Multiple turbine system with a single recuperator

• US 20070137211A1
• Filed: 12/19/2005
• Published: 06/21/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Martin, Kevin, Tonsor, Andrew, Callas, James, Renshaw, Cody, Sopko, Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 7,543,440 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 60/772
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 6/02 Plural gas-turbine plants having a common power output
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/08 Heating air supply before combustion, e.g. by exhaust gases
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2220/76 an electrical generator
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2240/40 Use of a multiplicity of similar components

Abstract

A turbine system is provided including a plurality of gas turbine engines, each having a compressor section for producing compressed air, a combustor section, and a turbine section yielding hot exhaust gas. A single, common recuperator section is shared by and operatively associated with the plurality of gas turbine engines. A first flow path within the single, common recuperator section is configured to receive compressed air produced by the compressor section of each gas turbine engine. A second flow path, separated from the first flow path and within the single, common recuperator section is configured to receive hot exhaust gases yielded by the turbine section of each gas turbine engine.

Claims

1. A turbine system comprising:

a plurality of gas turbine engines, each having a compressor section for producing compressed air, a combustor section, and a turbine section yielding hot exhaust gases;

a single, common recuperator section shared by and operatively associated with the plurality of gas turbine engines;

a first flow path within the single, common recuperator section and configured to receive compressed air produced by the compressor section of each gas turbine engine; and

a second flow path, separated from the first flow path, within the single, common recuperator section, and configured to receive hot exhaust gases yielded by the turbine section of each gas turbine engine.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality is three and the three gas turbine engines are arranged in a dense-pack configuration adjacent the single, common recuperator section.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality is four and the four gas turbine engines are arranged in a linear-pack configuration adjacent the single, common recuperator section.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of gas turbine engines is configured to be selectively and individually activated and deactivated.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of gas turbine engines includes:

a third flow path configured to direct air to the compressor section;

a fourth flow path configured to direct compressed air from the compressor section to the first flow path within the single, common recuperator section;

a fifth flow path configured to direct compressed air from the first flow path within the single, common recuperator section to the combustor section; and

a sixth flow path configured to direct exhaust gas from the turbine section to the second flow path within the single, common recuperator section.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein each of the plurality of gas turbine engines is configured to be selectively and individually activated and deactivated, and further including a first valve in each fourth flow path configured to direct compressed air from the compressor section to the first flow path within the single, common recuperator section, each first valve configured to be selectively actuated to close the fourth flow path when its respective gas turbine engine is deactivated, and each first valve configured to be selectively actuated to open the fourth flow path when its respective gas turbine engine is activated.

7. The system of claim 6, further including a second valve in each fifth flow path configured to direct compressed air from the first flow path within the single, common recuperator section to the combustor section, each second valve configured to be selectively actuated to close the fifth flow path when its respective gas turbine engine is deactivated, and each second valve configured to be selectively actuated to open the fifth flow path when its respective gas turbine engine is activated.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the single, common recuperator section includes a multi-celled structure and the first and second flow paths include portions of the multi-celled structure.

9. A method of operating a system including a plurality of gas turbine engines, comprising:

driving at least one mechanism with a plurality of gas turbine engines, each gas turbine engine having a compressor section, a combustor section, and a turbine section;

directing compressed air from the compressor section of each of the plurality of gas turbine engines through a first flow path within a single recuperator section common to and shared by each of the gas turbine engines; and

directing hot exhaust gases from the turbine section of each of the plurality of gas turbine engines through a second flow path separate from the first flow path and within the recuperator section.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein operating a plurality of gas turbine engines includes operating at least three gas turbine engines, and further including arranging the at least three gas turbine engines in a dense-pack configuration adjacent the recuperator section.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein operating a plurality of gas turbine engines includes operating at least four gas turbine engines, and further including arranging the at least four gas turbine engines in a linear-pack configuration adjacent the recuperator section.

12. The method of claim 9, further including deactivating at least one of the plurality of gas turbine engines, and inhibiting flow of compressed air from the compressor section of the at least one deactivated gas turbine engine to the recuperator section, and inhibiting flow of compressed air from the recuperator section to the combustor section of the at least one deactivated gas turbine engine.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein inhibiting the flow of compressed air to the recuperator section includes actuating a valve to block the flow of compressed air, and wherein inhibiting the flow of compressed air to the combustor section includes actuating a valve to block the flow of compressed air.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein operating a plurality of gas turbine engines includes operating at least three gas turbine engines, and further comprising:

deactivating at least one gas turbine engine, and blocking flow of compressed air from the compressor section of the at least one deactivated gas turbine engine to the recuperator section, and blocking flow of compressed air from the recuperator section to the combustor section of the at least one deactivated gas turbine engine.

15. The method of claim 14, further including:

deactivating at least two gas turbine engines, and blocking flow of compressed air from the compressor sections of the at least two deactivated gas turbine engines to the recuperator section, and blocking flow of compressed air from the recuperator section to the combustor sections of the at least two deactivated gas turbine engines.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein directing compressed air through a first flow path and directing hot exhaust gases through a second flow path include directing the compressed air and hot exhaust gases through a multi-celled structure within the recuperator section.

17. The method of claim 9, further including:

determining the power requirements of the system;

adding one or more gas turbine engines responsive to the determined power requirements; and

expanding the single, common recuperator section to accommodate the one or more added gas turbine engines.

18. A work machine, comprising:

a chassis;

a plurality of gas turbine engines mounted to the chassis and configured to drive at least one mechanism, each gas turbine engine including a compressor section for producing compressed air, a combustor section, and a turbine section yielding hot exhaust gases;

a single, common recuperator section mounted on the chassis and shared by and operatively associated with the plurality of gas turbine engines;

a first flow path for compressed air produced by the compressor sections, the first flow path being within the recuperator section and shared by each of the plurality of gas turbine engines; and

a second flow path separated from the first flow path, for hot exhaust gases yielded by the turbine sections, the second flow path being within the recuperator section and shared by each of the plurality of gas turbine engines.

19. The work machine of claim 18, wherein the plurality off gas turbine engines includes at least three gas turbine engines arranged in a dense-pack configuration and each configured to be selectively and individually activated and deactivated.

20. The work machine of claim 19, including at least one valve associated with each gas turbine engine for inhibiting flow of compressed air from the recuperator section to a deactivated gas turbine engine.

21. The work machine of claim 18, wherein the plurality of gas turbine engines includes at least four gas turbine engines arranged in a linear-pack configuration and each configured to be selectively and individually activated and deactivated.

22. The work machine of claim 21, including at least one valve associated with each gas turbine engine for inhibiting flow of compressed air from the recuperator section to a deactivated gas turbine engine.

23. The work machine of claim 18, wherein the at least one mechanism includes at least one generator.

24. The work machine of claim 18, wherein the single, common recuperator section includes a multi-celled structure and the first and second flow paths include portions of the multi-celled structure.