Hydrogen injection for enhanced combustion stability in gas turbine systems

Abstract

To provide devices and methods for hydrogen injection for enhanced combustion stability in gas turbine systems.SOLUTION: A hydrogen injection device (1) includes an injector assembly that includes an outer conduit (5) configured to feed a flow of a mixture (3a) of air and fuel to a combustion chamber (2a) of a combustor. At least a swirler (3) can be positioned in the outer conduit (5) to facilitate the swirling flow of the air-fuel mixture (3a) to be output into the combustion chamber (2a) so that the output mixture of fuel and air includes a swirling output flow (12). A flow of hydrogen can be passed through an inner hydrogen injection conduit (7) for output into the combustion chamber (2a) for injection therein as a hydrogen injection flow.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Cross - reference to Related Applications This application claims priority to U.S. Patent Application No. 17 / 678,134, filed on February 23, 2022, and also claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 153,620, filed on February 25, 2021.

[0002] The present invention relates to a gas turbine, an injection device for a combustion chamber of a gas turbine system, the operation of the gas turbine, the operation of an injector for combustion used in conjunction with the gas turbine system, a plant using one or more gas turbine systems, and methods of manufacturing and using the same.

Background Art

[0003] A gas turbine device commonly used for industrial power generation is shown in FIG. 1. As can be understood from International Publication No. WO2019 / 222334, this device may conventionally include a cold section characterized by a compressor, followed by a hot section having a combustor section and a turbine. The cold section often includes an intake for supplying air to a multi - stage axial - flow compressor that sends high - pressure air to the combustor section. Fuel can be mixed with the air flow and burned in the combustion section to produce a high - temperature and high - pressure gas flow that is supplied to the turbine. The turbine is downstream of the combustor section, configured to receive high - temperature combustion gases from the combustor section and expand the gas flow as the gas passes through the turbine, and the flow rotates the rotating blades of the turbine. Often, the rotating blades of the turbine are attached to a shaft, and the shaft is rotated to perform a dual function: (1) assisting in driving the compressor to draw more compressed air into the combustor section, and (2) rotating a generator to generate electricity. The operating pressure ratio of the turbine is defined as the pressure of the air at the compressor outlet and the pressure of the air at the compressor inlet, and is usually less than about 18:1.

[0004] Combustor designs vary depending on the manufacturer, size, and application, but many, particularly multi-can (an example shown in FIG. 2) and annular cylinder types (an example shown in FIG. 3), conduct combustion through an array of cylindrical tubes or "cans" circumferentially arranged around the turbine shaft. In multi-can combustors, the intake of each can is mechanically coupled to the corresponding outlet port of the compressor. In contrast, annular cylinder combustors are typically configured such that the intake of each can is open to a common single annulus connected to the compressor outlet. In either case, the combustion products are released from each can through a transition duct and then dispersed throughout the 360° arc and into the first stage of the turbine.

[0005] Each can-type combustor typically has a combustion chamber supplied by one or more air-fuel nozzles arranged in an annular configuration around the inlet plane of the can-type combustor. The air-fuel nozzles introduce a mixture of air and fuel into the combustion chamber. Often, an air-fuel pilot burner is further arranged along the axis of the combustor. The air-fuel pilot burner used to improve combustion stability may be of either a premixed design or a nozzle-mixed (i.e., diffusion or non-premixed) design. The combination of a premixed nozzle and a pilot burner is often collectively referred to as a burner, and each can-type combustor typically includes its own burner or group of burners.

[0006] Typically, a premixed nozzle includes a fuel injector that releases fuel into the corresponding air stream. Often, the nozzle is arranged as an annular nozzle that includes one or more fuel injectors arranged in an annular configuration surrounded by an air annulus around a central air-fuel pilot burner. The burner combusts the mixture of air and fuel injected into the combustion chamber of the can in the combustion section and aids in the formation of hot gases for supply to the turbine. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] For environmental reasons, it is desirable to operate a gas turbine system such that a combustor or combustor section operates using lean combustion. The use of lean combustion can refer to a state in which there is excess air, i.e., excess oxygen, for combustion compared to the fuel supplied to the combustion chamber for combustion. Operating in a lean combustion state results in nitrous oxide (NO x) helps suppress the formation, and as a result, more environmentally friendly exhaust is output from the gas turbine system. However, lean combustion operation can bring about instability. Such instability may lead to combustion chamber pressure oscillations, which can also be called vibrations, due to insufficient continuity of combustion or uniformity of fuel combustion. The rocking or vibration that can be caused by such instability may result in mechanical damage to the gas turbine system. It was determined that such problems can be better addressed by improving lean combustion stability in order to significantly reduce the problem of combustion instability. Reduction of combustion instability can significantly reduce the rocking or vibration of the combustor, extend the lifespan of the components of the gas system, and improve the operating performance of the gas turbine system. In some embodiments, the flow of hydrogen (H2) gas can be injected into the first wake region of an air-fuel injector (also called an air-fuel burner) in the combustion chamber, where the swirling air-fuel flow is formed downstream of the location where it is supplied into the combustion chamber through a premixed burner nozzle. The hydrogen can be injected such that the first wake region interacts with one or more second wakes of a secondary wake region formed between the location where the hydrogen is injected into the combustion chamber and the first wake region in the combustion chamber. By injecting hydrogen, at least one second wake can be formed in the combustion chamber through the combustion of the injected hydrogen. One or more second wakes can be formed between the hydrogen injector and the first wake region for hydrogen injection, and between the outlet of the hydrogen injector and the position where the swirling flow of the fuel and air mixture crosses the discharge surface of the outlet. This can result in an interaction between one or more first wakes of the first wake region and one or more second wakes that can promote improved combustion stability as a result of the combustion of hydrogen that interacts with the combustion gases of the first wake. This interaction can include, for example, active gases in one or more first wakes from the combustion of fuel that transfers heat and active chemical species in one or more second wakes.

[0008] It has been determined that the injection of hydrogen into the region of high-temperature excess air can often, if not always, result in a rapid ignition of the hydrogen to cause combustion. This is thought to be due to the relatively high chemical reactivity of hydrogen, its wide flammability range, and the increase in flame temperature. It has been determined that the injection of hydrogen into the combustion chamber and the resulting combustion can initiate a flame stabilization chain reaction that can suppress combustion-driven vibrations that may occur in the combustion chamber during fuel combustion. This is particularly applicable to embodiments where the injection of hydrogen gas occurs at a location in the combustion chamber adjacent to the swirling air-fuel mixture output from the nozzle, while the injected hydrogen is separated from the output of the swirling air-fuel mixture and positioned downstream of the output flow of the air-fuel mixture output from the nozzle so that it can interact with the fuel and air in the combustion chamber's wake region.

[0009] In some embodiments, hydrogen can be injected into the combustion chamber through at least one opening (e.g., at least one port, orifice, nozzle, or other type of injection outlet) at a velocity of 100 m / s or more, preferably 300 m / s or more, and most preferably at a velocity equal to the local speed of sound of hydrogen, so as to be injected into the first wake of the premixed flame jet in the combustion chamber. Needless to say, other embodiments may utilize different output velocities to meet a particular set of design criteria.

[0010] Embodiments that use a high nozzle velocity for the injected hydrogen have been determined to be particularly effective in stabilizing lean combustion and minimizing burner-driven oscillations or vibrations. For example, it has been found that the kinetic energy of each high-speed hydrogen jet can function as a pump that entrains local mass in proportion to the velocity while generating local turbulence that can enhance mixing. The enhanced mixing can reduce temperature stratification and lower the peak flame temperature in the combustion chamber, NO xIt can help reduce emissions. It was also determined that the high-speed jet of hydrogen injected into the combustion chamber can help convectively transport the heat released during hydrogen combustion away from the hydrogen injector outlet and can help prevent overheating of the nozzle.

[0011] In some embodiments of the hydrogen injection device, the hydrogen injector may have an outlet in fluid communication with a combustion chamber having a single hydrogen outlet orifice that can be used to inject hydrogen into the combustion chamber. In other embodiments, the hydrogen injector may have an outlet that utilizes a plurality of output orifices for injecting hydrogen into the combustion chamber for a plurality of jets. These hydrogen jets can be high-speed hydrogen jets that are injected to create a number of secondary jet wakes that can each entrain the lean premixed fuel reactants and the hot products of combustion into the hydrogen jets. It was determined that the formed hydrogen entrained gas mixture can be easily ignited in a relatively slow second wake region due to the low ignition energy of hydrogen, the available excess oxygen in the entrained mass, and the high temperature of the combustion products. A number of secondary wake ignition sources can generate, during combustion in the combustion chamber, an array of small flame structures that can each function as a small "pilot" flame to an adjacent hydrogen jet. The effect of using a plurality of injected hydrogen jets provides a synergistic effect between adjacent hydrogen jets and can provide a much higher level of ignition reliability and flame stability compared to using only a single hydrogen jet of the same mass flow rate in the combustion chamber.

[0012] Embodiments of a hydrogen injection device, a gas turbine system having at least one such device, a combustor for a gas turbine system having at least one hydrogen injection device, and methods of manufacturing and using them can be provided to meet a particular set of design and performance criteria. In a first aspect, a hydrogen injection device for injecting hydrogen into a combustion chamber of a combustor of a gas turbine system can include an outer conduit having an outlet in fluid communication with the combustion chamber. The outer conduit can be configured such that a mixture of fuel and air can pass through the outlet of the outer conduit into the combustion chamber. The hydrogen injection device can also include an inner hydrogen injection conduit positioned adjacent to the outer conduit. The outer conduit can be positioned such that the outlet of the outer conduit is on the outer periphery of the outlet of the inner hydrogen injection conduit that is in fluid communication with the combustion chamber. In some embodiments, the injection device may include only the inner and outer conduits. In other embodiments, one or more intermediate annular conduits (e.g., a water injection conduit and / or a purge air conduit, etc., positioned between the inner and outer conduits) may be present between the inner and outer conduits. The inner hydrogen injection conduit can be configured such that at least one hydrogen jet can be injected into the combustion chamber through the outlet of the inner hydrogen injection conduit.

[0013] In a second aspect, the outlet of the inner hydrogen injection conduit outputs at least one hydrogen jet into a first wake region within the combustion chamber, upstream of a location within the combustion chamber where the mixture of fuel and air output from the outlet of the outer conduit crosses the discharge region of the outlet of the inner hydrogen injection conduit within the combustion chamber and downstream of the outlet of the inner hydrogen injection conduit. It should be understood that the crossing of the discharge region by the mixture of fuel and air can include passing through this discharge region, entering the discharge region, and / or moving along the discharge region. The location where the mixture of fuel and air crosses the discharge region can be a location or region within the combustion chamber where the mixture of fuel and air output from the outlet of the outer conduit crosses the discharge region of the outlet of the inner hydrogen injection conduit within the combustion chamber. The inner hydrogen injection conduit can be positioned and configured such that a secondary wake region is formed by at least one hydrogen jet adjacent to the first wake region or is formed when at least one hydrogen jet enters the first wake region.

[0014] In a third aspect, the outer conduit can include at least one swirler for generating a swirling flow for outputting a mixture of air and fuel from the outlet of the outer conduit.

[0015] In a fourth aspect, the secondary wake region can be located between the outlet of the inner hydrogen injection conduit and a location within the combustion chamber where the mixture of fuel and air output from the outlet of the outer conduit crosses the outlet of the inner hydrogen injection conduit while the fuel of the mixture is burning within the combustion chamber.

[0016] In a fifth aspect, the outlet of the inner hydrogen injection conduit is a single orifice, and the inner hydrogen injection conduit has at least one cavity upstream of the single orifice. The at least one cavity may have a cavity trailing edge distance that is the depth, cavity length, and distance from the outlet of the inner hydrogen injection conduit to the downstream end of the cavity. In a sixth aspect, the cavity depth may be greater than or equal to the radius of the orifice at the outlet of the inner hydrogen injection conduit and may be less than or equal to the diameter of the orifice at the outlet of the inner hydrogen injection conduit. The cavity length may be a value such that the ratio of the length to the depth is between 1 and 4, and the cavity trailing edge distance may be a value such that the ratio of the cavity trailing edge distance to the diameter is 5 or less. In a seventh aspect, the dimensions of the cavity may differ from the parameters of the sixth aspect.

[0017] In an eighth aspect, the outlet of the inner hydrogen injection conduit may include a nozzle having at least one central orifice for forming at least one central hydrogen jet for injecting hydrogen into the combustion chamber and a plurality of outer orifices for forming a plurality of non-central hydrogen jets for injecting hydrogen into the combustion chamber. In some embodiments, one or more central jets may be output to flow axially, and the non-central hydrogen jets may be output to flow non-axially. In a ninth aspect, the outer orifices may be configured such that each of the non-central hydrogen jets is output in a flow direction that is at an angle with respect to the flow direction of at least one central hydrogen jet, the angle being greater than 0° and less than 90°, or greater than 15° and less than 60°. Further, in a tenth aspect, other ranges for this angle may be utilized. In an eleventh aspect, at least one central orifice may be configured to form at least one central hydrogen jet such that the at least one central hydrogen jet has a velocity of at least 100 m / s, and the outer orifices may be configured to form non-central hydrogen jets such that they have a velocity of at least 100 m / s.

[0018] In a twelfth aspect, the outlet of the inner hydrogen injection conduit can be a single orifice configured to inject hydrogen as a hydrogen jet having a velocity of at least 100 m / s.

[0019] In a thirteenth aspect, it should be understood that the first aspect can be combined with combinations of features included in the second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, tenth, eleventh, and / or twelfth aspects. For example, in some versions of the thirteenth aspect, a combination of the first, second, third, and fourth aspects can be provided. In another version of the twelfth aspect, a combination of the first through sixth aspects can be utilized. In yet another version of the thirteenth aspect, the first through fourth aspects, as well as the eighth and ninth aspects, and the eleventh aspect can be utilized. In still another version of the thirteenth aspect, the first through sixth aspects and the eleventh aspect can be utilized.

[0020] In a fourteenth aspect, a gas turbine system can be provided that includes a combustor configured to supply heated gas to a turbine and a hydrogen injection device connected to the combustor. The hydrogen injection device can be any of the hydrogen injection devices from the first through thirteenth aspects discussed above.

[0021] In some embodiments from the first through fourteenth aspects, the hydrogen injection device can be configured as a burner for the combustor or incorporated into such a burner.

[0022] In a fifteenth aspect, a method of injecting hydrogen into a combustion chamber of a combustor of a gas turbine system is provided that can include outputting a mixture of fuel and air into the combustion chamber through an outlet of an outer conduit in fluid communication with the combustion chamber and injecting at least one central hydrogen jet into the combustion chamber through an outlet of an inner hydrogen injection conduit in fluid communication with the combustion chamber. The outer conduit can be positioned such that the outlet of the outer conduit is on the outer periphery of the outlet of the inner hydrogen injection conduit.

[0023] In a 16th aspect, the method can be utilized such that at least one central hydrogen jet is downstream of the outlet of the inner hydrogen injection conduit and the fuel and air mixture output from the outlet of the outer conduit is injected into the secondary wake region within the combustion chamber upstream of the location within the combustion chamber where the mixture crosses the discharge region of the outlet of the inner hydrogen injection conduit within the combustion chamber. Crossing the discharge region can include passing through the discharge region, entering the discharge region, and / or moving along the discharge region. In at least some versions of this aspect, at least one central hydrogen jet can be injected at a velocity of at least 100 m / s.

[0024] In a 17th aspect, the method can also include generating a vortex of air via at least one swirler to generate a swirling flow for the air and fuel mixture before outputting the air and fuel mixture from the outlet of the outer conduit. In such an aspect, or in combination with the 15th and / or 16th aspects, the secondary wake region can be between the outlet of the inner hydrogen injection conduit and the location within the combustion chamber where the fuel and air mixture output from the outlet of the outer conduit crosses the outlet of the inner hydrogen injection conduit while the fuel of the mixture is burning within the combustion chamber.

[0025] In the 18th aspect, the method of the 15th aspect, the 16th aspect, or the 17th aspect can be used such that the outlet of the inner hydrogen injection conduit is a single orifice and the inner hydrogen injection conduit has at least one cavity upstream of the single orifice. In such an aspect, the at least one cavity may have a cavity trailing edge distance that is the depth, the cavity length, and the distance from the outlet of the inner hydrogen injection conduit to the downstream end of the cavity. The cavity depth may be equal to or greater than the radius of the orifice of the outlet of the inner hydrogen injection conduit and may be equal to or less than the diameter of the orifice of the outlet of the inner hydrogen injection conduit. The cavity length may be a value such that the ratio of the length to the depth is between 1 and 4. The cavity trailing edge distance may be a value such that the ratio of the cavity trailing edge distance to the diameter is 5 or less. Needless to say, the at least one cavity in the 19th aspect may be similarly configured to have other parameters for the cavity length, depth, and trailing edge distance parameters that are different from these parameters.

[0026] In a 20th aspect, in a situation including a nozzle having an outlet of an inner hydrogen injection conduit with at least one central orifice for forming at least one central hydrogen jet for injecting hydrogen into a combustion chamber and a plurality of outer orifices for forming a plurality of non-central hydrogen jets for injecting hydrogen into the combustion chamber, embodiments of the method can be used. In such an aspect, the method can also include injecting non-central hydrogen jets into the combustion chamber via the outer orifices of the nozzle. In some embodiments, one or more central hydrogen jets can flow axially and the non-central hydrogen jets can flow non-axially. The injection of the non-central jets can be performed such that they are downstream of the outlet of the inner hydrogen injection conduit and upstream of a region within the combustion chamber where the mixture of fuel and air output from the outlet of the outer conduit crosses a discharge region of the outlet of the inner hydrogen injection conduit within the combustion chamber, within a secondary wake region within the combustion chamber. The crossing of the discharge region by the mixture of fuel and air can include passing through, entering, and / or moving along the discharge region. In a 21st aspect, the outer orifices can be configured such that each of the non-central hydrogen jets is output in a flow direction at an angle with respect to the flow direction of at least one central hydrogen jet. This angle can be greater than 0° and less than 90°, greater than 15° and less than 60°, or within another range to meet a set of specific design criteria. In a 22nd aspect, at least one central hydrogen jet can be injected at a velocity of at least 100 m / s and each of the non-central hydrogen jets can be injected at a velocity of at least 100 m / s.

[0027] In a further 23rd aspect of an embodiment of a method of injecting hydrogen into a combustion chamber of a combustor of a gas turbine system, the 15th aspect can be combined with any combination of the 16th aspect to the 21st aspect. For example, the method can utilize the 15th aspect, the 16th aspect, the 17th aspect, and the 18th aspect. As another example, the method can utilize the 15th aspect, the 16th aspect, the 17th aspect, the 20th aspect, the 21st aspect, and the 22nd aspect. In some embodiments, from the 15th aspect to the 22nd aspect of the method, the burner of the combustor can include an outer conduit through which a mixture of air and fuel can pass to be supplied to the combustion chamber.

[0028] In a 24th aspect, the method can be used in conjunction with fuel staging. For example, in the 24th aspect of the method, a second portion of the fuel is supplied to the combustion chamber downstream of the outlet of the outer conduit, while a first portion of the fuel is supplied to the outer conduit to mix with air to form a mixture of air and fuel and output the mixture from the outlet of the outer conduit. The flow rates of the first portion and the second portion can be varied during operation of the gas turbine system to provide a desired level of combustion in the combustion chamber. In conjunction with the use of fuel staging, injection of at least one central hydrogen jet can be performed to control or reduce the equivalence ratio of the fuel combustion in the combustor to assist in providing a lean combustion operation. For example, at least one central hydrogen jet can be injected to mix with the combustion products in the secondary wake and the mixture of fuel and air at an equivalence ratio below unity. In some embodiments of such an aspect, the hydrogen injection can be performed such that the ratio of hydrogen to fuel flow rate is provided such that the equivalence ratio is equal to the following formula,

Number

[0029] In still other embodiments of the 24th aspect of the present method, the hydrogen injection is to assist in promoting a wide range of turbine load reduction to lower the overall equivalence ratio of the combustor with respect to the lower limit of the equivalence ratio achievable without hydrogen, and / or to reduce the NO x emissions of the combustor without increasing the CO emissions. In such an aspect, the hydrogen injection can be controlled such that the operation of the combustor of the gas turbine system is restricted by the following relationships for controlling the operation of the gas turbine system and / or the combustor.

Number

[0030] In an embodiment of this aspect, the outer conduit and / or the inner hydrogen injection conduit may be a part of the burner of the combustor.

[0031] In a 25th aspect, the method may be utilized to reduce the overall equivalence ratio of the combustor through the injection of hydrogen such that the equivalence ratio of the fuel combustion occurring in the combustor is reduced to a value within a preselected desired range that can provide lean combustion through the injection of hydrogen. In some embodiments of such an aspect, the injection of hydrogen may be carried out such that the ratio of the hydrogen fuel flow rate is provided such that the equivalence ratio is equal to the following formula:

Equation

[0032] In a 26th aspect, a method of injecting hydrogen into a combustion chamber of a combustor of a gas turbine system may include outputting a mixture of fuel and air into the combustion chamber through an outlet of an outer conduit in fluid communication with the combustion chamber, and injecting at least one hydrogen jet into the combustion chamber through an outlet of an inner hydrogen injection conduit in fluid communication with the combustion chamber. The outer conduit may be positioned such that the outlet of the outer conduit is on the outer periphery of the outlet of the inner hydrogen injection conduit.

[0033] The method may also include generating a vortex of air through at least one swirler to generate a swirling flow for the air and fuel mixture before outputting the air and fuel mixture from the outlet of the outer conduit, and moving the swirling flow in the combustion chamber to a position across the discharge region of the outlet of the inner hydrogen injection conduit in the combustion chamber within the mixture of fuel and air in the swirling flow. At least one hydrogen jet may be downstream of the outlet of the inner hydrogen injection conduit and upstream of a position in the combustion chamber where the mixture of fuel and air in the swirling flow crosses the discharge region of the outlet of the inner hydrogen injection conduit in the combustion chamber. The secondary wake region may be between the outlet of the inner hydrogen injection conduit and the discharge region. The secondary wake region may have at least one second wake that interacts with at least one first wake in the first wake region generated by the swirling flow of the air and fuel mixture when the fuel burns in the combustion chamber. For example, the active gas from the combustion of the fuel in at least one first wake may transfer heat and active chemical species in at least one second wake.

[0034] Also, it should be understood that embodiments of the gas turbine system and embodiments of the combustor may be configured to utilize any of the method embodiments including aspects 15 to 26 such that the gas turbine system or combustor can execute such a method. Such embodiments may also utilize a hydrogen injection device incorporating aspects 1 to 14. It should be understood that the burner of the combustor may include a hydrogen injection device. Further, it should be understood that any embodiment of the method utilizing any of aspects 15 to 26 can utilize at least one hydrogen injection device incorporating aspects 1 to 14.

[0035] Other details, objects, and advantages of the gas turbine, the injection device for the combustion chamber of the gas turbine system, the operation of the gas turbine, the operation of the injector for combustion used in conjunction with the gas turbine system, the plant utilizing one or more gas turbine systems, and their manufacturing and use methods are As the following description of those specific exemplary embodiments proceeds, it will become apparent.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0036] Exemplary embodiments of a gas turbine, an injection device for a combustion chamber of a gas turbine system, the operation of the gas turbine, the operation of an injector for combustion used in conjunction with the gas turbine system, a plant utilizing one or more gas turbine systems, and their manufacturing and usage methods are shown in the drawings included herein. It should be understood that the same reference numerals used in the drawings may identify the same components.

[0037]

Figure 1

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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0038] Referring to FIGS. 4 to 14, the hydrogen injection device 1 can be included in a gas turbine system such as the turbine system shown in FIG. 1, which utilizes a multi-can type or annular cylinder type combustion section device (examples are shown in FIGS. 2 and 3). In other embodiments, the hydrogen injection device 1 can be included within a turbine system that utilizes different types of combustor sections. Including the hydrogen injection device 1 can be provided as part of a retrofit operation of an existing gas turbine system, or can be incorporated into a new design of such a system or combustor installed in an industrial power plant or other types of plants.

[0039] As best seen from FIGS. 4 and 5, the hydrogen injection device 1 can include an injector assembly including an outer conduit 5 configured to supply a flow of a mixture 3a of air and fuel (which can also be called an air-fuel mixture) to the combustion chamber 2a of the combustor. The combustion chamber 2a can be defined by a combustion liner 2 of the combustor of the gas turbine system. The combustion chamber 2a provides a combustion space where combustion of fuel can occur to generate high-temperature gas for output to the turbine of the gas turbine system. In order to promote a swirling flow of the fuel mixture 3a output into the combustion chamber 2a such that a swirling output flow 12 of the air-fuel mixture injected into the combustion chamber 2a includes a fuel and air output mixture flowing along a preselected discharge path of the combustion chamber, at least one swirler 3 can be positioned in the outer conduit 5.

[0040] One or more swirling vanes 3 can be positioned in the outer conduit 5 of the hydrogen injector 1 to swirl the air before it is mixed with the fuel. As can be best understood from FIG. 5, the fuel can be supplied to the air within the outer conduit 5 downstream of the swirling vanes 3 and upstream of the outer conduit outlet 5b where the mixture 3a of fuel and air is supplied to the combustion chamber 2a. The formed mixture 3a of fuel and air within the outer conduit 5 can be regarded as a flow of “air-fuel pre-mixture” since the air and fuel are mixed before being output into the combustion chamber for combustion of the fuel therein (for example, the pre-mixing is carried out within the outer conduit between the swirling vanes 3 and the outlet of the outer conduit 5 where the swirling mixture of air and fuel is supplied into the combustion chamber 2a).

[0041] The flow of hydrogen can pass through the inner hydrogen injection conduit 7 for output into the combustion chamber 2a for internal injection as a hydrogen injection flow. The hydrogen injection flow can be output at the outlet 7b of the inner hydrogen injection conduit 7 as at least one hydrogen jet 13 (for example, a single jet 13 or multiple jets 13). In some embodiments, the outlet 7b of the inner hydrogen injection conduit 7 can be configured as a nozzle having a single output orifice or a nozzle having multiple output orifices. The outlet 7b of the inner hydrogen injection conduit 7 can be positioned inwardly relative to the outlet 5b of the outer conduit 5 such that the outlet 5b of the outer conduit 5 can be on the outer periphery of the outlet 7b of the inner hydrogen injection conduit 7. For example, the outlet 5b of the outer conduit 5 can surround the entire circumference of the outlet 7b of the inner hydrogen injection conduit 7, and the inner hydrogen injection conduit 7 can be arranged such that its outlet 7b is positioned at a location inward of the outlet 5b of the outer conduit whose outlet 5b is positioned on the outer periphery of the outlet 7b of the inner hydrogen injection conduit 7. Embodiments can utilize any number of arrangements for the outlets of the inner hydrogen injection conduit 7 and the outer conduit 5.

[0042] In some embodiments, the outlet 7b of the inner hydrogen injection conduit 7 can be located in the central region or at the center of the annular opening of the annular-shaped outlet 5b of the outer conduit 5. The annular-shaped opening of the outlet 5b of the outer conduit 5 can be in a slot shape, cross shape, "x" shape, "Y" shape, "T" shape, "W" shape, "Z" shape, "N" shape, "M" shape, "F" shape, "E" shape, "D" shape, "C" shape, "U" shape, "V" shape, circular shape, elliptical shape, polygonal shape, or another type of shape. The outlet 7b of the inner hydrogen injection conduit can include a central orifice having a shape that matches the shape of the annular-shaped opening of the outlet 5b of the outer conduit 5 and is positioned within the annular opening of the outlet 5b of the outer conduit 5.

[0043] In some configurations, one or more other conduits can be disposed between the inner hydrogen injection conduit 7 and the outer conduit 5. For example, an annular-shaped water injection conduit (not shown) can be positioned between the inner hydrogen injection conduit 7 and the outer conduit 5. As another example, an annular-shaped purge air conduit can be positioned between the inner hydrogen injection conduit 7 and the outer conduit 5. As yet another example, an annular-shaped water injection conduit (not shown) and an annular-shaped purge air conduit can be positioned between the inner hydrogen injection conduit 7 and the outer conduit 5.

[0044] Different exemplary outlet configurations of the outlet 5b of the outer conduit 5 and the outlet 7b of the inner hydrogen conduit 7, which are configured to be in fluid communication with the combustion chamber 2a of the combustor of the gas turbine system, can be understood from FIGS. 7 to 10. These different configurations can include, for example, a slot type (FIG. 7), cross type (FIG. 8), zipper type (FIG. 9), or annular type (FIG. 10) design. Still other outlet configurations can be understood from FIGS. 6 and 11 to 13, as well as other examples discussed herein.

[0045] For example, as can be understood from FIGS. 6 to 10, the outlet 7b of the inner hydrogen injection conduit 7 can be a single orifice outlet of a uniform circular or other shape. The inner hydrogen injection conduit may include at least one intermediate cavity 7a positioned upstream of the outlet 7b within the inner hydrogen injection conduit 7. Each cavity 7a is positioned to adjust the velocity of the hydrogen injection flow as it passes through the inner hydrogen injection conduit 7 towards the outlet 7b so as to excite a periodic secondary flow within the cavity such that the flow of hydrogen over the cavity acts to increase the level of turbulence of the hydrogen flow. It has been found that this cavity excitation and increase in hydrogen jet turbulence is effective in enhancing the jet diffusion and momentum transport velocity of the hydrogen jet along with the surroundings when the hydrogen jet is discharged into the combustion chamber 2a.

[0046] Each cavity 7a can be positioned to assist in expanding the jet entrainment mass and momentum transport of one or more hydrogen jets 13 injected into the combustion chamber via the outlet 7b of the inner hydrogen injection conduit (as compared to a circular nozzle having no such cavity 7a or having a plurality of such cavities 7a). Each cavity 7a defined in the inner hydrogen injection conduit 7 can include a cavity depth d, a cavity length L, and a cavity trailing edge distance X which is the distance between the downstream end of the cavity 7a and the outlet 7b. The outlet 7b can have a diameter D which can be circular in shape and is the diameter of the circular orifice through which hydrogen passes for direct supply into the combustion chamber 2a.

[0047] As can be best understood from FIG. 6, each cavity 7a can be configured to have a specific depth d and length L, and can be positioned to have a specific cavity trailing edge distance X from the outlet 7b of the inner hydrogen injection conduit 7. The cavity depth d is preferably less than the diameter D of the circular orifice of the outlet 7b. In some embodiments, the cavity depth d can be greater than or equal to the radius of the orifice of the outlet 7b and less than or equal to the diameter D of the orifice of the outlet 7b (e.g., D / 2 ≦ d ≦ D). The cavity length L can be selected such that the ratio of the length L to the depth d is between 1 and 4 (e.g., 1 ≦ L / d ≦ 4). The cavity trailing edge distance X can be selected such that the ratio of the cavity trailing edge distance X to the diameter D of the outlet 7b is 5 or less (e.g., x / D ≦ 5). Embodiments utilizing cavity dimension specifications often, particularly (but not exclusively) when used in conjunction with a single orifice outlet 7b of uniform size of the inner hydrogen injection conduit 7, are judged to provide desirable improved entrained mass and momentum transport for hydrogen injection within the combustion chamber 2a. The hydrogen output from the outlet 7b can be output as a hydrogen jet 13 of hydrogen gas that can be output at a preselected injection flow rate. The velocity of the hydrogen jet 13 can be 100 m / s or more, 300 m / s or more, or a flow velocity less than or equal to the local speed of sound of hydrogen passing through the injector orifice defining the hydrogen gas outlet 7b.

[0048] The outlet 7b of the inner hydrogen injection conduit 7 can also be configured to have a plurality of spaced orifices for injecting the hydrogen gas jet 13 into the combustion chamber 2a. It should be understood that each jet 13 of the injected hydrogen gas can be a relatively high-speed flow of hydrogen gas. In some of these embodiments, the velocity of each jet can be 100 m / s or more, 300 m / s or more, or a flow velocity less than or equal to the local speed of sound of hydrogen passing through the injector orifice of the nozzle defining the outlet 7b.

[0049] The outlet 7b having a nozzle configuration for providing a plurality of hydrogen gas jets 13 for injection into the combustion chamber 2a can be configured to have a plurality of injection zones. The injection zones can include a first central injection zone having at least one central hydrogen injection jet 13a directed in a direction parallel to the axis of the burner 4 (e.g., the axial direction in which the fuel, air, and hydrogen flows pass through the outer conduit 5 and the inner hydrogen injection conduit 7 for injection into the combustion chamber 2a). In some embodiments, the first zone can have only a single central orifice 21. However, other embodiments may be considered to include a plurality of spaced central orifices 21 for providing a first zone of a plurality of central hydrogen injection jets 13a.

[0050] The hydrogen gas injection zone for the nozzle defining the outlet 7b may also include a second zone. The second zone may be configured such that there are a plurality of injection orifices 23 of the second zone arranged along the outer periphery surrounding the central orifice 21 of at least one first zone where at least one central hydrogen injection jet 13a is output into the combustion chamber 2a. The injection orifices 23 of the second zone are such that each non-central hydrogen jet 13b is output at an angle θ greater than 0° and less than 90° with respect to the flow direction of the central hydrogen jet 13a, and / or at a non-zero angle with respect to the axis of the burner 4, such that the non-central hydrogen jets 13b flow at an angle θ greater than 0° and less than 90° (e.g., non-axial flow direction) with respect to the flow direction of the central hydrogen injection jet 13a. The outer orifices 23 of the second zone may be arranged such that the angle θ at which the non-central hydrogen jets 13b are output can be in the range greater than 0° and less than 90°, or more preferably, in the range of 15° or more and 60° or less. Needless to say, the outer orifices 23 of the second zone may be arranged and configured such that the angle θ at which the non-central hydrogen jets 13b are output can be in different ranges, such as in the range of 10° or more and 70° or less, in the range of 5° or more and 80° or less, or some other ranges that can better satisfy a particular set of design criteria and the particular wake fluid dynamics present in a particular combustion chamber 2a for the particular operation of the gas turbine system.

[0051] In some embodiments, the central orifices 21 of the one or more first zones may discharge the one or more hydrogen jets 13a such that they all flow axially, and the outer orifices 23 of the second zone may discharge the non-central hydrogen jets 13b such that they all flow non-axially. In other embodiments, the central orifices 21 of at least one first zone and the outer orifices 23 of the second zone may be arranged and configured such that at least one hydrogen jet 13a can flow axially and at least a portion of the non-central hydrogen jets 13b can be output such that they flow in one or more non-axial directions.

[0052] The peripheral injection orifice 23 of the second zone with a gap is surrounded entirely by the injection orifice 23 of the second zone with a gap (the example is best seen from FIG. 11), or at least a portion of the outer periphery of the central orifice 21 of at least one first zone is surrounded by the injection orifice 23 of the second zone, so that this series of orifices can be positioned to extend along the outer periphery of the central orifice 21 of at least one first zone. In yet another embodiment, the outlet 7b of the inner hydrogen injection conduit 7 may be configured to include only the outer injection orifice 23 such that neither the central hydrogen injection jet 13a nor the central zone orifice 21 of any first zone defined at the outlet 7b is present.

[0053] The outlet 7b of the inner hydrogen injection conduit 7 is configured such that when the output flow 12 crosses the discharge region 14 of the outlet 7b of the inner hydrogen-side hydrogen injection conduit 7 in the combustion chamber 2a at a location downstream and spaced apart from the outlet 7b, one or more hydrogen jets 13 interact with the dominant flow field 12a generated by the swirling output flow 12 of the air and fuel mixture output from the outlet 5b of the outer conduit 5. For example, the dominant flow field 12a may be generated from the swirling flow of the fuel and air mixture that swirls within the combustion chamber 2a, crosses and passes in front of the outlet 7b of the inner hydrogen injection conduit 7a at a position within the discharge region 14 that is downstream and spaced apart from the outlet 7b within the combustion chamber 2a. This position within the discharge region 14 can be a location or a region within the combustion chamber 2a. The first wake region 12b of the fluid may have at least one first wake 12c generated by this swirling flow of the air and fuel mixture in the combustion chamber 2a adjacent to and / or within the discharge region 14 of the inner hydrogen injection conduit 7 when the output flow 12 crosses the discharge region 14.

[0054] The hydrogen injected into the combustion chamber 2a through the outlet 7b of the inner hydrogen injection conduit 7 can be mixed with the air and fuel, and with the combustion products (e.g., CO2, CO, water vapor, etc.) from the combustion of the fuel generated in the dominant flow field 12a in the first wake region 12b adjacent to the discharge region 14 of the inner hydrogen injection conduit 7, as a result of the first wake 12c of the fluid. The hydrogen can burn when mixed with air, and the dominant flow field 12a of the air-fuel mixture can generate a secondary wake region 11 within the discharge region 14 of the inner hydrogen injection conduit 7, between the location across the discharge region 14 of the inner hydrogen injection conduit 7 in the combustion chamber 2a and the outlet 7b of the inner hydrogen injection conduit 7.

[0055] As can be best seen from FIGS. 13 and 14, the combustion of the hydrogen in one or more hydrogen jets 13 can generate an array 11b of small flame structures formed through fluid communication and chemical communication between the secondary wakes 11a of adjacent hydrogen jets in the discharge region 14. The secondary wake 11a can also be referred to as the second wake.

[0056] The secondary wake 11a can be formed between the first wake region 12b in the combustion chamber 2a and the outlet 7b of the inner hydrogen conduit, and can also be formed between the position across the discharge region 13 of the outlet 7b of the inner hydrogen injection conduit 7 in the combustion chamber 2a and the outlet 7b of the inner hydrogen injection conduit 7, within the swirling output flow 12 of the mixture of fuel and air.

[0057] The small flame structure 11b can be provided by a hydrogen jet 13 with a relatively high nozzle velocity that can create a number of secondary jet wakes 11a capable of entraining lean premixed air-natural gas reactants and combustion hot products into the hydrogen jet 13 for combustion of hydrogen in the combustion chamber 2a to form the small flame structure 11b by the flow of the secondary jet wake 11a. These small flame structures 11b can assist in providing an improved mixing of air and fuel by the combustion of hydrogen to form a flame structure, and can also assist in transporting heat from the combustion away from the burner 4 by the transport of momentum provided by the velocity of the hydrogen jet in combination with the combustion of hydrogen. Combustion of hydrogen in the second wake region 11 can assist in avoiding zones where the mixing of air and fuel is reduced in order to mitigate or avoid combustion instabilities from the fuel combusting in the combustion chamber.

[0058] For example, the interaction of hydrogen combustion in the second wake region 11 located within the combustion chamber 2a can assist in improving the flame stability of the burner 4 and the combustion stability within the combustion chamber 2a. For example, one or more central hydrogen injection jets 13a can be output in a flow direction opposite to the streamlines of the reverse flow field generated by the swirling output flow 12 of the air and fuel mixture output from the outlet 5b of the outer duct 5 of the burner 4, which is generated via one or more swirler vanes 3 of the burner 4, and can interact with this first wake region within the combustion chamber 2a. The detailed nature of such flow interactions between the injected hydrogen and the swirling flow of the air-fuel mixture can depend on the relative momentum of the hydrogen jet 13 and the recirculation flow along the jet burner axis. However, the presence of high shear rates, high turbulence intensities, and counterflows, as in the case of the swirling flow of air and fuel from the main burner when the air and fuel mixture enters the combustion space through the outlet 5b of the outer duct, can then result in mixing and subsequent combustion that can provide sustainable energy and chemical radical species, providing an efficient method as judged.

[0059] Hydrogen introduced into the combustion chamber 2a through the outer injector orifice 23 can further enhance such effects and assist in providing further improvement in lean combustion stability. The diverging non-centered hydrogen jet 13b, which can be output in the flow direction nominally parallel to the shear layer between the toroidal recirculation vortex of the air-fuel mixture discharged from the outlet 5b of the outer conduit 5 and the swirling flow 12, can generate a number of diffusion flames whose reaction rate increases due to the presence of hydrogen and the presence of heat and radicals convected from the reaction zone of the central hydrogen jet 13a. The combustion of hydrogen and the interaction with the swirling flow 12 of the air and fuel mixture can assist in improving the combustion stability in the combustion space of the combustion chamber 2a when the air-fuel mixture is a lean mixture having excess oxygen with respect to the fuel in the mixture (for example, there is more oxygen in the mixture than is required to completely burn the fuel in the flow).

[0060] FIG. 14 further illustrates the interaction between the injected hydrogen and the output mixture of fuel and air from burner 4 in an exemplary interaction process that can result from the operation of an exemplary burner 4 having an outer conduit 5 and an inner hydrogen injection conduit 7. The secondary recirculation region 11 can include at least one secondary flow 11a adjacent to each hydrogen output orifice that can create one or more small recirculation zones within the secondary recirculation region 11 in a first step S1 of the exemplary process. The flame, or flame structure 11b, formed in the secondary recirculation region 11 can transfer heat and active chemical species (e.g., radicals) to the local hydrogen jet 13 and the adjacent secondary flow 11a in a second step S2 of the exemplary process. The ignited jet 13 can transfer heat and active chemical species to at least one larger first co-flow 12c formed from the fuel that burns in combustion chamber 2a as it exits the outlet 5b of the outer conduit 5 and passes through the discharge region 14 of the outlet 7b of the inner hydrogen injection conduit 7. The hot active gas of the first co-flow 12c from the combustion of the fuel can transfer heat and active chemical species to the output flow exiting burner 4 in a fourth step S4 of the exemplary process. The interaction between the first co-flow 12c and the second co-flow 11a of the secondary recirculation region 11 can promote improved combustion stability as a result of the combustion of the hydrogen interacting with the combustion gases of the first co-flow 12c in a fifth step S5 of the exemplary process. This interaction can include, for example, active gas in one or more first co-flows 12c from the combustion of the fuel that transfers heat and active chemical species in one or more second co-flows 11a.

[0061] The improved combustion stability and gas turbine system performance that can be provided by an embodiment of the hydrogen injection device 1 are thought to be due to several factors. For example, the kinetic energy of each relatively fast hydrogen jet 13 can function as a pump that can entrain local mass in proportion to the velocity while generating local turbulence within combustion chamber 2a that enhances mixing. The enhanced mixing can help reduce temperature stratification and can lower the peak flame temperature, thereby reducing NO xEmissions can be reduced. As another example, the high-speed hydrogen injection jet 13 can help convectively transport the heat released during hydrogen combustion so that the heat is transported away from the nozzle, and it is considered that overheating of the nozzle can be prevented.

[0062] An embodiment of the hydrogen injection device 1 using a plurality of hydrogen jets 13 can provide hydrogen jets with a relatively high nozzle speed to create a number of secondary jet wakes 11a, each of which can entrain lean premixed air-natural gas reactants and combustion high-temperature products into the hydrogen jets. Due to the low ignition energy of hydrogen, the available excess oxygen in the entrained mass, and the high temperature of the combustion products, the hydrogen-entrained gas mixture is easily ignited in the relatively low-speed secondary wake region 11 within the combustion chamber 2a. This secondary wake region 11 is located upstream of the location where the swirling flow 12 of the air-fuel mixture output from the outlet 5b of the outer duct 5 can pass through the combustion chamber when the swirling flow 12 of the air-fuel mixture output from the outlet 5b of the outer duct 5 is injected into the combustion chamber, such that this region is between the outlet 7b of the inner hydrogen injection duct 7 and a region within the combustion chamber that is axially spaced from the outlet and through which the swirling flow 12 passes, and can be a region near the outlet of the burner 4.

[0063] A number of secondary wake ignition sources that can be provided by a plurality of injected hydrogen jets 13 (for example, hydrogen injected through the orifices 21 of the first zone and the orifices 23 of the second zone, etc.) can generate an array of small flame structures within the combustion chamber 2a that each function as small "pilot" flames to adjacent hydrogen jets 13 in the secondary wake region 11. It was determined that this can provide a synergistic effect between adjacent hydrogen jets 13 that can provide an unexpectedly much higher level of flame stability compared to the use of a single hydrogen jet 13 with the same mass flow rate as the cumulative flow rate from a plurality of hydrogen jets 13.

[0064] In some embodiments, at least one central hydrogen injection jet 13a can output central (axial) injection of hydrogen, provided by this central jet, such that the mixture created in the burner wake in the combustion chamber 2a can be mixed with the recirculation gas in the wake of the burner at an equivalence ratio of unity or less, which can be in a stoichiometric or lean operating mode. Hydrogen injected in excess of the stoichiometric amount can become a component of the excess reactant and can be diluted by its effect when mixed with other gases outside the burner wake. Mathematically, assuming that the ratio of hydrogen to fuel flow rate is much smaller than unity, this ratio can be shown to be equal to the following equation.

Equation

[0065] In embodiments where the fuel is methane (CH4), the variable m,Fuel is the mass flow rate of methane injected into the combustion chamber 2a through the outlet 5b of the outer conduit 5. Needless to say, since the fuel can alternatively be propane, liquefied petroleum gas, fuel oil, No. 2 fuel oil, kerosene, or synthetic gas made from another type of fuel (e.g., carbon) or another type of suitable fuel, this fuel flow rate value can vary depending on the type of fuel utilized in the combustion chamber 2a.

[0066] Embodiments of the hydrogen injection device 1 can be configured for use in a gas turbine system to provide co-combustion of hydrogen with a primary fuel (e.g., natural gas, propane, liquefied petroleum gas, No. 2 fuel oil, kerosene, synthesis gas made from other fuels, etc.). The hydrogen injection device 1 can be used to facilitate different types of operations of the gas turbine system. For example, the device can be used to assist in reducing the stoichiometric ratio of the entire combustor during operation of the gas turbine system. As another example, the hydrogen injection device 1 can be used to facilitate increased combustor axial fuel staging.

[0067] For example, the hydrogen injection device 1 can be used to use hydrogen to lower the equivalence ratio of the entire combustor relative to the lower limit of the equivalence ratio achievable without hydrogen injection (where the primary fuel can be the fuel contained in the mixture of fuel and air output into the combustion chamber through the outer conduit 5, based on the hydrogen flow rate, primary fuel flow rate, and air flow rate). This can be achieved by the injected hydrogen offsetting the ratio of fuel to available oxygen to increase the proportion of oxygen and provide a lower equivalence ratio of the combustion occurring within the combustion space of the combustion chamber 2a. The purpose of such an operating strategy for the gas turbine system is either to facilitate a wide range of turbine load reduction and / or to reduce NO emissions from the combustor without increasing carbon monoxide (CO) emissions. It can be shown that the relationship of the reactant flow rates for this operating case is equal to the following equation. x The relationship of the reactant flow rates for this operating case can be shown to be equal to the following equation.

Equation

[0068] The injection of hydrogen can be controlled such that the operation of one or more (or all) of the combustors of the gas turbine system is constrained by the above relationships for controlling the operation of the gas turbine system and / or the combustor. Hydrogen injection can also (or alternatively) be used, via an exemplary embodiment of the hydrogen injection device 1, to promote a larger scale staging of fuel or air for NO x reduction purposes. For example, in fuel staging combustion, the fuel can be introduced at a location downstream of the combustor, away from the outlet of the burner 4. FIG. 5 best illustrates a configuration in which at least one control valve 30 of the fuel supply system for the combustor is configured to allow a portion of the fuel supply to flow into the outer conduit 5 for premixing with air output from the outlet 5b of the outer conduit, while another portion of the fuel can be routed to be supplied downstream of the burner 4 in the combustion chamber 2a. In such a situation, the main burner 4 of the combustor can operate at a lower equivalence ratio than that used without fuel staging. The degree of fuel staging is often limited by the lean combustion stability limit of the main burner 4. By utilizing hydrogen injection via an embodiment of the hydrogen injection device 1 and increasing the proportion of axially staged fuel, the safe operating limit of lean combustion of the burner can be widened, which can promote a more significant NO x reduction.

[0069] It should be understood that modifications to the embodiments explicitly shown and discussed in this specification can be made to meet a particular set of design objectives or a particular set of design criteria. For example, an embodiment of the hydrogen injection device 1 can utilize a single output orifice or a plurality of output orifices to inject one or more hydrogen gas jets into the combustion chamber at a preselected flow rate or a flow rate within a preselected hydrogen injection flow rate range. In some embodiments, such a range can be less than 100 m / s or less than 300 m / s. In still other embodiments, such a range can be greater than 100 m / s or greater than 300 m / s.

[0070] As another example, the size and shape of the inner hydrogen injection conduit 7 and the outer conduit 5 can be of any suitable size and shape to meet a particular set of design criteria for improving the operating performance of a particular gas turbine system. For example, some embodiments can be quite large, while other embodiments can be smaller in view of the size of the combustor in which it is used and the operating requirements of the combustor.

[0071] As yet another example, an embodiment of the hydrogen injection device 1 can be configured to inject one or more hydrogen jets 13 that are 100% hydrogen gas or another composition (such as more than 80% by volume hydrogen gas and less than 20% by volume of other gases). Other gas elements that can be included in the hydrogen gas jet 13 can include, for example, nitrogen or carbon dioxide. It should be understood that the injected hydrogen jet 13 can include a hydrogen composition that is at least 99% by volume hydrogen, at least 95% by volume hydrogen, at least 90% by volume hydrogen, at least 75% by volume hydrogen, or at least 50% by volume hydrogen. The particular composition of the hydrogen jet flow rate utilized in a particular embodiment of the hydrogen injection device can depend on the source of the hydrogen being injected and other operating or design criteria of the gas turbine system.

[0072] A gas turbine system and a hydrogen injection device 1 that can be incorporated into the system can be configured to include process control elements (e.g., at least one workstation having temperature sensors, pressure sensors, flow sensors, a processor, a non-transitory memory, and a user interface for an automatic process control system that can operate on the system's workstation and / or another computer device, sensor elements, valves, and at least one transceiver for communicating with a controller, etc.) positioned and configured to monitor and control the operation.

[0073] As another example, individually or as part of one embodiment, the specific features described are considered capable of being combined with other individually described features or parts of other embodiments. Accordingly, elements and acts of the various embodiments described herein can be combined to provide further embodiments. Accordingly, specific exemplary embodiments of the hydrogen injection device, devices for hydrogen injection in a combustor, combustors for a gas turbine system, gas turbine systems, and methods of manufacturing and using them are shown and described above, but it should be clearly understood that the present invention is not limited thereto and can be embodied and implemented in various other ways within the scope of the following claims. Embodiments of the present invention can include the following embodiments. (Appendix 1) A hydrogen injection device for injecting hydrogen into a combustion chamber of a combustor of a gas turbine system, the hydrogen injection device comprising: an outer conduit having an outlet in fluid communication with the combustion chamber, the outer conduit being configured such that a mixture of fuel and air can pass through the outlet of the outer conduit into the combustion chamber; An inner hydrogen injection conduit positioned adjacent to the outer conduit, wherein the outer conduit is positioned such that an outlet of the outer conduit is on an outer periphery of an outlet of the inner hydrogen injection conduit that is in fluid communication with the combustion chamber, and the inner hydrogen injection conduit is configured such that at least one hydrogen jet can be injected into the combustion chamber through the outlet of the inner hydrogen injection conduit, and a hydrogen injection device comprising the inner hydrogen injection conduit. (Appendix 2) The outlet of the inner hydrogen injection conduit is downstream of the outlet of the inner hydrogen injection conduit, and the mixture of fuel and air output from the outlet of the outer conduit is positioned upstream of a position in the combustion chamber that crosses a discharge region of the outlet of the inner hydrogen injection conduit and towards a first wake region in the combustion chamber, and the inner hydrogen injection conduit is positioned and configured such that a secondary wake region is formed by the at least one hydrogen jet adjacent to the first wake region or is formed when the at least one hydrogen jet enters the first wake region, the hydrogen injection device according to Appendix 1. (Appendix 3) The outer conduit has at least one swirler for generating a swirling flow for outputting the mixture of air and fuel from the outlet of the outer conduit. The secondary wake region is between the outlet of the inner hydrogen injection conduit and a position in the combustion chamber where the mixture of fuel and air output from the outlet of the outer conduit crosses the outlet of the inner hydrogen injection conduit while the fuel in the mixture is burning in the combustion chamber, the hydrogen injection device according to Appendix 2. (Appendix 4) The outlet of the inner hydrogen injection conduit is a single orifice, and the inner hydrogen injection conduit has at least one cavity upstream of the single orifice, the hydrogen injection device according to Appendix 1. (Appendix 5) The at least one cavity has a cavity trailing edge distance that is a depth, a cavity length, and a distance from the outlet of the inner hydrogen injection conduit to a downstream end of the cavity. The cavity depth is equal to or greater than the radius of the orifice at the outlet of the inner hydrogen injection conduit and equal to or less than the diameter of the orifice at the outlet of the inner hydrogen injection conduit, the cavity length is a value such that the ratio of the length to the depth is 1 to 4, the hydrogen injection device according to supplementary note 4, wherein the cavity trailing edge distance is a value such that the ratio of the cavity trailing edge distance to the diameter is 5 or less. (Supplementary note 6) The hydrogen injection device according to supplementary note 1, wherein the outlet of the inner hydrogen injection conduit includes a nozzle having at least one central orifice for forming at least one central hydrogen jet for injecting hydrogen into the combustion chamber and a plurality of outer orifices for forming a plurality of non-central hydrogen jets for injecting hydrogen into the combustion chamber. (Supplementary note 7) The hydrogen injection device according to supplementary note 6, wherein each of the non-central hydrogen jets is output in a flow direction at an angle with respect to the flow direction of the at least one central hydrogen jet, and the angle is greater than 0° and less than 90°, or greater than 15° and less than 60°. (Supplementary note 8) The hydrogen injection device according to supplementary note 6, wherein the at least one central orifice is configured to form the at least one central hydrogen jet such that the at least one central hydrogen jet has a velocity of at least 100 m / s, and the outer orifice is configured to form the non-central hydrogen jet such that the non-central hydrogen jet has a velocity of at least 100 m / s. (Supplementary note 9) The hydrogen injection device according to supplementary note 1, wherein the outlet of the inner hydrogen injection conduit is a single orifice configured to inject the hydrogen as a hydrogen jet having a velocity of at least 100 m / s. (Supplementary note 10) A gas turbine system comprising: a combustor configured to supply heated gas to a turbine, A hydrogen injection device connected to the combustor, which is the hydrogen injection device described in Supplementary Note 1, and a gas turbine system comprising the hydrogen injection device. (Supplementary Note 11) A method for injecting hydrogen into the combustion chamber of a combustor of a gas turbine system, the method comprising: Outputting a mixture of fuel and air into the combustion chamber through an outlet of an outer conduit in fluid communication with the combustion chamber; Injecting at least one hydrogen jet into the combustion chamber through an outlet of an inner hydrogen injection conduit in fluid communication with the combustion chamber. The method wherein the outer conduit is positioned such that the outlet of the outer conduit is on the outer periphery of the outlet of the inner hydrogen injection conduit. (Supplementary Note 12) The method according to Supplementary Note 11, wherein the at least one hydrogen jet is downstream of the outlet of the inner hydrogen injection conduit, and the mixture of fuel and air output from the outlet of the outer conduit is upstream of a position in the combustion chamber that crosses a discharge region of the outlet of the inner hydrogen injection conduit in the combustion chamber and is injected into a secondary wake region in the combustion chamber. (Supplementary Note 13) Before outputting the mixture of air and fuel from the outlet of the outer conduit, generating a vortex of air through at least one swirler to generate a swirling flow for the mixture of air and fuel. The method according to Supplementary Note 12, wherein the secondary wake region is between the outlet of the inner hydrogen injection conduit and a position in the combustion chamber where the mixture of fuel and air output from the outlet of the outer conduit crosses the outlet of the inner hydrogen injection conduit while the fuel in the mixture is burning in the combustion chamber. (Supplementary Note 14) The method according to Supplementary Note 11, wherein the outlet of the inner hydrogen injection conduit is a single orifice, and the inner hydrogen injection conduit has at least one cavity upstream of the single orifice. (Supplementary Note 15) The at least one cavity has a cavity trailing edge distance that is the depth, the cavity length, and the distance from the outlet of the inner hydrogen injection conduit to the downstream end of the cavity, the cavity depth is greater than or equal to the radius of the orifice of the outlet of the inner hydrogen injection conduit and less than or equal to the diameter of the orifice of the outlet of the inner hydrogen injection conduit, the cavity length is a value such that the ratio of the length to the depth is between 1 and 4, the method according to appendix 14, wherein the cavity trailing edge distance is a value such that the ratio of the cavity trailing edge distance to the diameter is 5 or less. (Appendix 16) the at least one hydrogen jet is at least one central hydrogen jet, and the outlet of the inner hydrogen injection conduit includes at least one central orifice for forming the at least one central hydrogen jet for injecting hydrogen into the combustion chamber and a plurality of outer orifices for forming a plurality of non-central hydrogen jets for injecting hydrogen into the combustion chamber, and the method also includes injecting the non-central hydrogen jets into the combustion chamber via the outer orifices of the nozzle, the method according to appendix 11. (Appendix 17) the method according to appendix 16, wherein the outer orifices are configured such that each of the non-central hydrogen jets is output in a flow direction at an angle with respect to the flow direction of the at least one central hydrogen jet, and the angle is greater than 0° and less than 90°, or greater than 15° and less than 60°. (Appendix 18) the method according to appendix 16, wherein the at least one central hydrogen jet has a velocity of at least 100 m / s and each of the non-central hydrogen jets has a velocity of at least 100 m / s. (Appendix 19) the method according to appendix 11, wherein the at least one hydrogen jet has a velocity of at least 100 m / s. (Appendix 20) The burner of the combustor includes the outer duct, and injecting the at least one hydrogen jet into the combustion chamber through the outlet of the inner hydrogen injection duct is performed to control the operation of the gas turbine such that the equivalence ratio of the combustor is equal to the following formula, and a ratio with respect to the fuel flow rate of hydrogen is provided. [Number] wherein, m,H2,central,max is the maximum allowable central hydrogen injection mass flow rate, m,Fuel is the fuel flow rate of the fuel for the burner, m,recirc is the mass flow rate recirculation rate in the first wake region of the burner, m,total is the total burner flow rate, Φ is the equivalence ratio occupied only by the air and the fuel injected through the outlet of the outer duct, and is the method described in Appendix 11. (Appendix 21) The burner of the combustor includes the outer duct, and injecting the at least one hydrogen jet into the combustion chamber through the outlet of the inner hydrogen injection duct is performed to control the operation of the gas turbine such that the operation of the combustor of the gas turbine is restricted by the following formula. [Number] wherein, mH2,total is the total hydrogen injection flow rate, βprim is the air-fuel molar stoichiometric coefficient of the fuel, βH2 is the air-fuel molar stoichiometric coefficient of hydrogen, Mair is the molecular weight of air, MH2 is the molecular weight of hydrogen, Mprim is the molecular weight of the fuel, PFR0 is the fuel-to-air mass flow rate ratio before hydrogen injection, PFR1 is the fuel-to-air mass flow rate ratio during hydrogen injection, and is the method described in Appendix 11. (Appendix 22) Before outputting the mixture of air and fuel from the outlet of the outer conduit, generating a swirling flow of air through at least one swirler to generate a vortex of air in order to generate a swirling flow for the mixture of air and fuel; including moving the swirling flow in the combustion chamber to a position where the mixture of fuel and air in the swirling flow crosses a discharge region of the outlet of the inner hydrogen injection conduit in the combustion chamber; wherein the at least one hydrogen jet is downstream of the outlet of the inner hydrogen injection conduit and upstream of the position in the combustion chamber where the mixture of fuel and air in the swirling flow crosses the discharge region of the outlet of the inner hydrogen injection conduit, and is injected into a secondary wake region in the combustion chamber; The method according to appendix 11, wherein the secondary wake region is between the outlet of the inner hydrogen injection conduit and the position in the combustion chamber where the mixture of fuel and air in the swirling flow crosses the discharge region of the outlet of the inner hydrogen injection conduit, and the secondary wake region has at least one second wake that interacts with at least one first wake in a first wake region generated by the swirling flow of the mixture of air and fuel when the fuel burns in the combustion chamber. (Appendix 23) The method according to appendix 22, wherein active gas from the combustion of fuel in the at least one first wake transfers heat and active chemical species in the at least one second wake.

Claims

1. A method for injecting hydrogen into a combustion chamber of a combustor of a gas turbine system, the method comprising: outputting a mixture of fuel and air into the combustion chamber through an outlet of an outer conduit in fluid communication with the combustion chamber; injecting at least one hydrogen jet into the combustion chamber through an outlet of an inner hydrogen injection conduit in fluid communication with the combustion chamber, wherein the outer conduit is positioned such that the outlet of the outer conduit is on the outer periphery of the outlet of the inner hydrogen injection conduit; the burner of the combustor includes the outer conduit, and injecting the at least one hydrogen jet into the combustion chamber through the outlet of the inner hydrogen injection conduit is performed to control the operation of the gas turbine such that the equivalence ratio of the combustor of the gas turbine is equal to the following formula and a ratio of the fuel flow rate of hydrogen is provided: 【Number 1】 wherein m,H2,central,max is the maximum allowable central hydrogen injection mass flow rate (mass / hour); m,Fuel is the fuel flow rate (mass / hour) of the fuel for the burner; m,recirc is the recirculation gas flow rate (mass / hour) in the first wake region of the burner; m,total is the total burner flow rate (mass / hour); Φ is the equivalence ratio (dimensionless) occupied only by the air and the fuel injected through the outlet of the outer conduit.

2. A method for injecting hydrogen into a combustion chamber of a combustor of a gas turbine system, the method comprising: outputting a mixture of fuel and air into the combustion chamber through an outlet of an outer conduit in fluid communication with the combustion chamber; injecting at least one hydrogen jet into the combustion chamber through an outlet of an inner hydrogen injection conduit in fluid communication with the combustion chamber, wherein the outer conduit is positioned such that the outlet of the outer conduit is on the outer periphery of the outlet of the inner hydrogen injection conduit; the burner of the combustor includes the outer conduit, and injecting the at least one hydrogen jet into the combustion chamber through the outlet of the inner hydrogen injection conduit is performed to control the operation of the gas turbine such that the operation of the combustor of the gas turbine is restricted by the following formula: 【Number 2】 wherein mH2,total is the total hydrogen injection flow rate (mass / hour); βprim is the air-fuel molar stoichiometric coefficient (dimensionless) of the fuel. βH₂ is the stoichiometric coefficient (dimensionless) of hydrogen in the air-fuel mixture, m,air is the mass flow rate of air (mass / time) injected into the combustion chamber at a constant value, MH₂ is the molecular weight (mass) of hydrogen, Mprim is the molecular weight (mass) of the fuel, PFR0 is the fuel-to-air mass flow rate ratio (dimensionless) before hydrogen injection, PFR1 is the fuel-to-air mass flow rate ratio (dimensionless) during hydrogen injection, method.

3. The at least one hydrogen jet is, downstream of the outlet of the inner hydrogen injection conduit, and is upstream of a position in the combustion chamber where the mixture of fuel and air output from the outlet of the outer conduit crosses the discharge region of the outlet of the inner hydrogen injection conduit in the combustion chamber, The method according to claim 1 or 2, injected into the secondary wake region in the combustion chamber.

4. Before outputting the mixture of air and fuel from the outlet of the outer conduit, generating a swirl flow for the mixture of air and fuel by generating a vortex of air through at least one swirler, The secondary wake region is between the outlet of the inner hydrogen injection conduit and a position in the combustion chamber where the mixture of fuel and air output from the outlet of the outer conduit crosses the discharge region of the outlet of the inner hydrogen injection conduit while the fuel of the mixture is burning in the combustion chamber. The method according to claim 3.

5. The outlet of the inner hydrogen injection conduit is a single orifice, and the inner hydrogen injection conduit has at least one cavity upstream of the single orifice. The method according to claim 1 or 2.

6. The at least one cavity has a cavity trailing edge distance that is the depth, cavity length, and distance from the outlet of the inner hydrogen injection conduit to the downstream end of the cavity, The cavity depth is greater than or equal to the radius of the orifice at the outlet of the inner hydrogen injection conduit and less than or equal to the diameter of the orifice at the outlet of the inner hydrogen injection conduit, The cavity length is a value such that the ratio of the length to the depth is 1 to 4, The cavity trailing edge distance is a value such that the ratio of the cavity trailing edge distance to the diameter is 5 or less. The method according to claim 5.

7. The at least one hydrogen jet is at least one central hydrogen jet, and the outlet of the inner hydrogen injection conduit includes at least one central orifice for forming the at least one central hydrogen jet and a plurality of outer orifices for forming a plurality of non-central hydrogen jets for injecting hydrogen into the combustion chamber, and the method also includes injecting the non-central hydrogen jets into the combustion chamber via the outer orifices of the nozzle, the method according to claim 1 or 2. **Claim 8** The outer orifices are configured such that each of the non-central hydrogen jets is output in a flow direction at an angle with respect to the flow direction of the at least one central hydrogen jet, the angle being greater than 0° and less than 90°, or greater than 15° and less than 60°, the method according to claim 7. **Claim 9** The at least one central hydrogen jet has a velocity of at least 100 m / s, and each of the non-central hydrogen jets has a velocity of at least 100 m / s, the method according to claim 7. **Claim 10** The at least one hydrogen jet has a velocity of at least 100 m / s, the method according to claim 1 or 2. **Claim 11** generating a vortex of air via at least one swirler to generate a swirling flow for the mixture of air and fuel before outputting the mixture of air and fuel from the outlet of the outer conduit, shifting the swirling flow in the combustion chamber to a position where the mixture of fuel and air in the swirling flow crosses the discharge region of the outlet of the inner hydrogen injection conduit in the combustion chamber, the at least one hydrogen jet is downstream of the outlet of the inner hydrogen injection conduit, and the mixture of fuel and air in the swirling flow is upstream of the position in the combustion chamber where the mixture of fuel and air in the swirling flow crosses the discharge region of the outlet of the inner hydrogen injection conduit, injected into a secondary wake region in the combustion chamber The secondary wake region is between the outlet of the inner hydrogen injection conduit and the position in the combustion chamber where the mixture of fuel and air in the swirling flow crosses the discharge region at the outlet of the inner hydrogen injection conduit, and the secondary wake region has at least one second wake that interacts with at least one first wake in the first wake region generated by the swirling flow of the mixture of air and fuel when the fuel burns in the combustion chamber. The method according to claim 1 or 2.

12. Active gas from the combustion of fuel in the at least one first wake transfers heat and active chemical species in the at least one second wake. The method according to claim 11.

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