With Treatment Between Stages Patents (Class 60/39.17)
  • Publication number: 20140366550
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine and method for operating a gas turbine engine includes compressing an air stream in a compressor and combusting the compressed air stream to generate a post combustion gas. The post combustion gas is expanded in a first turbine. The expanded combustion gas exiting the first turbine is split into a first stream, a second stream and a third stream in a splitting zone including one or more aerodynamically shaped flow diverters. The first stream of the expanded combustion gas is combusted in a reheat combustor. An outer liner and flame stabilizer of the reheat combustor are cooled using the second stream of the expanded combustion gas. An inner liner of the reheat combustor is cooled using the third stream of the expanded combustion gas and a portion of the second stream of the expanded combustion gas passing through the one or more flame stabilizers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2013
    Publication date: December 18, 2014
    Inventors: Ronald Scott Bunker, Andrei Tristan Evulet
  • Patent number: 8904748
    Abstract: A system for providing hydrogen enriched fuel includes first and second gas turbines. The second gas turbine receives a portion of compressed working fluid from the first gas turbine and produces a reformed fuel, and a fuel skid provides fluid communication between a turbine in the second gas turbine and a combustor in the first gas turbine. A method for providing hydrogen enriched fuel includes diverting a portion of a first compressed working fluid from a first compressor to a second compressor and providing a second compressed working fluid from the second compressor. The method further includes mixing a fuel with the second compressed working fluid in a reformer to produce a reformed fuel, flowing the reformed fuel through a second turbine to cool the reformed fuel, and connecting the second turbine to the second compressor so that the second turbine drives the second compressor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jonathan Dwight Berry, Michael John Hughes
  • Publication number: 20140352319
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine and method for operating a gas turbine engine includes compressing an air stream in a compressor and generating a post combustion gas by combusting a compressed air stream exiting from the compressor in a combustor. The post combustion gas is expanded in a first turbine. The expanded combustion gas exiting from the first turbine is split into a first stream, a second stream and a third stream. The first stream of the expanded combustion gas is combusted in a reheat combustor. An outer liner and flame stabilizer of the reheat combustor are cooled using the second stream of the expanded combustion gas. An inner liner of the reheat combustor is cooled using the third stream of the expanded combustion gas and a portion of the second stream of the expanded combustion gas passing through the one or more flame stabilizers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2013
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Inventor: Ronald Scott Bunker
  • Patent number: 8893504
    Abstract: An igniter arranged to ignite combustion in a primary flow including a fuel and air mixture, the igniter including one or more geometric features arranged to: induce a shockwave flow structure at least partially disposed in the primary flow; and ignite the fuel and air mixture by virtue of the shockwave flow structure. The present disclosure also relates to a method of igniting combustion in a primary flow including a fuel and air mixture, the method including: providing one or more geometric features arranged to induce a shockwave flow structure; inducing the shockwave flow structure at least partially in the primary flow; and igniting the fuel and air mixture by virtue of the shockwave flow structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC
    Inventors: Basile Vigneron, Richard J. Tunstall
  • Publication number: 20140305128
    Abstract: A combustion chamber including a body with a fuel supply duct for supplying a fuel into the body and a carrier air supply duct for supplying air into the body. An adjusting system adjusts the carrier air mass flow supplied into the body according to the features of the fuel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2014
    Publication date: October 16, 2014
    Inventors: Madhavan Narasimhan POYYAPAKKAM, Khawar Syed, Klaus Knapp, Torsten Wind
  • Patent number: 8850788
    Abstract: The burner (1) for a gas turbine includes a duct (2) housing a plurality of tetrahedron shaped vortex generators (3) and a lance (4) to inject a fuel to be combusted. Within the duct (2), a plurality of vortex generators (3) are provided with a plurality of holes (9) for injecting cooling air. The cooling holes (9) define passing through areas that are non-uniformly distributed on a top wall (11) of the vortex generators (3). A method for locally cooling a hot gases flow passing through a burner includes non-uniformly injecting cooling air from a vortex generator into the hot gas flow in the duct, which can reduce the occurrence of flashback in the burner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Alstom Technology Ltd
    Inventors: Adnan Eroglu, Andrea Ciani, Johannes Buss, Michael Düsing, Urs Benz
  • Publication number: 20140250904
    Abstract: One example of a gas turbine engine can include a first compressor and a first turbine connected to the first compressor by a first shaft. The engine can include a reheat combustor, which is disposed downstream of the first turbine, and a second turbine, which is disposed downstream of the reheat combustor. The engine can further include a second compressor, which is connected to the second turbine by a second shaft and is disposed upstream of the first compressor. The first and second turbines can be disconnected from one another, and the first and second compressors can be disconnected from one another. The second compressor may have an outlet including a flow to the first compressor, such that the first and second turbines provide a shaft worksplit. The reheat combustor can be configured to receive fuel and generate a reheat exit temperature, so as to control an apparent capacity of the second turbine based on a plurality of parameters of the second compressor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2014
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Applicant: Rolls-Royce Canada, Ltd.
    Inventor: Jean-Francois Lebel
  • Publication number: 20140250903
    Abstract: One example of a gas turbine engine may include a gas generator, a reheat combustor that is disposed downstream of the gas generator, and a power turbine that is disposed downstream of the reheat combustor and includes a plurality of nozzle guide vanes. The reheat combustor is configured to increase a fuel flow so as to increase a temperature of the reheat combustor and match a required exhaust temperature. The nozzle guide vanes are configured to increase a real capacity at a power turbine inlet in proportion with the required exhaust temperature. A constant apparent capacity at a gas generator exit upstream of the reheat combustor remains constant, in response to proportionately increasing the temperature and the real capacity with respect to one another.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2013
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Applicant: Rolls-Royce Canada, Ltd.
    Inventors: Jean-Francois Lebel, Carl Carson
  • Patent number: 8820084
    Abstract: An apparatus (10) is presented for controlling a boundary layer (30) in a diffusing flow path (14) of a power generating machine (16). The apparatus includes a passage (18) in the power generating machine with an inlet (20) and an outlet (22). The apparatus also includes a fluid source (24) coupled to the inlet to transmit fluid into the passage. The apparatus also includes a vortex generator (26) within the passage effective to generate a vortex fluid (12) at the outlet. The outlet is positioned to inject the vortex fluid into the diffusing flow path of the power generating machine in order to control the boundary layer of the diffusing flow path. An apparatus is also provided to enhance the diffusion of a flow path within a power generating machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Bruce L. Smith
  • Patent number: 8783008
    Abstract: A reheat combustor for a gas turbine engine includes a fuel/gas mixer for mixing fuel, air and combustion gases produced by a primary combustor and expanded through a high pressure turbine. Fuel injectors inject fuel into the mixer together with spent cooling air previously used for convectively cooling the reheat combustor. The fuel mixture is burnt in an annular reheat combustion chamber prior to expansion through low pressure turbine inlet guide vanes. The fuel/gas mixer and optionally the combustion chamber define cooling paths through which cooling air flows to convectively cool their walls. The fuel injectors are also convectively cooled by the cooling air after it has passed through the fuel/gas mixer cooling paths. The low pressure turbine inlet guide vanes may also define convective cooling paths in series with the combustion chamber cooling paths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Alstom Technology Ltd
    Inventors: Adnan Eroglu, Thiemo Meeuwissen, Peter Flohr
  • Patent number: 8752391
    Abstract: An integrated turbomachine oxygen plant includes a turbomachine and an air separation unit. One or more compressor pathways flow compressed air from a compressor through one or more of a combustor and a turbine expander to cool the combustor and/or the turbine expander. An air separation unit is operably connected to the one or more compressor pathways and is configured to separate the compressed air into oxygen and oxygen-depleted air. A method of air separation in an integrated turbomachine oxygen plant includes compressing a flow of air in a compressor of a turbomachine. The compressed flow of air is flowed through one or more of a combustor and a turbine expander of the turbomachine to cool the combustor and/or the turbine expander. The compressed flow of air is directed to an air separation unit and is separated into oxygen and oxygen-depleted air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ashok Kumar Anand, Richard Anthony DePuy, Veerappan Muthaiah
  • Publication number: 20140137534
    Abstract: A turbine engine includes a compressor section, a combustor section in fluid communication with the compressor section, a high pressure turbine in fluid communication with the combustor, a low pressure turbine in fluid communication with the high pressure turbine, and a mid turbine frame located axially between the high pressure turbine and the low pressure turbine. The mid turbine frame includes an outer frame case, an inner frame case, and a plurality of hollow spokes that distribute loads from the inner frame case to the outer frame case. The spokes are hollow to allow cooling airflow to be supplied through the spokes to the inner frame case.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2014
    Publication date: May 22, 2014
    Applicant: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Paul K. Sanchez, Kalpendu J. Parekh, William A. Daniels, John S. Tu
  • Patent number: 8720208
    Abstract: An aircraft gas turbine engine includes a core engine 1 having a high pressure turbine 6 and a downstream low pressure turbine 7. A bypass duct 18 surrounds the core engine 1. A mixer 19 is arranged in an inlet portion of the low pressure turbine 7, into which a bypass flow 20 from the bypass duct 18 and a core flow 22 from the core engine 1 are supplied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG
    Inventor: Dimitrie Negulescu
  • Patent number: 8689560
    Abstract: A gas turbo set including a first turbine, a second turbine, and a combustion chamber connected between the first and second turbines and operated by auto-ignition is provided. The turbines and the combustion chamber are located on a common shaft that may be rotated about an axis. To increase the efficiency of the gas turbo set, the outer periphery of the second turbine is at a greater distance from the axis than that of the first turbine, leading to a reduction in the size and/or the number of turbine blades.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Lennard Helmers, Werner Krebs, Jaap van Kampen
  • Patent number: 8671692
    Abstract: A combustor assembly includes a convergent segment followed by a divergent segment to advantageously improve combustion. The combustor assembly includes a first segment beginning at a forward end that transitions to a second segment past a transition segment in a direction along a combustor axis toward an aft end. The reduction in cross-sectional area within the first segment provides desirable fuel and air mixing properties. The convergent first segment in combination with the divergent second segment decreases residence time of fuel-air mixture within the combustor chamber that decreases production of undesirable emissions from the combustor assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Steven W. Burd, William Sowa, Albert K. Cheung, Stephen Karl Kramer, Reid Dyer Curtis Smith, James Hoke
  • Patent number: 8621870
    Abstract: A method is provided for fuel injection in a sequential combustion system comprising a first combustion chamber and downstream thereof a second combustion chamber, in between which at least one vortex generator is located, as well as a premixing chamber having a longitudinal axis downstream of the vortex generator, and a fuel lance having a vertical portion and a horizontal portion, being located within said premixing chamber. The fuel injected is an MBtu-fuel. In said premixing chamber the fuel and a gas contained in an oxidizing stream coming from the first combustion chamber are premixed to a combustible mixture. The fuel is injected in such a way that the residence time of the fuel in the premixing chamber is reduced in comparison with a radial injection of the fuel from the horizontal portion of the fuel lance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: Alstom Technology Ltd.
    Inventors: Richard Carroni, Adnan Eroglu
  • Patent number: 8615980
    Abstract: A rotary-wing aircraft includes a retractable port movable between a closed position and an open position to selectively control flow of combustion gases into a bypass passage to change a power distribution between a rotor system and a secondary propulsion system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Rajendra K. Agrawal, Steven J. Sirica, William F. Schneider
  • Publication number: 20130318941
    Abstract: A system and method for supercharging a combined cycle system includes a forced draft fan providing a variable air flow. At least a first portion of the air flow is directed to a compressor and a second portion of the airflow is diverted to a heat recovery steam generator. A control system controls the airflows provided to the compressor and the heat recovery steam generator. The system allows a combined cycle system to be operated at a desired operating state by controlling the flow of air from the forced draft fan to the compressor and the heat recovery steam generator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2012
    Publication date: December 5, 2013
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Sanji Ekanayake, Alston I. Scipio
  • Publication number: 20130269311
    Abstract: A power plant configured to include a recirculation loop about which a working fluid is recirculated, the recirculation loop comprising a plurality of components configured to accept an outflow of working fluid from a neighboring upstream component and provide an inflow of working fluid to a neighboring downstream component. The recirculation loop may include: a recirculation compressor; an upstream combustor; a high-pressure turbine; a downstream combustor; a low-pressure turbine; and a recirculation conduit configured to direct the outflow of working fluid from the low-pressure turbine to the recirculation compressor. The power plant may include: an oxidant compressor configured to provide compressed oxidant to both the upstream combustor and the downstream combustor; and means for extracting a portion of the working fluid from an extraction point disposed on the recirculation loop.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2012
    Publication date: October 17, 2013
    Inventors: Lisa Anne Wichmann, Stanley Frank Simpson
  • Patent number: 8528313
    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: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Alstom Technology Ltd
    Inventors: Richard Carroni, Madhavan Narasimhan Poyyapakkam, Michal Bialkowski, Mark Andrew Willetts
  • Patent number: 8522527
    Abstract: A burner (1) for a gas turbine includes a duct (2) enclosing a plurality of vortex generators (3) and, downstream of them, a lance (5) provided with nozzles (6) for injecting a gaseous fuel. The burner (1) also includes a mixer (7) for diluting and mixing the gaseous fuel with air to form a mixture. The mixer (7) is connected to the nozzles (6) for feeding them with the mixture. A method includes feeding the gaseous fuel in the burner (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: ALSTOM Technology Ltd.
    Inventors: Adnan Eroglu, Douglas Anthony Pennell, Johannes Buss, Richard Smith
  • Patent number: 8516794
    Abstract: Aspirating a fuel combustion engine with non-atmospheric gases to produce exhaust that can be efficiently used as EOR working fluid and/or recirculated in subsequent fuel combustion processes. The EOR working fluid is made up of a combination of gases created in a combustion process in a power-producing fuel combustion engine. This combustion process occurs using a mix of initial combustion ingredients that includes CO2 and relatively pure oxygen in the proportion required by the specific combustion device and the specific hydrocarbon fuel. The oxygen may be produced in lower value off peak periods and is stored until it is required. Where EOR or EGR working fluid has been injected into geologic formations and has then been re-circulated through the production process and provided to the engine combustion gas, there will typically be hydrocarbon components that the present invention makes use of to provide a portion or all of the fuel requirements for the engine power production system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Consolidated Energy Systems, LLC
    Inventor: Roger J. Swenson
  • Patent number: 8516818
    Abstract: A combustion system for performing stable combustion and flame stabilization at high altitudes is described. A primary liquid hydrocarbon fuel is atomized and vaporized within the main combustor chamber to produce a primary fuel vapor. When the combustion system operates at a high altitude, a secondary gaseous fuel is fed into the inlet air port such that the secondary fuel mixes with air, thereby enabling the mixture of the air and the secondary fuel to combust in a catalytic reactor to produce high temperature, oxygen-rich gases that flow into the main combustor chamber. Proper proportional amounts of the two fuels are determined as a function of altitude.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Aurora Flight Sciences Corporation
    Inventors: James Charles Sisco, Jack Kerrebrock, Jeremy Scott Hollman
  • Patent number: 8511058
    Abstract: A convertible gas turbine propulsion system operates in multiple output modes. The convertible gas turbine propulsion system comprises a gas generator, a first power turbine, a secondary propulsion system and an exhaust duct. The gas generator is configured to produce exhaust gas. The first power turbine is aligned with the gas generator to receive the exhaust gas. The secondary propulsion system is in series with the gas generator and the first power turbine. The exhaust duct coaxially extends from the first power turbine to the secondary propulsion system. The exhaust duct includes an exhaust port for opening the exhaust duct to ambient air pressure and permitting exhaust gas to bypass the secondary propulsion system. In various embodiments of the invention, the first power turbine is connected to a first rotary propulsion system, and the secondary propulsion system comprises a second power turbine or a nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Rajendra K. Agrawal, Steven J. Sirica, William F. Schneider
  • Patent number: 8511059
    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: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: ALSTOM Technology Ltd.
    Inventors: Madhavan Narasimhan Poyyapakkam, Adnan Eroglu, Richard Carroni, Gregory John Kelsall, Jian-Xin Chen
  • Publication number: 20130152598
    Abstract: A system includes a gas turbine engine that includes a compressor section configured to generate compressed air and a combustor coupled to the compressor section. The combustor is configured to combust a first mixture comprising the compressed air and a first fuel to generate a first combustion gas. The gas turbine engine also includes a turbine section coupled to the combustor. The turbine section is configured to expand the first combustion gas to generate an exhaust gas. The gas turbine engine also includes a boiler coupled to the turbine section. The boiler is configured to combust a second mixture comprising a portion of the first combustion gas and a second fuel to generate a second combustion gas that is routed to the turbine section. In addition, the boiler generates a first steam from heat exchange with the second combustion gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2011
    Publication date: June 20, 2013
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Pradeep Stanley Thacker, Aaron John Avagliano
  • Publication number: 20130081373
    Abstract: A power plant is provided and includes components for generating power from fluids at high and intermediate pressures, a pathway defined between the components along which a heated fluid flows to the one of the components for generating power from fluids at intermediate pressures and a circuit fluidly coupled to the pathway to cool a portion of the heated fluid prior to the portion of the heated fluid reaching the one of the components for generating power from fluids at intermediate pressures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2011
    Publication date: April 4, 2013
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Debabrata Mukhopadhyay, Abhishek Agrawal, Vishwas Kumar Pandey, Nestor Hernandez Sanchez, Donkada Santhosh
  • Patent number: 8322141
    Abstract: A power generation system is provided and includes a compressor to increase a pressure of inlet ambient air and a turbine downstream from the compressor having a first stage and additional stages downstream from the first stage, the first stage structurally incorporating a combustor in which the compressed ambient air is mixed with fuel and in which the mixture is combusted to generate high temperature exhaust gas from which mechanical energy is derived in the first and additional stages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: John Charles Intile
  • Publication number: 20120285137
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention is a unique gas turbine engine. Another embodiment is a unique reheat system for a gas turbine engine. Other embodiments include apparatuses, systems, devices, hardware, methods, and combinations for gas turbine engines and reheat systems. Further embodiments, forms, features, aspects, benefits, and advantages of the present application shall become apparent from the description and figures provided herewith.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2011
    Publication date: November 15, 2012
    Inventors: Jon V. Ebacher, Carol Noëlle Nin
  • Publication number: 20120260665
    Abstract: A reheat combustor for a gas turbine engine includes a fuel/gas mixer for mixing fuel, air and combustion gases produced by a primary combustor and expanded through a high pressure turbine. Fuel injectors inject fuel into the mixer together with spent cooling air previously used for convectively cooling the reheat combustor. The fuel mixture is burnt in an annular reheat combustion chamber prior to expansion through low pressure turbine inlet guide vanes. The fuel/gas mixer and optionally the combustion chamber define cooling paths through which cooling air flows to convectively cool their walls. The fuel injectors are also convectively cooled by the cooling air after it has passed through the fuel/gas mixer cooling paths. The low pressure turbine inlet guide vanes may also define convective cooling paths in series with the combustion chamber cooling paths.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2012
    Publication date: October 18, 2012
    Applicant: ALSTOM Technology Ltd
    Inventors: Adnan EROGLU, Thiemo MEEUWISSEN, Peter FLOHR
  • Publication number: 20120227413
    Abstract: An igniter arranged to ignite combustion in a primary flow including a fuel and air mixture, the igniter including one or more geometric features arranged to: induce a shockwave flow structure at least partially disposed in the primary flow; and ignite the fuel and air mixture by virtue of the shockwave flow structure. The present disclosure also relates to a method of igniting combustion in a primary flow including a fuel and air mixture, the method including: providing one or more geometric features arranged to induce a shockwave flow structure; inducing the shockwave flow structure at least partially in the primary flow; and igniting the fuel and air mixture by virtue of the shockwave flow structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2011
    Publication date: September 13, 2012
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC
    Inventors: Basile VIGNERON, Richard J. TUNSTALL
  • Patent number: 8256202
    Abstract: A high bypass flow turbofan engine in which the fan is driven by a fan turbine uncoupled from the core engine so that a lower speed can be used to drive a fan blade that is larger in diameter than the prior art fans. A low pressure compressor is driven by a low pressure turbine, and a high pressure compressor is driven by a high pressure turbine. Some of the high pressure air from the high pressure compressor is diverted into a second combustor to produce a hot gas flow that is delivered into the fan turbine to drive the fan. The remaining high pressure air from the high pressure compressor flows into the first combustor to produce the hot gas flow that drives the low and high pressure turbines. Because the fan turbine is uncoupled from the core engine, the fan turbine can be smaller to save weight and so that none of the bypass flow is blocked, further increasing the efficiency of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Florida Turbine Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Joseph R Paulino
  • Publication number: 20120216502
    Abstract: A gas turbine intercooler operates to heat a predetermined organic fluid via heat generated by the gas turbine. The heated organic fluid remains in a partially evaporated or non-evaporated liquid phase to provide a heated organic fluid that reaches a state of saturation with a vapor quality less than unity. An expansion machine expands the heated organic fluid via a Tri-Lateral Flash cycle to increase the vapor quality and generate electrical power therefrom.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2011
    Publication date: August 30, 2012
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Sebastian Walter Freund, Pierre Sebastien Huck, Thomas Johannes Frey
  • Patent number: 8205456
    Abstract: A power plant for burning a fuel in a low pressure combustion chamber to produce electrical power. A first compressor supplies compressed air through a first heat exchanger to add heat to the compressed air. The heated compressed air is passed through a first turbine to drive a first electric generator. The first turbine outlet is passed through a second heat exchanger in series with the first heat exchanger to further heat the compressed air. The compressed air is then passed through a second turbine to drive a second electric generator and produce electric power. The outlet from the second turbine is passed through a first combustor to produce the hot gas flow through the second heat exchanger. The outlet from the second heat exchanger is passed through a second combustor before passing through the first heat exchanger. The outlet from the first heat exchanger is passed through a heat recovery steam generator to generate steam to drive another turbine and another generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Florida Turbine Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Joseph D Brostmeyer
  • Publication number: 20120067056
    Abstract: A method of power production using a high pressure/low pressure ratio Brayton Power cycle with predominantly N2 mixed with CO2 and H2O combustion products as the working fluid is provided. The high pressure can be in the range 80 bar to 500 bar. The pressure ratio can be in the range 1.5 to 10. The natural gas fuel can be burned in a first high pressure combustor with a near stoichiometric quantity of pressurised preheated air and the net combustion gas can be mixed with a heated high pressure recycle N2+CO2+H2O stream which moderates the mixed gas temperature to the value required for the maximum inlet temperature to a first power turbine producing shaft power.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2011
    Publication date: March 22, 2012
    Applicants: 8 RIVERS CAPITAL, LLC, PALMER LABS, LLC
    Inventors: Miles Palmer, Rodney John Allam, Jeremy Eron Fetvedt
  • Publication number: 20120047908
    Abstract: An exemplary burner arrangement and method for operating a burner arrangement are disclosed. During operation of the burner arrangement a hot combustion gas, including combustion air, flows essentially parallel to a burner wall through a mixing chamber, which is delimited by the burner wall, to a combustion chamber. In the mixing chamber the hot combustion gas is mixed with an injected fuel, where cooling air from the outside of the burner wall flows through effusion holes in the burner wall into an interior of the mixing chamber. The cooling air, on the outside of the burner wall, is deflected in a directed manner in its flow direction by means of deflection elements which are in a distributed arrangement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2011
    Publication date: March 1, 2012
    Applicant: ALSTOM Technology Ltd
    Inventors: Madhavan Poyyapakkam, Adnan Eroglu, Andrea Ciani, Diane Lauffer, Uwe Ruedel
  • Publication number: 20120036824
    Abstract: A reheat burner (1) includes a channel (2) with a lance (3) protruding thereinto to inject a fuel over an injection plane (4) perpendicular to a channel longitudinal axis (15). The channel (2) and lance (3) define a vortex generation zone (6) upstream of the injection plane (4) and a mixing zone (9) downstream of the injection plane (4) in the hot gas (G) direction. The mixing zone (9) includes a high speed area (16) with a constant cross section, and a diffusion area (17) with a flared cross section downstream of the high speed area (16) in the hot gas (G) direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2011
    Publication date: February 16, 2012
    Inventors: Johannes Buss, Andrea Ciani, Adnan Eroglu, Urs Benz, Michael DÜSING, Michael Hutapea
  • Patent number: 8028528
    Abstract: A combustor assembly includes a convergent segment followed by a divergent segment to advantageously improve combustion. The combustor assembly includes a first segment beginning at a forward end that transitions to a second segment past a transition segment in a direction along a combustor axis toward an aft end. The reduction in cross-sectional area within the first segment provides desirable fuel and air mixing properties. The convergent first segment in combination with the divergent second segment decreases residence time of fuel-air mixture within the combustor chamber that decreases production of undesirable emissions from the combustor assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Steven W. Burd, William Sowa, Albert K. Cheung, Stephen Karl Kramer, Reid Dyer Curtis Smith, James Hoke
  • Patent number: 8015821
    Abstract: This invention relates to an apparatus for an entrainment system of a vortex burning combustion chamber or a vortex burning inter-turbine burner in a gas turbine. The entrainment system rapidly and thoroughly mixes hot combustion gases with non-combustion gases to reduce the gas temperature before entering a turbine. The entrainment system includes a plurality of helical vanes forming trenches and resulting in a highly helical flow path. The highly helical flow path provides an increased residence time for mixing of the combustion gases and non-combustion gases. Radial cavities in the helical vanes, canted vane angles and varying geometries further facilitate mixing while reducing losses. This invention also includes a method of mixing combustion and non-combustion gases in an entrainment system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: Spytek Aerospace Corporation
    Inventor: Christopher J. Spytek
  • Publication number: 20110214406
    Abstract: The invention relates electrical power generation using renewable sun energy in a Microturbine Sun Tracker (MST), a system for useful electrical output power that combines a Concentrated Solar Energy (CSE) with a closed cycle Microturbine powerplant. The solar light ray energy of the CSE is directed into a solar receiver with an integrated closed cycle microturbine powerplant, heating the working fluid of the microturbine to cause the turbine rotor/power spool rotation and subsequent output electricity. Also the (MST) system combines the dish form (CSE) and the closed cycle microturbine powerplant to a common frame that incorporates a single axis 360° rotation capability and secondary declination tilting capability.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2011
    Publication date: September 8, 2011
    Inventor: Joseph Michael Teets
  • Patent number: 8006477
    Abstract: A turbine engine includes a turbine section having a first turbine portion and a second turbine portion arranged along a central axis. A re-heat combustor is arranged between the first and second turbine portions. The re-heat combustor includes a combustion duct having a curvilinear flow portion. The curvilinear flow portion provides an increased residence time of combustion products passing through the re-heat combustor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Constantin Dinu
  • Patent number: 7950239
    Abstract: A method for operating a gas turbine plant utilizing sequential combustion is provided. The gas turbine plant includes a compressor for compressing inducted combustion air, a first combustion chamber for combustion of a first fuel by utilizing the compressed combustion air, with a first turbine which is connected downstream of the first combustion chamber, and a second combustion chamber for combustion of a second fuel by utilizing the gases which emerge from the first turbine, with a second turbine which is connected downstream of the second combustion chamber. The method provides quick running up with simultaneously low emissions and homogeneous distribution of the turbine inlet temperature is achieved by the second combustion chamber being completely shut down for achieving a low partial load mode of the gas turbine plant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignee: Alstom Technology Ltd.
    Inventors: Darrel Lilley, Rolf Anders Lindvall, Falk Ruecker, Rudolf Lachner
  • Patent number: 7908842
    Abstract: In a method for operating a gas turbine (GT) with sequential combustion, which has at least one compressor (12, 13), a first combustion chamber (14) with a first turbine (15) which is connected downstream, and a second combustion chamber (16) with a second turbine (17) which is connected downstream, the at least one compressor (12, 13) draws in air and compresses it. The compressed air is fed to the first combustion chamber (14) for combusting a first fuel, and the gas which issues from the first turbine (15) is fed to the second combustion chamber (16) for combusting a second fuel. Increased flexibility and safety in operation is achieved by different fuels being used as first and second fuel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: ALSTOM Technology Ltd.
    Inventors: Adnan Eroglu, Jaan Hellat, Felix Guethe, Peter Flohr
  • Patent number: 7810332
    Abstract: A gas turbine includes a compressor for compressing the combustion air, at least one combustion chamber, in which a fuel is burned while compressed combustion air is supplied, and at least one first turbine arranged downstream of the combustion chamber and in which the hot combustion gases from the combustion chamber are expanded to perform work. Part of the compressed combustion air is branched off, cooled in a cooling air cooler, brought to a lower cooling air pressure by a second turbine and supplied to the gas turbine for cooling purposes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2010
    Assignee: Alstom Technology Ltd
    Inventors: Sven Olmes, Wilhelm Reiter, Thomas Zierer
  • Patent number: 7770376
    Abstract: A power plant for burning a fuel in a low pressure combustion chamber to produce electrical power. A first compressor supplies compressed air through a first heat exchanger to add heat to the compressed air. The heated compressed air is passed through a first turbine to drive a first electric generator. The first turbine outlet is passed through a second heat exchanger in series with the first heat exchanger to further heat the compressed air. The compressed air is then passed through a second turbine to drive a second electric generator and produce electric power. The outlet from the second turbine is passed through a first combustor to produce the hot gas flow through the second heat exchanger. The outlet from the second heat exchanger is passed through a second combustor before passing through the first heat exchanger. The outlet from the first heat exchanger is passed through a heat recovery steam generator to generate steam to drive another turbine and another generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignee: Florida Turbine Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Joseph Brostmeyer
  • Patent number: 7739864
    Abstract: A power generation system includes first and second turbines. The first turbine including a low-pressure compressor (14) and a high-pressure compressor (16). A combustion chamber (22) combusts compressed oxidant and a fuel stream to generate a hot flue gas (31). The first turbine further includes a high-pressure expander (20) for receiving the flue gas and generating a CO2 rich exhaust gas. A low-pressure expander (22) generates a first final exhaust (52) and electrical energy. A CO2 separation system receives exhaust gas (38) and provides a CO2 lean gas fed to low-pressure expander (22). The second turbine including a compressor section (64) configured to discharge a recycle stream (71) from a high pressure compressor (70) to a second combustion chamber (72) and supply a split stream (84) from a low-pressure compressor (68) to high pressure compressor (16) of the first turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2010
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Matthias Finkenrath, Michael Bartlett
  • Patent number: 7707909
    Abstract: A device drives auxiliary machines by using power extracted from a multi-shaft gas turbine engine. The gas turbine engine may include a LP shaft and a HP shaft. The machines may be installed in a gearbox. The device may include a first mechanical transmission between the HP shaft and the gearbox. The device also may include a hydraulic transmission between the LP shaft and the gearbox. Further, the LP shaft connects a low pressure turbine to a low pressure compressor, the HP shaft connects a high pressure turbine to a high pressure compressor, and the low pressure compressor is upstream of the high pressure compressor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Hispano-Suiza
    Inventors: Hugues Henri Raymond Linet, Cyril Franck Mouchnino, Serge Dominique Pettinotti
  • Patent number: 7703271
    Abstract: A cogeneration method and device by turbine, particularly by gas turbine, uses a compression section, at least one expansion section, and a combustion chamber. A combustion agent including oxygen is compressed in the compression section; in the combustion chamber, one combustion step is carried out under pressure with a mixture of combustion agent compressed with a fuel; at least some of the hot gases obtained by pressurized combustion are used to effect an exchange with an external facility; and at least one postcombustion step is carried out of a mixture of hot gases coming from combustion with a fuel, prior to the exchange, and at least one other postcombustion step of a mixture of hot gases, coming from the exchange, with a fuel, in order to obtain hot gases that are sent to the expansion section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2010
    Assignee: Institut Francais du Petrole
    Inventors: Ari Minkkinen, Etienne Lebas, Alexandre Rojey
  • Publication number: 20100024381
    Abstract: A method of operating a turbine engine system and a turbine engine system are provided. The method comprises supplying a flow of oxygen to a combustion chamber defined within a plurality of turbines coupled serially together within the turbine engine system, supplying a flow of hydrocarbonaccous fuel to the combustion chambers of each of the plurality of turbines in the turbine engine system, and supplying a working fluid to an inlet of a first turbine engine coupled within the turbine engine system, wherein the working fluid is substantially nitrogen-free and wherein each of the turbines coupled within the turbine engine system is operable with the resulting fuel-oxygen-working fluid mixture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2008
    Publication date: February 4, 2010
    Inventors: John Frederick Ackermann, Matthew Timothy Franer, Randy Lee Lewis, David Allen Bell, Morris Dee Argyle, Brian Francis Towler
  • Patent number: 7610762
    Abstract: The engine comprises a low pressure stage (1) and a high pressure stage (2) with two independent rotors (3,4) and associated fixed fluid preparation members (9,10,13,14), combining “compressor” means (15,16) and “expander” means (17,18) and at least one combustion chamber (19,20) in a central volume defined axially by the rotors (3,4) and laterally by three substantially cylindrical, coaxial walls (22,23,24), defining in pairs an outer duct (25) connecting the outlet of the LP compressor (15) to the inlet of the HP compressor (16) and an inner duct (26) connecting the outlet of the HP compressor (16) to the inlet of a first combustion chamber (19), whose outlet supplies the HP expander (18) with gases produced by combustion guided to the inlet of the LP expander (17), whose outlet is in communication with the outside via at least one exhaust opening (41) for the combustion gases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2009
    Assignee: ONERA
    Inventors: Yves Ribaud, Joel Guidez, Jean-Paul Breteau, Thierry Courvoisier, Olivier Dessornes, Clement Dumand