Pilot Or Torch Type Patents (Class 60/39.826)
  • Patent number: 11965466
    Abstract: The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a turbine combustor assembly includes a primary combustion chamber in fluid communication with a primary fuel injector and a primary air inlet, and an igniter carried by the primary combustion chamber and including a first igniter stage having an auxiliary combustion chamber housing comprising a mixing chamber and a tubular throat converging downstream of the mixing chamber, an ignition source projecting into the mixing chamber of the auxiliary combustion chamber, and a second igniter stage that includes an auxiliary fuel outlet manifold proximal to an outlet of the tubular throat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: Woodward, Inc.
    Inventors: Bidhan Dam, Logan Oonk, Dan Huber, Vinay Prasad, Sudipa Sarker
  • Patent number: 11754288
    Abstract: A mixing assembly for a combustor, including: a pilot mixer and a pilot fuel nozzle; a main mixer including: a main housing surrounding the pilot mixer; a fuel manifold positioned between the pilot housing and the main housing; a mixer foot extending outward from a forward end of the main housing; a main swirler body surrounding the main housing such that an annular mixing channel is defined between the main housing and the main swirler body, and coupled to the mixer foot; and a main fuel ring in the mixing channel downstream of the mixer foot connected to the main housing by main fuel vanes, at least one of the main fuel ring and the main fuel vanes including fuel injection ports positioned to discharge fuel into a central portion of the mixing channel, wherein the mixer foot extends farther from the main housing than the main fuel ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Hari Ravi Chandra, Arvind Kumar Rao, Shai Birmaher, Jayanth Sekar, Gurunath Gandikota, Michael A. Benjamin
  • Patent number: 11421602
    Abstract: A torch ignitor system provides a continuous flame to ignite fuel within a combustor of a gas turbine engine. The torch ignitor system includes a manifold and a plurality of torch nozzles to enable the flame or torch to simultaneously ignite multiple fuel nozzles within the combustor of the gas turbine engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: Delavan Inc.
    Inventor: Jason Ryon
  • Patent number: 11415059
    Abstract: A torch ignitor system for a combustor of a gas turbine engine includes a torch ignitor, the torch ignitor including a combustion chamber oriented about a torch axis, the combustion chamber having axially upstream and downstream ends defining a flow direction through the combustion chamber, along the axis. The torch ignitor includes a cap defining the axially upstream end of the combustion chamber and oriented about the axis, wherein the cap is configured to receive a fuel injector and at least one glow plug. The torch ignitor includes an elbow connected to the downstream end of the combustion chamber for diverting combustion products along an ignition jet flame axis that is off of the torch axis for injection of combustion products into a gas turbine engine combustor. The torch ignitor further includes a tip at a downstream end of the elbow for issuing the injection of combustion products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: Collins Engine Nozzles, Inc.
    Inventors: Jason Ryon, Lev A. Prociw, Brandon Phillip Williams
  • Patent number: 11415058
    Abstract: An embodiment of a torch ignitor system for a combustor of a gas turbine engine includes a torch ignitor, the torch ignitor include a combustion chamber oriented about a torch axis, the combustion chamber having axially upstream and downstream ends defining a flow direction through the combustion chamber, along the axis. The torch ignitor further includes a tip at a downstream end of the elbow for issuing the injection of combustion products. An embodiment of a method includes initiating combustion in a combustion chamber of a torch ignitor to produce an ignition jet flame extending along an ignition jet flame axis, and igniting a fuel/air mixture in a gas turbine combustor by issuing a respective spray cone of the fuel/air mixture from a respective fuel injectors in a plurality of fuel injectors, wherein the ignition jet flame axis intersects a plurality of the spray cones.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: Collins Engine Nozzles, Inc.
    Inventors: Jason Ryon, Lev A. Prociw, Brandon Phillip Williams
  • Patent number: 11408610
    Abstract: In some embodiments, systems, apparatuses and methods are provided herein useful for spraying fuel in an augmented gas turbine engine. The embodiments may include a spray bar with a fuel injection aperture to inject a fuel jet into a fuel conduit; the fuel conduit having a fuel window to discharge the fuel jet into a core exhaust flow of an augmented gas turbine engine; a first airflow conduit having a first orifice to discharge a first air stream into the core exhaust flow; and a second airflow conduit having a second orifice to discharge a second air stream into the core exhaust flow. The first orifice and the second orifice may be paired with the fuel window to cooperatively shape the fuel jet coming out of the fuel window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Brett A. Rich, Michael A. Benjamin, Nicholas R. Overman, Aaron J. Glaser
  • Patent number: 11199328
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a burner assembly for a gas turbine combustor, having a pilot burner extending along a longitudinal axis, and a premix burner surrounding the pilot burner, wherein the method includes manufacturing at least one portion of the pilot burner by an additive manufacturing technique which includes manufacturing at least one first thermal bridge connecting parts of the pilot burner having a temperature difference not greater than a threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: ANSALDO ENERGIA SWITZERLAND AG
    Inventors: Michael Maurer, Christoph Gaupp
  • Patent number: 11008976
    Abstract: A turbofan engine has: an engine core producing a core exhaust flow; an upstream fan; a bypass duct carrying a bypass air flow produced by the fan; an exhaust assembly. The turbofan engine afterburner system has: a core plug; second core flow duct, and entrance(s) from the first core flow duct for diversion into the second of a portion of the core exhaust flow, and exit for re-joining the diverted portion of the core exhaust flow to the undiverted portion of the core exhaust flow; door(s) open during normal operation of the engine but closable, during a reheat operation, to block the entrances to the second core flow duct; and fuel injector(s) and igniter(s) operable, during the reheat operation, to inject and ignite fuel within the second core flow duct, providing a reheat flow into the core exhaust flow from the exit of the second core flow duct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: John R Whurr, Peter K Beardsley, Philip A Curnock, Faidon Mitzalis
  • Patent number: 10907829
    Abstract: A novel inline pilot assembly and method of flame detection for use with combustion applications for oil or gas processing is provided wherein the pilot assembly includes a pilot novel assembly with a unique placement of fuel and induction holes to improve flame stability, promote flame anchoring near the diffuser, and discourage the pilot flame front from migrating forward away from the diffuser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: Profire Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark R. Loveless, Melvin Hal Parks, Justin W. Hatch, Stephen N. Pitcher
  • Patent number: 10823197
    Abstract: A vane diffuser for diffusing gases is disclosed. The diffuser has an annular diffuser body including a plurality of diffuser vanes defining diffuser passages. The diffuser passages are circumferentially distributed. A direction of main gas flow through the diffuser passages is defined from a passage inlet in fluid communication with the outlet of the compressor to a passage outlet. A plurality of fluid injection conduits each extend between a conduit inlet and a conduit outlet for at least one of the diffuser vanes. The conduit outlet defines at least one opening in at least one of the pressure and suction side surfaces and is configured to inject fluid along one of the pressure and suction side surfaces in the direction of main gas flow through the corresponding diffuser passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Hien Duong, Vijay Kandasamy, Saurabh S. Nair
  • Patent number: 10561974
    Abstract: A desander for use with a separator for removing sand and other particles from gas under pressure including a diverter manifold including an inlet opening and an outlet opening. The inlet opening is configured for receiving the gas. The outlet opening is in fluid communication with a housing. The housing includes processing equipment for separating sand, particles, and/or liquid from the gas. The diverter manifold includes a flow diverter. The flow diverter is configured to redirect the path of the gas and its contaminants. The diverter manifold is also designed to slow down a velocity of the gas entering into the inlet opening prior to entrance of the gas into the housing of the separator to reduce erosion of the processing equipment and to facilitate separation of the sand and particles from the gas. A method of removing sand, other particles, and liquid from gas under pressure is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: TM Industrial Supply, Inc.
    Inventors: Carl A. Steiner, Ricky L. Jackson, Yousif A. Khalid Al-Abdullah
  • Patent number: 10557358
    Abstract: A containment structure for a gas turbine engine includes a stator shroud with a wall. The stator shroud wall extends axially between a shroud inlet aperture and the shroud outlet aperture. The wall includes a stainless steel alloy material having less than 44% nickel by mass to provide containment protection for an impeller rotateably disposed within an interior of the stator shroud.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Phillip Creed, Jesus A. Garcia, Nagendra N. Kedlaya, Sean G. Breadmore, Emmanuel Medel
  • Patent number: 10480792
    Abstract: A gas turbine system includes a turbine combustor. The turbine combustor includes one or more first fuel injectors coupled to a head end of the turbine combustor and configured to deliver a first portion of a fuel to a first axial position of a combustion section of the turbine combustor. The turbine combustor also includes one or more second fuel injectors coupled to the turbine combustor axially downstream of the head end and configured to deliver a second portion of the fuel to a second axial position of the combustion section of the turbine combustor, the second axial position being downstream of the first axial position. The gas turbine system also includes a controller configured to deliver the first and the second portions of the fuel such that combustion of the fuel and oxidant within the overall combustion section of the turbine combustor is at a defined equivalence ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignees: General Electric Company, ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Ilya Aleksandrovich Slobodyanskiy, Igor Petrovich Sidko, Derrick Walter Simons
  • Patent number: 9982603
    Abstract: Assembly comprising, on a turbomachine:—a combustion chamber (30) having a longitudinal axis (30a) and comprising: internal and external longitudinal walls (90) having a first opening (90a) substantially transverse to said axis (30a), an outer casing (110) having a second opening (110a) likewise substantially transverse to said axis (30a),—a turbomachine sparkplug (150),—a device (130) for radially securing the sparkplug (150), which device (130) comprises a sparkplug adapter (160) fixed toward a first end to the outer casing (110), facing the second opening (110a) and through which adapter and casing the sparkplug (150) in question passes, and a sparkplug guide (190) kept in contact with the external longitudinal wall (90), facing the first opening (90a) and through which the sparkplug (150) passes to emerge in the combustion chamber (30), the sparkplug (150) and the sparkplug guide (190) each having a screw thread (103, 105), the screw threads (103, 105) being screwed together so as to stabilize the sparkpl
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: SNECMA
    Inventors: Pierre-François Simon Paul Pireyre, Francois Leglaye, David Gino Stifanic
  • Patent number: 9366443
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for lean/rich combustion in a gas turbine engine (10), which includes a combustor (12), a transition (14) and a combustor extender (16) that is positioned between the combustor (12) and the transition (14) to connect the combustor (12) to the transition (14). Openings (18) are formed along an outer surface (20) of the combustor extender (16). The gas turbine (10) also includes a fuel manifold (28) to extend along the outer surface (20) of the combustor extender (16), with fuel nozzles (30) to align with the respective openings (18). A method (200) for axial stage combustion in the gas turbine engine (10) is also presented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: SIEMENS ENERGY, INC.
    Inventors: Walter R. Laster, Peter Szedlacsek
  • Patent number: 9366184
    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: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ronald Scott Bunker, Andrei Tristan Evulet
  • Patent number: 9359218
    Abstract: Systems and methods of producing chemical compounds are disclosed. An example chemical production system includes an intake chamber having intake ports for entry of a gas mixture. An igniter ignites the gas mixture in the intake chamber. A nozzle restricts exit of the ignited gas mixture from the intake chamber. An expansion chamber cools the ignited gas with a cooling agent. The expansion chamber has an exhaust where the cooled gas exits the expansion chamber. A chemical compound product is formed in the expansion chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: ALTMERGE, LLC
    Inventor: Bruce H. Peters
  • Patent number: 9080772
    Abstract: An ignition system includes a housing defining an interior and an exhaust outlet. The housing is configured and adapted to be mounted to a combustor to issue flame from the exhaust outlet into the combustor for ignition and flame stabilization within the combustor. A fuel injector is mounted to the housing with an outlet of the fuel injector directed to issue a spray of fuel into the interior of the housing. An igniter is mounted to the housing with an ignition point of the igniter proximate the outlet of the fuel injector for ignition within the interior of the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: Delavan Inc
    Inventors: Lev Alexander Prociw, Jason Allen Ryon, Steven Jay Myers, Nicole L. Nelson, Roger A. Seei
  • Patent number: 8973347
    Abstract: A pilot burner of a gas turbine engine is provided. The pilot burner includes a front body with an axial expansion along a center axis of the pilot burner, the center axis having an axial direction towards a burning zone of the gas turbine engine. The front body includes a pilot burner face which is directed to the burning zone. A material is deposited in the front body progressing in the axial direction to form a high temperature resilient body in the axial direction of the front body and to form a high temperature resilient face of the pilot burner face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Paul Headland, Michael Turnbull
  • Publication number: 20140360156
    Abstract: A combustor arrangement (10) including a pilot burner (22) having a pilot cone (62); a plurality of clockwise (130) main swirlers interposed among a plurality of counterclockwise (132) main swirlers and disposed concentrically about the pilot burner, and a base plate (40) transverse to the main swirlers Inbound-zones (134) exist where adjacent portions (106) of adjacent flows (108) through main swirlers flow toward the pilot cone, and interposed between the inbound zones outbound zones (136) exist where adjacent portions of adjacent flows flow away from the pilot cone The arrangement is configured to preferentially deliver more cooling fluid to the inbound zones than the outbound zones.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 26, 2013
    Publication date: December 11, 2014
    Inventors: Krishna C. Miduturi, David M. Ritland
  • Publication number: 20140305095
    Abstract: Provided is a gas turbine combustor capable of reducing the size of a low-temperature air layer of pilot air formed between a pilot flame and a premixed flame and of improving the flame stability of the premixed flame. A gas turbine combustor, which is provided with a pilot burner that is provided at the center portion of a combustor main body formed in a cylindrical shape to form a pilot flame, and a plurality of main burners arranged so as to surround the outer periphery of the pilot burner to form a premixed flame, includes, as the ignition improving part, a channel blocking member that reduces the size of the low-temperature air layer of the pilot air formed between the pilot flame and the premixed flame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2014
    Publication date: October 16, 2014
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Kei Inoue, Keijiro Saito, Yoshikazu Matsumura, Sosuke Nakamura
  • Publication number: 20140305094
    Abstract: Provided is a gas turbine combustor capable of reducing the size of a low-temperature air layer of pilot air formed between a pilot flame and a premixed flame and of improving the flame stability of the premixed flame. A gas turbine combustor, which is provided with a pilot burner that is provided at the center portion of a combustor main body formed in a cylindrical shape to form a pilot flame, and a plurality of main burners arranged so as to surround the outer periphery of the pilot burner to form a premixed flame, includes, as the ignition improving part, a channel blocking member that reduces the size of the low-temperature air layer of the pilot air formed between the pilot flame and the premixed flame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2014
    Publication date: October 16, 2014
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Kei Inoue, Keijiro Saito, Yoshikazu Matsumura, Sosuke Nakamura
  • Publication number: 20140290259
    Abstract: A combustion systems and components for rotary ramjet engines. An injection system, optionally stratified for ease of engine startup, provides an air and fuel mixture to a combustion chamber. An ignition system ignites the mixture. A flameholding system may be positioned for communication with the combustion chamber to force an ignited flow of the air and fuel mixture toward a center of rotation within the ramjet engine. The ramjet engine may have a diverging stator for improved exhaust efficiency. The ignition may take place in the engine air intake. Alternatively, the ignition may take place within the combustion chamber using a dual-hub electrically charged system. An impulse turbine may use recirculation of injected fuel to cool a rim-rotor and/or to reduce windage on the rim-rotor. A sealing system may reduce gas leaks from a fuel conduit into the engine air intake.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2012
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: SOCPRA SCIENCES ET GENIE, S.E.C.
    Inventors: Jean-Sébastien Plante, Mathieu Picard, David Rarncourt
  • Patent number: 8733078
    Abstract: An igniter device for a combustor system includes an igniter housing and a pressure sense passage. The igniter housing surrounds an electrode and an insulating body. The igniter has a tip to be positioned within a chamber for combustion. The pressure sense passage is attached to an exterior surface of the igniter housing. The pressure sense passage is configured to direct fluid to a pressure sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Hannes A. Alholm
  • Publication number: 20140137565
    Abstract: When starting a dual fuel turbine engine on liquid fuel, a flow of air assist into a combined pilot gaseous fuel and air assist tube is supplied. The velocity of the flow of air assist is increased as it is expelled through an outlet of the tube. The flow of air assist is directed into a first end of a pilot injector barrel. Additional air is drawn into the first end of the pilot injector barrel from an enclosure containing both the first end of the pilot injector barrel and the tube outlet. Liquid pilot fuel is supplied at a second end of the pilot injector barrel, and this fuel is atomized by the flow of the air assist and additional air.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2012
    Publication date: May 22, 2014
    Applicant: Solar Turbines, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Zdzislaw Twardochleb, Robert Anthony Corr, II
  • Patent number: 8726631
    Abstract: A combustor for a gas turbine engine includes an inner liner and an outer liner circumscribing the inner liner and forming a combustion chamber therewith. The outer liner is a dual walled liner with a first wall and a second wall. A fuel igniter includes a tip portion configured to ignite an air and fuel mixture in the combustion chamber. An igniter support assembly positions the fuel igniter relative to the combustion chamber. The igniter support assembly defines a plurality of holes configured to direct cooling air toward the tip portion of the fuel igniter. The igniter support assembly includes first and second floating seals that are configured to accommodate radial and axial relative movements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Nagaraja S. Rudrapatna, Paul Yankowich, Amy Hanson
  • Patent number: 8677754
    Abstract: On a fuel supply system for a gas-turbine engine with a high-pressure supply line and a fuel metering unit, the fuel distribution system connected to staged or non-staged burners includes only one single fuel line (3) and the valve arrangements (7) connected to this fuel line and directly associated to individual burners (4), with the valve arrangements (7) each having several cutoff valves (8 to 10), which are—independently of each other—individually or simultaneously electrically settable to a closed or open limit position, with the cutoff valves each featuring a specific, yet different cross-sectional area. The simply designed, low-wear and low-maintenance fuel supply and distribution system, avoids coking in the one fuel line in the hot engine section, and enables a binary-coded fuel supply to the respective burner. With a sufficient number of valves in each arrangement, the fuel metering unit can be omitted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG
    Inventors: Rudolf Lueck, Dominik Giugno, Christian Otterbach
  • Patent number: 8677730
    Abstract: Low-temperature, continuous “cold” combustion, constant pressure, active chamber motor-compressor unit operating with working compressed air and using a piston travel control device as well as an active chamber, with a cold chamber (29) able to reduce to very low temperatures the atmospheric air that supplies the input (28) of an air compression device (28,25,26,33), which then forces this working compressed air, still at low temperature, in an external combustion chamber (19) fitted with a heating device (19A) at constant pressure where it increases in volume, before its quasi-isothermal transfer in the active chamber (13) producing work, before being expanded in an engine cylinder (2) to produce work again.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: MDI Motor Development International S.A.
    Inventors: Guy Negre, Cyril Negre
  • Patent number: 8375697
    Abstract: The electrolytic ignitor comprises an injector constituting a first electrode and including a fuel injector device, an oxidizer injector device, and an electrolyte injector device. A second electrode electrically insulated from the injector extends downstream beyond the injector. An electrolyte distribution channel for delivering electrolyte in the form of free jets through the electrolyte injector device comprises at least one injection hole in the vicinity of the fuel injector device and the oxidizer injector device. An electrical power supply circuit is adapted to raise the second electrode to a potential in the range 50 V to 1000 V relative to the potential of the first electrode. The electrolyte injected through the injection hole is capable of causing ignition of a gaseous mixture in a combustion chamber of an ignitor torch suitable for incorporating in a main injector of a rocket engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: Snecma
    Inventor: Dominique Valentian
  • Patent number: 8356467
    Abstract: A system, such as a turbine power production system, including a plurality of combustion chambers. The combustion chamber may be provided with an ignition system that allows for substantially simultaneous ignition of each of the plurality of the combustors. Generally, a detonation wave may be provided to each of the combustion chambers substantially simultaneously from a single ignition combustion wave chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne, Inc.
    Inventors: Kenneth M Sprouse, Shahram Farhangi
  • Patent number: 8181440
    Abstract: An igniter plug arrangement is disclosed. The arrangement includes an igniter plug of the semiconductor in shell type, a duct secured to a combustion chamber of a gas turbine engine, a floating sleeve via which the igniter plug is mounted in the duct, and a system for guiding air to cool the semiconductor of the igniter plug. The shell and the semiconductor define, at their combustion-chamber end, an annular igniter plug cavity. The shell includes orifices in the region of the igniter plug annular cavity that communicate with the annular cavity of the sleeve and orifices on its planar surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: SNECMA
    Inventor: Denis Jean Maurice Sandelis
  • Patent number: 8172568
    Abstract: A combustor, in which a flame holding region is formed at a location distant from a pilot burner to avoid burnout of the pilot burner and in which flame holding capability is increased to use a lean pre-mix gas for reducing NOx emission, is provided. The combustor includes a combustion liner having a cylindrical side wall that defines a combustion chamber; and a main burner positioned at a top portion of the combustion liner for injecting an annular pre-mix gas into the combustion chamber to form a reverse flow region at a downstream portion thereof, which region is oriented towards the top portion of the combustion chamber along a longitudinal axis. In this combustor, a pilot burner is arranged at the top portion for injecting a mixture of fuel and air only in a direction confronting the reverse flow region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Kashihara, Yasushi Yoshino, Kiyoshi Matsumoto, Takeshi Kimura, Junichi Kitajima, Atsushi Horikawa
  • Patent number: 8161725
    Abstract: A torch igniter and method of cooling the torch igniter includes axially flowing a first stream of gaseous oxidizer through a torch throat and vortically flowing a second stream of the gaseous oxidizer within a combustion chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne, Inc.
    Inventor: Tai Yu
  • Publication number: 20120036829
    Abstract: The present invention provides a plasma arc torch that can be used for lean combustion. The plasma arc torch includes a cylindrical vessel, an electrode housing connected to the first end of the cylindrical vessel such that a first electrode is (a) aligned with a longitudinal axis of the cylindrical vessel, and (b) extends into the cylindrical vessel, a linear actuator connected to the first electrode to adjust a position of the first electrode, a hollow electrode nozzle connected to the second end of the cylindrical vessel such that the center line of the hollow electrode nozzle is aligned with the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical vessel, and wherein the tangential inlet and the tangential outlet create a vortex within the cylindrical vessel, and the first electrode and the hollow electrode nozzle create a plasma that discharges through the hollow electrode nozzle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2011
    Publication date: February 16, 2012
    Applicant: FORET PLASMA LABS, LLC
    Inventor: Todd Foret
  • Patent number: 8044319
    Abstract: A variable arc gap plasma igniter element includes electrodes moveable relative to each other. The electrodes are preferably set to define a smaller air gap to initiate a plasma arc and later extended to obtain longer plasma arc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
    Inventors: Lev Alexander Prociw, Dany Clarence Gaudet
  • Patent number: 8028512
    Abstract: A combustion control system for a turbine engine is disclosed. The combustion control system includes a fuel injector having a main fuel supply and pilot fuel supply coupled to a combustor of the turbine engine. The combustion control system also includes a sensor coupled to a transfer tube. The transfer tube is fluidly coupled to the combustor, and the sensor is configured to detect a pressure pulse in the combustor. A semi-infinite coil is also coupled to the transfer tube. The combustion control system also includes a controller electrically connected to the sensor. The controller is configured to compare an amplitude of the pressure pulse within a frequency range to a threshold amplitude, and adjust the pilot fuel supply in response to the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Solar Turbines Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Eleazar Mendoza, Paul Elliot Morrison, Marco Ezra Leon, Tiziano Marco Bognuda, Satoshi Ito, Shari Turner, legal representative
  • Publication number: 20110126509
    Abstract: A pilot burner of a gas turbine engine is provided. The pilot burner includes a front body with an axial expansion along a centre axis of the pilot burner, the centre axis having an axial direction towards a burning zone of the gas turbine engine. The front body includes a pilot burner face which is directed to the burning zone. A material is deposited in the front body progressing in the axial direction to form a high temperature resilient body in the axial direction of the front body and to form a high temperature resilient face of the pilot burner face.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2010
    Publication date: June 2, 2011
    Inventors: Paul Headland, Michael Turnbull
  • Publication number: 20100319351
    Abstract: Provided is a gas turbine combustor capable of reducing the size of a low-temperature air layer of pilot air formed between a pilot flame and a premixed flame and of improving the flame stability of the premixed flame. A gas turbine combustor, which is provided with a pilot burner that is provided at the center portion of a combustor main body formed in a cylindrical shape to form a pilot flame, and a plurality of main burners arranged so as to surround the outer periphery of the pilot burner to form a premixed flame, includes, as the ignition improving part, a channel blocking member that reduces the size of the low-temperature air layer of the pilot air formed between the pilot flame and the premixed flame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2008
    Publication date: December 23, 2010
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Kei Inoue, Keijiro Saito, Yoshikazu Matsumura, Sosuke Nakamura
  • Patent number: 7833011
    Abstract: A method of igniting and monitoring a high speed burner with which a fuel/oxygen-mixture exits at high velocity from a burner head, wherein the length of the flame is governed by the exit velocity of the mixture. The invention is characterized by placing an electrically conductive pipe in and concentrical with the burner channel for the fuel mixture, by causing a first end of the pipe to terminate close to the fuel mixture outlet of the burner head, by electrically isolating the pipe and by causing the detection of light of the group ultraviolet light, visible light and/or infrared light to be detected at the other end of the pipe, and by causing a spark to be generated between the first end of the pipe and the surrounding burner head by application of a voltage, in igniting the burner. A burner is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2010
    Assignee: Sandvik Intellectual Property AB
    Inventors: Bo Jönsson, Kari Korhonen, Pauli Mäenpää, Thomas Lewin
  • Publication number: 20100107602
    Abstract: The electrolytic ignitor comprises an injector (2) constituting a first electrode and including a fuel injector device (26), an oxidizer injector device (27), and an electrolyte injector device (1), a second electrode (5) electrically insulated from the injector (2) by an insulator (4) and extending downstream beyond the injector (2), an electrolyte tank (12), a solenoid valve (11) interposed between the tank (12) and an electrolyte distribution channel (3) suitable for delivering electrolyte in the form of free jets through the electrolyte injector device constituted by at least one injection hole (1) situated in the vicinity of the fuel injector device (26) and the oxidizer injector device (27), and an electrical power supply circuit adapted to raise the second electrode (5) to a potential lying in the range 50 V to 1000 V relative to the potential of the first electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2008
    Publication date: May 6, 2010
    Applicant: SNECMA
    Inventor: Dominique Valentian
  • Publication number: 20100071343
    Abstract: A torch igniter and method of cooling the torch igniter includes axially flowing a first stream of gaseous oxidizer through a torch throat and vortically flowing a second stream of the gaseous oxidizer within a combustion chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2008
    Publication date: March 25, 2010
    Inventor: Tai Yu
  • Patent number: 7571598
    Abstract: Preheating of fuel and injection into a plasma torch plume fro adjacent the plasma torch plume provides for only ignition with reduced delay but improved fuel-air mixing and fuel atomization as well as combustion reaction enhancement. Heat exchange also reduced erosion of the anode of the plasma torch. Fuel mixing atomization, fuel mixture distribution enhancement and combustion reaction enhancement are improved by unsteady plasma torch energization, integral formation of the heat exchanger, fuel injection nozzle and plasma torch anode in a more compact, low-profile arrangement which is not intrusive on a highspeed air flow with which the invention is particularly effective and further enhanced by use of nitrogen as a feedstock material and inclusion of high pressure gases in the fuel to cause effervescence during injection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2009
    Assignee: Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc.
    Inventors: Walter F. O'Brien, Matthew C. Billingsley, Darius D. Sanders, Joseph A. Schetz
  • Publication number: 20090165436
    Abstract: A plasma enhanced pilot including a swirler mechanism is configured to be inserted into an existing blank (purge air) or liquid fuel (dual fuel) cartridge space within the centerbody of a lean, premixed land-based gas turbine combustor fuel nozzle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2007
    Publication date: July 2, 2009
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: John Thomas Herbon, Grover Andrew Bennett, Anthony John Dean, Michael Solomon Idelchik, Seyed Gholamali Saddoughi, Abdelkrim Younsi
  • Patent number: 7448216
    Abstract: A method facilitates assembling a gas turbine engine. The method comprises coupling a combustor including a dome assembly and a combustor liner that extends downstream from the dome assembly to a combustor casing that is positioned radially outwardly from the combustor, coupling a ring support that includes a first radial flange, a second radial flange, and a plurality of beams that extend therebetween to the combustor casing, and coupling a primer nozzle including an injection tip to the combustor such that the primer nozzle extends axially through the dome assembly such that fuel may be discharged from the primer nozzle into the combustor during engine start-up operating conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2008
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Timothy P. McCaffrey, Stephen John Howell, John Carl Jacobson, Barry Francis Barnes
  • Patent number: 7370478
    Abstract: A gas combustor has a peripheral premix burner, and a central diffusion burner whose nozzle defines an eccentric first channel housing an ignition device, an axial second channel, and a third channel interposed radially between the first and second channel; the gas combustor is controlled, at a first start-up step, to keep the peripheral burner off and to feed a fuel gas stream along the third channel; at a second step, after a given load is exceeded, the peripheral burner is activated, and the gas stream in the central burner continues to be fed along the same channel as at the first step, and is regulated to reduce its flow to a value greater than zero.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2008
    Assignee: Ansaldo Energia S.p.A.
    Inventor: Franco Rocca
  • Patent number: 7299620
    Abstract: An ignition system having improved reliability for a gas turbine combustor is disclosed. The ignition system comprises an outer housing having at least one fuel passage and an electrode extending therethrough forming a generally annular passage for cooling air to pass to a mixing chamber. Fuel and air mix in the mixing chamber to form a combustible mixture that is ignited by the electrode. The outer housing further comprises a plurality of air swirl holes to effectively cool the walls of the mixing chamber as well as to provide improved flame stability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2007
    Inventors: Peter Stuttaford, John Henriquez, Paul Economo
  • Publication number: 20070044449
    Abstract: Preheating of fuel and injection into a plasma torch plume fro adjacent the plasma torch plume provides for only ignition with reduced delay but improved fuel-air mixing and fuel atomization as well as combustion reaction enhancement. Heat exchange also reduced erosion of the anode of the plasma torch. Fuel mixing atomization, fuel mixture distribution enhancement and combustion reaction enhancement are improved by unsteady plasma torch energization, integral formation of the heat exchanger, fuel injection nozzle and plasma torch anode in a more compact, low-profile arrangement which is not intrusive on a highspeed air flow with which the invention is particularly effective and further enhanced by use of nitrogen as a feedstock material and inclusion of high pressure gases in the fuel to cause effervescence during injection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2006
    Publication date: March 1, 2007
    Inventors: Walter O'Brien, Matthew Billingsley, Darius Sanders, Joseph Schetz
  • Patent number: 7111463
    Abstract: A system, such as a turbine power production system, including a plurality of combustion chambers. The combustion chamber may be provided with an ignition system that allows for substantially simultaneous ignition of each of the plurality of the combustors. Generally, a detonation wave may be provided to each of the combustion chambers substantially simultaneously from a single ignition combustion wave chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2006
    Assignee: Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne Inc.
    Inventors: Kenneth M Sprouse, Shahram Farhangi
  • Patent number: 7096670
    Abstract: In a method for igniting the combustion chamber of a gas turbine unit, a safely working ignition and a long lifetime of the ignition device (10) is achieved by discharging a compressed gas with a supercritical pressure ratio through a nozzle (21) and heating it up to a temperature sufficient to ignite hydrocarbons by interacting with a resonance tube (19) arranged behind said nozzle (21), and using said heated-up gas to directly or indirectly ignite a fuel/air mixture introduced into said combustion chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2006
    Assignee: ALSTOM Technology Ltd.
    Inventors: Franz Joos, Marcel Stalder
  • Patent number: 6912857
    Abstract: An improved torch igniter for use in devices such as thrust augmenters, gas turbine engines, ramjets, combined-cycle engines and industrial burners. The torch igniter includes a housing with a combustion chamber. Fuel and oxidizer are delivered into the combustion chamber and ignited by an electronic ignition source, such as a plasma jet igniter or a spark igniter, so that an upstream recirculation zone and a downstream recirculation zone are created. The upstream recirculation zone stabilizes and pilots combustion within the combustion chamber, while the downstream recirculation zone augments the combustion event. Byproducts of the combustion event within the torch igniter provide a high mass flux with high thermal energy and strong ignition source radicals that are discharged through a neck portion of the housing and are thereafter employed to initiate a primary combustion event in a primary combustor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2005
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Stephen N. Schmotolocha, Donald H. Morris, Calvin Q. Morrison, Jr., Robert J. Pederson