Patents by Inventor Richard Carroni

Richard Carroni 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: 20100269516
    Abstract: A method is provided for operating a gas turbine installation which has at least one compressor for compressing combustion air, at least one combustion chamber for combusting a supplied fuel, using the compressed combustion air, and also at least one turbine which is exposed to throughflow by the hot gases from the at least one combustion chamber. Both a first fuel on a carbon base, especially in the form of natural gas, and also a second fuel, in the form of a hydrogen-rich fuel or pure hydrogen, are used as fuel. A reduction of the CO2 emission without basic modifications to the installation is achieved by the first and the second fuels being intermixed and combusted together in the at least one combustion chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2010
    Publication date: October 28, 2010
    Applicant: ALSTOM TECHNOLOGY LTD
    Inventors: Andreas BRAUTSCH, Richard CARRONI
  • Patent number: 7780151
    Abstract: A mixer assembly and a method for forming a fuel-air mixture is combinable with a burner system of a heat engine, especially a gas turbine plant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2010
    Assignee: ALSTOM Technology Ltd.
    Inventor: Richard Carroni
  • Publication number: 20100146984
    Abstract: Reliable, low-NOx-emission operation of a gas turbine plant with hydrogen-rich fuel gas, and a gas turbine plant with a device for water injection into hydrogen-rich fuels in a gas turbine, involves suitable water injection (21), a water-fuel gas mist, i.e., a fuel gas in which fine water droplets are suspended, is created in the fuel gas feed line (15). This mist is introduced into the burners (20) of the gas turbine. As a result of the water-fuel gas mist, four effects are combined for ignition delay and reduction of the flame velocity of hydrogen-rich fuel gas. When using a water-fuel gas mist, the water, in a directed manner, reaches the region in the burner (20) in which it directly has the greatest possible effect upon the flame or the flame velocity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2009
    Publication date: June 17, 2010
    Inventors: Richard Carroni, Gianfranco Giudati
  • Patent number: 7717700
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a hybrid burner (1) for a combustor (7), in particular of a power plant, comprising a housing (2), in which a full oxidation catalyst (9) and a partial oxidation catalyst (10) are arranged. An inlet side of the housing (2) is connected to at least one oxidizer supply (3) and to at least one fuel supply (4, 5). An outlet side of the housing (2) is connected to a combustion chamber (7).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: Alstom Technology Ltd.
    Inventors: Richard Carroni, Timothy Griffin
  • Publication number: 20100115960
    Abstract: A method and installation are disclosed which can, for example, provide for reliable, low-Nox-emission operation of a gas turbine installation with hydrogen-rich fuel gas. An exemplary gas turbine installation includes an arrangement for flue gas recirculation into a compressor inlet and for fuel gas dilution. Oxygen content in combustion air can be reduced by recirculation of recooled flue gas, and the fuel gas can be diluted with compressed flue gas. The oxygen reduction in the combustion air can lead to minimum residual oxygen in the flue gas which can be used for fuel gas dilution. As a result of the flue gas recirculation, water content in the combustion air can be increased by feedback of the water which results as a combustion product. The oxygen reduction, increased water content, and fuel dilution can reduce the flame velocity of hydrogen-rich fuel gases and enable a robust, reliable and low-emission combustion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2009
    Publication date: May 13, 2010
    Applicant: ALSTOM Technology Ltd
    Inventors: Andreas Brautsch, Dieter Winkler, Richard Carroni
  • Publication number: 20100077720
    Abstract: In an SEV combustor and a method for reducing emissions in an SEV combustor of a sequential combustion gas turbine, an air/fuel mixture is combusted in a first burner and the hot gases are subsequently introduced into the SEV combustor (1) for further combustion. The SEV combustor (1) includes a chamber having a chamber wall (5) defining a mixing portion (8), for mixing the hot gases with a fuel, and a combustion region (9), at least one inlet (2) for introducing the hot gases into the mixing region (8), at least one inlet (12) for introducing a fuel into the mixing region (8) and at least one inlet (10, 13) for introducing steam into the mixing region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2008
    Publication date: April 1, 2010
    Inventors: Madhavan Narasimhan Poyyapakkam, Adnan Eroglu, Richard Carroni, Gregory John Kelsall, Jian-Xin Chen
  • Patent number: 7632472
    Abstract: A catalytic reactor for generating a hydrogen-containing synthesis gas from a rich fuel/oxidizing agent mix. The reactor (1) includes a multiplicity of parallel passages which extend from an inlet side (6) to an outlet side (7). To achieve a compact overall form of the reactor (1), at least in a core region of a cross section through the reactor (1) all the passages are of a catalytically active nature. In a first longitudinal part (8) of the reactor (1), which includes the inlet side (6), the catalytically active first passages have a larger proportion of the surface area provided with a catalytically active coating than the catalytically active second passages in a second longitudinal part (9) of the reactor (1), which includes the outlet side (7) and adjoins the first longitudinal part (8).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2009
    Assignee: ALSTOM Technology Ltd.
    Inventors: Richard Carroni, Timothy Griffin, Markus Wolf
  • Publication number: 20090277182
    Abstract: A lance is presented for introducing fuel into a second burner of a combustion chamber of a gas turbine installation with sequential combustion, having a first and a second combustion chamber. The lance includes a foot and a shank which projects from it. In an installed state of the lance the foot extends perpendicularly or at an angle to a main flow direction of the burner. The shank extends centrally in the burner and generally parallel to the main flow direction. At least one projecting arm, having at least one nozzle for introducing fuel, is arranged such that it extends from the shank. A respective end of the at least one arm is oriented in the main flow direction and extends generally parallel to the main flow direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2009
    Publication date: November 12, 2009
    Applicant: ALSTOM TECHNOLOGY LTD
    Inventors: Ernest Geoffrey ENGELBRECHT, Anurag JHALANI, Bettina PAIKERT, Richard CARRONI, Michal BIALKOWSKI, Madhavan Narasimhan POYYAPAKKAM
  • Publication number: 20090277178
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a burner for a combustion chamber of a gas turbine plant, with an injection device for introducing gaseous fuel into the burner. The injection device has a body which is arranged in the burner and which has at least one nozzle for introducing gaseous fuel into the burner. The body is configured as a streamlined body which has a streamlined cross-sectional profile and which extends with a longitudinal direction transversely with respect to a main flow direction prevailing in the burner. The at least one nozzle has its outlet orifice at an trailing edge of the streamlined body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2009
    Publication date: November 12, 2009
    Applicant: ALSTOM TECHNOLOGY LTD
    Inventors: Richard CARRONI, Madhavan Narasimhan POYYAPAKKAM, Michal BIALKOWSKI, Mark Andrew WILLETTS
  • Publication number: 20090280443
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a burner for a combustion chamber of a gas turbine plant. The burner includes a lance for introducing gaseous fuel into the burner. A shaft of the lance has at least one nozzle for introducing gaseous fuel into the burner. A main injection direction of the respective nozzle is oriented onto a portion of a burner wall. An introduction device for a diverting fluid is provided, which is designed for introducing a diverting fluid counteracting an impingement of the fuel flow on the burner wall.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2009
    Publication date: November 12, 2009
    Applicant: ALSTOM TECHNOLOGY LTD
    Inventors: Richard CARRONI, Madhavan Narasimhan POYYAPAKKAM, Michal BIALKOWSKI, Mark Andrew WILLETTS
  • Patent number: 7610761
    Abstract: A method and a device for producing an ignitable fuel/air mixture includes a fuel fraction which is hydrogen or a gas mixture containing hydrogen and which is burnt in a burner arrangement for driving a thermal engine, in particular a gas turbine plant. An exemplary method includes combining a fuel flow and of an air flow, so as to form a fuel/air mixture flow, and providing a further air flow, catalyzing part of the fuel/air mixture flow, so as to form a partly catalyzed fuel/air mixture, during an exothermal catalytically assisted reaction of the fuel, the released heat of which is utilized at least partially for heating the further air flow, admixing the heated further air flow to the partly catalyzed fuel/air mixture, so as to form an ignitable fuel/air mixture, and igniting and combusting the ignitable fuel/air mixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2009
    Assignee: ALSTOM Technology Ltd.
    Inventors: Richard Carroni, Timothy Griffin, Dieter Winkler
  • Patent number: 7594394
    Abstract: In a catalytic reactor for the burning of at least part of fuel-air mixtures flowing through the catalytic reactor, the catalytic reactor has a plurality of passages. The catalytic reactor is charged with lean fuel-air mixtures and rich fuel-air mixture. The catalytic reactor includes at least two sections (I,II,II). A first flow-washed section (I) is free of catalytic coatings and a catalytic coating is located in a downstream-lying second section (II) in the passages through which flows the rich fuel-air mixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2009
    Assignee: Alstom Technology Ltd
    Inventors: Richard Carroni, Timothy Griffin
  • Patent number: 7568907
    Abstract: A method for operating a combustion chamber of a gas turbine, in particular of a power plant is provided. The combustion chamber includes at least one burner with a catalytic pilot burner. The method includes actuating the pilot burner at low power of the combustion chamber, generating a synthesis gas with a high proportion of hydrogen as a reaction product. The method further includes actuating the pilot burner at high power of the combustion chamber, generating a synthesis gas with a low proportion of hydrogen gas. An annular combustion chamber of a gas turbine, is also provided. The combustion chamber includes a plurality of burners distributed annularly. Each burner includes a catalytic pilot burner and a common air supply for the burner and the pilot burner is also provided. The common air supply distributes the supplied air with constant division between the burner and the pilot burner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2009
    Assignee: Alstom Technology Ltd.
    Inventors: Richard Carroni, Timothy Griffin
  • Publication number: 20090123882
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus are provided for the combustion of gaseous fuel containing hydrogen or consisting of hydrogen, with a burner which provides a swirl generator, into which liquid fuel is fed centrally along a burner axis, at the same time forming a conically shaped liquid fuel column which is surrounded by a rotating combustion air stream which flows tangentially into the swirl generator and into which, additionally, a gaseous and/or liquid fuel is injected so as to form a fuel/air swirl flow which is transferred downstream of the swirl generator, along a transitional portion, into a mixing zone following the transitional portion downstream and which is ignited and burnt in a combustion chamber following downstream, at the same time forming a backflow zone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2008
    Publication date: May 14, 2009
    Applicant: ALSTOM TECHNOLOGY LTD
    Inventors: Adnan EROGLU, Richard CARRONI, Stefano BERNERO
  • Publication number: 20080314045
    Abstract: A method for operating a combustion chamber of a gas turbine, in particular of a power plant is provided. The combustion chamber includes at least one burner with a catalytic pilot burner. The method includes actuating the pilot burner at low power of the combustion chamber, generating a synthesis gas with a high proportion of hydrogen as a reaction product. The method further includes actuating the pilot burner at high power of the combustion chamber, generating a synthesis gas with a low proportion of hydrogen gas. An annular combustion chamber of a gas turbine, is also provided. The combustion chamber includes a plurality of burners distributed annularly. Each burner includes a catalytic pilot burner and a common air supply for the burner and the pilot burner is also provided. The common air supply distributes the supplied air with constant division between the burner and the pilot burner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2008
    Publication date: December 25, 2008
    Applicant: ALSTOM TECHNOLOGY LTD
    Inventors: Richard Carroni, Timothy Griffin
  • Patent number: 7467942
    Abstract: A device and a method for flame stabilization in a burner (10), includes a burner housing at least partially enclosing a burner volume, into which may be introduced via at least one fuel line, fuel, and via at least one air feed means, air, forming an air/fuel mixture spreading in a preferred flow direction, which may be ignited in a combustion chamber (11) connecting downstream of the burner housing to form a stationary flame (13). Upstream of the flame (13), a catalyst arrangement (1) is provided through which an air/pilot fuel mixture (4), separate from the air/fuel mixture, is flowable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2008
    Assignee: ALSTOM Technology Ltd.
    Inventors: Richard Carroni, Thiemo Meeuwissen
  • Publication number: 20080280239
    Abstract: A method and a device for combusting gaseous fuel which contains hydrogen or consists of hydrogen, includes a burner which provides a swirl generator (1) into which liquid fuel is feedable centrally along a burner axis (A), forming a liquid fuel column which is conically formed and which is enveloped by, and mixed through with, a rotating combustion air flow which flows tangentially into the swirl generator (1). The gaseous fuel is fed inside the swirl generator (1) largely axially and/or coaxially to the burner axis (A), forming a fuel flow with a largely spatially defined flow pattern (9) which is maintained inside the burner and bursts open in the region of the burner outlet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2007
    Publication date: November 13, 2008
    Inventors: Richard Carroni, Timothy Griffin
  • Publication number: 20080236168
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating a turbogroup, especially of a power generating plant, in which combustion air is fed to a compressor, compressed therein, and fed to a burner, in which a fuel, which has a higher reactivity than natural gas, is fed to the burner, in which water is injected into the combustion air upstream of the burner and evaporated therein, in which the fuel in the burner is mixed with the combustion air-water vapor mixture and combusted, in which a burner exhaust gas which is produced in the burner is fed to a turbine and expanded therein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2008
    Publication date: October 2, 2008
    Applicant: ALSTOM TECHNOLOGY LTD.
    Inventors: Richard Carroni, Dieter Winkler, Andreas Brautsch
  • Publication number: 20080092513
    Abstract: A method and a device for producing an ignitable fuel/air mixture includes a fuel fraction which is hydrogen or a gas mixture containing hydrogen and which is burnt in a burner arrangement for driving a thermal engine, in particular a gas turbine plant. An exemplary method includes combining a fuel flow and of an air flow, so as to form a fuel/air mixture flow, and providing a further air flow, catalyzing part of the fuel/air mixture flow, so as to form a partly catalyzed fuel/air mixture, during an exothermal catalytically assisted reaction of the fuel, the released heat of which is utilized at least partially for heating the further air flow, admixing the heated further air flow to the partly catalyzed fuel/air mixture, so as to form an ignitable fuel/air mixture, and igniting and combusting the ignitable fuel/air mixture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2007
    Publication date: April 24, 2008
    Inventors: Richard Carroni, Timothy Griffin, Dieter Winkler
  • Publication number: 20070128093
    Abstract: A catalyzer for burning part of a gaseous fuel/oxidant mixture, in particular for a burner of a power plant installation, has catalytically active channels and catalytically inactive channels and at least two sectors are arranged consecutively in the main flow direction. The sectors include a first sector defining an inlet sector and at least one following sector that includes one or more of a mixing sector arranged downstream from the inlet sector and an outlet sector. Further, the catalyzer has one or more of a smaller flow resistance in the inlet sector than any following sector, a higher catalytic activity in the inlet sector than any following sector, a plurality of holes in the mixing sector oriented transversely to the main flow direction and through which adjoining channels communicate, and a swirl generator in the outlet sector that provides a swirl to a gas mixture flowing through the outlet sector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2007
    Publication date: June 7, 2007
    Applicant: ALSTOM Technology, Ltd.
    Inventors: Richard Carroni, Timothy Griffin, Verena Schmidt