Method and apparatus for detecting combustion instability in continuous combustion systems
First Claim
1. A system for detecting combustion instability in a continuous combustion system having a combustion region comprising:
- at least one retractable igniter having at least one electrode, the at least one retractable igniter positioned at a location such that the at least one electrode is exposed to gases in the combustion region; and
a controller coupled to the at least one electrode, the controller capable of receiving from the at least one electrode a combustion ionization signal and detecting an oscillation in the combustion ionization signal indicative of the occurrence of combustion instability, wherein the controller is adapted to monitor a temperature of the at least one retractable igniter and actively position the at least one retractable igniter to take ion measurements and retract the at least one retractable igniter if the temperature is above a threshold.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus and method to sense the onset of combustion stability is presented. An electrode is positioned in a turbine combustion chamber such that the electrode is exposed to gases in the combustion chamber. The electrode may be integrated with an igniter. A control module applies a voltage potential to the electrode and detects a combustion ionization signal and determines if there is an oscillation in the combustion ionization signal indicative of the occurrence of combustion stability or the onset of combustion instability. The control module broadcasts a notice if the parameters indicate the combustion process is at the onset of combustion instability or broadcasts an alarm signal if the parameters indicate the combustion process is instable. Combustion parameters are adjusted to drive the combustion process towards stability.
67 Citations
24 Claims
-
1. A system for detecting combustion instability in a continuous combustion system having a combustion region comprising:
-
at least one retractable igniter having at least one electrode, the at least one retractable igniter positioned at a location such that the at least one electrode is exposed to gases in the combustion region; and a controller coupled to the at least one electrode, the controller capable of receiving from the at least one electrode a combustion ionization signal and detecting an oscillation in the combustion ionization signal indicative of the occurrence of combustion instability, wherein the controller is adapted to monitor a temperature of the at least one retractable igniter and actively position the at least one retractable igniter to take ion measurements and retract the at least one retractable igniter if the temperature is above a threshold. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
-
-
5. A system for detecting combustion instability in an afterburner having a combustion region comprising:
-
at least one electrode positioned in the combustion region at a location such that the at least one electrode is exposed to gases in the combustion region; a control module coupled to the at least one electrode, the control module adapted to excite the at least one electrode to create an electric field from the at least one electrode to a ground of the combustion region and receive from the at least one electrode a combustion ionization signal, the control module further adapted to detect an oscillation in the combustion ionization signal indicative of the occurrence of combustion instability; and wherein the at least one electrode is positioned in an igniter of the afterburner. - View Dependent Claims (6)
-
-
7. A method for detecting combustion instability in a lean premix gas turbine having an electrode positioned in the combustion chamber at a location such that the electrode is exposed to combustion gases containing free ions in the combustion chamber, the method comprising the steps of:
-
applying a voltage to the electrode during the combustion process; determining parameters of a current flowing between the electrode and at least one wall of the combustion chamber; determining if the parameters indicate the combustion process is one of at the onset of combustion instability or is unstable; and adjusting at least one combustion system parameter if the parameters indicate the combustion process is one of at the onset of combustion instability or is unstable, wherein the step determining if the parameters indicate the combustion process is one of at the onset of combustion instability or is unstable comprises determining that the combustion process is at the onset of combustion instability if an oscillation frequency is within a predetermined frequency range and an oscillation magnitude corresponds to a first threshold. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. A method of maintaining combustion stability of a combustion process in a combustion system having a fuel nozzle and a combustion chamber, the method comprising the steps of:
-
placing an ion sensor in the combustion chamber such that the ion sensor is exposed to combustion gases, the ion sensor having at least one electrode proximate the fuel nozzle and at least one electrode on an outer wall of the combustion chamber; applying a voltage between the at least one electrode proximate the fuel nozzle and the at least one electrode on the outer wall of the combustion chamber; receiving an ion signal from the ion sensor; determining an oscillation frequency and an oscillation magnitude from the ion signal; and adjusting at least one parameter if the oscillation frequency and oscillation magnitude are indicative of one of an onset of combustion instability and combustion instability to drive the combustion process towards stability. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
-
-
15. A method of maintaining combustion stability of a combustion process in a combustion system having a fuel nozzle and a combustion chamber, the method comprising the steps of:
-
placing an ion sensor in the combustion chamber such that the ion sensor is exposed to combustion gases; receiving an ion signal from the ion sensor; determining an oscillation frequency and an oscillation magnitude from the ion signal; and adjusting at least one combustion system parameter if the oscillation frequency and oscillation magnitude are indicative of one of an onset of combustion instability and combustion instability to drive the combustion process towards stability; and wherein the step of adjusting a combustion system parameter includes adjusting one of enriching the air/fuel ratio and adjusting the flow nozzle geometry of the fuel nozzle.
-
-
16. A method of maintaining combustion stability of a combustion process in a combustion system having a fuel nozzle and a combustion chamber, the method comprising the steps of:
-
placing an ion sensor in the combustion chamber such that the ion sensor is exposed to combustion gases; receiving an ion signal from the ion sensor; determining an oscillation frequency and an oscillation magnitude from the ion signal; and adjusting at least one parameter if the oscillation frequency and oscillation magnitude are indicative of one of an onset of combustion instability and combustion instability to drive the combustion process towards stability, wherein the step of determining if the oscillation frequency and oscillation magnitude are indicative of one of the onset of combustion instability and combustion instability includes determining that the oscillation frequency and oscillation magnitude are indicative of the onset of combustion instability if the oscillation frequency is within a predetermined frequency range and the oscillation magnitude corresponds to a first threshold. - View Dependent Claims (17)
-
-
18. A method of maintaining combustion stability of a combustion process in a combustion system having a fuel nozzle and a combustion chamber, the method comprising the steps of:
-
placing an ion sensor in the combustion chamber such that the ion sensor is exposed to combustion gases; receiving an ion signal from the ion sensor; determining an oscillation frequency and an oscillation magnitude from the ion signal; and adjusting at least one parameter if the oscillation frequency and oscillation magnitude are indicative of one of an onset of combustion instability and combustion instability to drive the combustion process towards stability, wherein the step of determining if the oscillation frequency and oscillation magnitude are indicative of one of the onset of combustion instability and combustion instability includes determining that the oscillation frequency and oscillation magnitude are indicative of combustion instability if the oscillation frequency is within a predetermined frequency range and the oscillation magnitude corresponds to a second threshold. - View Dependent Claims (19)
-
-
20. A system for detecting combustion instability of a combustion process in a combustion system having a fuel nozzle and a combustion chamber comprising:
an electronic module in communication with an ion sensor, the electronic module receiving an ion signal from the ion sensor and determining an oscillation frequency and an oscillation magnitude of the ion signal and adjusting at least one combustion parameter if the oscillation frequency and oscillation magnitude are indicative of one of an onset of combustion instability and combustion instability to drive the combustion process towards stability. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24)
Specification