Stabilizing a gas turbine engine via incremental tuning
First Claim
1. A computerized method, implemented by a processing unit, for automatically tuning a combustor of a gas turbine engine, the method comprising:
- monitoring at least one operating condition of the gas turbine engine;
determining that the at least one operating condition overcomes a threshold value associated with the at least one operating condition; and
based on determining that the at least one operating condition overcomes the threshold value, performing a tuning process comprising;
(a) comparing an identity of the at least one operating condition against a schedule, the schedule providing, for the at least one operating condition, an identity of a predefined fuel flow split for adjustment and a predefined manner of adjustment for the predefined fuel flow split;
(b) selecting the predefined fuel flow split corresponding to the at least one operating condition from the schedule to target for adjustment, wherein selecting the predefined fuel flow split is based on (1) the identity of the at least one operating condition, (2) a predefined preferential guideline, and (3) a look-up table comprising an operating curve that corresponds to an ambient temperature parameter and a gas parameter;
(c) adjusting the selected predefined fuel flow split by a predefined increment according to the predefined manner of adjustment, wherein the selected predefined fuel flow split governs a portion of a total fuel flow that is directed to two or more fuel nozzles of the combustor'"'"'s fuel circuit, and wherein adjusting the selected predefined fuel flow split by the predefined increment comprises consistently applying a uniform amount of adjustment to the selected predefined fuel flow split;
obtaining a result of the tuning process; and
updating the look-up table based on the result of the tuning process, wherein the updated look-up table increases an efficiency of a future tuning process.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An auto-tune controller and tuning process implemented thereby for measuring and tuning the combustion dynamics and emissions of a GT engine, relative to predetermined upper limits, are provided. Initially, the tuning process includes monitoring the combustion dynamics of a plurality of combustors and emissions for a plurality of conditions. Upon determination that one or more of the conditions exceeds a predetermined upper limit, a fuel flow split to a fuel circuit on all of the combustors on the engine is adjusted by a predetermined amount. The control system continues to monitor the combustion dynamics and to recursively adjust the fuel flow split by the predetermined amount until the combustion dynamics and/or emissions are operating within a prescribed range of the GT engine.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A computerized method, implemented by a processing unit, for automatically tuning a combustor of a gas turbine engine, the method comprising:
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monitoring at least one operating condition of the gas turbine engine; determining that the at least one operating condition overcomes a threshold value associated with the at least one operating condition; and based on determining that the at least one operating condition overcomes the threshold value, performing a tuning process comprising; (a) comparing an identity of the at least one operating condition against a schedule, the schedule providing, for the at least one operating condition, an identity of a predefined fuel flow split for adjustment and a predefined manner of adjustment for the predefined fuel flow split; (b) selecting the predefined fuel flow split corresponding to the at least one operating condition from the schedule to target for adjustment, wherein selecting the predefined fuel flow split is based on (1) the identity of the at least one operating condition, (2) a predefined preferential guideline, and (3) a look-up table comprising an operating curve that corresponds to an ambient temperature parameter and a gas parameter; (c) adjusting the selected predefined fuel flow split by a predefined increment according to the predefined manner of adjustment, wherein the selected predefined fuel flow split governs a portion of a total fuel flow that is directed to two or more fuel nozzles of the combustor'"'"'s fuel circuit, and wherein adjusting the selected predefined fuel flow split by the predefined increment comprises consistently applying a uniform amount of adjustment to the selected predefined fuel flow split; obtaining a result of the tuning process; and updating the look-up table based on the result of the tuning process, wherein the updated look-up table increases an efficiency of a future tuning process. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A system comprising:
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a gas turbine engine including one or more combustors, wherein fuel flow splits govern a flow of fuel through fuel circuits for the one or more combustors; and an auto-tune controller for controlling an auto-tuning process comprising; monitoring at least one operating condition of the gas turbine engine, determining the at least one operating condition overcomes a threshold value, based on determining that the at least one operating condition overcomes the threshold value, comparing an identity of the at least one operating condition against a schedule, the schedule providing, for the at least one operating condition, an identity of a predefined fuel flow split for adjustment and a predefined manner of adjustment for the predefined fuel flow split, determining a selected fuel flow split to target for adjustment, wherein determining the selected fuel flow split to target for adjustment is based on (1) the identity of the at least one operating condition, (2) a predefined preferential guideline, and (3) a look-up table comprising an operating curve that corresponds to an ambient temperature parameter and a gas parameter, adjusting the selected predefined fuel flow split by a predefined increment according to the predefined manner of adjustment, wherein the selected predefined fuel flow split governs a portion of a total fuel flow that is directed to two or more fuel nozzles of the combustor'"'"'s fuel circuit, and wherein adjusting the selected predefined fuel flow split by the predefined increment comprises consistently applying a uniform amount of adjustment to the selected predefined fuel flow split; obtaining a result of adjusting the selected predefined fuel flow split; and updating the look-up table based on the result of adjusting the selected predefined fuel flow split, wherein the updated look-up table increases an efficiency of a future auto-tuning process. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. One or more computer readable media that, when invoked by computer-executable instructions, perform a method for auto-tuning a combustor of a gas turbine engine, the method comprising:
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monitoring a plurality of operating conditions of the gas turbine engine; determining that at least one of the plurality of operating conditions overcomes a threshold value; based on determining that the at least one of the plurality of operating conditions overcomes the threshold value, performing a tuning process comprising; (a) comparing an identity of the at least one of the plurality of operating conditions against a schedule, the schedule providing, for the at least one of the plurality of operating conditions, an identity of a predefined fuel flow split for adjustment and a predefined manner of adjustment for the predefined fuel flow split, (b) selecting the predefined fuel flow split corresponding to the at least one of the plurality of operating conditions from the schedule to target for adjustment, wherein selecting the predefined fuel flow split is based on (1) the identity of the at least one of the plurality of operating conditions, (2) a predefined preferential guideline, and (3) a look-up table comprising an operating curve that corresponds to an ambient temperature parameter and a gas parameter; and (c) adjusting the predefined fuel flow split by a predefined increment according to the predefined manner of adjustment, wherein the predefined fuel flow split governs a portion of a total fuel flow that is directed to two or more fuel nozzles of the combustor'"'"'s fuel circuit, and wherein adjusting the predefined fuel flow split by the predefined increment comprises consistently applying a uniform amount of adjustment to the predefined fuel flow split; obtaining a result of the tuning process; and updating the look-up table based on the result of the tuning process, wherein the updated look-up table increases an efficiency of a future tuning process.
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19. A computerized method, implemented by a processing unit, for automatically turning a gas turbine engine, the method comprising:
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monitoring a plurality of operating conditions of the gas turbine engine; determining that at least one of the plurality of operating conditions overcomes a threshold value; based on determining that the at least one of the plurality of operating conditions overcomes the threshold value, performing a tuning process comprising; comparing an identity of the at least one of the plurality of operating conditions against a schedule, the schedule providing, for the at least one of the plurality of operating conditions, an identity of a predefined fuel flow split for adjustment and a predefined manner of adjustment for the predefined fuel flow split, selecting the predefined fuel flow split corresponding to the at least one of the plurality of operating conditions from the schedule to target for adjustment, wherein selecting the predefined fuel flow split is based on (1) the identity of the at least one of the plurality of operating conditions (2) a predefined preferential guideline, and (3) a look-up table comprising an operating curve that corresponds to an ambient temperature parameter and a gas parameter, and adjusting the selected predefined fuel flow split by a predefined increment according to the predefined manner of adjustment, wherein the selected predefined fuel flow split governs a portion of a total fuel flow that is directed to two or more fuel nozzles of the combustor'"'"'s fuel circuit, and wherein adjusting the selected predefined fuel flow split by the predefined increment comprises consistently applying a uniform amount of adjustment to the selected predefined fuel flow split; obtaining a result of the tuning process; and updating the look-up table based on the result of the tuning process, wherein the updated look-up table increases an efficiency of a future tuning process.
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Specification