METHOD FOR OPERATING LEAN FUEL INTAKE GAS TURBINE ENGINE, AND GAS TURBINE POWER GENERATION DEVICE

• US 20140291993A1
• Filed: 06/18/2014
• Published: 10/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: MATSUO, Kazuya, YAMASAKI, Yoshihiro, YOSHIHARA, Takehiro, KOGA, Tsuyoshi, KOMAI, Tomoyuki, KAJITA, Shinichi
• Application Number:
  US14/307,985
• Publication Number:
  US 20140291993A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 290/40.R
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 15/10 Adaptations for driving, or combinations with, electric generators
• 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 6/18 using the waste heat of gas-turbine plants outside the plants themselves, e.g. gas-turbine power heat plants using waste heat as source of energy for refrigeration plants F25B27/02; using the waste heat of a gasturbine for steam generation or in a steam cycle see F01K23/10
• 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: F02C 9/40 specially adapted to the use of a special fuel or a plurality of fuels
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2220/75 equipment using fuel having a low calorific value, e.g. low BTU fuel, waste end, syngas, biomass fuel or flare gas
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2270/02 to control rotational speed (n)
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2270/304 Spool rotational speed
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 2201/01 AC-AC converter stage controlled to provide a defined AC voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 9/008 wherein the generator is controlled by the requirements of the prime mover
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 9/04 Control effected upon non-electric prime mover and dependent upon electric output value of the generator
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 50/10 Biofuels, e.g. bio-diesel

Abstract

A method for stably operating a lean fuel intake gas turbine engine by controlling the rotation speed of the lean fuel intake gas turbine engine for which it is difficult to control the rotation speed by controlling a fuel flow rate, is provided. In a method for operating a lean fuel intake gas turbine engine (GT) configured to use, as a fuel, a combustible component contained in a low-concentration methane gas to drive a power generator, a power converter (17) is provided between an external electric power system (19) and the power generator (11), and a rotation speed of the power generator (11) is controlled by the power converter (17), to control a rotation speed of the gas turbine engine (GT).

Claims

1. A method for operating a lean fuel intake gas turbine engine configured to use, as a fuel, a combustible component contained in a low-concentration methane gas to drive a power generator, the method comprising:

providing a power converter between an external electric power system and the power generator; and

controlling a rotation speed of the power generator by the power converter to control a rotation speed of the gas turbine engine.

2. The method for operating the lean fuel intake gas turbine engine as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

providing, in the gas turbine engine, a main combustor to combust a compressed gas compressed by a compressor and supply the resultant gas to a turbine, a heat exchanger to heat the compressed gas by utilizing an exhaust gas from the turbine as a heating medium, and an auxiliary combustor to warm up the heat exchanger during a period from a startup of the gas turbine engine and before a temperature of the main combustor attains a predetermined temperature; and

controlling the rotation speed of the gas turbine engine to a warming-up operation rotation speed, which is lower than a rated rotation speed, under a warming-up operation state before the temperature of the main combustor attains a predetermined value.

3. The method for operating the lean fuel intake gas turbine engine as claimed in claim 2, further comprising:

after the temperature of the main combustor attains the predetermined value, stopping operation of the auxiliary combustor and increasing the rotation speed of the gas turbine engine to cause the gas turbine engine to shift to a steady operation state; and

controlling the rotation speed of the power generator in the steady operation state, to maintain a temperature at an inlet of the main combustor at a predetermined operating temperature.

4. The method for operating the lean fuel intake gas turbine engine as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

after end of a steady operation of the gas turbine engine, performing a turning operation in which the gas turbine engine is rotated at a rotation speed lower than a predetermined value.

5. A gas turbine power generation device comprising:

a lean fuel intake gas turbine engine configured to use, as a fuel, a combustible component contained in a low-concentration methane gas;

a power generator connected to the lean fuel intake gas turbine engine via a rotary shaft to be driven by the engine;

a power converter provided between the power generator and an external electric power system; and

a rotation speed control circuit configured to control a rotation speed of the power generator via the power converter, thereby controlling a rotation speed of the gas turbine engine.