HYBRID GAS TURBINE ENGINE - ELECTRIC MOTOR/GENERATOR DRIVE SYSTEM

• US 20100242495A1
• Filed: 03/27/2009
• Published: 09/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Solar Turbines Incorporated (Caterpillar Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Solar Turbines Incorporated (Caterpillar Incorporated)
• Inventors: Collins, Roy Thomas, DeMoss, Steven Howard, Mendoza, Robert Eleazar
• Granted Patent: US 8,468,835 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 60/801
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 9/28 Regulating systems responsive to plant or ambient parameters, e.g. temperature, pressure, rotor speed F02C9/30 - F02C9/38, F02C9/44 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2270/08 to produce clean exhaust gases

Abstract

A method of operating a drive system for a load is disclosed. The drive system may have an electric motor/generator and a gas turbine engine. The engine may have a combustor, and main and pilot flow paths via which fuel is supplied to the combustor. The engine may be operable in low and standard emissions modes. A proportion of the fuel that is supplied to the combustor via the pilot flow path may be greater in the standard emissions mode than in the low emissions mode. The method may include determining an engine power requirement of the load, and whether the engine power requirement of the load is sufficiently large to operate the engine in the low emissions mode. Additionally, the method may include operating the electric motor/generator if the engine power requirement of the load is not sufficiently large to operate the engine in the low emissions mode.

Claims

1. A method of operating a drive system for a load, the drive system including an electric motor/generator and a gas turbine engine, the engine including a combustor, and main and pilot flow paths via which fuel is supplied to the combustor, the engine being operable in a low emissions mode and a standard emissions mode, a proportion of the fuel that is supplied to the combustor via the pilot flow path being greater in the standard emissions mode than in the low emissions mode, the method comprising:

determining whether an environmental condition is conducive to operating the engine in the low emissions mode; and

operating the electric motor/generator as a motor if the environmental condition is not conducive to operating the engine in the low emissions mode.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether an environmental condition is conducive to operating the engine in the low emissions mode includes:

determining an inlet air temperature of the engine;

determining whether the inlet air temperature is sufficiently high to operate the engine in the low emissions mode;

determining that the environmental condition is conducive to operating the engine in the low emissions mode if the inlet air temperature is sufficiently high to operate the engine in the low emissions mode; and

determining that the environmental condition is not conducive to operating the engine in the low emissions mode if the inlet air temperature is not sufficiently high to operate the engine in the low emissions mode.

3. The method of claim 1, further including:

determining a minimum modified engine power requirement of the load when the electric motor/generator is operated as a motor; and

determining whether the minimum modified engine power requirement is sufficiently small to shut down the engine, wherein the electric motor/generator is only operated as a motor if the minimum modified engine power requirement is sufficiently small to shut down the engine.

4. The method of claim 1, further including:

determining an engine power requirement of the load;

determining whether the engine power requirement of the load is sufficiently large to operate the engine in the low emissions mode; and

operating the electric motor/generator if;

the environmental condition is conducive to operating the engine in the low emissions mode; and

the engine power requirement of the load is not sufficiently large to operate the engine in the low emissions mode.

5. The method of claim 4, further including:

determining a maximum modified engine power requirement of the load when the electric motor/generator is operated as a generator; and

determining whether the maximum modified engine power requirement is sufficiently large to operate the engine in the low emissions mode, wherein the electric motor/generator is operated as a generator if the maximum modified engine power requirement is sufficiently large to operate the engine in the low emissions mode.

6. The method of claim 4, further including:

determining a minimum modified engine power requirement of the load when the electric motor/generator is operated as a motor; and

determining whether the minimum modified engine power requirement is sufficiently small to shut down the engine, wherein the electric motor/generator is operated as a motor if the minimum modified engine power requirement is sufficiently small to shut down the engine.

7. The method of claim 1, further including:

determining an engine power requirement of the load;

determining whether a rated power of the engine is sufficiently large to fulfill the engine power requirement of the load; and

operating the electric motor/generator as a motor if the rated power of the engine is not sufficiently large to fulfill the engine power requirement of the load.

8. The method of claim 7, further including:

determining a minimum modified engine power requirement of the load when the electric motor/generator is operated as a motor;

determining whether the rated power of the engine is sufficiently large to fulfill the minimum modified engine power requirement; and

notifying an offboard system if the rated power of the engine is not sufficiently large to fulfill the minimum modified engine power requirement.

9. A method of operating a drive system for a load, the drive system including an electric motor/generator and a gas turbine engine, the engine including a combustor, and main and pilot flow paths via which fuel is supplied to the combustor, the engine being operable in a low emissions mode and a standard emissions mode, a proportion of the fuel that is supplied to the combustor via the pilot flow path being greater in the standard emissions mode than in the low emissions mode, the method comprising:

determining an engine power requirement of the load;

determining whether the engine power requirement of the load is sufficiently large to operate the engine in the low emissions mode; and

operating the electric motor/generator if the engine power requirement of the load is not sufficiently large to operate the engine in the low emissions mode.

10. The method of claim 9, further including:

determining a maximum modified engine power requirement of the load when the electric motor/generator is operated as a generator; and

determining whether the maximum modified engine power requirement is sufficiently large to operate the engine in the low emissions mode, wherein the electric motor/generator is operated as a generator if the maximum modified engine power requirement is sufficiently large to operate the engine in the low emissions mode.

11. The method of claim 9, further including:

determining a minimum modified engine power requirement of the load when the electric motor/generator is operated as a motor; and

determining whether the minimum modified engine power requirement is sufficiently small to shut down the engine, wherein the electric motor/generator is operated as a motor if the minimum modified engine power requirement is sufficiently small to shut down the engine.

12. The method of claim 9, further including:

determining whether a rated power of the engine is sufficiently large to fulfill the engine power requirement of the load; and

operating the electric motor/generator as a motor if the rated power of the engine is not sufficiently large to fulfill the engine power requirement of the load.

13. The method of claim 12, further including:

determining a minimum modified engine power requirement of the load when the electric motor/generator is operated as a motor;

determining whether the rated power of the engine is sufficiently large to fulfill the minimum modified engine power requirement; and

notifying an offboard system if the rated power of the engine is not sufficiently large to fulfill the minimum modified engine power requirement.

14. The method of claim 9, further including determining whether an environmental condition is conducive to operating the engine in the low emissions mode, wherein the electric motor/generator is operated as a motor if the environmental condition is not conducive to operating the engine in the low emissions mode.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein determining whether an environmental condition is conducive to operating the engine in the low emissions mode includes:

determining an inlet air temperature of the engine;

determining whether the inlet air temperature is sufficiently high to operate the engine in the low emissions mode;

determining that the environmental condition is conducive to operating the engine in the low emissions mode if the inlet air temperature is sufficiently high to operate the engine in the low emissions mode; and

determining that the environmental condition is not conducive to operating the engine in the low emissions mode if the inlet air temperature is not sufficiently high to operate the engine in the low emissions mode.

16. The method of claim 14, further including:

determining a minimum modified engine power requirement of the load when the electric motor/generator is operated as a motor; and

determining whether the minimum modified engine power requirement is sufficiently small to shut down the engine, wherein the electric motor/generator is only operated if the minimum modified engine power requirement is sufficiently small to shut down the engine.

17. A turbine-compressor unit, comprising:

a centrifugal compressor;

a gas turbine engine coupled to the centrifugal compressor, the engine including;

a combustor; and

main and pilot flow paths via which fuel is supplied to the combustor, wherein the engine is operable in a low emissions mode and a standard emissions mode, a proportion of the fuel that is supplied to the combustor via the pilot flow path being greater in the standard emissions mode than in the low emissions mode;

an electric motor/generator coupled to the centrifugal compressor; and

a controller in communication with the centrifugal compressor, the engine, and the electric motor/generator, the controller being configured to;

determine an engine power requirement of the centrifugal compressor;

determine whether the engine power requirement of the centrifugal compressor is sufficiently large to operate the engine in the low emissions mode; and

operate the electric motor/generator if the engine power requirement of the centrifugal compressor is not sufficiently large to operate the engine in the low emissions mode.

18. The turbine-compressor unit of claim 17, wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine a maximum modified engine power requirement of the centrifugal compressor when the electric motor/generator is operated as a generator;

determine whether the maximum modified engine power requirement is sufficiently large to operate the engine in the low emissions mode; and

operate the electric motor/generator as a generator if the maximum modified engine power requirement is sufficiently large to operate the engine in the low emissions mode.

19. The turbine-compressor unit of claim 18, wherein the controller is further configured to determine whether an environmental condition is conducive to operating the engine in the low emissions mode, wherein the electric motor/generator is only operated as a generator if the environmental condition is conducive to operating the engine in the low emissions mode.

20. The turbine-compressor unit of claim 17, wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine a minimum modified engine power requirement of the centrifugal compressor when the electric motor/generator is operated as a motor;

determine whether the minimum modified engine power requirement is sufficiently small to shut down the engine; and

operate the electric motor/generator as a motor if the minimum modified engine power requirement is sufficiently small to shut down the engine.