Method for ignition and start up of a turbogenerator

• US 6,766,647 B2
• Filed: 07/25/2002
• Issued: 07/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Capstone Turbine Corp.
• Original Assignee: Elliott Energy Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Hartzheim, Anthony A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Ted
• Application Number:
  US10/205,002
• Publication Number:
  US 20030056522A1
• Time in Patent Office: 733 Days
• Field of Search: 607/88, 607/90, 607/86, 607/87, 607/78
• US Class Current: 60/778
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 19/00 Starting of machines or engines; Regulating, controlling, or safety means in connection therewith warming-up before starting F01D25/10; turning or inching gear F01D25/34
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/224 Heating fuel before feeding to the burner
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/26 Starting; Ignition
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/268 Starting drives for the rotor , acting directly on the rotor of the gas turbine to be started
• 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

Abstract

A method for ignition and start up of a gas turbine engine in which the fuel flow is supplied to the combustor at a substantially constant rate for ignition and the gas turbine engine is ramped up at a preset acceleration rate to a speed to provide a supply of combustion air to the combustor in order to achieve the correct fuel-to-air ratio for ignition.

Claims

1. A method of starting a gas turbine engine, comprising the steps of:

a. accelerating a gas turbine engine at a preset acceleration rate to a speed to provide a supply of combustion air to a combustor for ignition of said gas turbine engine, wherein said preset acceleration rate of said gas turbine engine is determined based upon ambient conditions and fuel heating value;

b. activating an ignition source for said combustor of said gas turbine engine; and

c. initiating a flow of fuel to said combustor at a substantially constant rate to provide an optimum supply of fuel to said combustor and maintaining said constant rate until the correct fuel-to-air ratio is achieved and ignition of said gas turbine engine occurs, and after initiating the flow of fuel at a substantially constant rate, increasing the fuel flow non-decreasingly until the engine drives a load.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of determining ambient conditions and fuel heating value.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein said ambient conditions comprise ambient temperature and atmospheric pressure.

4. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein said ignition source is activated based upon said ambient conditions and said speed of said gas turbine engine.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said gas turbine engine is accelerated by applying electrical assistance.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5, further comprising the step of eliminating said electrical assistance to said gas turbine engine based upon a fixed value of said speed of said gas turbine engine.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of sensing for ignition after step c by using a heat sensor.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of sensing for ignition after step c by measuring exhaust gas temperature of said gas turbine engine.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of controlling an acceleration rate of said gas turbine engine after ignition has occurred.

10. A method of starting a gas turbine engine, comprising the steps of:

a. accelerating a gas turbine engine at a preset acceleration rate to a speed to provide a supply of combustion air to a combustor for ignition of said gas turbine engine, wherein said preset acceleration rate of said gas turbine engine is determined based upon ambient conditions and fuel heating value;

b. activating an ignition source for said combustor of said gas turbine engine;

c. initiating a flow of fuel to said combustor at a substantially constant rate to provide an optimum supply of fuel to said combustor and maintaining said constant rate until the correct fuel-to-air ratio is achieved and ignition of said gas turbine engine occurs, and after initiating the flow of fuel at a substantially constant rate, increasing the fuel flow non-decreasingly until the engine drives a load; and

d. controlling an acceleration rate of said gas turbine engine after ignition has occurred.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10, further comprising the step of determining ambient conditions and fuel heating value before step a.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein said ambient conditions comprise ambient temperature and atmospheric pressure.

13. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein said gas turbine engine is accelerated by applying electrical assistance.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13, further comprising the step of eliminating said electrical assistance to said gas turbine engine based upon a fixed value of said speed of said gas turbine engine.

15. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein said ignition source is activated based upon said ambient conditions and said speed of said gas turbine engine.

16. The method as claimed in claim 10, further comprising the step of sensing for ignition after step c by measuring exhaust gas temperature of said gas turbine engine.

17. A method of starting a gas turbine engine, comprising the steps of:

a. determining ambient conditions and fuel heating value;

b. setting an acceleration rate of a gas turbine engine based upon said ambient conditions and said fuel heating value;

c. applying electrical assistance to accelerate said gas turbine engine at said preset acceleration rate, whereby a turbine drive shaft rotates causing compressor blades and turbine blades to rotate;

d. activating ignition source for a combustor of said gas turbine engine;

e. supplying a flow of fuel to said combustor of said gas turbine engine at a substantially constant rate until ignition of said gas turbine engine occurs, and after initiating the flow of fuel at a substantially constant rate, increasing the fuel flow non-decreasingly until the engine drives a load;

f. sensing for ignition of said gas turbine engine;

g. controlling an acceleration rate of said gas turbine engine after ignition has occurred;

h. eliminating said electrical assistance to said gas turbine engine based upon a fixed value of a speed of said turbine blades; and

i. ramping up said flow of fuel to said combustor of said gas turbine engine to increase said speed of said gas turbine engine to a final speed to which a load is applied.

18. The method as claimed in claim 17, further comprising the step of controlling said acceleration rate of said gas turbine engine after said flow of fuel is ramped up to said combustor of said gas turbine engine.