Remote tuning for gas turbines

• US 20030018394A1
• Filed: 07/17/2001
• Published: 01/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Butterfield, Eric Gardner, Williams, George Edward, Shapiro, Andrew Philip, Mattison, Scott Campbell, McCarthy, John Patrick, Grant, Milton Lewiston III, Russo, Victor Franz
• Granted Patent: US 6,839,613 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/2
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 9/00 Controlling gas-turbine plants; Controlling fuel supply in air- breathing jet-propulsion plants controlling air intakes F02C7/057; controlling turbines F01D; controlling compressors F04D27/00; controlling in general G05
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2270/07 to improve fuel economy
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2270/08 to produce clean exhaust gases
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/024 in which a parameter or coefficient is automatically adjusted to optimise the performance
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric

Abstract

A system and method for tuning a turbine comprises a turbine controller coupled to the turbine, a first computer system coupled to the turbine controller and located locally to the turbine, and a second computer system for exchanging data with the first computer system. The second computer system is located remotely from the turbine and exchanges data with the first computer system via a network connection such as the internet, an intranet or a virtual private network (VPN). Data relating to a characteristic such as turbine combustion dynamics and/or emissions is transmitted by the first computer system to the second computer system. The second computer system transmits control data over the network connection to the first computer to tune the turbine.

Claims

1. A system for tuning a turbine comprising:

a turbine controller operatively coupled to the turbine;

a first computer system operatively coupled to the turbine controller and located locally to the turbine; and

a second computer system for exchanging data with the first computer system, the second computer system being located remotely from the turbine.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the first computer system and the second computer system exchange data over a network connection.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the network connection comprises an intranet, an internet or a virtual private network.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein the first computer system comprises an on-site monitor and the second computer system comprises a local area network having a workstation, the first computer system being capable of exchanging data with the workstation via the on-site monitor.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the on-site monitor exchanges data with the turbine controller using a first protocol and the on-site monitor exchanges data with the second computer system using a second protocol different than the first protocol.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the first computer system is capable of transmitting data relating to a characteristic of the turbine to the second computer system.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the characteristic of the turbine relates to at least one of combustion dynamics and emissions of the turbine.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the second computer system is capable of receiving input from a system user and transmitting control data to the first computer system reflecting the input from the system user, the first computer system being capable of providing the control data to the turbine controller to tune the turbine in accordance with the control data.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the control data transmitted from the second computer system to the first computer system relates to setting fuel splits of the turbine.

10. A method of tuning a turbine comprising:

providing a turbine controller that is operatively coupled to the turbine;

operatively coupling a first computer system to the turbine controller and locating the first computer system locally to the turbine; and

exchanging data between the first computer system and a second computer system that is located remotely from the turbine to enable the turbine to be tuned.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein exchanging data between the first computer system and the second computer system is accomplished over a network connection.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the network connection comprises an intranet, an internet or a virtual private network.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the first computer system exchanges data with the turbine controller using a first protocol and exchanges data with the second computer system using a second protocol different than the first protocol.

14. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

transmitting data relating to a characteristic of the turbine from the first computer system to the second computer system.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the characteristic relates to at least one of combustion dynamics and emissions of the turbine.

16. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

transmitting control data from the second computer system to the first computer system, the control data reflecting input to the second computer system from a system user; and

providing the control data received by the first computer system to the turbine controller to tune the turbine in accordance with the control data.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the control data relates to setting fuel splits of the turbine.

19. The system of claim 18 further comprising a second computer system located at the remote location from the turbine for receiving data transmitted from the first computer system over the network connection.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the network connection comprises an intranet, an internet or a virtual private network.

21. The system of claim 18 wherein the characteristic relates to at least one of combustion dynamics and emissions of the turbine.

22. The system of claim 18 further comprising a second turbine and a second turbine controller operatively coupled to the second turbine and to the first computer system.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein transmitting the data to the location remote from the first turbine comprises transmitting the data to a second computer system located remotely from the first turbine.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

receiving the data transmitted by the first computer system at the second computer system;

evaluating the processed data to determine any changes that need to be made to an operation of the first turbine;

communicating any necessary changes to a person located on-site of the first turbine; and

changing a setting of the turbine in accordance with the necessary changes communicated to the person on-site of the first turbine.

26. The method of claim 24 wherein transmitting the data over the network connection comprises transmitting data over one of an intranet, an internet and a virtual private network.

27. The method of claim 23 wherein the characteristic of the first turbine relates to at least one of combustion dynamics and emissions of the turbine.

28. The method of claim 23 further comprising:

providing a second turbine;

operatively coupling a second turbine controller to the second turbine; and

transmitting data relating to a characteristic of the second turbine to the location remote from the first turbine over the network connection, the location remote from the first turbine also being remote from the second turbine.

30. The system of claim 29 wherein the first and second turbines are located remotely from each other.

31. The system of claim 29 wherein the third computer system exchanges data with the first computer system and the second computer system via a network connection.

32. The system of claim 31 wherein the network connection comprises an intranet, an internet or a virtual private network.

33. The system of claim 29 wherein the first computer system is capable of transmitting data relating to at least one of combustion dynamics and emissions of the first turbine to the third computer system and the second computer system is capable of transmitting data relating to at least one of combustion dynamics and emissions of the second turbine to the third computer system.

34. The system of claim 29 wherein the third computer system is capable of receiving inputs from a system user and transmitting control data to the first computer system and the second computer system reflecting the respective inputs from the system user, the first computer system being capable of providing control data to the first turbine controller to tune the first turbine accordingly, and second computer system being capable of providing control data to the second turbine controller to tune the second turbine accordingly.

35. The system of claim 34 wherein the control data transmitted from the third computer system to the first computer system relates to setting fuel splits of the first turbine and the control data transmitted from the third computer system to the second computer system relates to setting fuel splits of the second turbine.

18. A system comprising:

a first turbine;

a first turbine controller operatively coupled to the first turbine; and

a first computer system operatively coupled to the first turbine controller for transmitting data relating to a characteristic of the first turbine to a remote location over a network connection.

23. A method of tuning at least one turbine comprising:

providing a first turbine;

operatively coupling a first turbine controller to the first turbine; and

transmitting data relating to a characteristic of the first turbine to a location remote from the first turbine over a network connection.

29. A system comprising:

a first turbine;

a first turbine controller operatively coupled to the first turbine;

a first computer system operatively coupled to the first turbine controller and located locally to the first turbine;

a second turbine;

a second turbine controller operatively coupled to the second turbine;

a second computer system operatively coupled to the second turbine controller and located locally to the second turbine; and

a third computer system for exchanging data with the first computer system and the second computer system, the third computer system being located remotely from the first and second turbines.