With Variable Oxidizer Control Patents (Class 60/39.23)
  • Patent number: 9423125
    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: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC TECHNOLOGY GMBH
    Inventors: Richard Carroni, Madhavan Narasimhan Poyyapakkam, Michal Bialkowski, Mark Andrew Willetts
  • Patent number: 9422867
    Abstract: The present application and the resultant patent provide a combustor for use with a gas turbine engine. The combustor may include a number of micro-mixer fuel nozzles and a fuel injection system for providing a flow of fuel to the micro-mixer fuel nozzles. The fuel injection system may include a center hub for providing the flow of fuel therethrough. The center hub may include a first supply circuit for a first micro-mixer fuel nozzle and a second supply circuit for a second micro-mixer fuel nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Heath Michael Ostebee, Johnie Franklin McConnaughhay, Jason Thurman Stewart, Christopher Paul Keener
  • Patent number: 9297310
    Abstract: A cooling arrangement for a gas turbine engine. The cooling arrangement comprises a discharge channel for air flow from a compressor, a first cooling channel and at least one aperture providing communication between the flow of air through the discharge channel and the first cooling channel. A restrictor device in the aperture regulates the flow of air between the discharge channel and the first cooling channel. The restrictor device deforms to vary air flowing through the aperture in response to a physical condition of the engine. This physical condition of the engine may be that of the temperature of air flowing through the discharge channel, the restrictor device responding to regulate the flow of air based on that temperature. The restrictor device may be a two-way shape memory alloy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Sheo Narain Giri, Sanjeev Kumar Jha, Bhaskar Pemmi, Harish Bommanakatte, Santhosh Donkada, Krishna Kishore Gumpina, Indrajit Mazumder, Rajarshi Saha
  • Patent number: 9291350
    Abstract: A system for supplying a working fluid to a combustor includes a fuel nozzle, a combustion chamber disposed downstream from the fuel nozzle, an inner flow sleeve that circumferentially surrounds the combustion chamber and a plurality of injectors circumferentially arranged around the inner flow sleeve. The plurality of injectors provide for fluid communication through the inner flow sleeve and into the combustion chamber downstream from the fuel nozzle. The system further includes an outer air shield that defines an injection air plenum that surrounds the plurality of injectors. An inlet passage extends through the outer air shield to define a flow path into the injection air plenum. An outer sleeve is slidingly engaged with the outer air shield. The outer sleeve has a first position that restricts flow through the inlet passage and a second position that increases flow through the inlet passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Patrick Benedict Melton, Lucas John Stoia, Richard Martin DiCintio
  • Patent number: 9243802
    Abstract: A combustor for a gas turbine engine comprises an inner annular liner and an outer annular liner. A first and a second combustion stages are defined between the liners, each said combustion stage having a plurality of fuel injection bores distributed in a liner wall defining the respective stage. Valves at the fuel injection bores of one of the combustion stages, the valves each defining an air passage from an exterior to an interior of the combustion stage, the valves each having an actuatable member for adjusting a size of a respective air passage for air staging the combustor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Eduardo Hawie, Nigel Davenport
  • Patent number: 9228501
    Abstract: In one aspect, the present disclosure is directed to a method for controlling a position of a bleed valve of a gas turbine engine. The onset of an off-load transient may be determined. Values representative of the turbine rotor inlet temperature and the exhaust outlet temperature may be determined. Also, the amount of time elapsed since the onset of the off-load transient may be determined. Three provisional bleed valve command positions may be determined based on value representative of the turbine rotor inlet temperature, the value representative of the exhaust outlet temperature, and the amount of time elapsed, respectively. The provisional bleed valve command position associated with the lowest relative value may be selected. Then, the bleed valve position may be adjusted to match the selected bleed valve command position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: Solar Turbines Incorporated
    Inventor: Fabrizio Oliverio
  • Patent number: 9181813
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine compressed air flow control arrangement, including: a combustion gas structure having an acceleration geometry (20) configured to receive combustion gas (18) from a can combustor and accelerate the combustion gas (18) to a speed appropriate for delivery onto a first row of turbine blades, the combustion gas structure defining a straight combustion flow path; a film cooling hole (58) disposed through the combustion gas structure at a location within or downstream of the acceleration geometry (20); a sleeve (64) surrounding at least a portion of the combustion gas structure comprising the film cooling hole and defining a volume (62) between the combustion gas structure and the sleeve (64); and an adjustable flow control system configured to adjust a flow volume between the plenum (44) and the volume (62).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Reinhard Schilp
  • Patent number: 9145778
    Abstract: The present application provides a combustor for use with a gas turbine engine. The combustor may include a head end with a non-circular configuration, a number of fuel nozzles positioned about the head end, and a transition piece extending downstream of the head end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Won-Wook Kim, Kevin Weston McMahan
  • Patent number: 9140455
    Abstract: A flowsleeve of a turbomachine component is provided. The flowsleeve includes an annular body including an upstream casing and a downstream casing. The upstream casing defines a fuel feed, and the downstream casing defines an airway opening, and a premixing passage. The premixing passage is fluidly coupled to the fuel feed and the airway opening and has a passage interior in which fuel and air receivable from the fuel feed and the airway opening, respectively, are combinable to form a fuel and air mixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Lucas John Stoia, Russell Pierson DeForest, Patrick Benedict Melton
  • Patent number: 9052115
    Abstract: A system for supplying a working fluid to a combustor includes a fuel nozzle, a combustion chamber downstream from the fuel nozzle, and a flow sleeve that circumferentially surrounds the combustion chamber. Injectors circumferentially arranged around the flow sleeve provide fluid communication through the flow sleeve and into the combustion chamber. A valve upstream from the injectors has a first position that permits working fluid flow to the injectors and a second position that prevents working fluid flow to the injectors. A method for supplying a working fluid to a combustor includes flowing a working fluid through a combustion chamber, diverting a portion of the working fluid through injectors circumferentially arranged around the combustion chamber, and operating a valve upstream from the injectors to control the working fluid flow through the injectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Lucas John Stoia, Bryan Wesley Romig, Thomas Edward Johnson, Christian Xavier Stevenson
  • Patent number: 9052116
    Abstract: A toroidal combustion chamber and a plurality of plates are disposed with respect to one another such that their labyrinthine walls are juxtaposed and form labyrinthine conduits leading from an exhaust outlet of the toroidal combustion chamber to an exit perpendicular to the exhaust outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignee: Power Generation Technologies Development Fund, L.P.
    Inventor: Ernst Bergen
  • Patent number: 9032737
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine having a ramburner is disclosed. The ramburner is disposed downstream of a gas turbine engine combustor and receives an engine exhaust flow from the gas turbine engine combustor. The ramburner also accepts a bypass air. Fuel is injected into the ramburner and a combustion reaction is auto-initiated based upon local gas temperatures. No mechanical flame holders need be used. A slidable valve may be used to vary the amount of bypass air into the ramburner. A movable cowl and a plug nozzle form an exit flow path of the gas turbine engine. The movable cowl can be positioned to vary a throat area and exit area of the gas turbine engine based upon the operation of the ramburner, which may be influenced by the amount of bypass air entering the ramburner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert A. Ress, Jr., Victor L. Oechsle, Randall E. Yount, Stephen A. Bergeron
  • Patent number: 9021779
    Abstract: The present application thus provides a gas turbine engine system. The gas turbine engine system may include a gas turbine engine, a nitrogen oxides reduction system in communication with a flow of combustion gases downstream from the gas turbine engine, and a nitrogen oxides controller to control the ratio of nitrogen dioxide to nitrogen oxides in the flow of combustion gases entering the nitrogen oxides reduction system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Robert Frank Hoskin
  • Patent number: 9010082
    Abstract: According to one aspect of the invention, a gas turbine engine includes a combustor, a fuel nozzle placed in an end of the combustor, and a passage configured to receive an air flow from a compressor discharge casing, wherein the passage directs the air flow into a chamber downstream of the nozzle, wherein a chamber pressure is lower than a compressor discharge casing pressure. The gas turbine engine also includes a flow control device configured to control the air flow from the compressor discharge casing into the passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Lucas John Stoia, Patrick Benedict Melton, Predrag Peja Popovic
  • Publication number: 20150075173
    Abstract: A compressed-air energy-storage system, comprising: a variable-nozzle expander configured to receive an airflow at a first pressure and partially expand said airflow at a second pressure, said second pressure being lower than said first pressure, expansion of said airflow in said variable-nozzle expander producing useful mechanical power; a heat generator component configured to receive a fuel and a partially expanded airflow from the variable-nozzle expander; and a turbine configured to receive combustion gas from the heat generator component and expand the combustion gas producing useful mechanical power.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2013
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Inventors: Matteo Berti, Michele D'Ercole, Stefano Francini, Allesandro Russo, Paola Del Turco
  • Patent number: 8966877
    Abstract: An annular combustor and a method for operating a gas turbine engine over a power demand range facilitate combustion in a lean direct ignition (LDI) mode over an extended range of operating fuel air ratios. The flow primary combustion air admitted into the primary combustion zone is varied in response to power demand from a maximum air flow rate of high power demand to a minimum flow air rate of low power demand, while the flow of dilution air into a quench zone downstream of the primary combustion zone is increased from a minimum air flow rate at high power demand to a maximum air flow rate at low power demand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Randal G. McKinney
  • Publication number: 20150027099
    Abstract: A gas turbine facility 10 of an embodiment has a combustor 20 combusting fuel and oxidant, a turbine 28 rotated by combustion gas exhausted from the combustor 20, a heat exchanger 25 cooling the combustion gas from the turbine 28, a pipe 46 guiding a part of the combustion gas to the combustor 20 via the heat exchanger 25, and a pipe 45 exhausting a remaining part of the combustion gas to an outside. Further, the facility has a pipe 40 supplying fuel to the combustor 20, a pipe 41 supplying oxidant to the combustor 20 via the heat exchanger 25, and a pipe 42 branched from the pipe 41, bypassing the heat exchanger 25, and coupled to the pipe 41, so as to introduce the oxidant into the pipe 41.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2014
    Publication date: January 29, 2015
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Yasunori IWAI, Masao ITOH, Shinju SUZUKI
  • Publication number: 20150020497
    Abstract: A gas turbine facility 10 of an embodiment has a combustor 20 combusting fuel and oxidant, a turbine 21 rotated by combustion gas exhausted from the combustor 20, and a pipe 41 guiding a part of the combustion gas exhausted from the turbine 21 to a pipe 42 supplying the oxidant. Further, the gas turbine facility 10 has a pipe 43 guiding mixed gas constituted of the oxidant and the combustion gas to the combustor 20, a pipe 45 guiding another part of the combustion gas to the combustor 20 as working fluid of the turbine, and a pipe 40 exhausting a remaining part of the combustion gas to an outside.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2014
    Publication date: January 22, 2015
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Yasunori IWAI, Masao ITOH, Shinju SUZUKI, Yuichi MORISAWA
  • Patent number: 8915086
    Abstract: A system for controlling combustion dynamics is provided. The system includes a combustor having a combustion chamber and an inlet for feeding a fuel-air mixture into the combustion chamber. The system also includes a dome plate at an upstream end of the combustion chamber. The system further includes a liner along a length of the combustion chamber. The system also includes an actuator configured to control one or more recirculating zones in the combustion chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Chukwueloka Obiora Umeh, Joel Meier Haynes, Jeffrey Scott Goldmeer
  • Publication number: 20140338304
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine compressed air flow control arrangement, including: a combustion gas structure having an acceleration geometry (20) configured to receive combustion gas (18) from a can combustor and accelerate the combustion gas (18) to a speed appropriate for delivery onto a first row of turbine blades, the combustion gas structure defining a straight combustion flow path; a film cooling hole (58) disposed through the combustion gas structure at a location within or downstream of the acceleration geometry (20); a sleeve (64) surrounding at least a portion of the combustion gas structure comprising the film cooling hole and defining a volume (62) between the combustion gas structure and the sleeve (64); and an adjustable flow control system configured to adjust a flow volume between the plenum (44) and the volume (62).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 5, 2012
    Publication date: November 20, 2014
    Inventor: Reinhard Schilp
  • Publication number: 20140338305
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a compressor for compressing air from an environment; a combustor for receiving the compressed air from the compressor, mixing the compressed air with fuel, and combusting the fuel; a turbine coupled with the compressor for receiving exhaust gas from the combustion and powering the compressor; and an injector coupled with a source of oxidizer for injecting the oxidizer into the combustor. A method for operating a gas turbine engine includes compressing air from an environment; receiving the compressed air at a combustor; mixing the compressed air with fuel; injecting oxidizer into the combustor in addition to the air from the environment; combusting the fuel with the compressed air and the oxidizer; receiving exhaust gas from the combusted fuel; and powering the compression of the air from the environment using the exhaust gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Publication date: November 20, 2014
    Inventor: Anthony R. Martinez
  • Patent number: 8850790
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for selectively controlling the rotational speed of a gas turbine engine that drives a load compressor having movable inlet guide vanes and that is coupled to receive fuel at a fuel flow rate up to a maximum fuel flow rate. The rotational speed of the gas turbine engine, and the fuel flow rate to the gas turbine engine, are both sensed. If the sensed rotational speed of the gas turbine engine is less than a predetermined value and the sensed fuel flow rate to the gas turbine engine equals or exceeds the maximum fuel flow rate, the position of the inlet guide vanes is controlled to reduce load compressor mechanical load on the gas turbine engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Larry McLeister, Kevin Moeckly, Ammon Hancock
  • Publication number: 20140290208
    Abstract: A drive system of at least one rotor of an aircraft via electrical energy in addition to or as a replacement of a mechanical system. The electrical energy is provided at least in part by at least one device for recovering thermal energy from hot gases of an internal combustion engine of the aircraft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2012
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Inventors: Bruno Rechain, Hichem Smaoui, Emmanuel Joubert, Gilles Bezes, Matthieu Sautreuil
  • Publication number: 20140260284
    Abstract: A system including a gas turbine system configured to transition between a first load state and a second load state, wherein the gas turbine system comprises an airflow control module configured to adjust an airflow through the gas turbine system between a minimum airflow condition and a maximum airflow condition, and a controller configured to control the gas turbine system to operate with a load path between a first load path corresponding to the minimum airflow condition and a second load path corresponding to the maximum airflow condition, wherein the controller is configured to control the gas turbine system to transition between the first load state and the second load state using the load path between the first and second load paths.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Kihyung Kim, Seyfettin Can Gulen, Brett Matthew Thompson
  • Patent number: 8829702
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine including high and low pressure shafts, an electromechanical device having a rotor and a stator coupled such that the rotor is rotatable with respect to the stator, the rotor having a device gear secured thereto, the device being secured to a support structure in a bearing housing forming part of a bearing assembly supporting a portion of the low pressure shaft extending in proximity of the high pressure shaft and of the shaft gear, and a coupling idle gear secured for rotation about a stationary gear support mounted in the bearing housing, the idle gear being in toothed engagement with the shaft gear and with the device gear. An electromechanical device assembly for a gas turbine engine and a method of operating an electromechanical device are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp
    Inventors: David Menheere, Andreas Eleftheriou, Richard Kostka
  • Publication number: 20140237987
    Abstract: A variable geometry mechanism suitable for use in a gas turbine engine is disclosed in which movable vane segments which are coupled to a rotatable ring, or rings, are used to change an aerodynamic property of a working fluid flowing through the gas turbine engine. The movable vane segments can be rotated through the ring, or rings, between a first position associated with the first vane and a second position associated with a second vane to place the movable vane segments in proximity to one or the other of the first and second vanes of the gas turbine engine. The movable vane segments can be used to alter, among other things, camber, exit flow area, and can be used to influence and/or accommodate such properties as incidence angle, and swirl angle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2013
    Publication date: August 28, 2014
    Inventors: Matthew J. Bloxham, Craig E. Heathco, Adam D. Ford, Robert T. Duge, Thomas I. Gorman
  • Publication number: 20140230446
    Abstract: The present techniques are directed to a system and methods for operating a gas turbine system. An exemplary gas turbine system includes an oxidant system, a fuel system, and a control system. A combustor is adapted to receive and combust an oxidant from the oxidant system and a fuel from the fuel system to produce an exhaust gas. A catalyst unit including an oxidation catalyst that includes an oxygen storage component is configured to reduce the concentration of oxygen in the exhaust gas to form a low oxygen content product gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2014
    Publication date: August 21, 2014
    Inventors: Tilman W. Beutel, Sulabh K. Dhanuka
  • Publication number: 20140223916
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a compressor section, the compressor section including a variable inlet guide vane which is movable between distinct angles to control the airflow approaching the compressor section. A control is programmed to position the vane at startup of the engine to direct airflow across the compressor section. The engine includes a fan for delivering bypass air into a bypass duct positioned outwardly of a core engine including the compressor section. The position of the vane is configured to direct airflow across the compressor section while an aircraft associated with the gas turbine engine is in the air, and to increase a windmilling speed of the compressor section and the turbine rotors. A method and variable inlet vane are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2014
    Publication date: August 14, 2014
    Applicant: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Eric J. Wehmeier
  • Patent number: 8763362
    Abstract: A method for determining the optimum inlet geometry of a liquid rocket engine swirl injector includes obtaining a throttleable level phase value, volume flow rate, chamber pressure, liquid propellant density, inlet injector pressure, desired target spray angle and desired target optimum delta pressure value between an inlet and a chamber for a plurality of engine stages. The tangential inlet area for each throttleable stage is calculated. The correlation between the tangential inlet areas and delta pressure values is used to calculate the spring displacement and variable inlet geometry. An injector designed using the method includes a plurality of geometrically calculated tangential inlets in an injection tube; an injection tube cap with a plurality of inlet slots slidably engages the injection tube. A pressure differential across the injector element causes the cap to slide along the injection tube and variably align the inlet slots with the tangential inlets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: The United States of America as Represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventors: Huu P. Trinh, William Neill Myers
  • 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
  • Patent number: 8726626
    Abstract: A combustor in a gas turbine engine has a wall which forms a gap with an outer nozzle guide vane platform. A closure mechanism is operable to open or close the gap. Opening of the gap, for example during cruise conditions, reduces the mass flow rate of air through an open end of the combustor, so enriching the air fuel ratio and improving flame stability and combustion efficiency. Under high power conditions, the gap is closed, causing an increase in air flow rate through the open end to achieve a lean burn air fuel ratio when the fuel flow rate is increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC
    Inventor: Michael Paul Spooner
  • Publication number: 20140123672
    Abstract: A system is provided with a turbine combustor having a first diffusion fuel nozzle, wherein the first diffusion fuel nozzle is configured to produce a diffusion flame. The system includes a turbine driven by combustion products from the diffusion flame in the turbine combustor. The system also includes an exhaust gas compressor, wherein the exhaust gas compressor is configured to compress and route an exhaust gas from the turbine to the turbine combustor along an exhaust recirculation path. In addition, the system includes a first catalyst unit disposed along the exhaust recirculation path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2013
    Publication date: May 8, 2014
    Applicants: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company, General Electric Company
    Inventors: Richard A. Huntington, Sulabh K. Dhanuka, Ilya Aleksandrovich Slobodyanskiy
  • Patent number: 8713946
    Abstract: Gas turbine and method for controlling an operating point of the gas turbine that includes a compressor, a combustor and at least a turbine. The method includes calculating an exhaust temperature reference curve of the turbine as a function of a turbine pressure ratio; determining whether condition IGVmin+?IGV1?IGVset point?IGVmax+?IGV2, and condition ttx?ttxh+?ttx3, are true; and changing, if both conditions are true, a split fuel quantity from a first value to a second value or otherwise maintaining the first value, the first value characterizing a lean-lean steady state mode and the second value characterizing a premixed secondary mode of a premixed mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Nuovo Pignone S.p.A.
    Inventor: Claudio Botarelli
  • Patent number: 8707703
    Abstract: A swirler arrangement for injecting a fluid into a tubular swirling chamber is provided. The swirler arrangement includes a first radial swirler device and a second radial swirler device. The swirler arrangement is fixed around an internal circulation zone of the tubular swirling chamber. The first radial swirler device includes first vanes, wherein the first vanes are formed to inject the fluid into the internal circulation zone with a first injecting angle. The second radial swirler device includes second vanes, wherein the second vanes are formed to inject the fluid into the internal circulation zone with a second injecting angle. The first injecting angle and the second injecting angle are defined by an angle between an injecting direction of the fluid and the tangential direction along the inner surface. A method of injecting a fluid into a tubular swirling chamber by the swirler arrangement is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Ik Soo Kim
  • Publication number: 20140090392
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine comprises a compressor, a combustor, a turbine, and an electronic engine control system. The compressor, combustor, and turbine are arranged in flow series. The electronic engine control system is configured to estimate combustor fuel-air ratio based on a realtime model-based estimate of combustor airflow, and commands engine actuators to correct for a difference between the estimated combustor fuel-air ratio and a limit fuel-air ratio selected to avoid lean blowout.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2012
    Publication date: April 3, 2014
    Applicant: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventor: United Technologies Corporation
  • Patent number: 8667773
    Abstract: A turbomachine comprises a flow duct with coaxially arranged radially inner and outer endwalls, first and second sets of axially spaced rotor stages arranged between the inner and outer endwalls, and a plurality of variable endwall segments arranged along the inner endwall. The first set of rotor stages rotates in a first direction, and the second set rotates in a second direction. The first and second sets alternate in axial series along the flow duct, such that axially adjacent rotor stages rotate in different directions. The variable endwall segments are radially positionable, in order to regulate loading on the first and second sets of rotor stages by changing a cross-sectional flow area between the inner and outer endwalls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Peter D. Silkowski
  • Patent number: 8661833
    Abstract: A bleed valve module for mounting to a support structure within an aircraft includes a pipe, a plurality of bleed valves connected to the pipe, a plurality of pneumatic actuators connected to the plurality of bleed valves, and a vibration isolating element. The pipe contains a flow of bleed air and includes a plurality of inlets and an outlet. The plurality of bleed valves controls the flow of bleed air in the pipe. The plurality of pneumatic actuators actuate the plurality of bleed valves. The vibration isolating element connects the bleed valve module to the support structure within the aircraft and isolates the bleed valve module from vibration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventor: Donald E. Army
  • Publication number: 20140053569
    Abstract: The invention concerns a method for mixing a dilution air with a hot main flow in sequential combustion system of a gas turbine, wherein the gas turbine essentially comprises at least one compressor, a first combustor which is connected downstream to the compressor, and the hot gases of the first combustor are admitted to at least one intermediate turbine or directly or indirectly to at least one second combustor. The hot gases of the second combustor are admitted to a further turbine or directly or indirectly to an energy recovery, wherein at least one combustor runs under a caloric combustion path having a can-architecture. At least one dilution air injection is introduced into the first combustor, and wherein the direction of the dilution air injection is directed against or in the direction of the original swirl flow inside of the first combustor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2013
    Publication date: February 27, 2014
    Applicant: ALSTOM Technology Ltd
    Inventor: Mirko Ruben Bothien
  • Patent number: 8622687
    Abstract: A method of operating a compressor in an adaptive core engine is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of operating a front block compressor to increase pressure of a fluid to a first pressure ratio in a high-power mode operation; operating a rear block compressor coupled to the front block compressor such that the front block compressor and the rear block compressor operate at the same physical speed; closing a rear block stator vane located axially forward from the rear block compressor such that the flow of the fluid into the rear block compressor is substantially cut off; and keeping a blocker door opened such that substantially all of the fluid pressurized by the front block compressor flows through a bypass passage during the high-power mode operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Rollin George Giffin, Brandon Flowers Powell, Mark Harrington, James Edward Johnson
  • Publication number: 20130327050
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling a flame stability at a gas turbine generator is disclosed. The method includes forming combustible mixtures at a plurality of fuel nozzles of a combustor of the gas turbine generator; altering an oxygen concentration of at least one of the combustible mixtures at a selected fuel nozzle of the plurality of fuel nozzles; and burning the combustible mixtures at the plurality of fuel nozzles to control the flame stability at the gas turbine generator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2012
    Publication date: December 12, 2013
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Ilya Aleksandrovich Slobodyanskiy, Michael John Hughes, Vijaykant Sadasivuni
  • Patent number: 8596035
    Abstract: Apparatus for reducing air mass flow through the compressor in a single shaft gas turbine engine having an extended operating range including part load conditions, to provide low emissions combustion. The apparatus includes one or more nozzles positioned for injecting compressed air into the inlet region of the compressor. The nozzles are oriented to direct the compressed air tangentially to, and in the same angular direction as, the direction of rotation to create a swirl in the inlet air flow to the compressor inducer. The apparatus also includes conduits in flow communication between the compressor diffuser and the nozzles, one or more valves operatively connected to control the flow of compressed air from the diffuser to the nozzles, and a controller operatively connected to the valves to cause compressed air flow to the nozzles during operation at part load conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Opra Technologies B.V.
    Inventor: R. Jan Mowill
  • Publication number: 20130312385
    Abstract: A gas turbine system having a plasma actuator flow control arrangement including a compressor section for compressing an airstream, wherein the compressor section includes at least one inlet guide vane for controlling the airstream proximate an inlet portion of the compressor section. Also included is a turbine inlet assembly for ingesting the airstream to be routed to the compressor section. Further included is a plasma actuator disposed within at least one of the inlet portion of the compressor section and the turbine inlet assembly for controllably producing an electric field to manipulate a portion of the airstream.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2012
    Publication date: November 28, 2013
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Rajesh Prabhakaran Saraswathi, Shridhar Raghuvir Powar, Carl Gerard Schott
  • Publication number: 20130283762
    Abstract: Rotary vane actuator operated air valves associated with gas turbine engines are disclosed. An example gas turbine engine may include a fan, a compressor, a combustor, and a turbine in a serial flow relationship; a supply pipe arranged to convey compressed air from one or more of the fan and the compressor; a valve operatively disposed in the supply pipe, the valve including a rotatable valve member arranged to modulate flow of the compressed air through the supply pipe based upon an angular position of the valve member, the valve member being rotatable between an open position and a shut position; and/or a hydraulically operated rotary vane actuator operatively coupled to rotate the valve member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2013
    Publication date: October 31, 2013
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Andrew David Simpson, William James Mailander, David Anthony Moster, Matthew John Plaatje
  • Publication number: 20130232939
    Abstract: Described herein are embodiments of systems and methods for oxidizing gases. In some embodiments, a reaction chamber is configured to receive a fuel gas and maintain the gas at a temperature within the reaction chamber that is above an autoignition temperature of the gas. The reaction chamber may also be configured to maintain a reaction temperature within the reaction chamber below a flameout temperature. In some embodiments, heat and product gases from the oxidation process can be used, for example, to drive a turbine, reciprocating engine, and injected back into the reaction chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2012
    Publication date: September 12, 2013
    Applicant: FlexEnergy, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey ARMSTRONG, Richard MARTIN, Douglas HAMRIN
  • Publication number: 20130232940
    Abstract: Described herein are embodiments of systems and methods for oxidizing gases. In some embodiments, a reaction chamber is configured to receive a fuel gas and maintain the gas at a temperature within the reaction chamber that is above an autoignition temperature of the gas. The reaction chamber may also be configured to maintain a reaction temperature within the reaction chamber below a flameout temperature. In some embodiments, heat and product gases from the oxidation process can be used, for example, to drive a turbine, reciprocating engine, and injected back into the reaction chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2012
    Publication date: September 12, 2013
    Applicant: FLEXENERGY, INC.
    Inventor: Jeffrey ARMSTRONG
  • Patent number: 8511091
    Abstract: A swirler is provided for a fuel injector of a combustor of a gas turbine engine. The swirler is for directing an airflow into the combustor so as to atomize fuel exiting the fuel injector. The swirler has one or more passages for channelling the airflow. Each of the passages is configured to rotate the airflow channelled by that passage about a swirl axis of the swirler, such that on exiting the passage the airflow has an exit swirl angle and a direction of rotation relative to the swirl axis. The swirler is configured such that the exit swirl angle and/or the direction of rotation may be selectively varied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC
    Inventor: Martin S. Goodwin
  • Patent number: 8499541
    Abstract: A two-shaft gas turbine is capable of starting premixed combustion without extinguishing a flame. The two-shaft gas turbine includes a combustor and a gas generator controller. The combustor has a premix burner that includes combustion regions in which premixed combustion is to be carried out individually. The gas generator controller controls the combustor. In a method for starting the premixed combustion in the combustor, the gas generator controller selects at least one of the combustion regions in which the premixed combustion is to be carried out, on the basis of a fuel-air ratio, and starts premix combustion in the selected combustion region or separately in each of the selected combustion regions. Further, as the fuel-air ratio is increased, the controller increases the number of the selected region in which the premixed combustion is carried out.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryo Kawai, Hidetaro Murata, Takeo Saito, Nobuaki Kizuka, Kenji Nanataki
  • Patent number: 8495883
    Abstract: A turbine engine assembly for a generator including a turbine engine having a compressor section, a combustor section and a turbine section. An air bleed line is in communication with the combustor section for receiving combustor shell air from the combustor section and conveying the combustor shell air as bleed air to a plurality of stages of the turbine section. Bleed air is controlled to flow through the air bleed line when an operating load of the turbine engine assembly is less than a base load of the engine to bypass air exiting the compressor section around a combustor in the combustor section and effect a flow of high pressure combustor shell air to the stages of the turbine section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: Siemens Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Adam M. Foust, Raymond S. Nordlund, Nitin Chhabra, David A. Little
  • Patent number: 8490379
    Abstract: A gas turbine controller having a first generator for setting the flow rate of fuel or air being supplied to a combustor in correspondence with a target load, a sensor for detecting intake temperature of a compressor, a second generator for setting a correction amount of a set value of fuel flow rate or air flow rate based on the value detected by the sensor, a third generator for setting a modification amount of the correction amount while taking account of the target load, a first multiplier for operating a modified correction amount from a correction amount set by the second generator and a modification amount set by the third generator, and a second multiplier for calculating the flow rate of fuel or air being supplied to a combustor by adding the modified correction amount to the set value of fuel flow rate or air flow rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masumi Nomura, Kozo Toyama, Tomo Kawakami, Kotaro Miyauchi, Kuniharu Fujibayashi
  • Publication number: 20130167547
    Abstract: According to one aspect of the invention, a gas turbine engine includes a combustor, a fuel nozzle placed in an end of the combustor, and a passage configured to receive an air flow from a compressor discharge casing, wherein the passage directs the air flow into a chamber downstream of the nozzle, wherein a chamber pressure is lower than a compressor discharge casing pressure. The gas turbine engine also includes a flow control device configured to control the air flow from the compressor discharge casing into the passage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2012
    Publication date: July 4, 2013
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Lucas John STOIA, Patrick Benedict MELTON, Predrag Peja POPOVIC