Ignition Or Fuel Injection After Starting Patents (Class 60/776)
  • Patent number: 7225623
    Abstract: A trapped vortex cavity afterburner includes one or more trapped vortex cavity stages for injecting a fuel/air mixture into a combustion zone. The trapped vortex cavity afterburner is operable to provide all thrust augmenting fuel used for engine thrust augmentation. Each stage has at least one annular trapped vortex cavity. The trapped vortex cavity afterburner may be a multi-stage afterburner having two or more trapped vortex cavity stages ganged for simultaneous ignition or operable for sequential ignition. One embodiment of the annular trapped vortex cavity is operable to raise a temperature of an exhaust gas flow through the afterburner about 100 to 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Each of the trapped vortex cavity stages may be operable to produce a single or a different amount of temperature rise of the exhaust gas flow through the afterburner. A chevron shaped trapped vortex cavity and having zig-zag shaped leading and trailing edges may be used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2007
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: John Michael Koshoffer
  • Patent number: 7216488
    Abstract: An ignition device assembly for a gas turbine engine combustor includes a body and a shroud. The body extends from an inlet end to an outlet end, and the shroud extends circumferentially around at least a portion of the body, and axially from a first end to a tip end. The shroud includes a tip portion and a body portion. The body portion includes a plurality of metering openings and a plurality of first outlet openings. The plurality of metering openings are for channeling cooling air to the ignition device body, and the plurality of first outlet openings are for channeling spent cooling air from the ignition device body. The tip portion includes a plurality of discharge openings extending therethrough for channeling cooling from the ignition device body. The plurality of first outlet openings are between the shroud tip portion and the plurality of shroud metering openings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2007
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Stephen John Howell, John Carl Jacobson, Barry Francis Barnes, Ramy Michael Souri
  • Patent number: 7216486
    Abstract: Relevant fuel-gas properties (XG) are measured on an ongoing basis while a gas turbine group is operating. The C2+alkane content of the fuel gas is of particular interest in this context, since it has a significant influence on the ignitability of the fuel gas in the combustion chamber. The operating parameters of the gas turbine group are acted on directly as a function of the measured fuel-gas properties. In particular, in the case of the example of a gas turbine group with sequential combustion, the distribution of the fuel mass flows ({dot over (m)}EV, {dot over (m)}SEV) between the combustion chambers (4, 8) of the gas turbine group is varied. Furthermore, if there is provision for inert media, such as water or steam, to be introduced, it is possible for the mass flow of inert media ({dot over (m)}ST) to be controlled as a function of the measured fuel properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2007
    Assignee: ALSTOM Technology Ltd.
    Inventors: Klaus Doebbeling, Ken-Yves Haffner, Rolf Rüetschi, Hanspeter Zinn
  • Patent number: 7200998
    Abstract: A gas turbine combustor has a combustion chamber into which fuel and air are supplied, wherein the fuel and the air are supplied into said combustion chamber as a plurality of coaxial jets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Inoue, Tomomi Koganezawa, Nariyoshi Kobayashi, Isao Takehara
  • Patent number: 7200538
    Abstract: A method enables modeling of a gas turbine engine that includes a pulse detonation system. The method includes providing a pulse detonation modeling system, predicting characteristics of the engine using the pulse detonation modeling system, and predicting characteristics of the pulse detonation system using the pulse detonation modeling system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2007
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Franklin D. Parsons, Thomas M. Moynihan, Kattalaicheri S. Venkataramani
  • Patent number: 7191736
    Abstract: A power generator provides power with minimal CO2, NOx, CO, CH4, and particulate emissions and substantially greater efficiency as compared to traditional power generation techniques. Specifically nitrogen is removed from the combustion cycle, either being replaced by a noble gas as a working gas in a combustion engine. The noble gas is supplemented with oxygen and fuel, to provide a combustion environment substantially free of nitrogen or alternatively working in 100% oxygen-fuel combustion environments. Upon combustion, Very little to no nitrogen is present, and thus there is little production of NOx compounds. Additionally, the exhaust constituents are used in the production of power through work exerted upon expansion of the exhaust products, and the exhaust products are separated into their constituents of noble gas, water and carbon dioxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2007
    Assignee: Los Angeles Advisory Services, Inc.
    Inventor: Arnold J. Goldman
  • Patent number: 7185497
    Abstract: A premix chamber for a combustor of a gas turbine engine comprises a cylindrical chamber having a premix chamber wall, the cylindrical chamber having a chamber inlet end longitudinally separated from a chamber outlet end along a central axis, a chamber inlet plate in communication with the premix chamber wall at the chamber inlet end, the chamber inlet plate having a fuel nozzle inlet hole disposed through the chamber inlet plate, the chamber inlet plate further comprising a plurality of swirler passages disposed through the chamber inlet plate, and the chamber outlet end being open. A method of producing turbine gas is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2007
    Assignee: Honeywell International, Inc.
    Inventors: Rodolphe Dudebout, Terrel E. Kuhn, Paul R. Yankowich, Frank J. Zupanc
  • Patent number: 7181916
    Abstract: A method for combustion in a combustor in a gas turbine including: fueling the center fuel nozzle with a fuel-rich mixture of gaseous fuel and air and fueling the outer fuel nozzles with a fuel-lean mixture of fuel and air; igniting the fuel-rich mixture injected by the center fuel nozzle while the fuel-lean mixture injected by the outer combustors is insufficient to sustain ignition; stabilizing a flame on the center fuel nozzle using the bluff body and while the outer fuel nozzles inject the fuel-lean mixture; staging fuel to the outer nozzles by increasing a fuel ratio of the fuel-lean mixture, and after the outer nozzles sustain ignition, reducing fuel applied to the center nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2007
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Willy Steve Ziminsky, Derrick W. Simons, Arthur James Fossum
  • Patent number: 7163086
    Abstract: A lubrication system comprises a reservoir for lubricant, lubricant delivery means to deliver lubricant to at least one component to be lubricated, an injector associated with each component, a control system to control the opening and closing of each injector and scavenge means to remove surplus lubricant from around each component and return it to the reservoir. Each injector comprises a pulsative injector, controlled by the control system to deliver lubricant to its associated component in a series of discrete pulses. In a preferred embodiment both the delivery of oil to each component and the scavenging of oil from each component are controlled in response to sensed conditions of that component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2007
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce plc
    Inventors: Ian C D Care, James E Forfar
  • Patent number: 7143583
    Abstract: A gas turbine combustor comprises a premixed combustion burner disposed on the periphery of a pilot burner, an approximately cylindrical combustor liner disposed on the downstream side of the premixed combustion burner, which defines a combustion chamber in the liner. The gas turbine combustor is characterized by further comprising flame stabilizers radially disposed at the exit of the premixed combustion burner, and a fuel injection means with which the pilot burner is provided injects at least one of gas fuel and liquid fuel, in which a plurality of air nozzles are provided which are located outside the pilot burner and inside the premixed combustion burner, and which spout out air into the combustion chamber. Adequate combustion can be accomplished with a combustor which is capable of using gas fuel and liquid fuel, and at the same time, NOx can be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2006
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Akinori Hayashi, Shinichi Inage, Hiromi Koizumi, Isao Takehara, Kazuyuki Ito, Toshifumi Sasao, Hidetaro Murata
  • Patent number: 7140183
    Abstract: A burner (24) which is useful for operating a heat generator includes a first upstream swirl generator (17) capable of swirling a combustion air stream, a device for injecting at least one fuel into the combustion air stream from the upstream swirl generator (17), an exit ring (1) located at the downstream end of the burner (24) at the edge to the combustion chamber (2) where the fuel is burnt, and preferentially a mixing section (20, 21) downstream from the upstream swirl generator (17) having a downstream end, having at least one transfer duct (20) for transferring downstream a flow of combustion air and fuel formed in the upstream swirl generator (17), and having a mixing tube (21) downstream from the at least one transfer duct (20) and receiving flow from the at least one transfer duct (20), wherein the downstream end of the mixing section borders the combustion chamber (2) and is formed by the exit ring (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2006
    Assignee: Alstom Technology Ltd.
    Inventors: Thomas Ruck, Sasha Savic, Torsten Strand
  • Patent number: 7137258
    Abstract: A combustor includes a center nozzle surrounded by a plurality of outer nozzles, the center nozzle and each of the outer nozzles having a fuel passage and an air passage, with a swirler surrounding the fuel passage and having a plurality of vanes projecting radially within the air passage, each vane having a trailing edge arranged at a swirl angle relative to a longitudinal axis of the nozzle, wherein the swirl angle for the swirler in the center nozzle is different than the swirl angle for the swirlers in the plurality of outer nozzles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2006
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Stanley Kevin Widener
  • Patent number: 7127899
    Abstract: An air/fuel pre-mixer for a gas turbine combustor and a method of pre-mixing air and fuel for a combustor are provided. In one embodiment the pre-mixer includes a first annular premix fuel manifold disposed upstream of the combustor and an annular member concentric with the first premix fuel manifold. Together the annular premix fuel manifold and the annular member define a first venturi shaped air/fuel pre-mix volume between them that has a throat. At or upstream from the throat, the first premix fuel manifold has a plurality of pores whereby the fuel is injected from the first premix fuel manifold to mix with air in the first pre-mix volume. In another embodiment, the annular member is an outer wall, whereas in yet another embodiment, the annular member is a second premix fuel manifold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2006
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Kenneth M. Sprouse, Shahram Farhangi, Mark D. Horn, David R. Matthews
  • Patent number: 7117676
    Abstract: A premixer for a combustor to entrain a selected volume of fuel in an oxidizer to be combusted to heat the oxidizer. The combustor is for a gas powered turbine which employs the hypergolic or high energy air stream which will allow a fuel to be combusted in the absence of an additional ignition source. A heat exchanger and a catalyst combusts a first portion of fuel in air without the production of undesired chemical species. The catalyst is employed to lower the combustion temperature of the fuel to substantially eliminate selected chemical species. The fuel premixed in the air then encounters the catalyst and the fuel is combusted to increase the temperature of the air to an auto-ignition temperature so that no other ignition source is needed to combust additional fuel added later.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2006
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Shahram Farhangi, Kenneth M Sprouse, David R Matthews
  • Patent number: 7111463
    Abstract: A system, such as a turbine power production system, including a plurality of combustion chambers. The combustion chamber may be provided with an ignition system that allows for substantially simultaneous ignition of each of the plurality of the combustors. Generally, a detonation wave may be provided to each of the combustion chambers substantially simultaneously from a single ignition combustion wave chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2006
    Assignee: Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne Inc.
    Inventors: Kenneth M Sprouse, Shahram Farhangi
  • Patent number: 7107773
    Abstract: Aspects of the invention relate to a method for facilitating the reduction of carbon monoxide emissions during part load operation of a turbine engine by holding high combustor temperatures. The combustor section of the turbine engine includes a plurality of combustors, each combustor having a pilot nozzle, a plurality of main nozzles circumferentially surrounding the pilot nozzle, and a premix ring. According to one aspects of the invention, a first pair of combustors are selected. Fuel can be substantially restricted from being supplied to the main nozzles and the premix ring of the selected combustors, while fuel continues to be supplied to the pilot nozzles of the selected combustors. Additional combustors can be selected and the supply of fuel can be selectively restricted as described above. The process can continue until there is substantially zero net power out of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2006
    Assignee: Siemens Power Generation, Inc.
    Inventor: David Allen Little
  • Patent number: 7104070
    Abstract: In a gas turbine having a compressor, a combustor and a turbine, a gaseous fuel supply coupled to provide gaseous fuel to the combustor, a liquid fuel supply coupled to provide liquid fuel to the combustor via nozzle assembly. The nozzle assembly includes a plurality of passageways for flowing a fluid into the combustor, one of the passageways being an atomizing air passageway conduit interconnecting the atomizing air passageway to one of the plurality of passageways to enable fluid flow therebetween, while not allowing the flow of fluid back into the atomizing air passageway. High pressure air from the atomizing air passageway is diverted into one of the plurality of passageways via the conduit to protect the nozzle from ingestion of hot combustor gases, thus eliminating a need for a dedicated air purge system for that one of the plurality of passageways.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2006
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Robert J. Iasillo, Warren James Mick
  • Patent number: 7100377
    Abstract: A method for operating a pulse detonation system. The method includes providing a pulse detonation chamber including a plurality of detonation tubes extending therein, and detonating a mixture of fuel and air within each detonation tube such that at least a first tube is detonated at a different time than at least a second detonation tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2006
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Robert Eugene Kraft
  • Patent number: 7096670
    Abstract: In a method for igniting the combustion chamber of a gas turbine unit, a safely working ignition and a long lifetime of the ignition device (10) is achieved by discharging a compressed gas with a supercritical pressure ratio through a nozzle (21) and heating it up to a temperature sufficient to ignite hydrocarbons by interacting with a resonance tube (19) arranged behind said nozzle (21), and using said heated-up gas to directly or indirectly ignite a fuel/air mixture introduced into said combustion chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2006
    Assignee: ALSTOM Technology Ltd.
    Inventors: Franz Joos, Marcel Stalder
  • Patent number: 7093444
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a premixed fuel injector for low NOx emission and high heating load combustion. The premixed fuel injector of the present invention comprises a center nozzle and a plurality of outer nozzles arranged around the center nozzle, wherein a distance between the adjacent outer nozzles is 15 to 25 times as large as the diameter of the outer nozzle. Further, an air/fuel mixture is supplied to the outer nozzles and fuel is supplied to the center nozzle at a level of 0.1 to 10% of the total amount of fuel supplied to the outer nozzles. According to the premixed fuel injector for high heating load combustion in which nozzles are arranged as described above, there are various advantages in that it's simple, without additional devices, stable flames can be obtained, and NOx emissions are greatly reduced during combustion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2006
    Assignee: Yeungnam Educational Foundation
    Inventors: Byeong-Jun Lee, Jin-Hyun Kim
  • Patent number: 7089745
    Abstract: A gas stream with a reduced oxygen concentration relative to ambient air is used to vaporize a liquid fuel or liquified higher hydrocarbon gas, or is mixed with a vaporized gas, and the reduced oxygen vaporized fuel gas is fed to a combustion device such as a premixed or diffusion combustor. Preferably, the oxygen content of the gas stream is less than the limiting oxygen index. By mixing the fuel with a gas stream that has an appropriately reduced oxygen content, auto-ignition prior to the flame front can be avoided. In some embodiments, the reduced oxygen stream is generated from an air separator or taken from the exhaust of the combustion device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2006
    Assignee: LPP Combustion, LLC
    Inventors: Richard J. Roby, Michael S. Klassen, Christopher F. Schemel
  • Patent number: 7086234
    Abstract: A gas turbine combustion chamber with a burner 7, includes means for the supply of fuel and an atomizer 6, wherein the means for the supply of fuel are provided such that the fuel is injected in areas with maximum airflow velocity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2006
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG
    Inventors: Thomas Doerr, Waldemar Lazik
  • Patent number: 7082768
    Abstract: In a fuel lance by means of which fuels can be injected, via at least two separate passages, into a combustion chamber alternately or simultaneously at an injection location arranged substantially at the lance tip, reliable operation is achieved, without the risk of flashbacks and also without coking, by virtue of the fact that the fuel lance, in addition to fuel, also passes purge air to the injection location, and that the purge air, at the injection location, is routed between the two fuel systems, in such a manner that these systems are shielded from one another by the purge air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2006
    Assignee: ALSTOM Technology Ltd
    Inventors: Stefano Bernero, Weiqun Geng, Christian Steinbach, Peter Stuber
  • Patent number: 7080517
    Abstract: A method comprising providing a combustion apparatus, introducing a fuel into the combustion apparatus, and introducing feed air into the combustion apparatus. The method further comprises using the combustion apparatus to cause at least some of the fuel and at least some of the feed air to swirl within the combustion region and about a longitudinal axis of the combustion apparatus, and causing an initial combustion reaction of some of the swirling fuel and feed air in the combustion region to form combustion reaction products. Some of the swirling fuel at least temporarily remains unburned. The swirling is sufficient to cause the unburned fuel to move radially away from the longitudinal axis and to cause the combustion reaction products to move radially toward the longitudinal axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2006
    Assignee: Innovative Energy, Inc.
    Inventor: Andrew Schlote
  • Patent number: 7062919
    Abstract: A method of reducing engine noise generation by decoupling: acoustic and hydrodynamic fluctuation generated by a compressor and a fuel supply system; from acoustic and hydrodynamic fluctuation of a combustor, by: deflecting fuel jets into a fuel nozzle mixing chamber in a number of counter-rotating adjacent pairs of fuel laden vortices; emitting a resulting fuel-air mixture into the combustor downstream from the fuel nozzle mixing chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2006
    Assignee: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
    Inventor: Hisham Alkabie
  • Patent number: 7059135
    Abstract: A method for operating a gas turbine engine facilitates reducing an amount of emissions from a combustor. The combustor includes a mixer assembly including a pilot mixer, a main mixer, and an annular centerbody extending therebetween. The method comprises injecting at least one of fuel and airflow into the combustor through at least one swirler positioned within the pilot mixer, and injecting fuel into the combustor through at least one swirler positioned within the main mixer, such that the fuel is directed into a combustion chamber downstream from the main mixer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2006
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Timothy James Held, Mark Anthony Mueller, Jun Xu
  • Patent number: 7036318
    Abstract: A gas turbine electric powerplant, preferably driven by an aeroderivative turbine engine of split shaft design. The gas turbine engine is coupled to a speed reducer, which is in turn coupled to an electric generator. An engine mount is provided that ensures that the gas turbine engine will remain in proper alignment with the speed reducer and generator, even during the thermal expansion or contraction thereof. Preferably, the components comprising the powerplant are mounted to a common, transportable base, so that the powerplant can be delivered to various locations. An overspeed control system is provided for ensuring that a runaway condition of the gas turbine engine does not occur should the gas turbine engine become disconnected from the speed reducer or generator. Sensors are used to monitor multiple operating conditions of the powerplant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2006
    Assignee: Altek Power Corporation
    Inventor: Bill C. Munson, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7010923
    Abstract: A method for operating a gas turbine engine facilitates reducing an amount of emissions from a combustor. The combustor includes a mixer assembly including a pilot mixer, a main mixer, and a centerbody that extends therebetween. The pilot mixer includes a pilot fuel nozzle and a plurality of axial swirlers. The main mixer includes a main swirler and a plurality of fuel injection ports. The method comprises injecting fuel into the combustor through the pilot mixer, such that the fuel is discharged downstream from the pilot mixer axial swirlers, and directing flow exiting the pilot mixer with a lip extending from the centerbody into a pilot flame zone downstream from said pilot mixer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2006
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Alfred A. Mancini, Michael L. Vermeersch, Duane D. Thomsen, Allen M. Danis, James N. Cooper, Steven J. Lohmueller, Hukam C. Mongia
  • Patent number: 7007486
    Abstract: A counter-flow system for use in a turbine for selecting various mixtures of fluids for use with the system. The system may be used for a combustor for a gas powered turbine which employs a heat exchanger to combust a fuel without the emission of undesired chemical species. A gas powered turbine requires expanding gases to power the turbine blades. Fuel is combusted to produce the required gases. An oxidizer is introduced into the counter-flow system in a first direction before a first portion of fuel is introduced into the oxidizer. The fuel and oxidizer mixture is then flowed through a second pathway wherein the fuel and oxidizer mixture obtains a selected amount of thermal energy. Moreover, in a second pathway an equivalence ratio of the fuel and oxidizer mixture may be altered from the original fuel and oxidizer mixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2006
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Kenneth M. Sprouse, Alan V. von Arx, David R. Matthews
  • Patent number: 7003960
    Abstract: A method and an appliance are described for supplying fuel to a premixing burner for operating a gas turbine, which premixing burner has at least one burner shell (1, 2) at least partially bounding an axially extending premixing burner space, having a premixing gas supply directed into the premixing burner space via the burner shell (1, 2), the premixing gas (6) being mixed with combustion inlet air and being ignited downstream external to the premixing burner, The invention is characterized by the fact that the premixing gas supply is carried out separately by means of at least two spatially axially separated regions (S1, S2) along the burner shell (1, 2), having a region (S1), which is arranged upstream, and at least a second region (S2), which is arranged downstream, by the fact that more than 60% of the total premixing gas supply takes place via the first region (S1) in order to start the gas turbine, and by the fact that a stepwise or continuous redistribution of the premixing gas supply to the second re
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2006
    Assignee: ALSTOM Technology LTD
    Inventor: Adnan Eroglu
  • Patent number: 7003961
    Abstract: A trapped vortex combustor for gas turbine engines. An annular combustor housing is provided having a plurality of inlet centerbodies disposed along a helical axis. The inlet centerbodies include a leading edge structure, opposing sidewalls, a pressurizable cavity, and a rear wall. Inlet centerbodies cooperate with adjacent structure and an aft bluff body to define a trapped vortex cavity combustion chamber for mixing an inlet fluid and burning fuel to form hot combustion gases. Mixing is enhanced by utilizing struts adjacent to the rear wall to create eddies in the fluid flow, and by injecting fuel and/or air in opposition to swirl created by the bulk fluid flow. Hot combustion gases are utilized in a turbine for extraction of kinetic energy, or in heat exchange equipment for recovery of thermal energy. High combustion efficiencies and less than 10 ppm emissions of oxides of nitrogen and of carbon monoxide are achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2006
    Assignee: Ramgen Power Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald Kendrick, Shawn P. Lawlor, Robert C. Steele
  • Patent number: 7000403
    Abstract: A fuel nozzle and gas turbine combustor capable of operating on multiple fuels with reduced carbon build-up to the fuel nozzle and adjacent combustor components is disclosed. The fuel nozzle incorporates a reconfigured gas fuel assembly and mixing tube to eliminate known areas of recirculation. Furthermore, the liquid fuel assembly includes reconfigured spray characteristics to further reduce droplet interaction with the mixing tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2006
    Assignee: Power Systems Mfg., LLC
    Inventors: John Henriquez, Jacob McLeroy, Brian R. Mack, Vincent C. Martling
  • Patent number: 7000402
    Abstract: The engine (10) has a compressor (12) for compressing air, a plurality of combustion chambers (22a–f) in which fuel mixed with the compressed air combusts, and a turbine (16) which is driven by the products of combustion. Each combustion chamber operates in a cycle comprising the phases of: A. charging the combustion chamber with a charge of compressed air from the compressor while preventing air from escaping from the combustion chamber; B. then compounding by charging with a compounding charge of gas to form a compounded charge; C. then injecting fuel into the combustion chamber so that there is spontaneous ignition and combustion of the fuel with the compounded charge; and D. then exhausting the products of combustion to the turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2006
    Inventor: Hubert Michael Benians
  • Patent number: 6996991
    Abstract: A fuel system for a turbine engine for reducing CO emissions caused during fuel staging processes while the turbine engine operates at reduced loads. The fuel system may include a first premix injector assembly and a second premix injector assembly, each formed from one or more injectors. In at least one embodiment, the first premix injector includes four injectors assembled into two pairs, and the second premix injector includes four injectors assembled into two pairs. The two pairs of the second premix injector assembly may be positioned between the two pairs forming the first premix injector assembly, thereby reducing the interface between fueled and unfueled areas, which reduces CO emissions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2006
    Assignee: Siemens Westinghouse Power Corporation
    Inventors: Satish Gadde, William Ryan
  • Patent number: 6993916
    Abstract: A hybrid structure that combines characteristics of the DACRS and Swozzle burners to provide the high mixing ability of an axial flowing counter rotating vane swirler with good dynamic flame stability characteristics of a bluff center body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2006
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Thomas Edward Johnson, Stanley Kevin Widener, Kevin Weston McMahan
  • Patent number: 6986254
    Abstract: A method of operating a gas turbine combustion system having reduced emissions and improved flame stability at multiple load conditions is disclosed. The improved combustion system accomplishes this through complete premixing, a plurality of fuel injector locations, combustor geometry, and precise three dimensional staging between fuel injectors. Axial, radial, and circumferential fuel staging is utilized including fuel injection proximate air swirlers. Furthermore, strong recirculation zones are established proximate the introduction of fuel and air premixture from different stages to the combustion zone. Fuel injection staging sequences are disclosed that create the conditions necessary to provide stable combustion and reduced emissions at multiple load conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2006
    Assignee: Power Systems Mfg, LLC
    Inventors: Peter J. Stuttaford, Stephen Jennings, Yan Chen
  • Patent number: 6986255
    Abstract: A fuel injector system that reduces and/or eliminates combustion instability. The fuel injector system includes a pilot fuel injector, a pilot swirler that swirls air past the pilot fuel injector, a main airblast fuel injector having an aft end, inner and outer main swirlers that swirl air past the main airblast fuel injector, and an air splitter located between the pilot swirler and the inner main swirler. The air splitter includes at least one aft end cone angled radially outboard and axially positioned downstream of the main airblast fuel injector aft end. The air splitter divides a pilot air stream exiting the pilot swirler from an inner main air stream exiting the inner main swirler to create a bifurcated recirculation zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2006
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC
    Inventors: Clifford E. Smith, Daniel A. Nickolaus
  • Patent number: 6983606
    Abstract: An integrated gas turbine compressor and rotary fuel injector is provided which includes a rotary cup combustor having an atomizing element for dispersal and distribution of fuel throughout the combustor. The combustor is positioned in close proximity to the compressor impeller of a gas turbine engine having a centrifugal compressor. The rear face of the impeller, or the rear face of an attachment to the impeller, is contoured to receive the fuel supply. The contour terminates at a lip disposed at a larger radius from the centerline shaft than conventional shaft-mounted slingers. The larger radius of fuel release provides better fuel atomization due to larger rim speeds, thereby improving combustor performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2006
    Assignee: Florida Turbine Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Wesley Brown
  • Patent number: 6978619
    Abstract: The invention relates to a premix burner for burning fuel with air to combustion gas, in particular within a combustion turbine. Profiling means are provided for profiling the mass stream of the combustion air in a direction radial to an annular shaped air channel in order to generate a radial varying fuel/air mixture that stabilises the combustion. Accordingly, the invention also relates to a gas turbine and a process for burning fuel in air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2005
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Malte Blomeyer
  • Patent number: 6971242
    Abstract: To meet emissions standards, many gas turbine engines use some form of lean, pre-mixed combustion systems. These systems may lead to combustion oscillations or other instabilities. Jet combustion techniques provide a stable alternative lean, pre-mixed combustion system. The present invention presents a jet combustion system that includes a first cylinder having a first array of orifices. A second cylinder is positioned coaxially with the first cylinder. The second cylinder has a second array of orifices offset from the first array of orifices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2005
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventor: Gregory A. Boardman
  • Patent number: 6971241
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine integrates the functions of an auxiliary power unit (APU) with one or more functions of an ECS, and that is capable of operating in both an unfired mode and a fired mode. The gas turbine engine includes a combustor system that is configured to allow the gas turbine to quickly transition from the unfired mode to the fired mode, by bypassing a portion of the air flowing to the combustor system around the combustor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2005
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Ian L. Critchley, Barry J. Kingery, Cristopher Frost, David G. Walhood, Robert B. Sumegi
  • Patent number: 6968699
    Abstract: A combustor includes outer and inner liners joined together by a dome to define a combustion chamber. A row of air swirlers is mounted in the dome and includes corresponding main fuel injectors for producing corresponding fuel and air mixtures. Pilot fuel injectors fewer in number than the main injectors are mounted in the dome between corresponding ones of the swirlers. Staged fuel injection from the pilot and main injectors is used for starting the combustor during operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2005
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Stephen John Howell, John Carl Jacobson, Timothy Patrick McCaffrey, Barry Francis Barnes
  • Patent number: 6955052
    Abstract: A power generation method and apparatus includes a plurality of gas reactors that combust fuel and an oxygen-containing gas under substantially adiabatic conditions such that hot high pressure combustion gases flow alternately and substantially continuously from each reactor to a work-producing device wherein the combustion gases are expanded to provide work. A portion of the expanded gases, or ambient air can be mixed with the combustion gases to form a mixture of gases fed to the work-producing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2005
    Inventor: Indru J. Primlani
  • Patent number: 6945053
    Abstract: A lean premix burner for a gas turbine having at least one fuel supply ring 4 fitted with primary fuel nozzles 8 and additional secondary fuel nozzles 9, and a method of operation for this lean premix burner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2005
    Assignee: Rolls Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG
    Inventor: Ralf Sebastian Von Der Bank
  • Patent number: 6931858
    Abstract: A pulse detonation system for a gas turbine engine having a longitudinal centerline axis extending therethrough includes a rotatable cylindrical member having a forward surface, an aft surface, and an outer circumferential surface, where a plurality of spaced detonation passages are disposed therethrough. Each detonation passage includes at least a portion having a longitudinal axis extending therethrough oriented at a circumferential angle to the longitudinal centerline axis. The pulse detonation system further includes a shaft rotatably connected to the cylindrical member and a stator configured in spaced arrangement with the forward surface of the cylindrical member and a portion of the shaft. The stator has at least one group of ports formed therein alignable with the detonation passages as the cylindrical member rotates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2005
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Kattalaicheri Srinivasan Venkataramani, Lawrence Butler, Ching-Pang Lee, Harvey Michael Maclin
  • Patent number: 6928822
    Abstract: A fuel processing system for a turbine engine includes a fuel processor which mixes fuel and air through a vortical flow which involves the introduction of air tangentially into the fuel processing chamber through inlet apertures formed in the outer wall of the fuel processing chamber. The vortical flow of fluid inside the fuel processing chamber breaks down or atomizes fuel such that the resulting fuel/air mixture will be ideal for combustion. The fuel/air mixture is thereafter introduced into a combustion chamber of the combustor of a turbine engine apparatus. One or more fuel processing units operatively coupled in series may be utilized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2005
    Assignee: LyteSyde, LLC
    Inventor: Kelly P. Rock
  • Patent number: 6928821
    Abstract: A dual fuel power generation system employing a steam-mixed fuel and/or a gaseous fuel to power a turbine engine. The steam-mixed fuel is a gaseous mixture of a light hydrocarbon and steam. The steam-mixed fuel and gaseous fuel are delivered to the turbine engine (either individually or mixed) via a common fuel controller, a common fuel distribution system, and a common gas-only fuel nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2005
    Assignee: Conocophililps Company
    Inventor: Bruce W. Gerhold
  • Patent number: 6928823
    Abstract: A gas turbine combustor has a combustion chamber into which fuel and air are supplied, wherein the fuel and the air are supplied into said combustion chamber as a plurality of coaxial jets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2005
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Inoue, Tomomi Koganezawa, Nariyoshi Kobayashi, Isao Takehara
  • Patent number: 6925812
    Abstract: A radially-extending arm is adapted to rotate within a stream of first fluid flowing thereacross. In one embodiment, the arm comprises a plurality of lands located at different radial distances from the axis of rotation, and a port located on each land is operatively coupled to a source of a second fluid. The second fluid is sprayed from the rotating arm into the stream of first fluid that flows across the lands, and is thereby atomized. In another embodiment, the arm comprises a land stepped into the trailing edge thereof, and a port for injecting the second fluid is located on the land. In another embodiment, the land comprises a groove located between the port and an associated riser surface stepped into the trailing edge. In another embodiment, the arm comprises a port in the trailing edge thereof from which the second fluid is injected, and a groove is located on the trailing edge in a radially increasing direction from the port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2005
    Assignee: Williams International Co., L.L.C.
    Inventors: Jamey J. Condevaux, Guido J. Defever
  • Patent number: 6915640
    Abstract: Method and device (1) for supplying fuel to a combustion chamber that includes at least one main injector (3) and at least one pilot injector (2). The device includes a fuel tank (4), a line system (5) coupled from the fuel tank to the injectors (2, 3), a pump (6) for pumping fuel from the tank to the injectors, and a first regulator valve (7) for regulating the flow of fuel in a first line (8) in the system which is connected to the pilot injector (2). The device further includes a second regulator valve (9) for regulating the flow of fuel through a second line (10) in the system, which is connected to the pilot injector (2). The second regulator valve (9) is designed to regulate a substantially smaller flow than the first regulator valve (7).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2005
    Assignee: Volvo Aero Corporation
    Inventor: Bertil Jönsson