Gas Turbine Engine System and Method for Controlling a Temperature of a Conduit in a Gas Turbine Engine System

• US 20130192249A1
• Filed: 01/26/2012
• Published: 08/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Widener, Stanley Kevin
• Application Number:
  US13/359,068
• Publication Number:
  US 20130192249A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 60/782
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 3/22 the fuel or oxidant being gaseous at standard temperature and pressure F02C3/28 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 3/30 Adding water, steam or other fluids for influencing combustion, e.g. to obtain cleaner exhaust gases F02C7/141, F02C7/30, F01D21/00, F01K21/04, F23D11/10 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/232 Fuel valves control of fuel supply by means of fuel metering valves F02C9/263; Draining valves or systems valves in general F16K
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 9/26 Control of fuel supply F02C9/48 takes precedence; fuel valves F02C7/232
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2270/082 with as little NOx as possible
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 20/16 Combined cycle power plant [CCPP], or combined cycle gas turbine [CCGT]

Abstract

According to one aspect of the invention, an engine system includes one or more fuel circuits configured to provide gaseous fuel from a fuel source for combustion. The system further comprises a conduit in fluid communication with the one or more fuel circuits, wherein the conduit is configured to receive a first gaseous fuel flow and an oxidant flow for a reaction within the conduit, wherein a temperature of the conduit is controlled by a second gaseous fuel flow along an outer wall of the conduit.

Claims

1. An engine system, comprising:

one or more fuel circuits configured to provide gaseous fuel from a fuel source for combustion; and

a conduit in fluid communication with the one or more fuel circuits, wherein the conduit is configured to receive a first gaseous fuel flow and an oxidant flow for a reaction within the conduit, wherein a temperature of the conduit is controlled by a second gaseous fuel flow along an outer wall of the conduit.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the oxidant flow comprises oxygen, air, oxygen-enriched air, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the fuel source provides the first and second gaseous fuel flows.

4. The system of claim 1, comprising an outer conduit disposed about the conduit to form an annulus to receive the second gaseous fuel flow.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the conduit comprises the combustor.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the conduit is positioned within the one or more fuel circuits.

7. The system of claim 1, comprising a compressor, a combustor and a turbine, wherein the fuel source provides gaseous fuel to the combustor for combustion.

8. A method for controlling a temperature of a conduit in an engine system, comprising:

providing gaseous fuel from a fuel supply via a fuel circuit;

receiving a first gaseous fuel flow from the fuel circuit in a conduit;

receiving an oxidant flow to react with the first gaseous fuel flow within the conduit; and

flowing a second gaseous fuel flow along an outer wall of the conduit to control a temperature of the conduit.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the oxidant comprises oxygen, air, oxygen-enriched air, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein providing gaseous fuel from the fuel supply comprises providing the first and second gaseous fuel flows from the fuel supply via the fuel circuit.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein flowing the second gaseous fuel flow comprises flowing the second gaseous fuel flow through an annulus formed between the conduit and an outer conduit disposed about the conduit.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the conduit comprises a combustor.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the conduit is positioned within the fuel circuit.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the gaseous fuel is provided from a fuel supply via the fuel circuit to a combustor.

15. An apparatus to control a temperature or composition of a gaseous fuel in an engine system, the apparatus comprising:

a conduit in fluid communication with a gaseous fuel circuit, wherein the conduit is configured to receive a first gaseous fuel flow and an oxidant flow for a reaction within the conduit, wherein a second gaseous fuel flow is directed along an outside surface of the conduit, wherein a mixed fuel stream is formed by combining the products from reaction of the first gaseous fuel flow with the oxidant flow and the second gaseous fuel flow, and wherein a temperature or composition of the mixed fuel stream is controlled by the reaction within the conduit.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the oxidant flow comprises oxygen, air, oxygen-enriched air, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein a fuel supply provides the first and second gaseous fuel flows.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, comprising an outer conduit disposed about the conduit to form an annulus to receive the second gaseous fuel flow.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the second gaseous fuel flow is heated to an operating temperature for a combustor downstream.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the conduit is positioned within the gaseous fuel circuit.