Method and combustor apparatus for sensing the level of a contaminant within a combustion flame
First Claim
1. A combustor for burning fuel from a fuel supply, the fuel including a contaminant having a level, said combustor comprising:
- a combustion chamber;
means for delivering the fuel to said combustion chamber;
means for establishing a combustion flame in said combustion chamber by burning the fuel;
at least one fuel line operatively connecting said means for delivering to the fuel supply;
means for sensing the level of said contaminant within the combustion flame; and
means for disabling said means for delivering as a function of the level of said contaminant.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A gas turbine combustor burns fuel from a fuel supply. The combustor includes a combustion chamber and a fuel delivery system for delivering the fuel to the combustion chamber. A pilot or fuel nozzle establishes a combustion flame in the combustion chamber by burning the fuel. One or more fuel lines operatively connect the fuel delivery system to the fuel supply. A flame spectrometer senses the level, such as the concentration level, of a fuel contaminant, such as sodium, within the combustion flame. A control system disables the fuel delivery system as a function of the contaminant'"'"'s concentration level or accumulated concentration level.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A combustor for burning fuel from a fuel supply, the fuel including a contaminant having a level, said combustor comprising:
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a combustion chamber;
means for delivering the fuel to said combustion chamber;
means for establishing a combustion flame in said combustion chamber by burning the fuel;
at least one fuel line operatively connecting said means for delivering to the fuel supply;
means for sensing the level of said contaminant within the combustion flame; and
means for disabling said means for delivering as a function of the level of said contaminant. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A gas turbine combustor for burning fuel from a fuel supply, the fuel including a contaminant having a level, said gas turbine combustor comprising:
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a combustion chamber;
means for delivering the fuel to said combustion chamber;
means for establishing a combustion flame having a combustion spectrum in said combustion chamber by burning the fuel with compressed air;
at least one fuel line operatively connecting said means for delivering to the fuel supply;
means employing the combustion spectrum of the combustion flame for sensing the level of said contaminant; and
means for disabling said means for delivering as a function of the level of said contaminant. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
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19. A method for burning fuel including a contaminant in a combustor, said method comprising:
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employing a combustion chamber;
delivering the fuel to said combustion chamber;
establishing a combustion flame in said combustion chamber by burning the fuel;
sensing a level of said contaminant within the combustion flame; and
stopping delivery of the fuel to said combustion chamber as a function of the level of said contaminant. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
employing a gas turbine combustor as said combustor;
establishing the combustion flame with a spectrum in said combustion chamber; and
sensing the level of said contaminant from the spectrum of the combustion flame.
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21. The method of claim 19 further comprising:
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storing an historical record of an accumulation of a concentration level of said contaminant with respect to operating time of said combustor; and
displaying said historical record.
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Specification