) and a flow space (3). In the reaction space (2), the hot gases (5) flow away centrally in the direction of the intermediate tube (4) and the flow space (3). The gasification mixture (11) flows in the opposite direction out of the flow space (3) and the intermediate tube (4). This gasification mixture surrounds the hot gases (5) in such a way that the radiant heat exchange takes place between the two media (5, 11).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 12, 1997
    Assignee: ABB Research Ltd.
    Inventor: Klaus Dobbeling
  • Patent number: 5588826
    Abstract: In a burner which consists of a swirl generator (100) on the oncoming-flow side, the flow (40) formed herein is passed smoothly into a mixing section (220). This is done with the aid of a transition geometry which is present at the start of the mixing tube (220) and consists of transition passages (201) which cover sectors of the end face of the mixing section (220), in accordance with the number of sectional bodies of the swirl generator (100), and run helically in the direction of flow. On the outflow side of these transition passages (201), prefilming bores (21) pass through the mixing section (220), which prefilming bores (21) initiate an increase in the flow velocity along the tube wall. Adjoining the mixing section (220) is a combustion chamber (30) in which a backflow zone (50) forms in the region of the jump in cross-section between mixing section (220) and combustion chamber (30).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 31, 1996
    Assignee: ABB Management AG
    Inventors: Klaus Dobbeling, Jurgen Haumann, Hans P. Knopfel, Bettina Paikert, Thomas Ruck, Thomas Sattelamayer, Christian Steinbach
  • Patent number: 5586878
    Abstract: In a premixing burner of the double-cone design for operating an internal combustion engine, a combustion chamber of a gas-turbine group, or a firing plant, having a high-pressure atomization nozzle (3), arranged at the cone apex, for atomizing liquid fuel, which high-pressure atomization nozzle (3) consists of a nozzle body in which at least one feed passage (24) is arranged for the liquid fuel (12) to be atomized, which can be fed at a pressure greater than 100 bar, and this feed passage (24), with or without a turbulence chamber (25) arranged in between, is connected via at least two nozzle bores (18) to the interior space (14) of the burner, the nozzle bores (18) are aligned with the zones of high air velocity in the burner, and the angle (.beta.) between the fuel-droplet spray (4) and the longitudinal axis (5) of the burner is at least as large as the cone half angle (.beta.) between the sectional cone bodies (1, 2) and the longitudinal axis (5) of the burner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 24, 1996
    Assignee: ABB Research Ltd.
    Inventors: Klaus Dobbeling, Johannes Santner, Christian Steinbach
  • Patent number: 5584684
    Abstract: In the case of a heat generator which essentially consists of a premix burner (100) and a flame tube (1), the hot gases (10) from the combustion in the premix burner (100) are fed into the flame tube (1), and there undergo staged post-combustion. This post-combustion takes place by means of a first post-combustion stage (11) and a second post-combustion stage (12). The air/fuel mixture (11a, 12a) is provided for each post-combustion stage (11, 12) in individual mixers (200, 300). These mixers are arranged axially with respect to the flame tube (1) and work in such a way that injection of the corresponding mixture (11a, 12a) makes it possible to obtain different combustion zones which extend in a staged sequence over the flame tube (1). By virtue of this staged post-combustion mode NO.sub.x emissions can be reduced by a factor of 5 compared to conventional techniques.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 17, 1996
    Assignee: ABB Management AG
    Inventors: Klaus Dobbeling, Hans P. Knopfel, Thomas Sattelmayer