Systems and methods for controlling combustion dynamics and modal coupling in a gas turbine

Abstract

System that features: a gas turbine (10) which features: a first combustion chamber (12; 90-98) which has a first fuel nozzle (20, 21); a second combustion chamber (12; 90-98) which has a second fuel nozzle (20, 21); a first acoustic adjustment device (14) comprising a first actuator (67) coupled to a first actuating piston (66) with a first fuel orifice (70), wherein the first actuating piston (66) is arranged along a first fuel passage leading to the first fuel nozzle (20, 21), the first fuel orifice (70) being arranged to receive fuel in the first fuel passage and allow it to pass to the first fuel nozzle (20, 21); and a second acoustic adjustment device (14) comprising a second actuator (67) coupled to a second actuating piston (66) with a second fuel orifice (70), wherein the second actuating piston (66) is arranged along a second fuel passage leading to the second fuel nozzle (20, 21), wherein the second fuel orifice (70) is arranged to receive fuel in the second fuel passage and allow it to pass through to the second fuel nozzle (20, 21); wherein the first drive (67) of the first acoustic adjusting device (14) is configured to set a first axial position of the first adjusting piston (66) in order to vary a first distance (84) between the first fuel orifice (70) and the first fuel nozzle (20, 21); wherein the second drive (67) of the second acoustic adjusting device (14) is configured to adjust a second axial position of the second adjusting piston (66) in order to vary a second distance (86) between the second fuel orifice (70) and the second fuel nozzle (20, 21), wherein the first distance (84) is different from the second distance (86); wherein the first drive (67) is coupled to a first rotary disk system (42) comprising several first perforated disks (104, 106, 107) arranged in the first fuel passage leading to the first fuel nozzle (20, 21); and wherein the second drive (67) is coupled to a second rotary disk system (42) which has several second perforated disks (104, 106, 107) arranged in the second fuel passage leading to the second fuel nozzle (20, 21).

Description

BACKGROUND

[0001] The subject matter disclosed herein relates generally to gas turbine systems, and more particularly to systems and methods for controlling combustion dynamics, and more particularly, for reducing modal coupling of combustion dynamics.

[0002] Gas turbine systems generally include a gas turbine with a compressor section, a combustor section, and a turbine section. The combustor section may include one or more combustion chambers (e.g., combustor tubes) with fuel nozzles configured to inject a fuel and an oxidizer (e.g., air) into a combustion chamber within each combustion chamber. Within each combustion chamber, a mixture of the fuel and oxidizer burns to produce hot combustion gases, which then flow into and drive one or more turbine stages within the turbine section. Each combustion chamber may induce combustion dynamics, which occur when the acoustic vibrations of a combustion chamber interact with the flame dynamics (also known as the oscillatory component of heat release), resulting in a self-sustaining pressure oscillation within the combustion chamber.A key factor in combustion dynamics is the acoustic response of the fuel system, commonly defined as the fuel system impedance or fuel system acoustic impedance. Combustion dynamics can occur at multiple discrete frequencies or across a range of frequencies and can propagate both upstream and downstream relative to the respective combustion chamber. For example, pressure waves can propagate downstream into the turbine section, e.g., through one or more turbine stages, or upstream into the fuel system.

[0003] Certain downstream components of the turbine system may potentially respond to the combustion dynamics, particularly if the combustion dynamics generated by the individual combustors have an in-phase and coherent relationship with each other and have frequencies at or near the natural or resonant frequencies of the components. For the purpose of this invention, "coherence" refers to the strength of the linear relationship between two dynamic signals, and it is greatly influenced by the degree of frequency overlap between them. In the context of combustion dynamics, "coherence" is a measure of the modal coupling, or combustor-to-combustor acoustic interaction, exhibited by the combustion system. Accordingly, there is a need to control the combustion dynamics and / or the modal coupling of the combustion dynamics to minimize the possibility of any undesirable resonant response (e.g.,resonance behavior) of components in the turbine system.

[0004] US 2011 / 0 048 021 A1 discloses a gas turbine system having a plurality of combustion chambers, each comprising a fuel nozzle and an acoustic tuning device with a drive coupled to a piston, the piston being arranged along a fuel passage leading to the fuel nozzle in the combustion chamber. The piston and the drive form an adjustable Helmholtz resonator exposed to the fuel passage via an opening and adjustable in its resonant frequency to dampen vibrations within the combustion chamber.

[0005] US 2011 / 0 308 654 A1 discloses an adjustable Helmholtz resonator comprising at least two resonator chambers whose size can be varied using linearly adjustable pistons. In one embodiment, the Helmholtz resonator comprises two mutually rotatable perforated discs with holes connecting the resonator chambers. The holes can be aligned or offset to varying degrees by rotating one of the perforated discs.

[0006] JP S62-102 030 A discloses a system comprising a combustion chamber and a fuel injector with a fuel nozzle receiving fuel via an inlet port and a fuel passage. The fuel passage includes a piston unit configured to axially displace a movable orifice plate relative to a stationary orifice plate containing fuel passage holes. During low-load operation, e.g., during start-up of a gas turbine, the piston unit is actuated to apply the movable orifice plate to the stationary orifice plate to close a portion of its fuel passage holes, thereby ensuring a sufficient pressure differential across the fuel nozzle to maintain stable combustion.During rated load operation, the movable orifice plate is retracted from the stationary orifice plate to open all fuel passages of the stationary orifice plate, thereby maintaining a fuel injection pressure differential across the fuel nozzle that ensures stable fuel injection and combustion. In another embodiment, an orifice plate is rotatably mounted and rotated by a drive motor to either close or open the fuel passages provided in the stationary orifice plate. SHORT DESCRIPTION

[0007] The following is a brief summary of certain embodiments that fall within the scope of the originally claimed invention. These embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of the claimed invention, but rather, these embodiments serve only to provide a brief summary of possible forms of the invention. The invention may, in principle, take many different forms that may be similar to or different from the embodiments set forth below.

[0008] In a first embodiment, a system comprises a gas turbine including a first combustion chamber having a first fuel nozzle and a second combustion chamber having a second fuel nozzle. The system further includes a first acoustic adjustment device having a first drive coupled to a first actuating piston having a first fuel orifice. The first piston is arranged along a first fuel passage leading to the first fuel nozzle of the first combustion chamber. The first fuel orifice is arranged to receive fuel in the first fuel passage and to pass fuel to the first fuel nozzle. The system further includes a second acoustic adjustment device having a second drive coupled to a second piston having a second fuel orifice.The second piston is arranged along a second fuel passage leading to the second fuel nozzle of the second combustion chamber. The second fuel opening is arranged to receive fuel in the second fuel passage and to pass it to the second fuel nozzle. The first drive of the first acoustic adjustment device is configured to adjust a first axial position of the first actuating piston to vary a first distance between the first fuel opening and the first fuel nozzle, and the second drive of the second acoustic adjustment device is configured to adjust a second axial position of the second actuating piston to vary a second distance between the second fuel opening and the second fuel nozzle, wherein the first distance is different from the second distance.

[0009] In the aforementioned system according to the first embodiment, the gas turbine may include a controller configured to control the first driver or the second driver to vary a fuel system acoustic impedance of the first fuel nozzle or the second fuel nozzle.

[0010] In one configuration, the first axial position of the first actuating piston may correspond to a first acoustic volume between the first fuel opening and a first post-opening along the first fuel passage, and the second axial position of the second actuating piston may correspond to a second acoustic volume between the second fuel opening and a second post-opening along the second fuel passage, wherein the first acoustic volume is different from the second acoustic volume.

[0011] In a second embodiment, a system includes a first combustion chamber having a first fuel nozzle with a first fuel post-orifice and a second fuel nozzle with a second fuel post-orifice. The system further includes a first acoustic adjustment device having a first drive coupled to a first actuating piston with a first fuel pre-orifice. The first piston is arranged along a first fuel passage leading to the first fuel post-orifice. The first fuel pre-orifice is arranged to receive fuel in the first fuel passage and to pass it to the first fuel post-orifice of the first fuel nozzle. The system also includes a second acoustic adjustment device having a second drive coupled to a second piston with a second fuel pre-orifice.The second piston is arranged along a second fuel passage leading to the second fuel post-port. The second fuel pre-port is arranged to receive fuel in the first fuel passage and to pass it to the second fuel post-port of the second fuel nozzle. The first drive of the first acoustic adjustment device is configured to adjust a first axial position of the first actuating piston to vary a first distance between the first fuel pre-port and the first fuel post-port of the first fuel nozzle, and the second drive of the second acoustic adjustment device is configured to adjust a second axial position of the second actuating piston to vary a second distance between the second fuel pre-port and the second fuel post-port of the second fuel nozzle, wherein the first distance is different from the second distance.

[0012] In the aforementioned system according to the second embodiment, a gas turbine may include a controller configured to control the first driver or the second driver to vary a fuel system acoustic impedance of the first fuel nozzle or the second fuel nozzle.

[0013] Additionally or alternatively, the first actuating piston may be coupled to a first rotary disk system comprising a plurality of first perforated plates, wherein the first drive may be configured to adjust a first rotational position of a first plate of the plurality of first perforated plates to form a first interference pattern in openings between the plurality of first perforated plates.

[0014] Furthermore, the second actuating piston may be coupled to a second rotary disk system comprising a plurality of second perforated plates, wherein the second drive may be configured to adjust a second rotational position of a second plate of the plurality of second perforated plates to form a second interference pattern in the openings between the plurality of second perforated plates.

[0015] Further, the first and second drives may be configured to selectively change the first and second interference patterns so that they differ from each other.

[0016] Still further, the first interference pattern may correspond to a first acoustic fuel system impedance characteristic of the first fuel nozzle, and the second interference pattern may correspond to a second acoustic fuel system impedance characteristic of the second fuel nozzle, wherein the first acoustic fuel system impedance characteristic is different from a second acoustic fuel system impedance characteristic.

[0017] The first and second acoustic fuel system impedance characteristics may include a phase or an amplitude.

[0018] The system according to the second embodiment of any type mentioned above may further comprise at least one control device coupled to the first drive and the second drive.

[0019] Furthermore, the first axial position of the first actuating piston may correspond to a first acoustic volume between the first fuel pre-opening and the first post-opening along the first fuel passage, and the second axial position of the second actuating piston may correspond to a second acoustic volume between the second fuel pre-opening and the second post-opening along the second fuel passage, wherein the first acoustic volume is different from the second acoustic volume. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will be better understood when the following detailed description is read with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals designate like parts throughout and in which: Fig. 1 is a diagram of one embodiment of a gas turbine system having multiple combustors, each combustor being equipped with an acoustic fuel system impedance adjustment system configured to control combustion dynamics and / or modal coupling of combustion dynamics to reduce the possibility of unwanted vibrational responses in downstream components. Fig. Figure 2 is a diagram of an embodiment of one of the combustion chambers of Fig. 1, which is operatively coupled to the acoustic fuel system impedance adjustment system comprising a movable piston system and a rotary disk system; Fig. Figure 3 is a diagram of an embodiment of the combustion chamber of Fig. 1, illustrating an acoustic fuel system impedance adjustment device operatively coupled to one or more of a plurality of fuel nozzles of the combustor; Fig. 4 is a diagram of an embodiment of the gas turbine system of Fig. 1, which illustrates a plurality of combustors, one or more of which are equipped with one or more acoustic fuel system impedance adjustment devices configured to reduce the possibility of unwanted vibrational responses within the gas turbine system; Fig. 5 and Fig. 6 are partially cutaway views of an embodiment of the acoustic fuel system impedance adjustment device of the Fig. 1-4, which illustrate an adjustment between a first and a second distance between a pre-opening and a post-opening via the movable piston system; Fig. 7 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the acoustic fuel system impedance adjustment device of the Fig. 1-6, which illustrates the rotary disc system coupled to an actuating piston; Fig. Figure 8 is a schematic side view of an embodiment of the turntable system of Fig. 7, which illustrates a maximum fuel flow through a channel of the turntable system; and Fig. Figure 9 is a schematic side view of an embodiment of the turntable system of Fig. 7, which illustrates a fuel flow through the channel of the turntable system. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] One or more specific embodiments of the present invention are described below. In an effort to present a concise description of these embodiments, the specification does not necessarily describe all features of an actual implementation. It should be understood that in developing such an actual implementation, as in any engineering or design project, numerous implementation-specific decisions must be made to meet the designers' particular goals, such as meeting technical or budgetary constraints, which may vary from one implementation to the next. Furthermore, it should be understood that such a development endeavor can be complex and time-consuming, yet is a routine task of design, manufacture, and manufacturing for those skilled in the art having the benefit of this disclosure.

[0022] When introducing elements of various embodiments of the present invention, the terms "a" and "an" and "the" mean that there are one or more elements. The terms "comprise," "include," and "have" are to be understood in an inclusive sense, meaning that there are additional elements beyond those listed.

[0023] The present disclosure relates to reducing combustion dynamics and / or modal coupling of combustion dynamics to reduce undesirable vibrational responses in downstream components of a gas turbine system. A gas turbine combustor (or gas turbine combustor assembly) may generate combustion dynamics due to the combustion process, the characteristics of inlet fluid flows (e.g., fuel, oxidizer, diluent, etc.) into the combustor, and various other factors. The combustion dynamics may be characterized as pressure fluctuations, pulsations, oscillations, and / or waves at specific frequencies. The fluid flow characteristics may include: velocity, pressure, fluctuations in velocity and / or pressure, variations in flow paths (e.g., tortuousness, shapes, discontinuities, etc.), or any combination thereof.Together, the combustion dynamics can potentially induce vibrational responses and / or resonant behavior in various components upstream and / or downstream of the combustor. For example, the combustion dynamics (e.g., at specific frequencies, frequency ranges, amplitudes, combustor-to-combustor phases, etc.) can migrate both upstream and downstream in the gas turbine system. If the gas turbine combustor, upstream components, and / or downstream components have natural or resonant frequencies that are excited by these pressure fluctuations (i.e., the combustion dynamics), then the pressure fluctuations can potentially lead to vibrations, mechanical stresses, material fatigue, etc.These components can be combustor liners, combustor flow shrouds, combustor caps, fuel nozzles, turbine nozzles, turbine blades, turbine shrouds, turbine wheels, bearings, fuel delivery assemblies, or any combination thereof. The downstream components are of particular interest because they are more sensitive to combustion tones that are in-phase and coherent. Thus, reducing coherence specifically reduces the possibility of unwanted vibrations in downstream components. One way to mitigate the coherence of combustion dynamics between combustors is to alter the frequency relationship between two or more combustors, thereby reducing any combustor-to-combustor coupling.As the frequency of the combustion dynamics in a single combustor is moved away from the frequency of the other combustors, the modal coupling of the combustion dynamics is reduced, which in turn reduces the ability of the combustion chamber tones to induce vibrational responses in downstream components. An alternative method to reduce modal coupling is to reduce the constructive interference of the fuel nozzles within the same combustor by introducing a phase lag between the fuel nozzles, reducing the amplitudes in each combustor, and preventing or reducing combustor-to-combustor coupling. Furthermore, introducing a phase lag between the combustors or otherwise altering the phase relationship between two or more combustors can also help prevent or reduce modal coupling of the combustion dynamics.

[0024] The disclosed embodiments help reduce undesirable vibration responses associated with combustion dynamics by providing one or more fuel system acoustic impedance adjusters configured to adjust the fuel system acoustic impedance (amplitude and phase) of the fuel nozzles. The fuel system acoustic impedance of the fuel nozzles is defined by the pre-port geometry, the post-port geometry, and the volume between the pre-port and post-port. More specifically, the fuel system acoustic impedance adjuster is a pneumatically or mechanically controlled device disposed along one or more fuel lines (e.g., fuel passages) upstream of the fuel nozzles and / or fuel injectors of the gas turbine system.In certain embodiments, each acoustic fuel system impedance adjuster includes a movable piston system and an internal dial system configured to adjust the geometry of the pre-orifice and / or the volume between the pre- and post-orifice to adjust the acoustic fuel system impedance of one or more of the fuel nozzles. For example, the movable piston system may be driven by any type of actuator (e.g., pneumatic, electromechanical, hydraulic, etc.) to make in-situ adjustments within the acoustic adjuster.For example, the fuel system acoustic impedance can be adjusted by increasing or decreasing the length between a pre-port and a post-port, which in turn can increase or decrease the acoustic volume of the fuel plenum located between the pre-port and post-port, affecting both the phase and amplitude of the fuel system acoustic impedance. Furthermore, the internal rotating disk system can also influence the fuel system acoustic impedance by adjusting the interference pattern between two or more orifice plates of the disk system, thereby changing the geometry of the pre-port.The interference pattern can be adjusted by rotating a central aperture plate between the aperture plates of the disk system to change the cross-sectional area of ​​one or more channels through the rotating disk system, formed by one or more openings in the plates. Therefore, adjusting the interference pattern of the aperture plates varies the acoustic fuel system impedance. The plates can include multiple openings with one or more geometric properties (e.g., size, shape, pattern, arrangement, positions, etc.).

[0025] In certain embodiments, varying the different geometries of the acoustic fuel system impedance adjuster, as described above, may result in changes in the acoustic fuel system impedance, which may result in combustion dynamic frequencies in one or more combustors that are different, out of phase, smeared, or spread over a wider frequency range relative to resonant frequencies of components in the gas turbine system and / or the combustion dynamics of one or more of the other combustors in the gas turbine system, or any combination thereof. By adjusting the acoustic fuel system impedance adjuster for a specific fuel nozzle, the amplitude and phase of the fuel system impedance for the fuel nozzle are changed, affecting the fluctuating component of the heat release and therefore the combustion dynamics of the combustor.Varying the fuel system impedance between two or more fuel nozzles within a combustor results in different amplitudes and phases of the fuel system impedance for the different fuel nozzles, causing a phase delay from nozzle to nozzle and therefore destructive interference between the fuel nozzles in the heat release zone, thereby reducing the amplitude of the combustion dynamics and potentially blurring the frequency content of the combustion dynamics over a wider frequency range. In addition to modifications at the combustor level (i.e.For example, (for a single combustor), the disclosed embodiments may also vary the geometries of the acoustic fuel system impedance adjuster among multiple gas turbine combustors, thereby varying the acoustic fuel system impedance, and therefore the combustion dynamics, from combustor to combustor in a manner that reduces the amplitudes of the combustion dynamics and / or the modal coupling of the combustion dynamics between the multiple gas turbine combustors. For example, each configuration of the acoustic fuel system impedance adjuster may result in combustor-to-combustor variations in the frequency of the combustor's combustion dynamics, which is expected to reduce coherence.In addition, any acoustic fuel system impedance adjustment device may instead or additionally induce possible combustor-to-combustor phase shifts, thereby mitigating the possibility of combustor modal coupling, particularly at frequencies aligned with resonant frequencies of the gas turbine system components.

[0026] In some embodiments, each acoustic fuel system impedance adjuster may be located along a fuel line upstream of the head end (e.g., the end cover) of the gas turbine. For example, in some embodiments, each acoustic fuel system impedance adjuster may be associated with a fuel nozzle (e.g., primary fuel nozzles and / or secondary fuel nozzles) of the gas turbine system. In some embodiments, each acoustic fuel system impedance adjuster may be associated with a fuel circuit (e.g., a primary fuel circuit, a secondary fuel circuit, fuel circuits carrying different types of fuel, such as liquid or gaseous fuels, etc.), where each fuel circuit may lead to one or more fuel nozzles.In particular, the disclosed embodiments relate to adjusting the components of the acoustic fuel system impedance adjuster (e.g., the movable piston system and / or the rotating disk system) to assist in varying the vibrational resonance response within the gas turbine system. For example, the movable piston system within a particular acoustic fuel system impedance adjuster may be varied relative to the movable piston systems within other acoustic fuel system impedance adjusters of the gas turbine system (e.g., the size of the plenum may be varied to vary the volume of the fuel plenum between the pre- and post-ports by varying the distance between a pre-port and a post-port, etc.).In addition, the rotary disk system can be varied within a particular acoustic adjustment device (for example, by adjusting the geometric properties of the rotary disk system to vary the acoustic fuel system impedance of one or more fuel nozzles relative to the rotary disk systems of other acoustic fuel system impedance adjustment devices within the gas turbine system, for example, within a particular combustor or between different combustors, by varying the interference pattern of the openings through the plates).

[0027] Accordingly, the disclosed embodiments include one or more acoustic adjusters within the gas turbine system configured to control the fuel system impedance of one or more fuel nozzles in one or more combustors. In particular, the acoustic adjusters may be disposed along each fuel line or fuel circuit upstream of a head end (e.g., an end cap) of the combustor. In such embodiments, varying the fuel plenum characteristics (e.g., volume, acoustic properties, etc.) of each combustor assembly may reduce the amplitudes of combustion dynamics and / or change the frequency of combustion dynamics within a single combustor assembly. Further, varying the fuel plenum characteristics (e.g., volume, acoustic properties, etc.)) of one or more combustor assemblies can reduce the modal coupling of the combustors and therefore reduce unwanted vibration responses in downstream components.

[0028] In light of the above explanations, Fig. 1 is a diagram of one embodiment of a gas turbine system 10 having a plurality of combustors 12, wherein each combustor 12 is equipped with a fuel system acoustic impedance adjuster 14 (e.g., an acoustic adjuster 14). In the illustrated embodiment, each combustor 12 is associated with one or more acoustic adjusters 14, which may be located along a fuel line 16 upstream of the respective combustor 12 (e.g., upstream of an end cover 18 and one or more fuel nozzles 20). As discussed in more detail below, each acoustic adjuster 14 may be configured to adjust the fuel system acoustic impedance of the fuel nozzles 20 by varying the geometry of various components of the acoustic adjuster 14.For example, each acoustic adjuster 14 may vary the geometry of the pre-port and / or the volume between the pre-port and the post-port. As noted above, varying different geometries of the acoustic adjuster 14 as described above may adjust the fuel system acoustic impedance of one or more of the fuel nozzles, which may result in a shift in the frequency of the combustion dynamics and / or larger variations in the frequency content of the resulting combustion dynamics. In some embodiments, a single acoustic adjuster 14 may be associated with each combustor 12. In other embodiments, two or more acoustic adjusters 14 may be associated with each combustor 12, for example, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, or more.

[0029] The gas turbine system 10 includes one or more combustors 12 (e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, or more combustors) having one or more acoustic adjustment devices 14 disposed along one or more fuel lines 16. The gas turbine system 10 also includes a compressor 22 and a turbine 24. The combustors 12 may include fuel nozzles 20 that direct a fuel 26 (e.g., a liquid fuel and / or a gaseous fuel, a first fuel, etc.) into the combustor 12 for combustion within a combustion chamber. The combustors 12 ignite and combust a fuel-air mixture to produce hot combustion gases 28. The hot combustion gases 28 are directed into the turbine 24. The turbine 24 includes turbine blades coupled to a shaft 30, which in turn is coupled to several other components throughout the system 10.As the combustion gases 28 flow between and against the turbine blades in the turbine 24, the turbine 24 is caused to rotate, resulting in rotational movement of the shaft 30. In some embodiments, the combustion dynamics may cause vibrational responses and / or resonant behavior in various components upstream and / or downstream of the combustor. For example, the combustion dynamics (e.g., at specific frequencies, frequency ranges, amplitudes, combustor-to-combustor phases, etc.) may migrate both upstream and downstream in the gas turbine system. The downstream turbine components are of particular interest because they are more sensitive to combustion tones that are in-phase and coherent. Finally, the combustion gases 28 exit the turbine system 10 via an exhaust outlet 32.Furthermore, the shaft 30 may be coupled to a load 34 that is driven by rotation of the shaft 30. For example, the load 34 may be any suitable device that generates power via the rotating output of the turbine system 10, such as an external mechanical load. For example, the load 34 may include an electric generator, an aircraft propeller, and so on.

[0030] In one embodiment of the turbine system 10, compressor blades are included as components of the compressor 22. The blades within the compressor 22 are coupled to the shaft 30 and rotate when the shaft 30 is rotated by the turbine 24, as described above. The rotation of the blades within the compressor 22 compresses air from an air inlet 36 into compressed air 38. The compressed air 38 is then fed into the fuel nozzles 20 of the combustor 12. The fuel nozzles 20 mix the compressed air 38 and the fuel 26 together to create a suitable mixture ratio for combustion (e.g., combustion that causes the fuel to burn more completely) so that fuel is not wasted or excessive emissions are not produced.

[0031] In the disclosed embodiments, the acoustic adjustment device 14 may be configured to vary the acoustic fuel system impedance of the fuel nozzles 20 of the combustor 12, resulting in frequencies of the combustion dynamics in one or more combustors 12 that are different, out of phase, smeared, or spread over a wider frequency range relative to resonant frequencies of the components in the system 10 and / or to the combustion dynamics of one or more of the other combustors in the gas turbine system, or any combination thereof. For example, the acoustic adjustment device 14 may include multiple system components that are adjustable, such as a movable piston system and a rotary disk system (as shown in the Fig. 2, Fig. 5, Fig. 7). The movable piston system may be configured to vary the volume of the fuel plenum between a pre-opening and a post-opening of one or more fuel nozzles in the combustion chamber 12 (e.g., varying the size of the plenum to vary the volume of the fuel plenum between the pre-opening and post-opening by varying the distance between a pre-opening and a post-opening, etc.), while the rotating disk system may be configured to adjust the geometric properties of the rotating disk system to vary the fuel system acoustic impedance of one or more fuel nozzles by varying the interference pattern of the openings through the plates.In particular, in certain embodiments, the acoustic adjuster 14 may be configured to vary the fuel system acoustic impedance of the fuel nozzles 20 between one or more combustors 12 of the system 10 by varying the geometries of the acoustic adjuster 14. In this way, the acoustic adjuster 14 may be configured to assist in reducing undesirable vibrational responses in downstream components of the system 10, as described with reference to FIG. Fig. 4 will be discussed in more detail.

[0032] Fig. Figure 2 is a diagram of an embodiment of one of the combustion chambers 12 of Fig. 1, which is operatively coupled to the acoustic fuel system impedance adjuster 14 (e.g., the acoustic adjuster 14), which includes a movable piston system 40 and a rotary disk system 42 configured to adjust the acoustic fuel system impedance (amplitude and phase) of the fuel nozzles 20. The acoustic adjuster 14 is configured to assist in reducing undesirable vibration responses within the gas turbine system 10 by adjusting the movable piston system 40 and the rotary disk system 42 (e.g., by adjusting a volume between a pre-opening and a post-opening, adjusting a size of the pre-opening, etc.).In the illustrated embodiment, the combustor 12 may be associated with a single acoustic adjuster 14 disposed along the fuel line 16, which is configured to direct the fuel 26 to one or more fuel nozzles 20. In other embodiments, such as within embodiments of the combustor 12 having two or more fuel lines 16, the combustor 12 may have multiple acoustic adjusters 14 (e.g., 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, or more) disposed along each fuel line 16. In further embodiments, each fuel nozzle 20 of the combustor 12 may have 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, or more acoustic adjusters 14 associated with it, such that the combustor 12 is associated with multiple acoustic adjusters 14 (e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, or more).In particular, the geometry of the acoustic tuner 14 can be varied to change the acoustic fuel system impedance of the associated fuel nozzles 20, resulting in combustion dynamic frequencies that are different and / or out of phase between the fuel nozzles 20 and / or between the combustors 12, thereby reducing undesirable vibrational responses in the gas turbine system 10.

[0033] The combustor 12 includes a head end 44, a combustor cap assembly 46, and a combustion chamber 48. The head end 44 of the combustor 12 generally supports and encloses the fuel nozzles 20 between the end cover 18 and the combustor cap assembly 46. The combustor cap assembly 46 generally houses the fuel nozzles 20. The fuel nozzles 20 direct the fuel 26, air, and sometimes other fluids into the combustion chamber 48. The combustor 12 has one or more walls extending circumferentially around the combustion chamber 48 and generally represents one of a plurality of combustion chambers 12 arranged in a spaced-apart circumferential manner about a rotational axis (e.g., the shaft 30) of the gas turbine system 10.

[0034] In the illustrated embodiment, one or more fuel nozzles 20 are attached to the end cover 18 and extend through the combustor cap assembly 46 to the combustion chamber 48. Each fuel nozzle 20 can facilitate the mixing of pressurized air and fuel and directs the mixture through the combustor cap assembly 46 and into the combustion chamber 48. The fuel-air mixture can then combust in the combustion chamber 48, producing the hot, pressurized combustion gases 28. These pressurized combustion gases 28 cause the rotation of the blades within the turbine 24. Each combustion chamber 12 includes an outer wall (e.g., a flow sleeve 50) circumferentially disposed around an inner wall (e.g., the combustor liner 52) to define an intermediate flow passage 60 or plenum, while the combustor liner 52 extends circumferentially around the combustion chamber 48.The inner wall may also include a transition piece 51 that converges generally toward a first stage of the turbine 24. The impingement sleeve 53 is circumferentially disposed around the transition piece 51. The combustor liner 52 defines an inner surface of the combustion chamber 12 that directly faces and is open to the combustion chamber 48. The flow sleeve 50 and the impingement sleeve 53 include a plurality of holes 54 that direct an airflow 56 from a compressor outlet 58 into the flow passage 60. The flow passage 60 then directs the air flow 62 in an upstream direction toward the head end 44 (e.g., relative to a downstream direction of the hot combustion gases 28) such that the air flow 62 further cools the combustor liner 52 and then flows through the fuel nozzles 20 and through the combustor cap assembly 46 into the combustion chamber 48.

[0035] As noted above, the acoustic adjuster 14 includes the movable piston system 40 and the rotary disk 42. Furthermore, the acoustic adjuster 14 may include a fuel inlet 64 configured to receive the fuel 26 through the fuel line 16. The fuel 26 is directed through the acoustic adjuster 14. The acoustic adjuster 14 may be used to vary the fuel system impedance (e.g., amplitude and phase). For example, in certain embodiments, the acoustic adjuster 14 may be operatively coupled to a drive 67 and / or a controller 68. The drive 67 may be configured to control the movable piston system 40 pneumatically, mechanically, electromechanically, hydraulically, and so forth.In some embodiments, the movable piston system 40 includes an actuating piston 66 driven by the drive 67 such that the actuating piston 66 is configured to move linearly within the acoustic adjustment device 14. Adjusting the acoustic adjustment device 14 with the actuating piston 66 may adjust a length 65 (e.g., a distance 65) between a pre-opening 70 and a post-opening 72. The pre-opening 70 may correspond to a first opening that receives the fuel 26 from the fuel line 16. The post-opening 72 may correspond to a second opening in the fuel nozzle 20 that directs the fuel 26 into the combustion chamber 12 (e.g., the post-opening 72 is the opening in the fuel nozzle 20 through which the fuel is injected into the combustion chamber 12).In certain embodiments, the post-orifice 72 may be disposed within the vane pack of the fuel nozzle 20, and the vane pack may be disposed a certain distance upstream within the fuel nozzle 20. In other embodiments, the post-orifice 72 may be disposed at the tip of the fuel nozzle 20. In particular, adjusting the distance 65 between the pre-orifice 70 and the post-orifice 72 may increase or decrease the acoustic volume of a plenum 74 within the acoustic adjuster 14, thereby affecting both the phase and amplitude of the fuel system acoustic impedance. Additionally, adjusting the rotating disk system 42 may adjust the interference pattern between two or more orifice plates of the rotating disk system 42, thereby changing the geometry of the pre-orifice 70, as described in detail with reference to FIG. Fig. 5-9. For example, the rotating disk system 42 may comprise two parallel disks with multiple openings. The two parallel disks may be rotated relative to each other to adjust the size of the openings between the disks, or they may be rotated relative to each other to adjust the interference pattern between the disks, as described in detail with reference to FIG. Fig. 7-9 described.

[0036] In certain embodiments, the control device 68 (e.g., an industrial control device or any suitable computing device, such as a desktop computer, a tablet computer, a smartphone, etc.) may include a processor and memory (e.g., a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium) capable of executing or storing computer instructions and / or control logic. For example, the processors may include general-purpose or application-specific microprocessors. Likewise, the memory may include volatile and / or non-volatile memory, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), flash memory, hard disk drives (HDDs), removable data storage drives, and / or removable data storage devices (e.g., CDs, DVDs, Blu-ray Disc™ from Sony Corp., USB flash drives, etc.), or any combination thereof.The control device 68 may be adapted to automate various components of the acoustic adjustment device 14, such as the movable piston system 40 and / or the rotary disk system 42. For example, the control device 68 may be configured to regulate the movable piston system 40 by controlling the drive 67.

[0037] Additionally, in certain embodiments, the turbine system 10 may include a display associated with the controller 68. In some embodiments, the display may be integrated with the controller 68 (e.g., a mobile device screen) or may be separate from the controller 68 (e.g., a standalone monitor). As discussed further below, the display may be used to present information to a user that allows the user to select various objectives using a graphical user interface. Additionally, the turbine system 10 may include one or more input devices that receive selections from one or more users. In certain embodiments, the input devices may be mice, keyboards, touchscreens, trackpads, or other input devices for receiving input to the controller 68.The selection decisions received from the user may, for example, be parameters of the components of the acoustic adjustment devices 14 (e.g., the rotating disk system 42 and / or the movable piston system 40) that can be adjusted or controlled. For example, the user may input parameters such as a degree of rotation of the rotating disk system 42, a distance 65 between the pre-port 70 and the post-port 72, a volume within the fuel plenum 74 between the ports 70 and 72, and so on. In particular, the input parameters may be used to create a variation between the one or more acoustic adjustment devices 14 of the system 10, which may reduce undesirable vibrational responses resulting from combustion dynamics within the system 10.

[0038] The variability resulting from adjusting various components of the acoustic adjustment device 14 can help reduce vibration responses in the gas turbine system 10 and minimize vibration stresses, wear, performance degradation, or other undesirable effects on the components of the gas turbine system 10 (e.g., the turbine blades, turbine shrouds, turbine nozzles, exhaust components, combustor transition piece, combustor liner, etc.). For example, the components of the acoustic adjustment device 14 (e.g., the movable piston system 40 and the rotary disk system 42) can be varied relative to the acoustic adjustment devices 14 within the same combustor 12, or they can be varied relative to the acoustic adjustment devices 14 associated with other combustors 12.

[0039] Fig. Figure 3 is a diagram of an embodiment of the combustion chamber 12 of Fig. 1, which shows a cross-sectional view of the head end 44 of the combustor 12, including the fuel system acoustic impedance adjuster 14 (e.g., the acoustic adjuster 14) operatively coupled to each fuel nozzle 20. In the illustrated embodiment, all six fuel nozzles 20 are associated with corresponding acoustic adjusters 14 comprising the movable piston system 40 and the rotary disk system 42. In other embodiments, any number of fuel nozzles 20 (e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, or more) within a combustor 12 may be associated with corresponding acoustic adjusters 14. Further, the illustrated embodiment shows three fuel lines 16 that supply the fuel 26 to the fuel inlet 64 of the acoustic adjusters 14.It should be noted that in other embodiments, each fuel line 16 may be operatively coupled to a single acoustic adjuster 14 or any number of acoustic adjusters 14 (e.g., 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, or more). Furthermore, in certain embodiments, the acoustic adjusters 14 corresponding to the fuel nozzles 20 of the combustor 12 may be arranged and / or positioned in any combination or pattern. For example, in certain embodiments, alternating fuel nozzles 20 may be associated with the acoustic adjuster 14. In other embodiments, adjacent fuel nozzles 20 may be associated with the acoustic adjuster 14.As noted above, the geometry, physical design, and / or operation of the movable piston system 40 and / or the rotary disk system 42 may be varied between the acoustic adjustment devices 14 associated with each fuel nozzle 20 and each combustor 12, thereby reducing undesirable vibrational responses resulting from combustion dynamics within the system 10, as noted above.

[0040] For example, the illustrated embodiment shows how the geometry of the movable piston system 40 can be varied between a first acoustic adjustment device 80 and a second acoustic adjustment device 82. More specifically, the movable piston system 40 can be controlled or regulated by the controller 68 via the drive 67. The drive 67 can be configured to linearly adjust the actuating piston 66 of the movable piston system 40 such that the distance 65 between the pre-opening 70 and the post-opening 72 for one or more fuel nozzles 20 is varied.For example, the actuator piston 66 of the first acoustic adjuster 80 may be positioned such that a first distance 84 between the pre-opening 70 and the post-opening 72 of the first acoustic adjuster 80 is greater than a second distance 86 between the pre-opening 70 and the post-opening 72 of the second acoustic adjuster 82. In this way, the acoustic volume of the plenum 74 of the first acoustic adjuster 80 is greater than the acoustic volume of the plenum 74 of the second acoustic adjuster 82, thereby affecting both the phase and amplitude of the fuel system acoustic impedance.In particular, as noted above, varying different geometries of the acoustic adjustment devices 14 as described above may result in changes in the acoustic fuel system impedance, which may result in reduced amplitudes of the combustion dynamics and / or frequencies of the combustion dynamics that are different within the system 10.

[0041] Fig. Figure 4 is a diagram of an embodiment of the gas turbine of Fig. 1, which illustrates a plurality of combustors 12, each equipped with the acoustic fuel system impedance adjuster 14 (e.g., the acoustic adjuster 14), including the movable piston system 40 and the rotating disk system 42, wherein these components have a particular arrangement and / or position configured to assist in reducing undesirable vibration responses within the system 10. In the illustrated embodiment, the gas turbine system 10 includes five combustors 12 coupled to the turbine 24. In other embodiments, the gas turbine system 10 may include any number of combustors 12, such as 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, or more combustors 12.In particular, as noted above, each combustor 12 may be associated with any number of acoustic adjusters 14, such as 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, or more acoustic adjusters 14 in any pattern, position, or configuration. Accordingly, as noted above, varying the geometries of the acoustic adjusters 14 may result in changes in the fuel system acoustic impedance, which may alter the frequencies of the combustion dynamics (particularly in at least one combustor 12 compared to the other combustors 12), the amplitudes of the combustion dynamics, the combustor-to-combustor phase between the combustors 12, and / or which may reduce the modal coupling of the combustion dynamics between the multiple combustors 12.

[0042] The illustrated embodiment of the gas turbine system 10 shows various configurations, patterns, or positions of the acoustic adjusters 14 within each combustor 12 and between the combustors 12. For example, a first combustor 90 includes a single acoustic adjuster 14 coupled to the fuel nozzle 20, while a second combustor 92 includes two acoustic adjusters 14 coupled to the fuel nozzles 20 adjacent to the first combustor 90. Accordingly, the acoustic adjusters 14 can vary the fuel system impedance between the first combustor 90 and the second combustor 92. In certain embodiments, various other configurations, patterns, or positions of the acoustic adjuster 14 can be used.For example, a third combustion chamber 94 may be configured without an acoustic adjuster 14, while a fourth combustion chamber 96 may be configured with one or more acoustic adjusters 14. In certain embodiments, a fifth combustion chamber 98 may be configured with the same number of acoustic adjusters 14 as an adjacent combustion chamber 12 (e.g., the first combustion chamber 90), but may be positioned in a different arrangement, configuration, and / or position. For example, the fifth combustion chamber 98 may include an acoustic adjuster 14 positioned on a central fuel nozzle 21, in contrast to the acoustic adjuster 14 of the first combustion chamber 90, which is positioned on a peripheral fuel nozzle 23.As noted above, each combustor 12 may include 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 or more acoustic adjustment devices 14 on the same or on different fuel nozzles (e.g., in a particular arrangement).

[0043] In some embodiments, the system 10 may include one or more groups (e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or more) of combustion chambers 12, with each group of combustion chambers 12 including one or more combustion chambers 12 (e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or more). In some situations, each group of combustion chambers 12 may include one or more identical combustion chambers 12 that differ from one or more other groups of combustion chambers 12 within the system 10. For example, a first group of combustion chambers 12 may include identical combustion chambers 12 having a particular configuration of the acoustic adjustment device 14, and a second group of combustion chambers 12 may include identical combustion chambers 12 having a second configuration of the acoustic adjustment device 14. Further, the first and second acoustic adjustment devices 14 may differ from each other in one or more respects, as described above.Accordingly, the first group of combustors 12 may provide a fuel system acoustic impedance that differs from the fuel system acoustic impedance of the second group of combustors 12 within the system 10, as will be explained in more detail below.

[0044] As a further example, in certain embodiments, a first group of combustion chambers 12 may include identical combustion chambers 12 each having a first geometry of the acoustic adjustment device 14, a second group of combustion chambers 12 may include identical combustion chambers 12 each having a second geometry of the acoustic adjustment device 14, and a third group of combustion chambers 12 may include identical combustion chambers 12 each having a third geometry of the acoustic adjustment device 14. Furthermore, the geometries of the acoustic adjustment device 14 of each group of combustion chambers may differ from one another in one or more respects, as described with respect to the Fig. 1-6. Accordingly, the acoustic adjustment devices 14 of the first group of combustors 12 may be adjusted and / or tuned to achieve a first acoustic fuel system impedance, the acoustic adjustment devices 14 of the second group of combustors 12 may be adjusted and / or tuned to a configuration different from the first group of combustors to achieve a second acoustic fuel system impedance, and the acoustic adjustment devices 14 of the third group of combustors 12 may be adjusted and / or tuned to a configuration different from the first and / or second group of combustors to achieve a third acoustic fuel system impedance. The first, second, and third acoustic fuel system impedances may be different from one another.As a result, varying the geometries of the acoustic adjusters 14 may result in changes in the fuel system acoustic impedance, which may alter the frequencies of the combustion dynamics (particularly in at least one combustor 12 compared to the other combustors 12), the amplitudes of the combustion dynamics, the combustor-to-combustor phase between the combustors 12, and / or may reduce the modal coupling of the combustion dynamics between the multiple combustors 12. Although three groups and three frequencies are described, it is understood that any number of groups and / or frequencies may be used. It is also understood that not all combustors are required to have acoustic adjusters 14. One or more combustors 12 or groups of combustors 12 may not have acoustic adjusters 14 at all.

[0045] Fig. 5 and Fig. 6 are schematic cross-sectional views of an embodiment of the acoustic fuel system impedance adjuster 14 (for example, the acoustic adjuster 14) of the Fig. 1-4, which has a first distance 84 between the pre-opening 70 and the post-opening 72 in a first configuration 100 of Fig. 5 and a second distance 86 between the pre-opening 70 and the post-opening 72 in a second configuration 102 of Fig. 6. In particular, the acoustic adjustment device 14 includes the movable piston system 40 and the rotary disk system 42. Furthermore, the acoustic adjustment device 14 includes the fuel inlet 64, and it directs a fuel from the fuel supply 26 to the combustion chambers 48 via one or more fuel nozzles 20. More specifically, the rotary disk system 42 includes a plurality of orifice plates, such as a first plate 104, a second plate 106, and a center plate 107 separating the first plate 104 from the second plate 106, as described with reference to Fig. 7 is described further below. In certain embodiments, the center plate 107 may be coupled to the actuating piston 66 and may be configured to impart a rotational movement 109 to the rotary disk system 42.

[0046] As noted above, the drive 67 may be configured to actuate the acoustic adjustment device 14 in response to control signals (e.g., command signals) received by the control device 68. In particular, as noted above, the drive 67 may control the actuating piston 66 to move linearly to provide an axial movement that extends the distance 65 (as shown in Fig. 2) between the pre-opening 70 and the post-opening 72. In particular, the actuating piston 66 may be configured to position the acoustic adjustment devices 14 in a plurality of axial positions. Furthermore, the drive 67 may be configured to control the actuating piston 66 to create a rotational movement 109 that rotates the center plate 107 to vary the interference pattern of the openings 108, as described with reference to FIG. Fig. 7-9 discussed in more detail.

[0047] Fig. 7 is an embodiment 111 of the acoustic adjustment device 14, illustrating the rotary disk system 42 coupled to the actuator piston 66. In particular, the actuator piston 66 is configured to cause the center plate 107 of the rotary disk system 42 to rotate 109 to change the interference pattern of the one or more openings 108 between the first plate 104 and the second plate 106. Changing the interference pattern of the one or more openings 108 between the first plate 104 and the second plate 106 can change the acoustic fuel system impedance.Additionally, changing the interference pattern of the one or more openings 108 between the first plate 104 and the second plate 106 can change the pressure ratio in the rotating disk system (and therefore the fuel nozzle pressure ratio) and, in some embodiments, can also change the mass flow through the rotating disk system, which in turn changes the mass flow through the fuel nozzle 20. Changing the mass flow through the fuel nozzle can also change the equivalence ratio of the fuel nozzle 20 and / or the flame shape. As noted above, changing the acoustic impedance can change the combustion dynamics within the combustor 12 and reduce undesirable vibrational responses. Furthermore, changing the pressure ratio at the fuel nozzle, the equivalence ratio, and / or the flame shape can also change the combustion dynamics within the combustor 12 and reduce undesirable vibrational responses.

[0048] For example, the first plate 104 and the second plate 106 are stationary plates having openings 108 that are identically positioned or arranged in such a way that one or more channels 110 (in the Fig. 8 and Fig. 9) are formed through the rotating disk system 42 when the openings 108 are aligned with each other. In the illustrated embodiment, each orifice plate, such as the first orifice plate 104, the second orifice plate 106, or the central orifice plate 107, includes a plurality of openings 108 through which the fuel (e.g., from the fuel supply 26) flows as it is delivered to the combustion chambers 12. In the illustrated embodiment, the openings 108 are arranged concentrically around the circumference of the rotating disk system 42 and have the same shape and size (e.g., circular openings 108 with identical radius, diameter, circumference, etc.). In other embodiments, the openings 108 may have any shape (e.g., elliptical, triangular, rectangular, pentagonal, octagonal, hexagonal, etc.), or they may generally be any type of opening (e.g., slots, cuts, orifices, slots, and / or gaps).Furthermore, the openings 108 can be of any size, and they can generally be positioned in a variety of different configurations and / or patterns (e.g., randomly, as rows, columns, groupings, lines, curved lines, waves, grids, swirls, etc.) on each plate of the turntable system 42. In particular, the arrangement of the openings 108 on the first disc 104, the second disc 106, and the center disc 107 can be the same, such that openings 108 define one or more channels 110 (in the . Fig. 8 and Fig. 9) through the turntable system 42 when the openings 108 are aligned with each other.

[0049] In some embodiments, the fuel (e.g., from the fuel supply 26) received at the fuel inlet 64 of the acoustic adjustment device 14 is directed through the channels 110 of the rotating disk system 42 (e.g., the fuel flow 112). Further, the center plate 107 may be a rotating plate coupled to the actuator piston 66. The center plate 107 may include openings 108 positioned or arranged such that the cross-sectional area of ​​the one or more channels 110 is at its maximum when the openings 108 are aligned with the openings 108 of the first plate 104 and the second plate 106. In certain embodiments, the center plate 107 may be rotated such that the openings 108 of the center plate 107 are offset relative to the openings 108 of the first plate 104 and the second plate 106.In such embodiments, the offset (e.g., misalignment) of the openings 108 may be directly correlated with the angle of rotation of the center plate 107 and the actuator piston 66. The actuator piston 66 may be rotated at approximately any angle (e.g., 1-10 degrees, 1-20 degrees, 1-30 degrees, etc.) or at approximately any fraction of an angle (e.g., 0.1 degrees, 0.2 degrees, 0.3 degrees, 0.4 degrees, 0.5 degrees, etc.) to increase or decrease the cross-sectional area of ​​the channels 110. As noted above, the openings 108 may be of any size or shape and may further be arranged in any geometric configuration, pattern, or arrangement. In particular, variations in the openings 108 may vary the acoustic impedance of the fuel plenum and / or the mass flow rate through the fuel nozzle 20.

[0050] In particular, it should be noted that a variety of different parameters associated with the rotating disk system 42 can be changed to vary the acoustic fuel system impedance and / or the mass flow of the fuel 112 between acoustic adjustment devices 14. For example, rotating the center plate 107 such that the openings 108 of the center plate 107 are offset from the openings 108 of the first plate 104 and the second plate 106 varies the interference pattern between the first plate 104 and the second plate 106.In particular, the interference pattern between two or more acoustic adjustment devices 14 can be varied such that the interference pattern and fuel flow 112 can be varied within a particular combustion chamber 12 (e.g., between the fuel nozzles 20 of a single combustion chamber 12) or between two or more combustion chambers 12 (e.g., between fuel nozzles 20 of two or more combustion chambers 12). In other embodiments, geometric properties of the openings 108 (e.g., size, shape, arrangement, etc.) can be varied between acoustic adjustment devices 14 such that the acoustic fuel system impedance is varied within a particular combustion chamber 12 (e.g., between the fuel nozzles 20 of a single combustion chamber 12) or between two or more combustion chambers 12 (e.g., between fuel nozzles 20 of two or more combustion chambers 12).

[0051] Fig. Figure 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view of one embodiment of the rotating disk system 42, showing the channel 110 with the fuel flow 112 through the channel 110 at its maximum. In the illustrated embodiment, the center plate 107 is positioned such that the openings 108 of the center plate 107 are aligned between the openings 108 of the first plate 104 and the second plate 106. In such embodiments, the channel 110 creates a maximum cross-sectional area through which the fuel flow 112 passes.

[0052] Fig. 9 is a schematic cross-sectional view of one embodiment of the rotating disk system 42 showing the channel 110 with the center plate 107 rotated to reduce the fuel flow 112 through the channel 110. In the illustrated embodiment, the center plate 107 is positioned such that the openings 108 of the center plate 107 are offset or misaligned relative to the openings 108 of the first plate 104 and the second plate 106. In such embodiments, the channel 110 provides a smaller amount of the fuel flow 112 than in the embodiments of Fig. 8 ready.

[0053] The technical effects of the invention include reducing undesirable vibration responses associated with combustion dynamics by providing one or more acoustic fuel system impedance adjusters 14 (e.g., acoustic adjuster 14) configured to adjust the acoustic fuel system impedance (amplitude and phase) of the fuel nozzles 20 and / or the fuel flow through the fuel nozzles 20. The acoustic adjuster 14 includes the movable piston system 40 and the rotary disk system 42, which are configured to adjust the vibration responses of the gas turbine system 10. For example, the movable piston system 40 may be driven by any type of actuator (e.g., pneumatic, electromechanical, hydraulic, etc.).) to create an axial movement that can increase or decrease the distance 65 (and thus the acoustic volume of the fuel plenum) between the pre-port 70 and the post-port 72. Furthermore, the rotating disk system 42 can be driven to create a rotational movement 109 that can change the interference pattern between the ports 108 of the rotating disk system 42. Changing the interference pattern between the ports 108 can increase or decrease the size of the channels 110 and can vary the fuel system acoustic impedance characteristics of the fuel nozzles 20 and / or the fuel flow 112 through the fuel nozzles 20 that directs the fuel to the combustor 12.

[0054] In particular, the geometries of the acoustic adjusters 14 can be varied within a particular combustor 12 and / or between two or more combustors 12 of the system 10. For example, each combustor 12 can be associated with one or more acoustic adjusters 14, each coupled to one or more fuel nozzles 20. Furthermore, the pattern of the acoustic adjusters 14 coupled to the fuel nozzles 20 can vary between the combustors 12 of the system 10. In this way, undesirable vibration responses within the system 10 can be reduced. In particular, reducing undesirable responses can reduce vibration stresses, structural vibrations, wear, mechanical fatigue, thermal fatigue, performance degradation, or other undesirable effects on the components of the system 10.

[0055] This written description uses examples to disclose the invention, including the best mode, and also to enable one skilled in the art to practice the invention, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any methods incorporated herein. The patentable scope of the subject matter described herein is defined by the claims and may include other examples that occur to one skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they include structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements that differ only insubstantially from the literal language of the claims.

[0056] A gas turbine system includes a first combustion chamber having a first fuel nozzle and a second combustion chamber having a second fuel nozzle. The system further includes a first acoustic tuner having a first drive coupled to a first piston having a first fuel orifice. The first piston is disposed along a first fuel passage leading to the first fuel nozzle of the first combustion chamber. The system further includes a second acoustic tuner having a second drive coupled to a second piston having a second fuel orifice. The second piston is disposed along a second fuel passage leading to the second fuel nozzle of the second combustion chamber.

Claims

[1] System that has: a gas turbine (10) comprising: a first combustion chamber (12; 90-98) having a first fuel nozzle (20, 21); a second combustion chamber (12; 90-98) having a second fuel nozzle (20, 21); a first acoustic adjustment device (14) having a first drive (67) coupled to a first actuating piston (66) having a first fuel opening (70), the first actuating piston (66) being arranged along a first fuel passage leading to the first fuel nozzle (20, 21), the first fuel opening (70) being arranged to receive fuel in the first fuel passage and to pass it to the first fuel nozzle (20, 21); and a second acoustic adjustment device (14) having a second drive (67) coupled to a second actuating piston (66) having a second fuel opening (70), the second actuating piston (66) being arranged along a second fuel passage leading to the second fuel nozzle (20, 21), the second fuel opening (70) being arranged to receive fuel in the second fuel passage and to pass it to the second fuel nozzle (20, 21); wherein the first drive (67) of the first acoustic adjustment device (14) is configured to adjust a first axial position of the first actuating piston (66) to vary a first distance (84) between the first fuel opening (70) and the first fuel nozzle (20, 21); wherein the second drive (67) of the second acoustic adjustment device (14) is arranged to adjust a second axial position of the second actuating piston (66) to vary a second distance (86) between the second fuel opening (70) and the second fuel nozzle (20, 21), the first distance (84) being different from the second distance (86); wherein the first drive (67) is coupled to a first rotary disk system (42) having a plurality of first orifice disks (104, 106, 107) arranged in the first fuel passage leading to the first fuel nozzle (20, 21); and wherein the second drive (67) is coupled to a second rotary disk system (42) having a plurality of second orifice disks (104, 106, 107) disposed in the second fuel passage leading to the second fuel nozzle (20, 21). [2] The system of claim 1, wherein the gas turbine (10) comprises a control device (68) configured to control the first drive (67) or the second drive (67) to vary a fuel system acoustic impedance of the first fuel nozzle (20, 21) or the second fuel nozzle (20, 21). [3] The system of claim 1, wherein the first axial position of the first actuating piston (66) corresponds to a first acoustic volume between the first fuel opening (70) and a first post-opening (72) along the first fuel passage, and the second axial position of the second actuating piston (66) corresponds to a second acoustic volume between the second fuel opening (70) and a second post-opening (72) along the second fuel passage, and wherein the first acoustic volume is different from the second acoustic volume. [4] System that has: a first combustion chamber (12; 92, 96) comprising: a first fuel nozzle (20, 21) having a first fuel post-opening (72); a second fuel nozzle (20, 21) having a second fuel post-opening (72); a first acoustic adjustment device (14) having a first drive (67) coupled to a first actuating piston (66) having a first fuel pre-opening (70), the first actuating piston (66) being arranged along a first fuel passage leading to the first fuel post-opening (72), the first fuel pre-opening (70) being arranged to receive fuel in the first fuel passage and to pass it to the first fuel post-opening (72) of the first fuel nozzle (20, 21); and a second acoustic adjustment device comprising a second drive coupled to a second piston having a second fuel pre-opening, the second piston being arranged along a second fuel passage leading to the second fuel post-opening, the second fuel pre-opening (70) being arranged to receive fuel in the first fuel passage and to pass it to the second fuel post-opening (72) of the second fuel nozzle (20, 21); wherein the first drive (67) of the first acoustic adjustment device (14) is configured to adjust a first axial position of the first actuating piston (66) in order to vary a first distance (84) between the first fuel pre-opening (70) and the first fuel post-opening (72) of the first fuel nozzle (20, 21); and wherein the second drive (67) of the second acoustic adjustment device (14) is configured to adjust a second axial position of the second actuating piston (66) in order to vary a second distance (86) between the second fuel pre-opening (70) and the second fuel post-opening (72) of the second fuel nozzle (20, 21), the first distance (84) being different from the second distance (86). [5] The system of claim 4, wherein the first actuating piston (66) is coupled to a first rotary disk system (42) having a plurality of first orifice plates (104, 106, 107), and wherein the first drive (67) is configured to adjust a first rotational position of a first plate (104) of the plurality of first orifice plates (104, 106, 107) to form a first interference pattern of openings between the plurality of first orifice plates (104, 106, 107); and / or wherein the second actuating piston (66) is coupled to a second rotary disk system (42) having a plurality of second perforated plates (104, 106, 107), and wherein the second drive (67) is configured to adjust a second rotational position of a second plate (104) of the plurality of second perforated plates (104, 106, 107) to form a second interference pattern of openings between the plurality of second perforated plates (104, 106, 107). [6] The system of claim 5, wherein the first and second drivers (67) are configured to selectively change the first and second interference patterns to be different from each other; and / or wherein the first interference pattern corresponds to a first fuel system acoustic impedance characteristic of the first fuel nozzle (20, 21) and the second interference pattern corresponds to a second fuel system acoustic impedance characteristic of the second fuel nozzle (20, 21), and wherein the first fuel system acoustic impedance characteristic is different from a second fuel system acoustic impedance characteristic. [7] The system of claim 6, wherein the first and second fuel system acoustic impedance characteristics comprise a phase or an amplitude. [8] The system of any of claims 4-7, wherein the first axial position of the first actuating piston (66) corresponds to a first acoustic volume between the first fuel pre-port (70) and the first fuel post-port (72) along the first fuel passage, and the second axial position of the second actuating piston (66) corresponds to a second acoustic volume between the second fuel pre-port (70) and the second fuel post-port (72) along the second fuel passage, and wherein the first acoustic volume is different from the second acoustic volume.

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