Fuel And Air Premixed Prior To Combustion Patents (Class 60/737)
  • Patent number: 10655857
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine combustion chamber includes upstream and downstream ring structures and a plurality of circumferentially arranged combustion chamber segments. Each segment extends the full length of the combustion chamber and each segment is secured to the upstream ring structure and is mounted on the downstream ring structure. The upstream end of each combustion chamber segment includes a surface having a plurality of circumferentially spaced radially extending holes and the upstream ring structure having a plurality of circumferentially spaced holes extending radially through a portion abutting the surface of the upstream end of each combustion chamber segment. Each combustion chamber segment being removably secured to the upstream ring structure by a plurality of fasteners locatable in the holes in the combustion chamber segment and corresponding holes in the upstream ring structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC
    Inventors: Stephen C Harding, Paul A Hucker
  • Patent number: 10655858
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides assemblies for cooling a liquid fuel cartridge unit within a combustor head end. In one embodiment, the cooling is accomplished passively as air from the head end air plenum is directed into a cooling channel radially outward of a liquid fuel delivery conduit. In another embodiment, the cooling of the liquid fuel cartridge unit is accomplished actively as air is directed through a first air flow conduit radially inward of the liquid fuel delivery conduit and then redirected through a second air flow conduit radially outward of the liquid fuel delivery conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Donald Mark Bailey, Lucas John Stoia, Timothy James Purcell
  • Patent number: 10648672
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for assisting with the combustion of fuel are described. The apparatus includes a swirler assembly and a fuel nozzle. Fuel is directed into a fuel nozzle mixing chamber and combines with air therein to form a fuel-air mixture. At least one plasma generator, at least partially within the fuel nozzle, generates an at least one of an at least partially ionized air-fuel mixture and an at least partially dissociated air-fuel mixture (“at least partially I/D air-fuel mixture”) via a plasma generator discharge. A combustion chamber inlet admits the at least partially I/D air-fuel mixture from the plasma generator into a combustion chamber internal volume. Combustion air flows through the swirler body and into the combustion chamber internal volume. Combustion of the at least partially I/D air-fuel mixture with the combustion air occurs at least partially within the combustion chamber internal volume to responsively produce products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: FGC PLASMA SOLUTIONS LLC
    Inventor: Felipe Gomez del Campo
  • Patent number: 10634344
    Abstract: A fuel nozzle assembly includes a flange body including a stem. The flange body defines a flow passage therethrough. The fuel nozzle assembly further includes a conduit assembly having an inner tube that is disposed within an outer tube. A purge passage is defined radially between the inner tube and the outer tube and a fuel passage is defined within the inner tube. The outer tube and the inner tube are connected to the stem with the inner tube being connected to the stem via a flexible coupling disposed within the purge passage. The purge passage is in fluid communication with an inlet flow plenum and with a plurality of premix tubes of the fuel nozzle assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Donald Mark Bailey, Lucas John Stoia
  • Patent number: 10634355
    Abstract: A nozzle includes a nozzle body defining a longitudinal axis. The nozzle body includes an inner air passage fed by a radial swirler and having a converging conical cross-section. A first fuel circuit is radially outboard from the air passage with respect to the longitudinal axis. A second fuel circuit is radially outboard from the first fuel circuit with respect to the longitudinal axis, wherein each of the first fuel circuit and the second fuel circuit extends from a respective fuel circuit inlet to a respective annular fuel circuit outlet. An outer air passage is defined between a fuel circuit outer wall and an outer air passage wall, wherein the outer air passage is a converging non-swirling outer air passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: Delavan Inc.
    Inventors: Lev Alexander Prociw, Jason A. Ryon
  • Patent number: 10612784
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a nozzle assembly including a header manifold and a ring manifold, which defines a liquid fuel plenum, spaced from the header manifold. An outer sleeve connects to the ring manifold, and a nozzle body connects to the outer sleeve. The ring manifold, the outer sleeve, and the nozzle body define a fluid chamber. An inner fuel tube extends from the header manifold to the nozzle body. A portion of the inner fuel tube extends helically about an axial centerline of the nozzle assembly between the ring manifold and the nozzle body. A first fuel tube extends helically around a portion of the inner fuel tube. The first fuel tube fluidly couples the liquid fuel plenum to the header manifold. A second fuel tube extends helically around a portion of the inner fuel tube and fluidly couples the liquid fuel plenum to the header manifold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Kaitlin Marie Graham, Thomas Edward Johnson, Geoffrey David Myers
  • Patent number: 10605169
    Abstract: Combustor panels for use in gas turbine engine combustors having a panel body having a peripheral rail around a periphery of the panel body, a first boss formed on the panel body and surrounding a first aperture that passes through the panel body, and a first webbing that extends from the peripheral rail toward the first boss. A first annular channel is formed between the first webbing and the first boss and surrounds the first boss and a first web pocket is formed within the first webbing between the peripheral rail and the first boss and defines a local extension of the first annular channel extending from the first boss to the peripheral rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Dennis M. Moura, James B. Hoke, Reza Rezvani
  • Patent number: 10590850
    Abstract: A burner injects a mixture of fuel and air from a base end side far from a combustion chamber toward a distal end side close to the combustion chamber. The burner has a fuel passage having a turn-back part turning back and channeling the fuel between the base end side and the distal end side. The burner has a premixed gas passage formed to surround the fuel passage. The burner has a fuel introduction part introducing the fuel channeled through the fuel passage into the premixed gas passage from the base end side to the distal end side. The burner has an air supply part supplying the premixed gas passage with air on the base end side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masahiro Ogata, Takeo Oda, Yasuhiro Kinoshita, Kohshi Hirano, Takahiro Uto
  • Patent number: 10584638
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a combustion system including a panel fuel injector. The panel fuel injector includes a first side wall, a second side wall, and an aft wall. The first side wall and the second side wall are interconnected by the aft wall. The panel fuel injector further includes a cooling air plenum that is defined between the first side wall and the second side wall. The aft wall defines a plurality of cooling holes in fluid communication with the cooling air plenum. One or more of the cooling holes of the plurality of cooling holes is oriented towards at least one of a leading edge, a pressure side wall, or a suction side wall of a stationary nozzle disposed proximate to the aft end wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jonathan Dwight Berry, Michael John Hughes
  • Patent number: 10578021
    Abstract: A combustion system for a gas turbine engine includes a combustor dome. The combustor dome includes a fuel manifold with an inlet and nozzle components of a plurality of nozzles circumferentially spaced around the combustor dome. The fuel manifold and nozzle components are integrated with the combustor dome for fluid communication from the inlet to the nozzle components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: Delavan Inc
    Inventor: Lev A. Prociw
  • Patent number: 10570826
    Abstract: A fluid manifold includes a manifold body, a first annular passage and a second annular passage. The first annular passage is defined within the manifold body between a first passage inlet and a first passage outlet downstream from the first passage inlet. The second annular passage is defined within the manifold body nested radially outward from the first annular passage, and between a second passage inlet and a second passage outlet downstream from the second passage inlet. The first and second annular passages are concentric about a manifold axis. The first passage outlet and the second passage outlet are positioned at the same axial position relative to the manifold axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: Delavan Inc.
    Inventors: Jason A. Ryon, Jacob Greenfield, Lev Alexander Prociw
  • Patent number: 10557634
    Abstract: A method for operating a premix burner for gaseous fuels having a multi-stage pilot gas system whose diffusion fuel is injected into a flame chamber of the premix burner as at least two partial streams with different orientations, and a premix burner for carrying out the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: MAN Energy Solutions SE
    Inventors: Eric Norster, Holger Huitenga, Reiner Brinkmann
  • Patent number: 10527286
    Abstract: A nozzle includes a nozzle body with an inner air passage fed by a first radial swirler and a second radial swirler axially downstream of the first radial swirler. A first fuel circuit is axially between the first and second radial swirlers. A second fuel circuit is axially downstream of the second radial swirler, wherein each of the first fuel circuit and the second fuel circuit extends from a respective fuel circuit inlet to a respective annular fuel circuit outlet. An outer air passage is defined between a fuel circuit outer wall of the second fuel circuit and an outer air passage wall, wherein the outer air passage is a converging non-swirling air passage. An intermediate air passage can be defined between an intermediate wall and the second radial swirler, wherein the intermediate air passage is a converging non-swirling air passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: DELAVAN, INC
    Inventors: Lev Alexander Prociw, Jason A. Ryon
  • Patent number: 10508811
    Abstract: An injector of a radial fuel injection system for a combustor of a gas turbine engine includes a swirler; and a fuel nozzle located within the swirler, the fuel nozzle located within the swirler, the fuel nozzle operable to provide a biased circumferential fuel distribution within the swirler. A method of controlling a fuel flow to a combustor of a gas turbine engine includes selectively controlling a biased circumferential fuel distribution within a swirler of a radial fuel injection system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: William Proscia
  • Patent number: 10508600
    Abstract: A retaining bracket is attached to a fuel nozzle for cooperating with a flange on a fuel transfer tube to prevent the fuel transfer tube from becoming disconnected from the fuel nozzle during engine operation. The retaining bracket is shaped so as to form an enclosure over a head of the nozzle, the enclosure acting as a fire shield to allow the nozzle to perform its intended functions for a predetermined period of time when exposed to an engine fire event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventor: Oleg Morenko
  • Patent number: 10443845
    Abstract: A gas turbine combustor includes a combustor liner, a flow sleeve in which the combustor liner is provided and an annular flow passage formed between the combustor liner and the flow sleeve, through which compressed air flows. The flow sleeve includes an internal-diameter changing portion diagonally connected to the flow sleeve and an internal-diameter reducing portion connected to the internal-diameter changing portion and extending along the flow direction of the compressed air. The combustor liner includes an annular protruding portion annularly formed on an outer wall of the combustor liner and protruding toward the flow sleeve. The annular protruding portion is located at a position on the outer wall of the combustion liner, the position facing a connection position between the flow sleeve and the internal-diameter changing portion or being at an upstream side of the position facing the connection position in the flow direction of the compressed air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shohei Numata, Osami Yokota, Tetsuma Tatsumi
  • Patent number: 10436117
    Abstract: A fuel injection system for a gas turbine engine includes a vane in an airflow path within the gas turbine engine, the vane includes an air channel with an outlet in communication with the airflow path; and a fuel nozzle within the vane operable to inject fuel into the air channel to at least partially premix and prevaporize the fuel with a secondary airflow from within the vane in the air channel prior to entry into the airflow path through the outlet. A method of injecting fuel within a gas turbine engine includes at least partially premixing and prevaporizing fuel with a secondary airflow from within a vane in an air channel within the vane, the vane within an airflow path of the gas turbine engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffery A. Lovett, Darin A. Knaus, Scott D. Phillips, Daniel J. Micka, Patrick Magari
  • Patent number: 10371385
    Abstract: A sequential burner for an axial gas turbine comprises: a burner body, which is designed as an axially extending hot gas channel and further comprises a fuel injection device, which extends into said burner body perpendicular to the axial direction. The manufacturing of the burner body is simplified and the fuel injection is stabilized by designing said fuel injection device as a mechanically stiff component, and fixing said fuel injection device to said burner body in order to keep it aligned with said burner body and to stiffen said burner body against creep.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: ANSALDO ENERGIA SWITZERLAND AG
    Inventors: Urs Benz, Andrea Ciani
  • Patent number: 10364988
    Abstract: A method for delivering fuel from a fuel nozzle of a combustor of a gas turbine engine includes directing fuel from a fuel source through a flow splitter to provide at least two concentric fuel flows, filming the concentric two fuel flows on concentrically arranged inwardly facing filming surfaces that are disposed downstream of the flow splitter, and atomizing the concentric fuel flows into a core air flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Eduardo David Hawie, Nigel Davenport, Yen-Wen Wang
  • Patent number: 10352567
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a fuel-air premixer for a turbine system. The fuel-air premixer includes a swirler and a centerbody. The swirler is configured to direct a flow of air through the premixer, and the centerbody is configured to inject fuel into the flow of air. Additionally, the centerbody includes an airfoil shape that reduces and/or substantially eliminates recirculation pockets to prevent autoignition and/or flame holding in a combustion chamber. Accordingly, the turbine system may produce fewer NOx emissions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Liangyu Wang, Anthony John Dean, Keith Robert McManus, Kapil Kumar Singh, Suhui Li, Sravan Kumar Dheeraj Kapilavai, Mathew Paul Thariyan, Owen Graham
  • Patent number: 10344981
    Abstract: A nozzle includes a nozzle body defining a longitudinal axis and including a primary distributor and a secondary distributor. The primary distributor has an inner air passage fed by a radial swirler; a first fuel circuit radially outboard from the inner air passage with respect to the longitudinal axis; a second fuel circuit radially outboard from the first fuel circuit with respect to the longitudinal axis, wherein each of the first fuel circuit and the second fuel circuit extends from a respective fuel circuit inlet to a respective annular fuel circuit outlet; and an outer air passage defined between a fuel circuit outer wall and an outer air passage wall, wherein the outer air passage is a converging non-swirling outer air passage. The secondary distributor similar to the primary distributor is downstream of the primary distributor with respect to the longitudinal axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: Delavan Inc.
    Inventors: Lev Alexander Prociw, Jason A. Ryon
  • Patent number: 10295187
    Abstract: A fuel nozzle for a gas turbine engine is disclosed which includes a nozzle body having a longitudinal axis, an elongated annular air passage defined within the nozzle body, and a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart axially extending swirl vanes disposed within the annular air passage, wherein each swirl vane has multiple joined leads and a variable thickness along the axial extent thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce plc
    Inventors: Brandon P. Williams, Kevin E. Thompson, Robert R. Fogarty
  • Patent number: 10288293
    Abstract: A fuel nozzle apparatus has a centerline axis, and includes: a main fuel injector including an enclosed interior volume in fluid communication with a plurality of fuel ports configured to discharge fuel therefrom; a main fuel conduit disposed upstream of the main fuel injector and configured to supply liquid fuel to the interior volume; and a fluid lock disposed between the main fuel conduit and the main fuel injector, the fluid lock including a plurality of parallel capillary channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: David Richard Barnhart, Joshua Tyler Mook
  • Patent number: 10281148
    Abstract: A biomass-mixed, pulverized coal-fired burner is provided. The biomass-mixed, pulverized coal-fired burner is capable of burning biomass fuel as auxiliary fuel in large quantities and burning only pulverized coal when the biomass fuel is not sufficiently available. The biomass-mixed, pulverized coal-fired burner includes: a biomass fuel jet nozzle that extends axially along the biomass-mixed, pulverized coal-fired burner; a pulverized coal fuel jet nozzle that surrounds the biomass fuel jet nozzle; a secondary air nozzle that surrounds the pulverized coal fuel jet nozzle; and a tertiary air nozzle that surrounds the secondary air nozzle. A biomass fuel stream is jetted into an inside of a pulverized coal fuel flame formed in a furnace, the flame offering favorable ignition and flame holding performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Koji Taniguchi, Atsunori Kato, Suguru Yabara, Yutaka Tanabe
  • Patent number: 10267524
    Abstract: A turbine combustor assembly includes a fuel/air mixer assembly having a plurality of fuel/air mixer elements and a fuel injector coupled to the fuel/air mixer assembly. Each of the fuel/air mixer elements includes: a fuel/air mixer body having an internal cavity extending axially between an air inlet and an air outlet; and a prefilmer residing within an interior cavity of the fuel/air mixer body, the prefilmer including an axial inner air flow passage extending coaxially with an axial centerline of the internal cavity of the fuel/air mixer body and a radial fuel injection port into the air flow passage. The fuel injector is arranged to direct fuel into a plurality of the fuel/air mixer elements via the fuel injection port of the prefilmer of each fuel/air mixer element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: Woodward, Inc.
    Inventor: Fei Philip Lee
  • Patent number: 10228141
    Abstract: An axial fuel staging (AFS) system for a combustor is provided. The AFS system includes a secondary fuel injector, an injector housing surrounding the secondary fuel injector, and a conduit assembly in flow communication with the secondary fuel injector. The conduit assembly includes a first conduit for conveying fuel to the secondary fuel injector, and a second conduit circumscribing the first conduit such that a channel is defined between the first conduit and the second conduit. The first conduit and the second conduit terminate within the injector housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2019
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: David William Cihlar, Christopher Paul Willis, Marissa Ann Singley, Jonathan Glenn Reed
  • Patent number: 10215415
    Abstract: A fuel nozzle assembly includes a centerbody and a cartridge that extends axially through the centerbody. The cartridge defines a purge air passage within the centerbody. The cartridge includes a tip portion that is defined by a tip body. The tip body defines a throat portion and a mouth portion which is defined downstream from the throat portion. The tip body further defines a plurality of injection ports circumferentially spaced around the throat portion. The injection ports provide for fluid communication between the purge air passage and the throat portion of the tip body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Jason Thurman Stewart
  • Patent number: 10184666
    Abstract: A fuel nozzle including vortex generating features for use in a combustion turbine engine is provided. An array of inner pre-mixing conduits (20) extends between an inlet end (14) and an outlet end (16) of the nozzle. An array of outer pre-mixing conduits (22) may be disposed radially outwardly relative to the inner pre-mixing conduits (20). A fuel-directing tube (24) includes fuel-directing arms (26) structured to direct fuel flow into the outer pre-mixing conduits (22) to be mixed with a flow of air. The fuel-directing arms include a bluff structural arrangement (30) that may be disposed upstream of fuel injection locations (32, 32?) into the outer pre-mixing conduits (22). The proposed nozzle is believed to provide superior micro-mixing capability, such as by increasing the depth of penetration of jets of fuel in a cross-flow of air, and/or formation of vortices in a wake zone downstream from the vortex generating features.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: SIEMENS ENERGY, INC.
    Inventors: Joseph Meadows, Christian Beck
  • Patent number: 10184665
    Abstract: A fuel nozzle is provided for a gas turbine engine, and can include a pilot fuel injector having an axially-elongated, inner pilot centerbody wall and an outer pilot centerbody wall, with the axially-elongated, inner pilot centerbody wall extending from an upstream end to an annular fuel passage defining the downstream end of the pilot fuel injector. The fuel passage intersects with the inner pilot centerbody wall at a pilot fuel metering orifice. The fuel nozzle also includes a pilot fuel film surface downstream from the annular fuel passage and an annular splitter surrounding the pilot fuel injector. The annular splitter comprises, in axial sequence: an upstream section, a splitter throat having a diameter that is larger than a downstream diameter defined by the pilot fuel film surface, and a downstream diverging surface having an average diverging angle of about 24° to about 40° in relation to a centerline axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Michael Anthony Benjamin, Alfred Albert Mancini, Rameshkumar Muthuvel Chandrasekaran
  • Patent number: 10174658
    Abstract: A mixer for a vehicle exhaust system includes a mixer housing that defines an interior cavity for engine exhaust gases, and which includes a doser opening formed within a wall of the mixer housing. A cone has a cone inlet opening aligned with the doser opening and a cone outlet into the interior cavity. A cylindrical member surrounds at least a portion of the cone and includes at least one window opening. At least one diverter duct is fixed to the mixer housing and has a first duct end open to the interior cavity and a second duct end at least partially overlapping the at least one window opening such that a portion of the engine exhaust gases in the interior cavity is directed to enter the first duct end, flow through the at least one window and then flow into the cone inlet opening to be mixed with a fluid injected through the doser opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: Faurecia Emissions Control Technologies, USA, LLC
    Inventors: Philip M. Dimpelfeld, Eduardo Alano
  • Patent number: 10139110
    Abstract: A turbomachine combustion chamber, comprises a fuel injector nozzle and an injection system. The injection system comprises a sliding traverse, means for maintaining the sliding traverse and a supporting sole for the sliding traverse. The injection system comprises means for recalling the sliding traverse configured to stress the supporting sole against axial displacements of the sliding traverse relatively to the means for maintaining. The outer connection surface of the injector nozzle and/or at least one portion of the internal centring surface of the sliding traverse narrow in the downstream direction, in such a way as to retain the injector nozzle relatively to the sliding traverse axially in the downstream direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES
    Inventors: Brice Marie Yves Emile Le Pannerer, Jean-François Cabre, Galadriel Dancie
  • Patent number: 10125716
    Abstract: A control apparatus (100) controls a diesel engine (10). A glow plug (32) which can detect cylinder pressure is provided on the engine (10). An ECU (70) computes a parameter related to a change in cylinder pressure obtained from the glow plug (32). The ECU (70) controls fuel injection timing such that the parameter falls within a target range when combustion in the engine (10) is switched from premixed combustion to diffusion combustion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takafumi Tanaka, Tetsuhara Honma, Toshiyuki Nakamura, Manabu Okinaka
  • Patent number: 10125982
    Abstract: A burner device for a gas turbine with a burner body, wherein the burner body has an axial end face, a first supply channel having a first opening in the axial end face, and a burner end element arranged at the axial end face. The burner end element has a first plenum chamber coupled to the first opening of the first supply channel, such that a first fluid is feedable from the first supply channel to the first plenum chamber. The burner end element further has a lattice structure with a plurality of interconnected pores, wherein the first plenum chamber is coupled to the lattice structure for feeding the first fluid into the lattice structure. The lattice structure forms a part of a burner surface which points to a burning chamber of the gas turbine such that a fluid connection between the burning chamber and the lattice structure is formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Andreas Graichen
  • Patent number: 10094565
    Abstract: A gas turbine combustor and a gas turbine include a pilot burner, a plurality of main burners, and a flame stabilizer. A first air ejection portion is adapted to eject first air toward a tip end portion side between the main burners and the flame stabilizer, a second air ejection portion is adapted to circulate second air toward a tip end portion side outside the flame stabilizer and eject the second air toward a radially outward direction, and a change member is adapted to change an ejecting direction of the second air ejected through the second air ejection portion to an axial center direction of the flame stabilizer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HITACHI POWER SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Yusuke Tanaka, Satoshi Takiguchi, Keijiro Saito, Shinji Akamatsu
  • Patent number: 10094560
    Abstract: A system for waste processing includes a feeder for receiving a waste stream of carbonaceous materials, multiple independently controllable augers, a reactor and an incinerator. The reactor receives a waste stream from the feeder and using a controllable heating element assembly converts the carbonaceous materials in the waste stream to syngas. The incinerator uses the syngas from the reactor to incinerate separately received black water waste from a storage tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignees: Leidos, Inc., Defense Life Sciences, Inc.
    Inventors: Geoffrey Louis Doyle, Jerry B. Warner, Kunihiro Nakamoto
  • Patent number: 10094568
    Abstract: A combustor includes a plurality of bundled tube fuel nozzles which are annularly arranged around a common axial centerline. The plurality of bundled tube fuel nozzles comprise a first bundled tube fuel nozzle and a second bundled tube fuel nozzle. The first bundled tube fuel nozzle includes a first fuel plenum and a plurality of premix tubes which extend axially therethrough. The second bundled tube fuel nozzle includes a second fuel plenum and a plurality of premix tubes which extend axially therethrough. The first fuel plenum is axially offset at a predefined axial distance from the second fuel plenum so as to mitigate combustion tones within the combustor. In one embodiment, premix tube fuel ports disposed within the first and/or second fuel plenums may be axially offset with respect to each other within the corresponding fuel plenums at a predefined axial distance to mitigate combustion tones within the combustor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Sven Georg Bethke
  • Patent number: 10054314
    Abstract: An axial fuel staging injector for a gas turbine includes a body. The body includes an upstream end and a downstream end. The body defines a primary compressed air flow path through which compressed air flows from a compressed air source to a transition duct of a gas turbine combustor. The body includes a plurality of outlets disposed on an interior surface thereof. Each outlet of the plurality of outlets includes a secondary fuel conduit in fluid communication with a secondary fuel source, and includes a first wall that defines a secondary fuel path. The secondary compressed air conduit is in fluid communication with a compressed air source, and includes a second wall disposed about the first wall in a substantially coannular arrangement, wherein the first wall and the second wall define a secondary compressed air flow path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Sravan Kumar Dheeraj Kapilavai, Wei Zhao, Shivakumar Srinivasan
  • Patent number: 10041680
    Abstract: A gas turbine combustor of the present invention includes a cylindrical combustor liner, a cylindrical combustion chamber inside the combustor liner, and a burner that includes a plurality of fuel nozzles for injecting the gas fuel into the combustion chamber and an air hole plate with a plurality of air holes for guiding the compressed air into the combustion chamber. The air hole plate joins the combustor liner and is disposed between the fuel nozzles and the combustion chamber. The junction between the air hole plate and the combustor liner is provided with an inclined component which covers the junction and has a connecting surface connecting the air hole plate and the combustor liner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomohiro Asai, Akinori Hayashi, Yasuhiro Akiyama
  • Patent number: 10041681
    Abstract: The present application provides a combustor for use with a gas turbine engine. The combustor may include a primary stage nozzle in communication with a linear actuator and a number of stationary secondary nozzles surrounding the primary stage nozzle in whole or in part. The linear actuator varies the position of the primary stage nozzle with respect to the stationary secondary nozzles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Joseph Vincent Citeno, Thomas Edward Johnson
  • Patent number: 10024540
    Abstract: A combustion chamber for a gas turbine is provided. The combustion chamber comprises at least one first and one second jet carrier, of which at least one is provided for injecting an operating gas in the combustion chamber such that waste gas formed in the flame zone thereof is circulated to a mixing zone of the first jet carrier. In order to achieve a compact combustion chamber, the jet carriers are positioned in relation to each other such that waste gas from the flame zone of the first jet carrier flows directly to the mixing zone of the second jet carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Peter Kaufmann, Werner Krebs
  • Patent number: 9982892
    Abstract: A fuel nozzle assembly includes a center body having a pilot air passage and a pilot fuel passage defined therein. A pilot nozzle having a plurality of premix passages is disposed within a downstream end portion of the center body. Each premix passage includes an inlet that is in fluid communication with the pilot air passage, an outlet that is positioned axially downstream from the inlet and a fuel port that is in fluid communication with the pilot fuel passage. An outer sleeve is coaxially aligned with and radially spaced from the center body so as to define an annular passage therebetween. A strut extends radially outwardly from the center body to the outer sleeve. The fuel nozzle assembly further includes an inlet passage that is in fluid communication with the pilot air passage. The inlet passage extends through the outer sleeve, the strut and the center body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Bryan Wesley Romig, Dereck Joseph Ouellet, Jason Thurman Stewart, Michael Christopher Gibson
  • Patent number: 9976744
    Abstract: A reheat burner arrangement including a center body, an annular duct with a cross-section area, an intermediate fuel injection plane located along the center body and being actively connected to the cross section area of the annular duct, wherein the center body is located upstream of a combustion chamber, wherein the structure of the reheat burner arrangement is defined by various parameters and the structure of the reheat burner arrangement is defined by various dependencies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: ANSALDO ENERGIA SWITZERLAND AG
    Inventors: John Philip Wood, Andrea Ciani, Andre Theuer, Douglas Anthony Pennell, Ewald Freitag
  • Patent number: 9964308
    Abstract: A combustor cap assembly includes an impingement plate coupled to an annular shroud and a cap plate which is coupled to the impingement plate to form an impingement air plenum therebetween. The combustor cap assembly further includes a flow conditioning plate coupled to a forward end portion of the shroud. The flow conditioning plate includes an inner band portion, an outer band portion and an annular portion. The annular portion defines a plurality of flow conditioning passages. The inner band portion at least partially defines a cooling air plenum within the combustor cap assembly. The inner band portion defines an exhaust channel which is in fluid communication with the impingement air plenum and an exhaust outlet. The flow conditioning plate further defines a cooling air passage which provides for cooling air flow into the cooling air plenum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Carolyn Ashley Antoniono, Jonathan Hale Kegley, Lucas John Stoia, Patrick Benedict Melton, William Francis Carnell, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9951956
    Abstract: A fuel nozzle assembly includes a premix chamber, an air flow divider extending radially and axially within the premix chamber between an inner wall and an outer wall and a plurality of guide vanes disposed within the premix chamber. One or more of the guide vanes includes a fuel port in fluid communication with the flow divider. The fuel nozzle assembly further includes a premix plate that extends radially between the inner and outer walls and circumferentially between first and second side walls downstream from the fuel ports. The premix plate includes an upstream side axially spaced from a downstream side and a plurality of passages that provide for fluid flow from the premix chamber through the premix plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Almaz Kamilevich Valeev
  • Patent number: 9939156
    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: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Krishna C. Miduturi, David M. Ritland
  • Patent number: 9938903
    Abstract: A gas turbine including a working fluid flowpath extending aftward from a forward injector in a combustor. The combustor may include an inner radial wall, an outer radial wall, and, therebetween, a flow annulus, and a third radial wall formed about the outer radial wall that forms an outer flow annulus. A staged injector may intersect the flow annulus so to attain an injection point within the working fluid flowpath by which aftward and forward annulus sections are defined. Air directing structure may include an aftward intake section corresponding to the aftward annulus section and a forward intake section corresponding to the forward annulus section. The air directing structure may include a switchback coolant flowpath to direct air from the compressor discharge cavity to the staged injector. The switchback coolant flowpath may include an upstream section through the flow annulus, and a downstream section through the outer flow annulus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Michael John Hughes, Jonathan Dwight Berry
  • Patent number: 9933162
    Abstract: A combustor includes: a pilot burner; a plurality of main burners, each of which is provided radially and outwardly along a circumferential direction about the pilot burner, and including a main nozzle disposed in a main burner cylinder; and an extension tube provided to extend toward a downstream side from the main burner cylinder of each of the main burners. The extension tube has a circular inlet communicating with the main burner cylinder, and an outlet at the downstream side comprising two radial edges parallel to the radial direction and two circumferential edges formed along the circumferential direction so as to connect both ends of the radial edges. The combustor further includes an air passage formed outside of the main burner cylinder; and an inner communication hole (formed at the side of the inlet of the extension tube and at a position corresponding to the radially and inwardly circumferential edge for allowing communication between the air passage and the inside of the extension tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HITACHI POWER SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Kei Inoue, Keijiro Saito, Hikaru Katano, Sosuke Nakamura, Mitsunori Isono, Atsushi Yuasa
  • Patent number: 9926845
    Abstract: A combustor according to the invention includes a combustor basket to which air A is supplied from the outside, a plurality of first nozzles that are annularly provided along the inner periphery of the combustor basket and that supply premixed gas M of the air and fuel to the inside of the combustor basket, and a transition piece in which the combustor basket is connected to a base end thereof and which burns the premixed gas supplied from the first nozzles, thereby forming a flame front spread to the outer periphery side toward the leading end in an axial direction, wherein each first nozzle supplies the premixed gas with fuel concentration changed around the center axis of the first nozzle such that the flame front has a uniform temperature in the axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HITACHI POWER SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Sosuke Nakamura, Yoshikazu Matsumura, Hikaru Katano, Kenta Taniguchi, Hiroyuki Yamasaki
  • Patent number: 9863637
    Abstract: Provided is a combustor that is made compact and achieves NOx reduction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Satoshi Takiguchi, Atsushi Yuasa, Satoshi Tanimura
  • Patent number: 9840992
    Abstract: A fuel injector for an engine includes a connection to a fuel source, a nozzle which provides an outlet from the fuel injector, a fuel path from the fuel source to the nozzle, a valve between the fuel path and the nozzle, and a gas injection mechanism configured to insert a gas core into the fuel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: Elwha LLC
    Inventors: William D. Duncan, Roderick A. Hyde, Lowell L. Wood, Jr.