Fuel And Air Premixed Prior To Combustion Patents (Class 60/737)
  • Patent number: 8490398
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a burner for a single combustion chamber or first combustion chamber of a gas turbine, with an injection device for the introduction of at least one gaseous and/or liquid fuel into the burner, wherein the injection device has at least one body which is arranged in the burner with at least one nozzle for introducing the at least one fuel into the burner, wherein the at least one body is located in a first section of the burner with a first cross-sectional area at a leading edge of the at least one body with reference to a main flow direction prevailing in the burner, wherein downstream of said body a mixing zone is located with a second cross-sectional area, and at and/or downstream of said body the cross-sectional area is reduced, such that the first cross-sectional area is larger than the second cross-sectional area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Alstom Technology Ltd.
    Inventors: Madhavan Poyyapakkam, Anton Winkler, Khawar Syed, Andrea Ciani
  • Publication number: 20130180248
    Abstract: An apparatus for premixing fuel and air prior to combustion in a gas turbine engine includes an annular fuel passage receiving fuel from a fuel source. The annular fuel passage includes a fuel plenum and has a wave shape with a peak section surrounded by trough sections. An annular air passage surrounds the annular fuel passage. The annular air passage receives air to be mixed with the fuel in the fuel passage for downstream combustion. A plurality of swirler vanes are disposed in the annular air passage adjacent the fuel plenum.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2012
    Publication date: July 18, 2013
    Inventors: Nishant Govindbhai Parsania, Ajay Pratap Singh
  • Patent number: 8484979
    Abstract: A fuel-air premixing arrangement includes a plurality of fuel injection openings. The fuel injection openings are grouped into at least two groups and arranged on one circle in alternating order. Each group has a common rail for supplying fuel to the respective group. A valve element is arranged in at least one common rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Kam-Kei Lam
  • Patent number: 8484978
    Abstract: A method of assembling a fuel nozzle assembly for a gas turbine engine having a natural operating frequency includes providing a flange and providing a premix tube. The flange is fabricated from a first alloy such that the flange is configured to exhibit a first frequency that is different than the natural operating frequency of the gas turbine engine. The premix tube is fabricated from a second alloy such that the premix tube is configured to exhibit a second frequency that is different from the natural operating frequency of the gas turbine engine. The premix tube is coupled to the flange.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Donald Mark Bailey, Scott Robert Simmons, Marcus Byron Huffman
  • Publication number: 20130174559
    Abstract: A fuel injection system comprises a combustor liner, an air tube, a fuel manifold and a fuel injector. The combustor liner defines primary and secondary combustion zones. The air tube extends through the combustor liner along an axis to an exit aperture inside the combustor. The fuel manifold is positioned proximate the combustor line to deliver fuel through the air tube to the primary and secondary combustion zones. The fuel injector is coupled to the fuel manifold and positioned to inject the fuel along an axis of the air tube, such that the fuel has a substantially symmetric distribution at the exit aperture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2012
    Publication date: July 11, 2013
    Applicant: HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORPORATION
    Inventors: Carsten Ralf Mehring, James Peffley
  • Publication number: 20130174560
    Abstract: A combustor assembly in a gas turbine engine includes a combustor device, a fuel injection system, a transition duct, and an intermediate duct. The combustor device includes a flow sleeve for receiving pressurized air and a liner surrounded by the flow sleeve. The fuel injection system provides fuel to be mixed with the pressurized air and ignited in the liner to create combustion products. The intermediate duct is disposed between the liner and the transition duct so as to define a path for the combustion products to flow from the liner to the transition duct. The intermediate duct is associated with the liner such that movement may occur therebetween, and the intermediate duct is associated with the transition duct such that movement may occur therebetween. The flow sleeve includes structure that defines an axial stop for limiting axial movement of the intermediate duct.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2012
    Publication date: July 11, 2013
    Inventors: DAVID J. WIEBE, TIMOTHY A. FOX
  • Publication number: 20130167540
    Abstract: A combustor of a turbomachine is provided and includes an assembly defining an interior and being configured to direct air to flow along an annulus in a first direction about the interior and in a second direction toward the interior, the first and second directions being substantially opposed, a manifold configured to be supplied with fuel and a tubular body defining a pathway along which the air is transmittable in a third direction from the annulus to the interior, the third direction being transverse to the first and second directions. The tubular body includes a sidewall extendible through the manifold. The sidewall defines an injection hole within the manifold by which transmitted air is mixable with the fuel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2012
    Publication date: July 4, 2013
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventor: Vaibhav Nadkarni
  • Publication number: 20130167539
    Abstract: Fuel nozzles for gas turbines are provided that include liquid fuel cartridges. In one embodiment, a fuel nozzle includes a fuel plenum plate separating an air plenum from a fuel plenum. The fuel nozzle also includes a plurality of mixing tubes extending through the fuel plenum from the fuel plenum plate to a face plate. Each mixing tube includes an air inlet configured to receive air from the air plenum, a fuel inlet disposed in a tube wall within the fuel plenum to direct fuel from the fuel plenum into the mixing tube to produce a fuel-air mixture, and a fuel-air outlet configured to discharge the fuel-air mixture away from the face plate into a combustion region. The fuel nozzle further includes a liquid fuel cartridge extending through the air plenum and the fuel plenum to the face plate. The liquid fuel cartridge includes a liquid fuel passage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2012
    Publication date: July 4, 2013
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventor: Jonathan Dwight Berry
  • Patent number: 8474265
    Abstract: A fuel nozzle for a turbine engine includes a primary fuel passageway for supplying fuel to a plurality of radially extending fuel injectors arranged around the exterior of the fuel nozzle. A secondary fuel passageway couples an upstream end of the primary fuel passageway to a downstream end of the primary fuel passageway. The secondary fuel passageway acts as a resonator tube to help reduce oscillations in the fuel flowing through the primary fuel passageway.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Praveen Babulal Jain, Narayan Subramanian
  • Patent number: 8468832
    Abstract: An object of this invention is to suppress adhesion of a flame to periphery of air hole outlets arranged on an air hole plate. A combustor includes a fuel nozzle for jetting out a fuel into a combustion chamber formed at a downstream side; an air hole plate of a flat-plate shape disposed between the fuel nozzle and the chamber, the air hole plate facing an upstream side of the chamber; and a plurality of air holes provided in the air hole plate, in a circumferential direction relative to a central axis of the air hole plate, such that a fuel flow and an air flow formed at an outer circumferential side of the fuel flow are blown out into the chamber from the respective air holes; wherein a clearance defined between any two circumferentially adjacent air hole inlets provided on a face of the air hole plate that is nearer to the fuel nozzle is wider than a clearance defined between any two circumferentially adjacent air hole outlets formed on a face of the air hole plate that is nearer to the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi Dodo, Keisuke Miura, Kazuhito Koyama
  • Patent number: 8468831
    Abstract: Embodiments of this invention provide a premixed pilot assembly for use with a fuel nozzle for a turbine. The level of nitrogen oxide (NOx) emitted by the pilot is reduced by mixing the fuel and air fast, at the end of the pilot nozzle, thereby avoiding significant zones of rich fuel and air mixtures. The air is mixed with the fuel through the use of openings in a first cylinder and a second cylinder, one of which carries air and one of which carries pilot fuel. The openings can be configured as necessary to obtain a desired effect on the pilot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Krishnakumar Venkataraman, Manish Kumar, Jason Thurman Stewart
  • Patent number: 8468833
    Abstract: A burner arrangement includes a tubular mixing tube extending along an axis and configured to mix fuel and air, the mixing tube opening into a combustion chamber in a direction of flow; and a film air ring disposed in the mixing tube and arranged concentrically to the axis, the film air ring configured to prevent a backfiring of the fuel disposed in the mixing tube and to generate or reinforce an air film near the wall, wherein the film air ring has at least one annular gap concentric to the axis and configured to inject air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Alstom Technology Ltd
    Inventors: Richard Carroni, Marcel Rieker, Adnan Eroglu, Heinz Schaer
  • Publication number: 20130152597
    Abstract: A system and method for flame stabilization is provided that forestalls incipient lean blow out by improving flame stabilization. A combustor profile is selected that maintains desired levels of power output while minimizing or eliminating overboard air bleed and minimizing emissions. The selected combustor profile maintains average shaft power in a range of from approximately 50% up to full power while eliminating overboard air bleed in maintaining such power settings. Embodiments allow for a combustor to operate with acceptable emissions at lower flame temperature. Because the combustor can operate at lower bulk flame temperatures during part power operation, the usage of inefficient overboard bleed can be reduced or even eliminated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2012
    Publication date: June 20, 2013
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Mark David Durbin, Mark Anthony Mueller, Lance Kenneth Blakeman, David Albin Lind
  • Patent number: 8464537
    Abstract: A nozzle for a combustor is disclosed. The nozzle includes a center body, a burner tube provided around the center body and defining a fuel-air mixing passage therebetween, and an outer peripheral wall provided around the burner tube and defining an air flow passage therebetween. The nozzle further includes a nozzle tip connected to the center body. The nozzle tip includes a pilot fuel passage configured to deliver a flow of pilot fuel to a combustion zone, and a plurality of transfer passages. The plurality of transfer passages are configured to deliver a flow of air for combustion with the flow of pilot fuel in the combustion zone and further configured to deliver a flow of transfer fuel to the combustion zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Abdul Rafey Khan, Willy Steve Ziminsky, Christian Xavier Stevenson
  • Patent number: 8464538
    Abstract: A trapped vortex combustor includes a trapped vortex cavity having a first surface and a second surface. A plurality of fluidic mixers are disposed circumferentially along the first surface and the second surface of the trapped vortex cavity. At least one fluidic mixer includes a first open end receiving a first fluid stream, a coanda profile in the proximity of the first open end, a fuel plenum to discharge a fuel stream over the coanda profile, and a second open end for receiving the mixture of the first fluid stream and the fuel stream and discharging the mixture of the first fluid stream and the fuel stream in the trapped vortex cavity. The coanda profile is configured to enable attachment of the fuel stream to the coanda profile to form a boundary layer of the fuel stream and, to entrain the incoming first fluid stream to the boundary layer of the fuel stream to form a mixture of the first fluid stream and the fuel stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Andrei Tristan Evulet, Gustavo Adolfo Ledezma, Corey Bourassa
  • Patent number: 8465276
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for operating a burner for fluid fuels. According to said method, the fluid fuel is mixed with an oxidizer before the fluid fuel is burned. The inventive method is characterized in that a liquid fuel that is used as a fluid fuel is mixed with a gaseous or vaporous carrier flow before being mixed with the oxidizer while the carrier flow containing the liquid fuel is mixed with the oxidizer in order to mix the liquid fuel with the oxidizer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Bernd Prade
  • Publication number: 20130145765
    Abstract: A System for Aerodynamic Premixer for Reduced Emissions comprising a premixer is generally cylindrical in form and defined by the relationship in physical space between a first ring, a second ring, and a plurality of radial vanes. The first and second rings are found to be generally equidistant, one from the other, at all points along their facing surfaces. Radial vanes connect the first ring to the second ring and thereby form the premixer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2012
    Publication date: June 13, 2013
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventor: General Electric Company
  • Publication number: 20130133329
    Abstract: A fuel-air premixer for use in a combustor of a gas turbine includes an air inlet, a fuel inlet, a shroud, a central body and a cascade of vanes. The premixer mixes fuel and air in the annular mixing passage into a uniform mixture for injecting into a combustor reaction zone. The air from a compressor is injected into the mixer through an air inlet. The fuel is introduced into air stream via fuel injection holes that pass through the walls of the vanes which contain internal fuel flow passages. The flow field inside the premixer is broken up by the arrayed vanes into a series of small regions each containing a well designed small size mixing eddy which is steadily attached to the surface of the vanes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2012
    Publication date: May 30, 2013
    Applicant: Institute of Engineering Thermophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences
    Inventor: Institute of Engineering Thermophysics, Chinese
  • Publication number: 20130125549
    Abstract: An endcover for a turbine combustor adapted to support one or more combustor nozzles, includes a plate having one side which in use, faces a combustion chamber and an opposite side which, in use, faces away from the combustion chamber. At least one fuel cavity is formed in the plate; and a fuel restrictor insert is formed with at least one flow orifice located within the fuel cavity for supplying fuel to at least one combustor nozzle. The fuel restrictor insert is adjustable along a length dimension of the fuel cavity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2011
    Publication date: May 23, 2013
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Donald Mark BAILEY, Abdul Rafey KHAN
  • Publication number: 20130125553
    Abstract: A swirler assembly in a gas turbine combustor includes a hub, a shroud, and a plurality of vanes connected between the hub and the shroud. The vanes include a high pressure side on which air and fuel impinge the vanes and a low pressure side. An air circuit is provided in each of the plurality of vanes receiving discharge air from a compressor. Each of the air circuits includes an air entry passage into the vanes and an air exit passage on the low pressure side of the vanes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2011
    Publication date: May 23, 2013
    Inventors: Donald Mark Bailey, Abdul Rafey Khan, Mohan Krishna Bobba
  • Patent number: 8444411
    Abstract: An incinerator (20) for disposing of boil-off gas on an LNG carrier comprises a combustion section (40) wherein the boil-off gas admitted at (42) is burned in the presence of combustion air admitted at (44), producing a flame (46) and combustion products (C). Dilution air (A) is delivered into the combustion section (40) and mixed with the combustion products (C) to produce a diluted mixture (M). The combustion section (40) has an inner wall (48) and an outer wall (50) together defining a first passage (52) through which the dilution air (A) is passed before being mixed with the combustion products (C), whereby the dilution air A cools the combustion section (40). The dilution air A in the first passage (52) also provides a thermally insulting layer limiting radial heat transmission from the combustion section (40). A proportion (AP) of the dilution air is mixed directly with the combustion products (C).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Inventors: Simon Mark O'Connor, Richard James Price, Nigel Peter Webley, Mark Boss
  • Patent number: 8443609
    Abstract: A gas-turbine burner for a gas turbine includes a fuel nozzle 1 having several fuel exit holes 23, which are each connected to a fuel line 5, 7, 29, 30, through which fuel can be passed selectively Between individual fuel exit holes 23, different static pressures of the airflow are provided between fuel lines flown by fuel and fuel lines not flown by fuel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG
    Inventors: Thomas Doerr, Leif Rackwitz, Waldemar Lazik
  • Patent number: 8443607
    Abstract: An air/fuel premixer comprising a peripheral wall defining a mixing chamber, a nozzle disposed at least partially within the peripheral wall comprising an outer annular wall spaced from the peripheral wall so as to define an outer air passage between the peripheral wall and the outer annular wall, an inner annular wall disposed at least partially within and spaced from the outer annular wall, so as to define an inner air passage, and at least one fuel gas annulus between the outer annular wall and the inner annular wall, the at least one fuel gas annulus defining at least one fuel gas passage, at least one air inlet for introducing air through the inner air passage and the outer air passage to the mixing chamber, and at least one fuel inlet for injecting fuel through the fuel gas passage to the mixing chamber to form an air/fuel mixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: William D. York, Willy S. Ziminsky, Benjamin P. Lacy
  • Patent number: 8438851
    Abstract: A fuel nozzle assembly for use with a turbine engine is described herein. The fuel nozzle assembly includes a plurality of fuel nozzles positioned within an air plenum defined by a casing. Each of the plurality of fuel nozzles is coupled to a combustion liner defining a combustion chamber. Each of the plurality of fuel nozzles includes a housing that includes an inner surface that defines a cooling fluid plenum and a fuel plenum therein, and a plurality of mixing tubes extending through the housing. Each of the mixing tubes includes an inner surface defining a flow channel extending between the air plenum and the combustion chamber. At least one mixing tube of the plurality of mixing tubes including at least one cooling fluid aperture for channeling a flow of cooling fluid from the cooling fluid plenum to the flow channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jong Ho Uhm, Thomas Edward Johnson
  • Patent number: 8438853
    Abstract: A combustor end cap assembly having an improved cooling configuration is disclosed. Embodiments of the present invention are directed towards an apparatus and method for cooling an effusion plate of the combustor end cap assembly. The combustor end cap assembly also incorporates an impingement plate having a plurality of cooling holes with the impingement plate positioned a predetermined distance from the effusion plate. The cooling fluid passes through the impingement plate and is directed towards and onto the effusion plate for cooling of the effusion plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Alstom Technology Ltd.
    Inventors: Andrew Green, Peter Stuttaford, Yan Chen, Hany Rizkalla
  • Patent number: 8429915
    Abstract: A fuel injector is provided, including a fuel injector body, a plurality of fuel vanes, and a plurality of fuel pegs. The injector body includes a manifold and an inlet. The manifold is configured for receiving fuel, and the inlet is configured for receiving air. The fuel vanes are located within the injector body and are positioned in a direction that is generally parallel with a longitudinal axis of the injector body to orient the air flowing from the inlet. The plurality of fuel pegs are fluidly connected to the manifold and are arranged within the plurality of fuel vanes. The plurality of fuel pegs are each spaced at a distance that is about equal between each of the plurality of fuel pegs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Mark Allan Hadley, David Kenton Felling
  • Patent number: 8429914
    Abstract: A fuel injection system is provided for a gas turbine, comprising a mains airblast fuel injector having an annular shape, and inner and outer mains swirlers for swirling air past the mains airblast fuel injector. The inner and outer mains swirlers are concentric with the mains airblast fuel injector and are located radially inwardly and radially outwardly of the mains airblast fuel injector, respectively. The mains airblast fuel injector and the inner and outer mains swirlers are so arranged as to produce a fuel spray stream which expands from the mains airblast fuel injector and has a double flame front. The double flame front comprises flame fronts on both the radially inner and radially outer surfaces of the fuel spray stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC
    Inventors: Sara Gashi, Nickolaos Pilatis
  • Patent number: 8424310
    Abstract: A mixing chamber with a wall and at least one vortex generating element arranged on the wall is provided. The vortex generating element has at least three surfaces, at least one of the surfaces forming a top surface and the other surfaces forming at least first and second side surfaces, the first and second side surfaces arranged not in parallel, the top surface being in contact with the wall via a front edge of the top surface, the front edge extending traverse to a flow direction, the top surface further abutting the first and second side faces forming first and second edges, the first side surface extending in parallel to the flow direction so that the first edge does not contribute to generating a vortex, and the second side surface extending not in parallel to the flow direction so that the second edge contributes to generating the vortex.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Khawar Syed
  • Patent number: 8424311
    Abstract: A fuel/air mixing disk for use in a fuel/air mixing combustor assembly is provided. The disk includes a first face, a second face, and at least one fuel plenum disposed therebetween. A plurality of fuel/air mixing tubes extend through the pre-mixing disk, each mixing tube including an outer tube wall extending axially along a tube axis and in fluid communication with the at least one fuel plenum. At least a portion of the plurality of fuel/air mixing tubes further includes at least one fuel injection hole have a fuel injection hole diameter extending through said outer tube wall, the fuel injection hole having an injection angle relative to the tube axis. The invention provides good fuel air mixing with low combustion generated NOx and low flow pressure loss translating to a high gas turbine efficiency, that is durable, and resistant to flame holding and flash back.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: William David York, Willy Steve Ziminsky, Thomas Edward Johnson, Benjamin Lacy, Baifang Zuo, Jong Ho Uhm
  • Publication number: 20130091846
    Abstract: A fuel injector is provided, including a fuel injector body, a plurality of fuel vanes, and a plurality of fuel pegs. The injector body includes a manifold and an inlet. The manifold is configured for receiving fuel, and the inlet is configured for receiving air. The fuel vanes are located within the injector body and are positioned in a direction that is generally parallel with a longitudinal axis of the injector body to orient the air flowing from the inlet. The plurality of fuel pegs are fluidly connected to the manifold and are arranged within the plurality of fuel vanes. The plurality of fuel pegs are each spaced at a distance that is about equal between each of the plurality of fuel pegs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2011
    Publication date: April 18, 2013
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Mark Allan Hadley, David Kenton Felling
  • Patent number: 8418469
    Abstract: A fuel nozzle assembly is disclosed. The fuel nozzle assembly comprises an outer burner tube and an inner burner tube defining a pre-mixing annulus therebetween. The fuel nozzle assembly further comprises a swirler assembly, the swirler assembly comprising a plurality of swirler vanes disposed in an annular array about the inner burner tube and configured to interact with primary air upstream of the pre-mixing annulus. The fuel nozzle assembly further comprises an air injection feature configured to flow secondary air into the pre-mixing annulus downstream of the swirler assembly such that the secondary air flows in a generally linear path longitudinally with respect to the pre-mixing annulus and adjacent at least one of the outer burner tube and the inner burner tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Geoffrey David Myers, Nishant Govindbhai Parsania, Gregory Allen Boardman
  • Publication number: 20130086882
    Abstract: A power plant is provided and includes a gas turbine engine having a combustor in which compressed gas and fuel are mixed and combusted, first and second supply lines respectively coupled to the combustor and respectively configured to supply the compressed gas and the fuel to the combustor and an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system to re-circulate exhaust gas produced by the gas turbine engine toward the combustor. The EGR system is coupled to the first and second supply lines and configured to combine first and second portions of the re-circulated exhaust gas with the compressed gas and the fuel at the first and second supply lines, respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2011
    Publication date: April 11, 2013
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Ashok Kumar Anand, Thirumala Reddy Nagarjuna Reddy, Jason Brian Shaffer, William David York
  • Publication number: 20130086910
    Abstract: A system includes a fuel nozzle. The fuel nozzle includes a hub, a shroud disposed about the hub, an airflow path between the hub and the shroud, multiple first fuel outlets disposed on the hub, and multiple swirl vanes disposed in the airflow path downstream from the multiple first fuel outlets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2011
    Publication date: April 11, 2013
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Abdul Rafey Khan, Bradley Donald Crawley, Donald Mark Bailey, Ajay Pratap Singh
  • Patent number: 8413446
    Abstract: A fuel injector arrangement for a turbine engine is disclosed. The fuel injector arrangement may have a combustion chamber, a plenum, an injector, and a premixing chamber configured to receive the injector. The premixing chamber may be at least partially disposed within the plenum and open to the combustion chamber. The premixing chamber may have at least one passageway configured to allow air from the plenum to enter and mix with fuel from the injector to form an air/fuel mixture within the premixing chamber, and a porous annular wall configured to allow air from the plenum to enter and create a lean boundary layer at the porous annular wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: James J. Callas, Scott B. Fiveland, Robert J. Moffat
  • Patent number: 8413445
    Abstract: A fuel nozzle assembly for a combustor in a gas turbine including: a gaseous fuel passage and a fuel nozzle at a distal end of the passage; an air tube concentric with the fuel nozzle and defining an air passage between the air tube and the fuel nozzle, wherein the air tube includes a distal section extending axially beyond the fuel injection nozzle; a first fuel-air mixing zone inside the distal section of the air tube, wherein the first fuel-air mixing zone is downstream of the fuel injection nozzle; a flame holder including a porous structure with thermal barrier coating and micro swirlers and defining a downstream end of the first fuel-air mixing zone, wherein fuel and air from the first fuel-air mixing zone pass through the porous structure of the flame holder and into a combustion zone of the combustor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Madhavan Poyyapakkam
  • Publication number: 20130081400
    Abstract: The present application and the resulting patent provide a pre-nozzle mixing cap assembly positioned about a cap member of a combustor for mixing a flow of air and a flow of fuel. The pre-nozzle mixing cap assembly may include a fuel plenum in communication with the flow of fuel and a number of tubes in communication with the flow of air and extending through the fuel plenum. Each of the tubes may include a number of fuel holes therein such that the flow of fuel in the fuel plenum passes through the fuel holes and mixes with the flow of air.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2011
    Publication date: April 4, 2013
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Robert Joseph Rohrssen, Patrick Benedict Melton
  • Patent number: 8402768
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a burner for a combustion chamber of a gas turbine, with an injection device for the introduction of at least one gaseous and/or liquid fuel into the burner, wherein the injection device has at least one body which is arranged in the burner with at least one nozzle for introducing the at least one fuel into the burner, the at least one body being configured as a streamlined body which has a streamlined cross-sectional profile and which extends with a longitudinal direction perpendicularly or at an inclination to a main flow direction prevailing in the burner. The at least one nozzle has its outlet orifice at or in a trailing edge of the streamlined body, and with reference to a central plane of the streamlined body, the trailing edge is provided with at least two lobes extending in opposite transverse directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Alstom Technology Ltd.
    Inventors: Khawar Syed, Madhavan Poyyapakkam, Anton Winkler, Andre Theuer
  • Publication number: 20130067926
    Abstract: The present application provides a premixer for a combustor. The premixer may include a fuel plenum with a number of fuel tubes and a burner tube with a number of air tubes. The fuel tubes extend about the air tubes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2012
    Publication date: March 21, 2013
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jong Ho Uhm, Balachandar Varatharajan, Willy Steve Ziminsky, Gilbert Otto Kraemer, Ertan Yilmaz, Benjamin Lacy, Christian Stevenson, David Felling
  • Patent number: 8397510
    Abstract: A combustor for a gas turbine capable of performing stable combustion even by using high temperature air, comprising a first burner (5) jetting fuel and air into a combustion chamber (2) and a second burner (8) causing the circulating jet of the fuel and air installed at a position corresponding to the tip part of a flame caused by the first burner (5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi Dodo, Susumu Nakano, Kuniyoshi Tsubouchi, Shohei Yoshida, Yoshitaka Hirata
  • Patent number: 8393159
    Abstract: A gas turbine combustor for mixing fuel into combustion air introduced from a compressor, burning an air-fuel mixture, and supplying produced combustion gas to a gas turbine. The combustor has a liquid fuel nozzle for jetting out liquid fuel and a pre-mixture chamber wall having a hollow conical shape gradually spreading in the direction in which the fuel is jetted out from the liquid fuel nozzle, and defining a pre-mixture chamber therein. A plurality of gaseous fuel nozzles are disposed around the pre-mixture chamber wall in an opposing relation respectively to a plurality of air inlet holes bored through the pre-mixture chamber wall and jet out gaseous fuel substantially coaxially with the axes of the air inlet holes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shouhei Yoshida, Yoshitaka Hirata, Kazuyuki Itou, Tomoya Murota, Hiroshi Inoue, Tomohiro Asai
  • Patent number: 8393891
    Abstract: A combustion nozzle for use in a turbine. The combustion nozzle may include a center body and a cone extending from the center body. The cone may include a number of apertures positioned therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Gregory Allen Boardman, Thomas Edward Johnson
  • Patent number: 8393161
    Abstract: A combustion chamber having a burner and a burner insert surrounding the burner while leaving a gap open towards the combustion chamber interior is provided. The burner insert comprises a carrier and a burner insert wall located in front of the carrier towards the combustion chamber interior, wherein a flow passage connected to a cooling-fluid source is formed between the carrier and the burner insert wall. The flow passage opens out into the gap between the burner and the burner insert and is otherwise sealed off from the combustion chamber interior.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Uwe Gruschka
  • Patent number: 8393157
    Abstract: Disclosed is a fuel nozzle for a combustor of a gas turbine engine includes a nozzle inlet, a combustion area and a swirler disposed between the nozzle inlet and combustion area. The swirler includes a plurality of swirler vanes, each swirler vane capable of creating a pressure difference in fluid flow through the swirler between a pressure side and suction side of the swirler vane. The swirler further includes at least one through airflow hole located in at least one swirler vane of the plurality of swirler vanes. The at least one through airflow hole is capable of utilizing the pressure difference between the pressure side and suction side to promote fluid flow through the at least one airflow hole. Also disclosed is a method for operating a combustor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Constantin Dinu
  • Patent number: 8387393
    Abstract: A fuel injector assembly includes a fuel injector that provides fuel to be mixed with air for ignition in a combustor. The fuel injector assembly includes a fuel shroud and a plurality of spanning members. The spanning members are spaced circumferentially on the fuel shroud between the fuel shroud and a base plate assembly, which supports the fuel injector assembly within the combustor. The spanning members space the fuel shroud from the base plate assembly such that an annular gap is formed therebetween. The gap permits a flow of purge air therethrough to be mixed with compressed air entering the fuel shroud and with fuel provided by the fuel injector. The spanning members comprise elongate members having upstream ends that are circumferentially offset from opposed downstream ends so that the spanning members provide tangential velocity to the purge air flowing through the annular gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Siemens Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Kyle L. Landry, Reinhard Schilp
  • Patent number: 8381527
    Abstract: The present specification generally relates to improvements to combustors such as burners and engines. In one aspect, the specification presents an acoustically enhanced ejector system which can be used as part of an intake system for a combustor. In another aspect, the specification teaches the use of a combustor combustion chamber as an oscillator to magnify a harmonic frequency of a pulsating frequency of the combustor. In still other aspects, the specification presents a combustion chamber having an inlet with a plurality of tangentially spaced apertures, and an in-line intake system connected to the apertures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Atlantis Research Labs
    Inventors: Luc LaForest, Dennis Vivian Collins
  • Patent number: 8381531
    Abstract: A fuel injector for a gas turbine engine may include a pilot assembly extending along a longitudinal axis. The pilot assembly may be configured to direct a pilot fuel-air mixture to a combustor of the gas turbine engine. The fuel injector may also include a rich catalyst module circumferentially disposed about the pilot assembly. The catalyst module may be configured to simultaneously direct a stream of compressed air and a stream of first fuel-air mixture therethrough without intermixing. The fuel injector may also include a post mix zone disposed downstream of the catalyst module. The post mix zone may be configured to mix the compressed air and the first fuel air mixture to create a main fuel-air mixture. The fuel injector may further include an air swirler disposed downstream of the post mix zone. The air swirler may be configured to direct the main fuel-air mixture to the combustor without intermixing with the pilot fuel-air mixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Solar Turbines Inc.
    Inventors: Waseem Ahmad Nazeer, Kenneth Owen Smith, Frank John Ritz
  • Publication number: 20130042625
    Abstract: A combustor includes a combustor wall defining a combustion zone and a fuel nozzle. The fuel nozzle includes a forward face, an aft face downstream from the forward face and adjacent to the combustion zone, a plurality of mixing tubes extending between the forward face and the aft face, an outer sleeve positioned radially outward of the plurality of mixing tubes, a heat shield positioned radially inward of the outer sleeve, and a baffle plate between the forward face and the aft face. At least one of the plurality of mixing tubes includes a sidewall that includes an injection opening defined therethrough. The baffle plate is oriented to channel fuel between the plurality of mixing tubes and between the baffle plate and the aft face prior to the fuel being channeled through the injection opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2011
    Publication date: February 21, 2013
    Inventors: Carl Robert Barker, Thomas Edward Johnson
  • Publication number: 20130036743
    Abstract: A combustor assembly includes a combustor body having a combustion chamber, and a nozzle support mounted to the combustor body. The nozzle support includes a central opening, and a plurality of openings extending about the central opening. A central flame tolerant nozzle assembly is positioned within the central opening, and a plurality of micro-mixer nozzle assemblies are mounted in respective ones of the plurality of openings about the central flame tolerant nozzle assembly. Each of the central flame tolerant nozzle assembly and the plurality of micro-mixer nozzle assemblies are configured and disposed to deliver an air-fuel mixture into the combustion chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2011
    Publication date: February 14, 2013
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Abdul Rafey Khan, Krishna Kumar Venkataraman
  • Patent number: 8371125
    Abstract: A burner is provided that has high flame stability and reduces NOx emissions. In the burner, air holes of an air hole member have a central axis inclined relative to a burner central axis. The leading end portion of a first fuel nozzle is configured to be able to suppress turbulence of air-flow flowing on the outer circumference side of the first fuel nozzle. The tip of the first fuel nozzle is located on a fuel jetting-out directional downstream side of the inlet of the fuel hole. The tip of the second fuel nozzle is located on a fuel jetting-out directional downstream side of the air hole inlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Keisuke Miura, Hiroshi Inoue, Kazuhito Koyama, Takeo Saito, Satoshi Dodo
  • Patent number: 8371123
    Abstract: A nozzle includes a center body and a shroud surrounding the center body to define an annular passage. An arcuate annular guide extending from a point radially inward of the shroud to a point radially outward of the shroud defines a first airflow between the arcuate annular guide and the shroud and a second airflow between the arcuate annular guide and the center body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jason Thurman Stewart, Jonathan Dwight Berry, Michael John Hughes