Process Patents (Class 60/772)
  • Publication number: 20150068213
    Abstract: A method of cooling a gas turbine engine is provided. The method includes removing a load from the gas turbine engine. The method also includes operating the gas turbine engine at a rated speed of the gas turbine engine. The method further includes modulating an angle of at least one stage of inlet guide vanes disposed proximate an inlet of a compressor section of the gas turbine engine, wherein modulating the angle modifies a flow rate of an inlet flow for reducing a cooling time of the gas turbine engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2013
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ariel Harter Lomas, Bradley Steven Carey, Kevin Michael Elward, Richard Francis Gutta, George Jason Kaliope
  • Publication number: 20150059347
    Abstract: A method for controlling coupling between a first machine including a first rotating shaft having an associated first positional phase angle defined by a first shaft indicia and a second machine including a second rotating shaft having an associated second positional phase angle defined by a second shaft indicia. A rotational speed and rotational angle of the first shaft are monitored, and rotation of the second shaft is controlled by bringing the second shaft to a predetermined rotational speed relative to the first shaft speed. Acceleration of the second shaft is controlled such that the second shaft indicia is within a predetermined angle relative to the first shaft indicia upon the second shaft being brought to the predetermined rotational speed, at which point the first and second shafts are coupled such that the second shaft indicia is within the predetermined angle relative to the first shaft indicia.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2013
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Inventors: Peter Jon Clayton, Joseph David Hurley, Albert C. Sismour, JR., Melissa A. Batis-Carver
  • Publication number: 20150059348
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a gas turbine engine system having a plurality of combustors, wherein a first combustor includes one or more fuel nozzles and one or more fuel injectors positioned downstream from the fuel nozzles. The gas turbine engine may also include a first valve disposed along a fuel delivery line between a fuel circuit and the first combustor to adjust a first flow of the fuel to the first combustor. The gas turbine engine may also include a second valve disposed along a fuel delivery line between the first valve and at least one of the one or more fuel injectors to adjust a second flow of the fuel to at least one of the one or more fuel injectors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2013
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: David Kaylor Toronto, Wei Chen
  • Publication number: 20150059349
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine combustor which is cooled by a hybrid cooling apparatus and method. Heat shields cooled by impingement cooling air are present at an upstream section of the combustor liners and exhausted impingement cooling air is substantially discharged outside of the primary zone of the combustor chamber. The single-skinned downstream section of the combustor liners is cooled by effusion cooling.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2013
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Applicant: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
    Inventors: Bhawan Patel, Parthasarathy Sampath
  • Publication number: 20150059350
    Abstract: A method includes generating an exhaust gas from combustion gases with a turbine; recirculating the exhaust gas along an exhaust recirculation flow path; reducing moisture within the exhaust gas along the exhaust recirculation path with an exhaust gas processing system; providing the exhaust gas to a first exhaust gas inlet of an exhaust gas compressor for compression; and providing the exhaust gas from the exhaust recirculation path to a second exhaust gas inlet separate from the first exhaust gas inlet for cooling, preheating, sealing, or any combination thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2013
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Inventors: Sandra Beverly Kolvick, Richard A. Huntington, Franklin F. Mittricker
  • Patent number: 8966908
    Abstract: A fuel injector for a turbine engine may include a body member disposed about a longitudinal axis, and a barrel member located radially outwardly from the body member. The fuel injector may also include an annular passageway extending between the body member and the barrel member from a first end to a second end. The first end may be configured to be fluidly coupled to a compressor of the turbine engine and the second end may be configured to be fluidly coupled to a combustor of the turbine engine. The fuel injector may also include a perforated plate positioned proximate the first end of the passageway. The perforated plate may be configured to direct compressed air into the annular passageway with a first pressure drop. The fuel injector may also include at least one fuel discharge orifice positioned downstream of the perforated plate. The at least one fuel discharge orifice may be configured to discharge a fuel into the annular passageway with a second pressure drop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Solar Turbines Incorporated
    Inventors: Christopher Zdzislaw Twardochleb, Hongyu Wang, James Wilfrid Blust, Mario E. Abreu
  • Publication number: 20150052903
    Abstract: An alignment and measuring tool for turbomachine combustor includes a support member configured and disposed to operatively connect to a combustor casing mounting element having an opening, and an indexing element connected to the support member. The indexing element includes an opening provided with a first recess zone and a second recess zone. A ferrule including an opening is configured and disposed to be positioned across a combustion liner opening. A cap member is supported upon the support member and arranged within the opening of the indexing element. A rod is arranged in the cap member and extends from a first end to a second end through an intermediate portion. The rod includes an adjustable cone member slidingly mounted upon the intermediate portion. The adjustable cones is configured and disposed to nest in the combustor liner opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2014
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Inventors: Robert Pankowski, Kamil Bazyli Kaczorowski, Grzegorz Michal Poltorak, Andrzej Jacek Radlicz
  • Publication number: 20150052902
    Abstract: A jet engine having an air intake and a compression section having first and second separate flow paths coupled to the air intake, the second flow path containing a fuel rich, fuel air mixture having an equivalence rate above the mixture flammability limit, the first flow path containing only air, a burner turbine section, the compression section being coupled directly to the burner turbine section, and means for injecting air from the first flow path into the fuel rich fuel air mixture of the said flow path in the burner turbine section to generate intraturbine diffusion layer burning of said fuel air mixture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2013
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Inventor: DARREN LEVINE
  • Patent number: 8959924
    Abstract: Disclosed is a turbofan engine for an aircraft. An inner fan cowl of the turbofan engine bounds an annular cold-stream duct proximate to the engine's central hot-stream generator, and an outer fan cowl bounds the annular cold-stream duct proximate to an outer nacelle cowl. An annular boss is provided along the inner fan cowl, with the annular boss having a rounded cross section that projects with respect to a smooth shape configuration of the inner fan cowl. The annular boss is configured to locally change speed of a cold stream flow in the annular cold-stream duct from a subsonic range to a supersonic range and to originate a first shockwave characteristic in a succession of shockwave characteristics, with the first shockwave characteristic being inclined from its origin toward the rear portion of the turbofan engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Airbus Operations SAS
    Inventors: Franck Crosta, Damien Prat, David Grossein
  • Patent number: 8959925
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for controlling gas turbine operation in response to lean blowout of a combustion can. The gas turbine comprises a pair of combustion cans. The method includes sensing that a first combustion can is extinguished during a full load operation of the gas turbine, adjusting a fuel ratio between the fuel nozzles in each can, delivering a richer fuel mixture to the fuel nozzles nearest to the cross-fire tubes, generating a cross-fire from the second combustion can to the first combustion can, detecting a recovery of the turbine load, and adjusting the fuel ratio to the normal balanced fuel distribution between the fuel nozzles in each can.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Bryan Wesley Romig, Derrick Walter Simons, Venkat Narra
  • Publication number: 20150047363
    Abstract: A gas turbine includes a combustion chamber and a microwave source to produce microwave radiation. The gas turbine is arranged to guide the microwave radiation into a cavity of the combustion chamber. Due to the microwave radiation, in the cavity of the combustion chamber, combustion in the cavity may be supported and thus lean operation of the gas turbine is made possible.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2014
    Publication date: February 19, 2015
    Inventors: Juergen STEINWANDEL, Johannes STUHLBERGER
  • Patent number: 8955329
    Abstract: A fuel nozzle assembly has been conceived for a combustor in a gas turbine including a first passage and fourth passage connectable to a source of gaseous fuel, a second passage connectable to a source of a gaseous oxidizer, and a third passage coupled to a source of a diluent gas, wherein the first passage is a center passage and is configured to discharge gaseous fuel from nozzles at a discharge end of the center passage, the second passage is configured to discharge the gaseous oxidizer through nozzles adjacent to the nozzles for the center passage, the third passage discharges a diluent gas through nozzles adjacent to the nozzles for the second passage, and the fourth passage is configured to discharges the gaseous fuel downstream of the discharge location for the first, second and third passages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Predrag Popovic, Abinash Baruah
  • Patent number: 8957539
    Abstract: A hybrid turbogenerator and a method of operation are provided to configure a gas turbine engine. In the context of a method, a hybrid turbogenerator including a gas turbine engine coupled to an electric motor-generator alternates between a standby mode and a charging mode. In the standby mode, the method at least partially closes one or more inlet guide vane(s) to limit air flow through a compressor and into a turbine. In the standby mode, the method provides power to both a power bus and the electric motor-generator from an energy storage device. In the charging mode, the method at least partially opens the inlet guide vane(s) to increase air flow through the compressor and into the turbine relative to the standby mode. In the charging mode, the method provides electric power from the electric motor-generator to both the power bus and the energy storage device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Mark Dixon Ralston
  • Patent number: 8955334
    Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling the startup of a gas turbine are described. A gas discharge component may be configured to discharge gas from a compressor component associated with the gas turbine. A fuel control component may be configured to control a fuel flow provided to a combustor component associated with the gas turbine. A drive component may be configured to supply a rotational force to a shaft associated with the gas turbine. At least one control device may be configured to (i) direct the gas discharge component to discharge gas from the compressor component, (ii) direct the fuel control component to adjust the fuel flow, and (iii) direct the drive component to rotate the shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Brian Patrick Hansen, Christopher Edward LaMaster, Timothy Edward DeJoris, David August Snider
  • Patent number: 8955331
    Abstract: A nut (64) is affixed to an outer surface of a transition impingement sleeve forward ring (50) that encircles, and is affixed to, a forward end (44) of a tubular transition impingement sleeve (45). The nut has a threaded hole (63) aligned with a hole (66) in the impingement sleeve forward ring. A machine screw (68) is threaded into the nut and extends through the hole (66), and has a radially inner end with a wear pad (70), and a radially outer end with a turning tool engagement element (72). The wear pad contacts an outer surface of an aft portion of a transition piece forward outer ring (52) that is surrounded by the transition impingement sleeve forward ring (50). The rotational position of the machine screw (68) sets a radial gap (76) between the transition impingement sleeve forward ring and the transition piece forward outer ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Siemens Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Frank Moehrle, John Pula, Jeremy Lefler, Martin Konen
  • Publication number: 20150040572
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling air flow through a combustor swirler assembly that includes an inner swirler and an outer swirler. A bistable fluidic amplifier that includes an air inlet, a first air outlet, a second air outlet, and a control port is disposed upstream of the combustor swirler assembly. A flow of compressed is directed into the air inlet of the bistable fluidic amplifier and, based on the control air pressure at the control port, the flow of compressed air supplied to the air inlet is selectively directed to either the first air outlet or the second air outlet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2013
    Publication date: February 12, 2015
    Inventors: Raymond R. Tseng, Frank J. Zupanc
  • Publication number: 20150040573
    Abstract: In a method for the low-CO emissions part load operation of a gas turbine with sequential combustion, the opening of the row of variable compressor inlet guide vanes is controlled depending on the temperatures of the operative burners of the second combustor and simultaneously the number of operative burners is kept at a minimum. This leads to low CO emissions at partial load of the gas turbine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2014
    Publication date: February 12, 2015
    Inventors: Theodoros FERREIRA-PROVIDAKIS, Ghislain Singla, Thiemo Meeuwissen, Sebastian Lipari
  • Publication number: 20150040571
    Abstract: A method for controlling fuel splits to a controller is provided that includes comparing a combustor operating parameter to a predefined combustor operating parameter range. If the combustor operating parameter is outside its respective range, then a modified turbine firing temperature is calculated. The modified turbine firing temperature may then be used to determine the fuel splits to the combustor using a nominal fuel splits lookup table.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2013
    Publication date: February 12, 2015
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Nilanjan Prosad Coomar
  • Publication number: 20150033749
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a system includes a turbine combustor having a combustor liner disposed about a combustion chamber, a head end upstream of the combustion chamber relative to a downstream direction of a flow of combustion gases through the combustion chamber, a flow sleeve disposed at an offset about the combustor liner to define a passage, and a barrier within the passage. The head end is configured to direct an oxidant flow and a first fuel flow toward the combustion chamber. The passage is configured to direct a gas flow toward the head end and to direct a portion of the oxidant flow toward a turbine end of the turbine combustor. The gas flow includes a substantially inert gas. The barrier is configured to block the portion of the oxidant flow toward the turbine end and to block the gas flow toward the head end within the passage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2014
    Publication date: February 5, 2015
    Inventors: Ilya Aleksandrovich Slobodyanskiy, Lewis Berkley Davis, JR., Karl Dean Minto
  • Publication number: 20150033748
    Abstract: A system includes an oxidant compressor and a gas turbine engine. The gas turbine engine includes a combustor section having a turbine combustor, a turbine driven by combustion products from the turbine combustor, and an exhaust gas compressor driven by the turbine. The exhaust gas compressor is configured to compress and route an exhaust flow to the turbine combustor and the oxidant compressor is configured to compress and route an oxidant flow to the turbine combustor. The gas turbine engine also includes an inlet oxidant heating system configured to route at least one of a first portion of the combustion products, or a second portion of the exhaust flow, or any combination thereof, to an inlet of the oxidant compressor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2014
    Publication date: February 5, 2015
    Inventors: Vahid Vaezi, Franklin F. Mittricker, Richard A. Huntington
  • Patent number: 8943837
    Abstract: A fluid management apparatus and method, the apparatus including: a fluid conduit for the passage of a dispersion containing particulate matter; a laser arranged to provide laser light inside the fluid conduit; wherein, in use, the laser light heats the particulate matter sufficiently to generate incandescence; one or more sensors for detecting the incandescence of the particulate matter so as to determine a characteristic of the dispersion; and an electromagnetic wave generator operable to provide electromagnetic waves inside the fluid conduit at a position downstream of the laser light so as to vaporize at least a portion of the dispersion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC
    Inventors: Ian C. D. Care, John D. Black
  • Patent number: 8943836
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are embodiments of combined cycle power plants having elevated exhaust pressure from a steam turbine. The elevated exhaust pressure from the steam turbine may result in an elevated condensate pressure and temperature. A cooling system removes sensible heat from the condensate. The elevated condensate temperature results in a greater temperature difference between the condensate and the working medium in the cooling system. The amount of heat that is dissipated by the cooling system is proportionate to the heat transfer surface and the temperature difference between the condensate and the working medium. As a result of the greater temperature difference, a smaller cooling system configured to operate with a higher temperature condensate may be utilized in place of a larger cooling system configured to operate with lower temperature condensate. By reducing the size of the cooling system, the overall size of the combined cycle power plant may be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: NRG Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Andrew Rose, Christopher James Doyle
  • Patent number: 8938973
    Abstract: An aircraft air system includes a gas turbine engine, a bleed air duct directing compressed air bled from a compressor to an inner compartment within the aircraft, and an air contamination detector located downstream of the gas turbine engine compressor. The air contamination detector includes a visual indicator which detects the presence of a fluid contaminant within the bleed air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
    Inventors: Kevin Allan Dooley, Kiritkumar Patel
  • Publication number: 20150020529
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards a system including a gas turbine engine configured to produce exhaust gas, a selective catalytic reduction system configured to produce processed exhaust gas from the exhaust gas, and a control system. The control system includes a first controller configured to regulate operation of the selective catalytic reduction system, a second controller configured to regulate operation of the gas turbine engine, and an optimizer configured to coordinate operation of the first controller and the second controller to simultaneously maximize a first level of an emissions compound in the exhaust gas and regulate injection of a reductant into the selective catalytic reduction system to reduce a second level of the emissions compound in the processed exhaust gas to a first desired level of the emissions compound in the processed exhaust gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2013
    Publication date: January 22, 2015
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Robert Frank Hoskin, Balachandar Naidu
  • Publication number: 20150020530
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards a system including a gas turbine engine, a selective catalytic reduction system, and a control system configured to regulate operation of the selective catalytic reduction system based at least partially on preset variations in an emissions compound of exhaust gases produced by the gas turbine engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2013
    Publication date: January 22, 2015
    Inventors: Achalesh Kumar Pandey, Timothy Andrew Healy
  • Patent number: 8935924
    Abstract: It is desired to obtain a technique which enables turning of a compressor driven by a multi-shaft gas turbine. The multi-shaft gas turbine has a high-pressure side shaft and a low-pressure side shaft. A compressor drive device applies a drive force to a compressor connected to the low-pressure side shaft of the multi-shaft gas turbine. The compressor drive device includes: a motor which generates a drive force; and a control unit which controls the motor so as to generate an rpm when turning the compressor. If the torque generated by the gas turbine is insufficient, the control unit controls the motor so as to carry out a helper motor operation for increasing the torque.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2015
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Takeda, Yoshiyuki Okamoto
  • Patent number: 8935925
    Abstract: A fuel nozzle sheath has a lateral opening for admitting air about a nozzle stem. The stress distribution along the perimeter of the window is smoothed out by increasing the corner radius of the window corner presenting higher stress concentration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2015
    Assignee: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
    Inventors: Bhawan Patel, Nagaraja Rudrapatna
  • Publication number: 20150013341
    Abstract: An exhaust mixer for a gas turbine engine where each outer lobe has at the downstream end a circumferential offset in a direction corresponding to that of the swirl component of the flow entering the mixer. The mixer has a crest line having at least a downstream portion curved with respect with respect to a circumferential direction of the mixer and/or a center line at the downstream end tilted with respect to a radial line extending to the tip of the outer lobe to define the circumferential offset. A method of mixing a core flow and a bypass flow surrounding the core flow with an annular mixer is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2013
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Inventors: Mark CUNNINGHAM, Remo MARINI, Sami GIRGIS, Mohammad Reza KAMESHKI, Raja RAMAMURTHY
  • Publication number: 20150014994
    Abstract: An engine may have a recuperator that may be powered by an electrical generator driven by the engine. The recuperator may be disposed within or incorporated into a compressor discharge of the engine, such as in the form of a vane or tube. The engine may be configured to operate in a variety of modes at least some of which may use thermal energy from the recuperator to heat a fluid flow stream of the engine. An energy storage device may be used with an electrical generator to provide power to a load.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2013
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Applicants: Rolls-Royce Corporation, Rolls-Royce North American Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Carl D. Nordstrom, Rigoberto J. Rodriguez
  • Publication number: 20150007578
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating a combined cycle power plant, which includes a steam turbine powertrain with a high-pressure steam turbine, an intermediate pressure steam turbine and a low-pressure steam turbine, whereby intermediate pressure steam flowing from the exit of the high-pressure steam turbine to the inlet of the intermediate pressure steam turbine is reheated by means of the reheat device, and which is connected to a solar thermal plant, that generates additional solar steam for being used by said steam turbine powertrain. The output of the solar steam generator is used more effectively, and the overall plant performance, flexibility and operability are enhanced by at least part of the additional solar steam reaching the intermediate pressure steam turbine without being reheated in said reheat device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2014
    Publication date: January 8, 2015
    Inventors: Richard CARRONI, Henrik NIELSEN, François DROUX
  • Publication number: 20150007575
    Abstract: The invention refers to a CCPP comprising a gas turbine, a water steam cycle with a steam turbine and a HRSG with at least two pressure levels, and a fuel preheater for preheating the fuel of the gas turbine. The fuel preheater includes a first heat exchanger for preheating the fuel to a first elevated temperature, which is connected to a feed water line from a pressure level of the HRSG, which is below the highest HRSG pressure level, and a second heat exchanger for further preheating the fuel gas to a second elevated temperature, which is connected to the high pressure feed water with the highest pressure level of the HRSG. The disclosure further refers to a method for operating a CCPP with such a fuel preheater.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2014
    Publication date: January 8, 2015
    Inventors: Paul Drouvot, François Droux, Klara Berg
  • Publication number: 20150007577
    Abstract: The invention relates to a combined cycle power plant including a gas turbine the exhaust gas outlet of which is connected to a heat recovery steam generator, which is part of a water/steam cycle, whereby, for having a large power reserve and at the same time a higher design performance when operated at base load, the gas turbine is designed with a steam injection capability for power augmentation. For having a large power reserve at improved and optimized design performance when the plant is being operated at base load, the gas turbine includes at least one combustor, and a compressor for providing cooling air for that gas turbine, which is extracted from the compressor and cooled down in at least one cooling air cooler. The steam for steam injection is generated in said cooling air cooler, whereby said steam is injected into an air side inlet or outlet of said cooling air cooler and/or directly into said at least one combustor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2014
    Publication date: January 8, 2015
    Inventors: Hongtao LI, Tjiptady Nugroho, Christoph Ruchti, Camille Pedretti
  • Publication number: 20150007579
    Abstract: The invention discloses a method for operating a combined cycle power plant with an integrated CO2 capture unit, wherein flue gas of a gas turbine is led along an flue gas path through a heat recovery steam generator, a flue gas cooling circuit and a CO2 absorber. A reduction in effort is achieved by operating the gas turbine to have a back-pressure at its exit, which compensates most or all of the pressure loss of the flue gas along the flue gas path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2014
    Publication date: January 8, 2015
    Inventors: Richard Joel CURRAN, Frank SANDER, Richard CARRONI, Eribert BENZ
  • Publication number: 20150007576
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating a gas turbine which includes a compressor with annular inlet area, at least two burners, a combustion chamber and a turbine. According to the method, at least one first partial intake flow, consisting of oxygen-reduced gas which has an oxygen concentration which is lower than the average oxygen concentration of the compressor intake flow, and at least one second partial intake flow, consisting of fresh air, are fed to the compressor in an alternating manner in the circumferential direction of the inlet area. In addition, the invention relates to a gas turbine power plant with a gas turbine, the compressor inlet of which includes at least one first segment and at least one second segment which are arranged in an alternating manner around a compressor inlet in the circumferential direction, wherein a feed for an oxygen-reduced gas is connected to the first segment and a fresh air feed is connected to the second segment of the compressor inlet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2014
    Publication date: January 8, 2015
    Inventors: Felix GUETHE, Madhavan Narasimhan Poyyapakkam, Frank Graf, Bruno Schuermans, Eribert Benz
  • Publication number: 20150007574
    Abstract: A system includes a gas turbine system including a compressor, a combustor, and a turbine. The system also includes a controller communicatively coupled to the gas turbine system and configured to control operations of the gas turbine system. The system further includes a life consumption model configured to determine an operating life of the gas turbine system based on both a health status of one or more components of the gas turbine system and operating conditions of the gas turbine system. The controller is configured to utilize at least the life consumption model to derive a control action for the gas turbine system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2013
    Publication date: January 8, 2015
    Inventors: Rex Allen Morgan, Lewis Berkley Davis, Jr., Harold Lamar Jordan, Scott Richard Baker
  • Patent number: 8925327
    Abstract: A turbine power plant employs a radial staging of a liquid injection system to provide a uniform fluid distribution, for use in wet compression. The liquid injection system can be actuated to inject liquid to various radial regions of an air intake case of the turbine power plant. During a stage one actuation, liquid is directed to a first radial region of the air intake case. During a stage two actuation, liquid is directed to the first radial region and also to a second radial region of the air intake case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Power Engineering PLC
    Inventors: Walter Kasimierz Omielan, Gabriel Taraboulsi, Chris Pin Harry
  • Patent number: 8925324
    Abstract: A turbomachine includes a compressor section, a combustor operatively connected to the compressor section, an end cover mounted to the combustor, and an injection nozzle assembly operatively connected to the combustor. The injection nozzle assembly includes a plurality of mixing tube elements. Each of the plurality of mixing tube elements includes a conduit having a first fluid inlet, a second fluid inlet arranged downstream from the first fluid inlet, a discharge end arranged downstream from the first and second fluid inlets, and a vortex generator arranged between the first and second fluid inlets. The vortex generator is configured and disposed to create multiple vortices within the conduit to mix first and second fluids passing through each of the plurality of mixing tube elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jonathan Dwight Berry, Chunyang Wu, Baifang Zuo
  • Publication number: 20150000295
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a process to obtain a compressed gas starting from a starting gas having a lower pressure by performing the following steps: (i) increasing the pressure and temperature of a gas having an intermediate pressure by means of indirect heat exchange against a fluid having a higher temperature to obtain a gas high in pressure and temperature, (ii) obtaining part of the gas high in temperature and pressure as the compressed gas, (iii) using another part of the gas high in temperature and pressure as a driving gas to increase the pressure of the starting gas in one or more stages to obtain the gas having an intermediate pressure for use in step (i). The invention is also directed to a configuration wherein the process can be performed and directed to a process to generate energy using the process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2013
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Applicant: Ice Industrial Properties BV
    Inventors: Johannes Arjen Hoogland, George Johannes Kruijer
  • Publication number: 20150000291
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine having a combustor is disclosed in which a heat exchanger is disposed within the combustor. The heat exchanger can take the form of a fuel/air heat exchanger. In one form the heat exchanger includes a path for cooling air to be conveyed to a location external to the combustor. Cooled cooling air carried through the path can be created through action of heat transfer from the cooling air to a fuel flowing in the heat exchanger. The heat exchanger can include a fuel vaporizer in one form.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2013
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Applicant: Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventors: Duane A. Smith, William G. Cummings, III
  • Publication number: 20150000290
    Abstract: A turbine system and method of operating is provided. The system includes a compressor configured to generate a compressed low-oxygen air stream and a combustor configured to receive the compressed low-oxygen air stream and to combust a fuel stream to generate a post combustion gas stream. The turbine system also includes a turbine for receiving the post combustion gas stream to generate a low-NOx exhaust gas stream, a heat recovery system configured to receive the low-NOx exhaust gas stream and generate a cooled air stream and an auxiliary compressor configured to generate an oxygen and water vapor deficient cooled and compressed air stream. A portion of the oxygen and water vapor deficient cooled and compressed air stream is directed to the combustor to generate an Oxygen and H2O deficient film on exposed portions of the combustor, and another portion is directed to the turbine to provide a cooling flow.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2013
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Inventors: Narendra Digamber Joshi, Joel Meier Haynes, Venkat Eswarlu Tangirala, Christian Lee Vandervort
  • Publication number: 20150000293
    Abstract: A method of controlling an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) gas turbine system includes adjusting an angle of a plurality of inlet guide vanes of an exhaust gas compressor of the EGR gas turbine system, wherein the plurality of inlet guide vanes have a first range of motion defined by a minimum angle and a maximum angle, and wherein the angle is adjusted based on one or more monitored or modeled parameters of the EGR gas turbine system. The method further includes adjusting a pitch of a plurality of blower vanes of a recycle blower disposed upstream of the exhaust gas compressor, wherein the plurality of blower vanes have a second range of motion defined by a minimum pitch and a maximum pitch, and the pitch of the plurality of blower vanes is adjusted based at least on the angle of the plurality of inlet guide vanes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2014
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Inventors: Jonathan Carl Thatcher, James A. West, Aaron Lavene Vorel
  • Publication number: 20150000294
    Abstract: A system includes a plurality of extraction passages configured to passively extract a portion of a gas flow from a downstream region of a gas flow path. The system includes a plurality of sensors respectively coupled to the plurality of extraction passages, wherein the plurality of sensors is configured to measure one or more parameters of the portion of the gas flow traversing the plurality of extraction passages. The system also includes a manifold coupled to the plurality of extraction passages, wherein the manifold is configured to receive the portion of the gas flow from the plurality of extraction passages. The system further includes a return passage coupled to the manifold, wherein the return passage is configured to passively provide the portion of the gas flow to an upstream region of the gas flow path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2014
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Inventors: Karl Dean Minto, Douglas Frank Beadie
  • Publication number: 20150000297
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for determining at least one firing temperature for controlling a gas turbine that comprises at least one compressor, at least one combustion chamber and at least one turbine, compressed air being drawn off at the compressor in order to cool the turbine and being fed to the turbine via at least one external cooling duct and via a control valve arranged in the cooling duct, in which method a plurality of temperatures and pressures of the working medium being measured in various positions of the gas turbine and the at least one firing temperature being derived from the measured temperatures and pressures. A more flexible and more accurate control is achieved additionally by determining the cooling air mass flow via the external cooling duct and by taking said flow into account when deriving the at least one firing temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2014
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Inventors: Manuel ARIAS CHAO, Anton NEMET, Ulrich Robert STEIGER, Darrel Shayne LILLEY
  • Publication number: 20150000298
    Abstract: Advanced gas turbines and associated components, systems and methods are disclosed herein. A gas turbine configured in accordance with a particular embodiment includes a rotor operably coupled to a shaft and a stator positioned adjacent to the rotor. A coolant line extends at least partially through the stator to transfer heat out of an air flow within a compressor section of the gas turbine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Applicant: ADVANCED GREEN TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventor: Roy Edward McAlister
  • Publication number: 20150000292
    Abstract: A system includes a gas turbine engine that includes a combustor section having one or more combustors configured to generate combustion products and a turbine section having one or more turbine stages between an upstream end and a downstream end. The one or more turbine stages are driven by the combustion products. The gas turbine engine also includes an exhaust section disposed downstream from the downstream end of the turbine section. The exhaust section has an exhaust passage configured to receive the combustion products as an exhaust gas. The gas turbine engine also includes a mixing device disposed in the exhaust section. The mixing device is configured to divide the exhaust gas into a first exhaust gas and a second exhaust gas, and to combine the first and second exhaust gases in a mixing region to produce a mixed exhaust gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2014
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Inventors: Moorthi Subramaniyan, Christian Michael Hansen, Richard A. Huntington, Todd Franklin Denman
  • Publication number: 20150000296
    Abstract: In a method for operating a gas turbine, NOx is removed from the exhaust gases of the gas turbine by means of a selective catalysis device with the addition of NH3. The method achieves an extremely low NOx content while simultaneously achieving economic consumption of NH3 and avoiding NH3 in the exhaust gas by maintaining the NOx content of the exhaust gas at a constant level via a regulated return of a portion of the exhaust gas in varying operating conditions of the gas turbine, and by adjusting the addition of the NH3 in the selective catalysis device to the constant NOx level.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2014
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Inventors: Felix GUETHE, Eribert Benz, Frank Graf
  • Patent number: 8919129
    Abstract: A method for controlling a gas turbine engine fuel control valve during low flow conditions includes positioning the fuel control valve in an operating position. The method also includes determining a fuel control valve flow sensor flow rate while in the operating position and determining a corrected effective flow area (“Cda”) of the fuel control valve. The method further includes generating Cda versus command data with the corrected Cda and the operating position and inserting the generated Cda versus command data into the nominal Cda versus command data set when nominal Cda versus command data is not known at the operating position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Solar Turbines Inc.
    Inventors: Chad M. Holcomb, Saliha Kenyon Lacoursiere, Roy Thomas Collins
  • Patent number: 8919127
    Abstract: A system includes a gas turbine combustor, which includes a combustion liner disposed about a combustion region, a flow sleeve disposed about the combustion liner, an air passage between the combustion liner and the flow sleeve, and a structure between the combustion liner and the flow sleeve. The structure obstructs an airflow through the air passage. The gas turbine combustor also includes a wake reducer disposed adjacent the structure. The wake reducer directs a flow into a wake region downstream of the structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Patrick Benedict Melton, Ronald James Chila, Abdul Rafey Khan, Carolyn Ashley Antoniono
  • Patent number: 8919128
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for damping thermo-acoustic oscillations via a resonator having a resonator volume with thermo-acoustic oscillations induced in a cavity inclined to thermo-acoustic oscillations, and at least some of the thermo-acoustic oscillations being output from the cavity and being input into the resonator volume, with damping oscillations produced in the resonator volume, which are matched to the thermo-acoustic oscillations, with at least some of the damping oscillations being input into the cavity such that the damping oscillations and the thermo-acoustic oscillations overlap in an overlap area, and the oscillations being largely cancelled out. The invention relates to an apparatus for damping thermo-acoustic oscillations in a cavity, comprising a resonator with a resonator volume and a cavity. The invention also relates to a combustion chamber together with a method and an apparatus according to the invention, and to a gas turbine having a combustion chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Sven Bethke
  • Publication number: 20140373551
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a novel apparatus and methods for controlling an air injection system for augmenting the power of a gas turbine engine, improving gas turbine engine operation, and reducing the response time necessary to meet changing demands of a power plant. Improvements in control of the air injection system include ways directed towards preheating the air injection system, including using an gas turbine components, such as an inlet bleed heat system to aid in the preheating process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2014
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    Inventors: ROBERT J. KRAFT, Scott Auerbach