Torsional Damping for Gas Turbine Engines

• US 20170222518A1
• Filed: 04/19/2017
• Published: 08/03/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Becker, Thomas Lee, Steen, Tod Robert, Gemin, Paul Robert
• Granted Patent: US 11,346,243 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 15/10 Adaptations for driving, or combinations with, electric generators
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 25/04 Antivibration arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 5/026 Shaft to shaft connections
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 3/04 having a turbine driving a compressor power transmission arrangements F02C7/36; control of working fluid flow F02C9/16
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 6/14 Gas-turbine plants having means for storing energy, e.g. for meeting peak loads
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/22 Fuel supply systems
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 7/0296 to prevent, counteract or reduce noise emissions
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2220/32 in gas turbines
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2240/35 Combustors or associated equipment
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2260/96 Preventing, counteracting or reducing vibration or noise
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/003 Couplings; Details of shafts means for mounting rotors on shafts H02K1/28
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/1823 structurally associated with turbines or similar engines
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/72 Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to a gas turbine engine assembly having a compressor configured to increase pressure of incoming air, a combustion chamber, at least one turbine coupled to a generator, a torsional damper, and a controller. The combustion chamber is configured to receive a pressurized air stream from the compressor. Further, fuel is injected into the pressurized air in the combustion chamber and ignited so as to raise a temperature and energy level of the pressurized air. The turbine is operatively coupled to the combustion chamber so as to receive combustion products that flow from the combustion chamber. The generator is coupled to the turbine via a shaft. Thus, the torsional damper is configured to dampen torsional oscillations of the generator. Moreover, the controller is configured to provide additional damping control to the generator.

Claims

1. A gas turbine engine assembly, comprising:

a compressor configured to increase pressure of incoming air;

a combustion chamber configured to receive a pressurized air stream from the compressor, wherein fuel is injected into the pressurized air stream and ignited so as to raise a temperature and energy level of the pressurized air;

a turbine operatively coupled to the combustion chamber so as to receive combustion products that flow from the combustion chamber;

a generator coupled to a shaft system of the turbine via a shaft;

a power bus damper configured to dampen torsional oscillations of the shaft system of the generator by prohibiting the generator from having a constant power load at frequencies of torsional interaction;

a controller configured to provide additional damping control to the generator.

2. The gas turbine engine assembly of claim 1, wherein the power bus damper comprises at least one of an active load, a controlled resistive load, or an energy storage device.

3. The gas turbine engine assembly of claim 2, wherein the energy storage device comprises of a flywheel energy storage device.

4. The gas turbine engine assembly of claim 2, wherein the power bus damper is further configured to receive at least one of a speed or torque signal from the controller.

5. The gas turbine engine assembly of claim 4, wherein the power bus damper is further configured to prevent a bus from having a constant power load on the generator, at frequencies of torsional interactions separated from voltage control.

6. The gas turbine engine assembly of claim 5, further comprising a power converter configured to dampen torsional oscillations by reducing a power factor to increase generator losses at mechanical damping frequencies.

7. A method of operating a gas turbine engine assembly, comprising:

pressurizing air via a compressor of the gas turbine engine assembly;

providing the pressurized air from the compressor to a combustion chamber;

injecting fuel into the pressurized air within the combustion chamber and igniting the fuel so as to raise a temperature and energy level of the pressurized air;

providing combustion products from the combustion chamber to a turbine coupled to a generator; and

damping torsional oscillations of a shaft system of the generator via a power bus damper configured to prohibit the generator from having a constant power load at frequencies of torsional interaction;

controlling via a controller additional damping of the shaft system.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the power bus damper comprises at least one of an active load, a controlled resistive load, or an energy storage device.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the power bus damper is configured to receive at least one of a speed or torque signal from the controller.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the power bus damper is further configured to prevent a bus from having a constant power load on the generator, at frequencies of torsional interactions separated from voltage control.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising converting, via a power converter, AC voltage into DC voltage, wherein the power converter is configured to dampen torsional oscillations by reducing a power factor to increase generator losses at mechanical damping frequencies.