GAS TURBINE LOWER HEATING VALUE METHODS AND SYSTEMS

• US 20170370297A1
• Filed: 06/27/2016
• Published: 12/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Infrastructure Technology, LLC (General Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Vela, Veronica Elizabeth
• Granted Patent: US 11,112,118 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/143 before or between the compressor stages
• 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 9/28 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 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 2270/71 synthesized, i.e. parameter computed by a mathematical model
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 1/002 using electronic means F23N1/04 - F23N1/10 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 2221/10 Analysing fuel properties, e.g. density, calorific
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 2223/40 Simulation
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 2241/20 Gas turbines
• CPC Class Codes: F23R 3/14 by using swirl vanes
• CPC Class Codes: F23R 3/36 Supply of different fuels

Abstract

A control system for a gas turbine includes a controller. The controller includes a processor configured to receive a plurality of signals comprising a temperature signal, a pressure signal, a speed signal, a mass flow signal, or a combination thereof, from sensors disposed in the gas turbine system. The processor is further configured to apply the plurality of signals as input to a heating value model. The processor is also configured to execute the heating value model to derive a heating value for a fuel combusted by the gas turbine system. The processor is additionally configured to control operations of the gas turbine system based on the heating value for the fuel.

Claims

1. A control system for a gas turbine system, comprising:

a controller comprising a processor, wherein the processor is configured to;

receive a plurality of signals comprising a temperature signal, a pressure signal, a speed signal, a mass flow signal, or a combination thereof, from sensors disposed in the gas turbine system;

apply the plurality of signals as input to a heating value model;

execute the heating value model to derive a heating value for a fuel combusted by the gas turbine system;

control operations of the gas turbine system based on the heating value for the fuel.

2. The control system of claim 1, wherein the heating value model comprises a Lower Heating Value (LHV) model configured to derive the heating value for the fuel in a range of between 30 to 60 Wobbe numbers.

3. The control system of claim 2, wherein the LHV model comprises LHV=(HFL*(WAR36+FAR+1.0)−

H3/FAR)−

C, wherein HFL comprises a first enthalpy, FAR comprises a fuel-to-air ratio, H3 comprises a second enthalpy, and C comprises a constant.

4. The control system of claim 3, wherein the LHV model comprises a flame temperature model configured to derive a combustion flame temperature, and wherein the LHV model is configured to use a first lookup table and the combustion flame temperature to derive HFL and a second lookup table and the combustion flame temperature to derive H3.

5. The control system of claim 2, wherein FAR is derived via FAR=(WF36DMD/3600)/WA4Model, wherein WF36DMD comprises a current demand for fuel, for air, or for a combination thereof, and wherein WA4Model comprises an airflow model configured to receive the speed signal and the pressure signal to derive an expected airflow.

6. The control system of claim 1, wherein the fuel comprises a LHV fuel and wherein the controller is configured to control operations of the gas turbine system by comparing the heating value to a heating value range, and by increasing fuel flow when the heating value is below the range, and by decreasing fuel flow when the heating value is above the range.

7. The control system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of signals comprises a fuel heating value signal derived via a gas chromatograph or a Wobbe meter, and wherein the heating value is compared to a second heating value derived from the fuel heating value signal to provide for redundant operations.

8. The control system of claim 1, wherein the gas turbine comprises a spray intercooler (SPRINT) or an efficient spay intercooler (ESPRINT) configured to cool a compressed oxidant using a fluid, and wherein the controller is configured to control the SPRINT or the ESPRINT.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer executable code stored thereon, the code comprising instructions to:

receive a plurality of signals comprising a temperature signal, a pressure signal, a speed signal, a mass flow signal, or a combination thereof, from sensors disposed in the gas turbine system;

apply the plurality of signals as input to a heating value model;

execute the heating value model to derive a heating value for a fuel combusted by the gas turbine system;

control operations of the gas turbine system based on the heating value for the fuel.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the heating value model comprises a Lower Heating Value (LHV) model configured to derive the heating value for the fuel in a range of between 30 to 60 Wobbe numbers.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the LHV model comprises LHV=(HFL*(WAR36+FAR+1.0)−

H3/FAR)−

C, wherein HFL comprises a first enthalpy, FAR comprises a fuel-to-air ratio, H3 comprises a second enthalpy, and C comprises a constant.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the LHV model comprises a flame temperature model configured to derive a combustion flame temperature, and wherein the LHV model is configured to use a first lookup table and the combustion flame temperature to derive HFL and a second lookup table and the combustion flame temperature to derive H3.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein FAR is derived via FAR=(WF36DMD/3600)/WA4Model, wherein WF36DMD comprises a current demand for fuel, for air, or for a combination thereof, and wherein WA4Model comprises an airflow model configured to receive the speed signal and the pressure signal to derive an expected airflow.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the fuel comprises a LHV fuel and wherein the controller is configured to control operations of the gas turbine system by comparing the heating value to a heating value range, and by increasing fuel flow when the heating value is below the range, and by decreasing fuel flow when the heating value is above the range.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the plurality of signals comprises a fuel heating value signal derived via a gas chromatograph or a Wobbe meter, and wherein the heating value is compared to a second heating value derived from the fuel heating value signal to provide for redundant operations.

16. A method for a gas turbine system, comprising:

receiving a plurality of signals comprising a temperature signal, a pressure signal, a speed signal, a mass flow signal, or a combination thereof, from sensors disposed in the gas turbine system;

applying the plurality of signals as input to a heating value model;

executing the heating value model to derive a heating value for a fuel combusted by the gas turbine system;

controlling operations of the gas turbine system based on the heating value for the fuel.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the heating value model comprises a Lower Heating Value (LHV) model configured to derive the heating value for the fuel in a range of between 30 to 60 Wobbe numbers.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the LHV model comprises LHV=(HFL*(WAR36+FAR+1.0)−

H3/FAR)−

C, wherein HFL comprises a first enthalpy, FAR comprises a fuel-to-air ratio, H3 comprises a second enthalpy, and C comprises a constant.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the LHV model comprises a flame temperature model configured to derive a combustion flame temperature, and wherein the LHV model is configured to use a first lookup table and the combustion flame temperature to derive HFL and a second lookup table and the combustion flame temperature to derive H3.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein FAR is derived via FAR=(WF36DMD/3600)/WA4Model, wherein WF36DMD comprises a current demand for fuel, for air, or for a combination thereof, and wherein WA4Model comprises an airflow model configured to receive the speed signal and the pressure signal to derive an expected airflow.