Automated tuning of gas turbine combustion systems

• US 8,437,941 B2
• Filed: 05/08/2009
• Issued: 05/07/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gas Turbine Efficiency Sweden AB
• Original Assignee: Gas Turbine Efficiency Sweden AB
• Inventors: Chandler, Christopher
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Khoi
• Assistant Examiner(s): MOYER, DALE S
• Application Number:
  US12/463,060
• Publication Number:
  US 20100286890A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,460 Days
• Field of Search: 701 99-100, 701287-290, 290/52
• US Class Current: 701/100
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/057 Control or regulation conjointly with fuel supply control F02C9/50, with nozzle area control F02K1/16
• 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 9/26 Control of fuel supply F02C9/48 takes precedence; fuel valves F02C7/232
• 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 2220/32 in gas turbines
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2240/35 Combustors or associated equipment
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2260/80 Diagnostics
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2270/08 to produce clean exhaust gases
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2270/082 with as little NOx as possible
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2270/14 to control thermoacoustic behaviour in the combustion chambers counteracting noise or vibration F05D2260/96
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2270/44 active, predictive, or anticipative

Abstract

A system for tuning the operation of a gas turbine is provided based on measuring operational parameters of the turbine and directing adjustment of operational controls for various operational elements of the turbine. A controller is provided for communicating with sensors and controls within the system. The controller receiving operational data from the sensors and comparing the data to stored operational standards to determining if turbine operation conforms to the standards. The controller then communicates selected adjustment in an operational parameter of the turbine. The controller then receives additional operational data from the sensors to determine if an additional adjustment is desired or is adjustment is desired of a further selected operational parameter.

Claims

1. A method for tuning the operation of a combustion turbine comprising:

monitoring a set of operational parameters including stack emissions and combustion dynamics and comparing the operational parameters to standard operational data;

using a computer, determining the dominant gas turbine combustion system tuning scenario through the use of Boolean hierarchical logic and multiple levels of control settings; and

making an adjustment to at least one operational control element of the combustion turbine based on the dominant gas turbine combustion system tuning scenario in response to a departure of the monitored operational parameters from the standard operational data,

wherein the operational control elements of the combustion turbine comprise inlet fuel temperature, fuel-air ratio and fuel distribution splits.

2. A method for automated control of the gas turbine inlet fuel temperature through automated modification of the fuel gas temperature control set point within a Distributed Control System (DCS), the method comprising:

monitoring a set of operational parameters including stack emissions and combustion dynamics and comparing the operational parameters to standard operational data;

communicating the monitored data regarding the operational parameters to a turbine controller through a DCS;

determining an operational control element for adjustment based on operational priorities of the gas turbine, wherein the operational control elements of the combustion turbine comprise inlet fuel temperature, fuel-air ratio and fuel distribution splits;

making an adjustment to the gas turbine inlet fuel temperature in response to a departure of the monitored operational parameters from the standard operational data; and

communicating the desired adjustment to the gas turbine inlet fuel temperature to a fuel heating unit through the DCS.

3. A method for automated control of the gas turbine inlet fuel temperature through automated modification of the fuel gas temperature control set point within the fuel gas temperature controller, the method comprising:

monitoring a set of operational parameters, including stack emissions and combustion dynamics, and comparing the operational parameters to standard operational data;

determining an operational control element for adjustment based on operational priorities of the gas turbine, wherein the operational control elements of the combustion turbine comprise inlet fuel temperature, fuel-air ratio and fuel distribution splits;

making an adjustment to the gas turbine inlet fuel temperature in response to a departure of the monitored operational parameters from the standard operational data; and

communicating the desired adjustment to the gas turbine inlet fuel temperature directly from the turbine controller to a fuel heating unit.

4. A method for transferring turbine control signals to a gas turbine controller through the use of an existing gas turbine communication network with an external control device, using a Distributed Control System (DCS), the method comprising:

monitoring a set of operational parameters including stack emissions and combustion dynamics and comparing the operational parameters to standard operational data;

communicating the monitored data regarding the operational parameters to a turbine controller through a DCS;

determining an operational control element for adjustment based on operational priorities of the gas turbine, wherein the operational control elements of the combustion turbine comprise inlet fuel temperature, fuel-air ratio and fuel distribution splits;

making an adjustment to a desired operational control element in response to a departure of the monitored operational parameters from the standard operational data, based on the operational priorities selected within the turbine controller; and

communicating the desired adjustment to the operational control elements to a desired system for changing levels of the selected operational control element, through the DCS.

5. A method for modification to gas turbine combustion system autotuning settings via a user interface display, which utilizes Boolean-logic toggle switches to select user-desired optimization criteria, and tuning the gas turbine combustion system according to the selected autotuning settings, the method comprising:

providing an autotuning system for a gas turbine combustion system, including a turbine controller having a user interface display, sensors for monitoring operational parameters and operational control elements for adjusting operating inputs for the gas turbine;

selecting desired operational priorities for the gas turbine combustion system via the user interface display, whereby selection of a desired operational priority modifies the autotuning settings of the gas turbine combustion system;

monitoring a set of operational parameters including stack emissions and combustion dynamics and comparing the operational parameters to standard operational data;

determining an operational control element for adjustment based on the selected operational priorities of the gas turbine; and

making an adjustment to a desired operational control element in response to a departure of the monitored operational parameters from the standard operational data, based on the operational priorities selected within the turbine controller;

wherein the operational parameters comprise stack emissions and combustion dynamics, and

wherein the operational control elements comprise inlet fuel temperature, fuel-air ratio and fuel distribution splits.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the operational priorities of the gas turbine combustion system are selected from the group comprising optimum dynamics, optimum power and optimum NOx emissions.