Apparatus for damping acoustic vibrations in a combustor

• US 20020000343A1
• Filed: 05/25/2001
• Published: 01/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ansaldo Energia IP UK Limited (Ansaldo Energia SPA)
• Original Assignee: Alstom Technology Ltd. (Alstom SA)
• Inventors: Polifke, Wolfgang, Paschereit, Christian Oliver, Flohr, Peter, Weisenstein, Wolfgang
• Granted Patent: US 6,634,457 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 181/229
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 1/02 by using resonance
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 1/023 Helmholtz resonators
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2490/12 Chambers having variable volumes
• CPC Class Codes: F23D 2210/00 Noise abatement
• CPC Class Codes: F23M 20/005 Noise absorbing means
• CPC Class Codes: F23R 2900/00014 Reducing thermo-acoustic vibrations by passive means, e.g. by Helmholtz resonators silence apparatus using resonance F01N1/023

Abstract

The present invention relates to an apparatus for damping acoustic vibrations in a combustor as well as a corresponding combustor arrangement with the apparatus. The apparatus comprises a Helmholtz resonator (4) that can be connected via a connecting channel (2) with a combustor (1). The Helmholtz resonator (4) contains a hollow body (6) the volume of which can be changed by adding or draining a fluid via a supply line (5), or is located adjacent to such a hollow body in such a way that the resonance volume (3) of the Helmholtz resonator (4) is changed when the volume of the hollow body (6) is changed. This apparatus makes it possible to adjust the resonance frequency of a Helmholtz resonator arranged inside a pressure container in accordance with the respective current operating point of the combustor to be damped, without having to pass movable components through the pressure container.

Claims

1. Apparatus for damping acoustic vibrations in a combustor (1), comprising a Helmholtz resonator (4) having a resonance volume (3) and a connecting channel (2) through which the combustor (1) can be connected with the resonance volume (3),

characterized in that

the Helmholtz resonator (4) contains a hollow body (6) with a volume that can be changed by adding or draining a fluid via a supply line (5) or is located adjacent to such a hollow body in such a way that the resonance volume (3) of the Helmholtz resonator (4) is changed when the volume of the hollow body (6) is changed.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1,

characterized in that

the variable-volume hollow body (6) is an inflatable, temperature-resistant balloon.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1,

characterized in that

the variable-volume hollow body (6) is an inflatable met al bellows.

4. Apparatus as claimed in one of claims 1 to 3,

characterized in that

with an arrangement of the hollow body (6) in the Helmholtz resonator (4), the supply line (5) extends through a passage in a wall of the Helmholtz resonator (4).

5. Apparatus as claimed in one of claims 1 to 3,

characterized in that

the Helmholtz resonator (4) is provided with at least one variable-position wall (11), adjacent to which the hollow body (6) is located, as well as with a spring mechanism with which the wall (11) is pressed against the hollow body (6).

6. Apparatus as claimed in one of claims 1 to 5,

characterized in that

at the supply line (5) a regulator (7) is provided, which regulates the addition or draining of the fluid via the supply line (5) as a function of the frequency of the respectively highest vibration amplitude in the combustor (1).

7. Combustor arrangement with an apparatus as claimed in one of the previous Claims, in which the combustor (1) and the Helmholtz resonator (4) are arranged inside a pressure container (8) of a gas or steam turbine,

characterized in that

the supply line (5) to the hollow body (6) is passed through the pressure container (8) towards the outside.

8. Combustor arrangement as claimed in claim 7,

characterized in that

the supply line (5) is arranged so that it can be supplied with compressor air from the gas or steam turbine.