Patents by Inventor Stefano Bernero

Stefano Bernero 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: 11092085
    Abstract: A method for operating a gas turbine system includes utilizing a gas turbine controller to determine a schedule for a firing temperature for operative burners of a second combustor located downstream of a first combustor when the gas turbine system is operating in a low part load mode. During the low part load mode, multiple burners for the second combustor are switched-off. Further, the schedule is determined based on a position of inlet guide vanes of a compressor of the gas turbine system located upstream of both the first and second combustors. The method also includes controlling the firing temperature of the operative burners utilizing the schedule during the low part load mode to keep the gas turbine system within relevant operational limits of the gas turbine system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Martin Erwin Gassner, Paula Beneyto Satorres, Vincent Georges Christian Daniel Lonneux, Stefano Bernero, Dirk Therkorn, Sr.
  • Patent number: 10767569
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for operating a gas turbine having a compressor, a combustor, a turbine downstream of the combustor, and a total number of turbine outlet temperature measurements. The method includes locally measuring the turbine outlet temperature of the turbine with the turbine outlet temperature measurements of the respective turbine, and averaging measured temperatures of the selected turbine outlet temperature measurements to obtain an average turbine outlet temperature. The gas turbine operation is controlled depending on the determined average turbine outlet temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: Ansaldo Energia Switzerland AG
    Inventors: Martin Gassner, Andreas Jan Schesny, Sebastian Lipari, Stefano Bernero, Manuel Ramirez-Espana-Mejia, Mengbin Zhang
  • Patent number: 10557378
    Abstract: A system for regulating condensation of a flue gas in a steam generator is provided. The system includes a temperature controller and a flue gas analyzer. The temperature controller is configured to control a temperature of a component of the steam generator, the component being in heating-contact with the flue gas. The flue gas analyzer is configured to communicate with the temperature controller and to obtain a measurement of an amount of an acid-forming compound in the flue gas. The temperature controller adjusts the temperature of the component based at least in part on the measurement such that the temperature of the component is above an acid dew point of the flue gas when the component is in heating-contact with the flue gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC TECHNOLOGY GMBH
    Inventors: Felix Guethe, John Martin Nilsson, Stefano Bernero, Mariah Couzzi Carneiro
  • Patent number: 10519833
    Abstract: A method for controlling emissions from a power plant having an ammonia injection grid that includes a plurality of ammonia injection points includes the steps of injecting ammonia into a flow of exhaust gas at an injection location, the injection of ammonia defining a spatial distribution of ammonia across an exhaust gas flowpath, measuring at least one parameter of the exhaust gas downstream from the injection location, comparing a measured value for the at least one parameter of the exhaust gas to a threshold value for the at least one parameter and, if the measured value for the at least one parameter exceeds the threshold value for the at least one parameter, automatically modifying the spatial distribution of ammonia injection across the exhaust gas flowpath.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC TECHNOLOGY GMBH
    Inventors: John Nilsson, Stefano Bernero
  • Patent number: 10495393
    Abstract: A heat recovery steam generator includes a gas inlet for receiving a flow of exhaust gas from a gas turbine, a gas outlet opposite the gas inlet, at least one heat exchanger intermediate the gas inlet and the gas outlet, the heat exchanger having a plurality of heat transfer surfaces configured to transfer heat from the exhaust gas to a fluid within the heat exchanger, and a valve associated with the heat exchanger and configured to regulate a flow of the fluid through the heat exchanger. The valve is controllable from an open position to a closed position to decrease the flow of the fluid through the heat exchanger in order to effect an increase in a temperature of the heat transfer surfaces of the heat exchanger to clean the heat transfer surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC TECHNOLOGY GMBH
    Inventors: John Martin Nilsson, Stefano Bernero
  • Patent number: 10436123
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture are disclosed for closed loop control of a gas turbine. An example apparatus includes a frequency band splitter to separate a combustion pulsation signal into a plurality of frequency bands. The example apparatus includes a plurality of subcontrollers, each subcontroller corresponding to one of the frequency bands. Each subcontroller is to be activated at an amplitude threshold associated with the normal operating set point of the frequency band and to generate a correction value while the corresponding frequency band is operating beyond the amplitude threshold. The example apparatus includes a net correction output calculator to aggregate the correction values to generate an aggregated correction value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Benjamin Meyer, Marco Alexander Weingaertner, Martin Erwin Gassner, Stefano Bernero
  • Publication number: 20180266333
    Abstract: A method for operating a gas turbine system includes utilizing a gas turbine controller to determine a schedule for a firing temperature for operative burners of a second combustor located downstream of a first combustor when the gas turbine system is operating in a low part load mode. During the low part load mode, multiple burners for the second combustor are switched-off. Further, the schedule is determined based on a position of inlet guide vanes of a compressor of the gas turbine system located upstream of both the first and second combustors. The method also includes controlling the firing temperature of the operative burners utilizing the schedule during the low part load mode to keep the gas turbine system within relevant operational limits of the gas turbine system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2017
    Publication date: September 20, 2018
    Inventors: Martin Erwin Gassner, Paula Beneyto Satorres, Vincent Georges Christian Daniel Lonneux, Stefano Bernero, Dirk Therkorn, Sr.
  • Publication number: 20180258865
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture are disclosed for closed loop control of a gas turbine. An example apparatus includes a frequency band splitter to separate a combustion pulsation signal into a plurality of frequency bands. The example apparatus includes a plurality of subcontrollers, each subcontroller corresponding to one of the frequency bands. Each subcontroller is to be activated at an amplitude threshold associated with the normal operating set point of the frequency band and to generate a correction value while the corresponding frequency band is operating beyond the amplitude threshold. The example apparatus includes a net correction output calculator to aggregate the correction values to generate an aggregated correction value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2017
    Publication date: September 13, 2018
    Inventors: Benjamin Meyer, Marco Alexander Weingaertner, Martin Erwin Gassner, Stefano Bernero
  • Patent number: 10046275
    Abstract: A heat recovery steam generator includes a gas inlet for receiving a flow of exhaust gas from a gas turbine, a gas outlet opposite the gas inlet and configured to transport the flow of exhaust gas to atmosphere, and a sorbent injection device intermediate the gas inlet and the gas outlet, the sorbent injection device including at least one injection port configured to inject a sorbent into the flow of exhaust gas. The sorbent is configured to react with an acid gas within the flow of exhaust gas to neutralize the acid gas and inhibit the formation of salt deposits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC TECHNOLOGY GMBH
    Inventors: John Martin Nilsson, Stefano Bernero
  • Publication number: 20170362983
    Abstract: A method for controlling emissions from a power plant having an ammonia injection grid that includes a plurality of ammonia injection points includes the steps of injecting ammonia into a flow of exhaust gas at an injection location, the injection of ammonia defining a spatial distribution of ammonia across an exhaust gas flowpath, measuring at least one parameter of the exhaust gas downstream from the injection location, comparing a measured value for the at least one parameter of the exhaust gas to a threshold value for the at least one parameter and, if the measured value for the at least one parameter exceeds the threshold value for the at least one parameter, automatically modifying the spatial distribution of ammonia injection across the exhaust gas flowpath.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2016
    Publication date: December 21, 2017
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC TECHNOLOGY GMBH
    Inventors: JOHN NILSSON, STEFANO BERNERO
  • Publication number: 20170261275
    Abstract: A heat recovery steam generator includes a gas inlet for receiving a flow of exhaust gas from a gas turbine, a gas outlet opposite the gas inlet, at least one heat exchanger intermediate the gas inlet and the gas outlet, the heat exchanger having a plurality of heat transfer surfaces configured to transfer heat from the exhaust gas to a fluid within the heat exchanger, and a valve associated with the heat exchanger and configured to regulate a flow of the fluid through the heat exchanger. The valve is controllable from an open position to a closed position to decrease the flow of the fluid through the heat exchanger in order to effect an increase in a temperature of the heat transfer surfaces of the heat exchanger to clean the heat transfer surfaces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2016
    Publication date: September 14, 2017
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC TECHNOLOGY GMBH
    Inventors: JOHN MARTIN NILSSON, STEFANO BERNERO
  • Publication number: 20170259209
    Abstract: A heat recovery steam generator includes a gas inlet for receiving a flow of exhaust gas from a gas turbine, a gas outlet opposite the gas inlet and configured to transport the flow of exhaust gas to atmosphere, and a sorbent injection device intermediate the gas inlet and the gas outlet, the sorbent injection device including at least one injection port configured to inject a sorbent into the flow of exhaust gas. The sorbent is configured to react with an acid gas within the flow of exhaust gas to neutralize the acid gas and inhibit the formation of salt deposits.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2016
    Publication date: September 14, 2017
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC TECHNOLOGY GMBH
    Inventors: JOHN MARTIN NILSSON, STEFANO BERNERO
  • Publication number: 20170254227
    Abstract: A system for regulating condensation of a flue gas in a steam generator is provided. The system includes a temperature controller and a flue gas analyzer. The temperature controller is configured to control a temperature of a component of the steam generator, the component being in heating-contact with the flue gas. The flue gas analyzer is configured to communicate with the temperature controller and to obtain a measurement of an amount of an acid-forming compound in the flue gas. The temperature controller adjusts the temperature of the component based at least in part on the measurement such that the temperature of the component is above an acid dew point of the flue gas when the component is in heating-contact with the flue gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2016
    Publication date: September 7, 2017
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC TECHNOLOGY GMBH
    Inventors: Felix Guethe, John Martin Nilsson, Stefano Bernero, Mariah Couzzi Carneiro
  • Publication number: 20170211487
    Abstract: The present disclosure refers to a method for operating a gas turbine having a compressor, a combustor, a turbine downstream of the combustor, and a total number of turbine outlet temperature measurement sensors. The method can include supplying a first fuel flow to one of the burners of one combustor, which is smaller than a second fuel flow to another one of the burners the same combustor, selecting a number of turbine outlet temperature measurements which is smaller than a total number of the turbine outlet temperature measurement sensors, and averaging measured temperatures of the selected turbine outlet temperature measurements to obtain an trimmed turbine outlet temperature which is used for controlling operation of the gas turbine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2017
    Publication date: July 27, 2017
    Applicant: ANSALDO ENERGIA IP UK LIMITED
    Inventors: Mengbin ZHANG, Dirk THERKORN, Stefano BERNERO, Martin GASSNER, Vincent LONNEUX
  • Patent number: 9664390
    Abstract: The invention refers to burner arrangement for producing hot gases to be expanded in a gas turbine, including a burner inside a plenum, where the burner has means for fuel injection, means for air supply and means for generating an ignitable fuel/air mixture inside the burner, and a combustion chamber following downstream said burner having an outlet being fluidly connected to the gas turbine. The invention is characterized in that the means for air supply includes at least two separate flow passages, and that the one of the two flow passages is fed by a first supply pressure and the other flow passage is fed by a second supply pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: ANSALDO ENERGIA SWITZERLAND AG
    Inventors: Stefano Bernero, Ennio Pasqualotto, Ewald Freitag
  • Publication number: 20170138273
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for operating a gas turbine having a compressor, a combustor, a turbine downstream of the combustor, and a total number of turbine outlet temperature measurements. The method includes locally measuring the turbine outlet temperature of the turbine with the turbine outlet temperature measurements of the respective turbine, and averaging measured temperatures of the selected turbine outlet temperature measurements to obtain an average turbine outlet temperature. The gas turbine operation is controlled depending on the determined average turbine outlet temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2016
    Publication date: May 18, 2017
    Applicant: ANSALDO ENERGIA SWITZERLAND AG
    Inventors: Martin GASSNER, Andreas Jan SCHESNY, Sebastian LIPARI, Stefano BERNERO, Manuel RAMIREZ-ESPANA-MEJIA, Mengbin ZHANG
  • Publication number: 20160356495
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to the field of combustion technology related to gas turbines. For example, the present disclosure refers to a system and a method for operating a combustion device. Advantageously, required measurements may be effected fast enough to ensure an optimum control of parameter w, defined as a ratio between NOx water mass and fuel oil flows, the measurements being based not only on process variables but, most importantly, on NOx levels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2016
    Publication date: December 8, 2016
    Applicant: ANSALDO ENERGIA IP UK LIMITED
    Inventors: Stefano BERNERO, Xiao-Yi ZHANG, Klaus KNAPP, Ken Yves HAFFNER
  • Publication number: 20160333731
    Abstract: The invention refers to a method for controlling part load operation of a gas turbine comprising a controller wherein a load set point of the controller is greater or equal a minimum load set point. The minimum load set point depends on a hot gas temperature that is calculated based on a hot gas temperature model.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2015
    Publication date: November 17, 2016
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC TECHNOLOGY GMBH
    Inventors: Mengbin ZHANG, Dirk THERKORN, Stefano BERNERO, Michael KENYON
  • Publication number: 20160298844
    Abstract: The invention refers to burner arrangement for producing hot gases to be expanded in a gas turbine, including a burner inside a plenum, where the burner has means for fuel injection, means for air supply and means for generating an ignitable fuel/air mixture inside the burner, and a combustion chamber following downstream said burner having an outlet being fluidly connected to the gas turbine. The invention is characterized in that the means for air supply includes at least two separate flow passages, and that the one of the two flow passages is fed by a first supply pressure and the other flow passage is fed by a second supply pressure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2013
    Publication date: October 13, 2016
    Applicant: ALSTOM Technology Ltd
    Inventors: Stefano BERNERO, Ennio PASQUALOTTO, Ewald FREITAG
  • Patent number: 9464810
    Abstract: The burner includes a swirl chamber. The swirl chamber has a substantially conical shape defining a central axis. The swirl chamber is defined by a plurality of wall elements. A combination of nozzles at the pressure, suction side and trailing edge of the wall element are placed for fuel injection. The wall elements define slots between each other. The slots have different widths (w) in consecutive planes in the axial direction, wherein said planes are perpendicular to the central axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC TECHNOLOGY GMBH
    Inventors: Franklin Marie Genin, Marcel Rieker, Stefano Bernero, Bettina Paikert, Ewald Freitag