Gas Turbine Combustor Fuel Injector Nozzle Atomization

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Current liquid fuel systems for gas turbines, used as backups or alternatives to natural gas, incur high operating and maintenance costs due to the need for atomizing air systems, which increase capital equipment and maintenance costs, reduce efficiency, and complicate the system.

Innovation Solution

A method and apparatus for controlling a gas turbine combustor that eliminates the need for atomizing air by using a fuel injector nozzle configured to produce atomized and emulsified liquid fuel streams through the selective combination of liquid fuel and liquid fluid jets, such as water, to achieve efficient combustion without the need for compressor air bleeding and pumps.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If atomizing air systems are used to provide liquid fuel atomization, then desirable combustion characteristics are achieved, but capital equipment costs and maintenance costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecombustion characteristicsVSAvoidatomizing air system

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and eliminates the atomizing air system from the liquid fuel delivery system. Instead of using compressor air bleeding and pressure-raising pumps for atomization, the invention uses a specialized fuel injector nozzle that atomizes liquid fuel through its own internal geometry and pressure differential, removing the need for separate atomizing air equipment and reducing system complexity and costs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical atomizing air system (pumps, valves, air bleeding infrastructure) with a fluid dynamic solution based on liquid pressure and nozzle geometry. The fuel injector nozzle uses the pressure of the liquid fuel itself to create atomization through carefully designed internal passages and outlets, substituting a complex mechanical air-based system with a simpler fluid-based system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Productivity

If atomizing air systems are used to provide liquid fuel atomization, then combustion efficiency is improved, but operating and maintenance costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecombustion efficiencyVSAvoidoperating cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The fuel injector nozzle is designed to atomize the liquid fuel using only the fuel's own pressure energy, without requiring external energy input from atomizing air systems. The nozzle internal geometry converts the liquid fuel's pressure into atomization, allowing the system to serve itself and eliminate the energy losses and operating costs associated with running separate air compression and delivery systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Adaptability or versatility

If atomizing air systems are used to provide liquid fuel atomization, then liquid fuel combustion is achieved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefuel flexibilityVSAvoidliquid fuel system

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The fuel injector nozzle is designed as a multi-functional component that combines fuel delivery, pressure regulation, and atomization functions in a single device. This universal component works with various liquid fuel types (diesel, No. 2 fuel, etc.) without requiring additional atomizing air infrastructure, reducing system complexity while maintaining fuel flexibility and adaptability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This solution reduces capital and maintenance costs, simplifies the system, improves power plant reliability and efficiency, and lowers heat rates by eliminating the need for atomizing air systems while maintaining desirable combustion characteristics.

Implementation Method 1

configured to provide jets of liquid fuel, jets of liquid fluid, or a combination thereof to be impacted with one another to provide an atomized liquid fuel stream, an atomized liquid fluid stream, or an atomized and emulsified liquid fuel-liquid fluid stream

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAtomization: Aerosol

Implementation Method 2

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectEmulsification: Emulsion

Data Source

PatentUS8584467B2Method of controlling a combustor for a gas turbine

Publication Date: 2013.11.19 GE INFRASTRUCTURE TECH LLC

AI summary

A method of controlling a combustor of a gas turbine is disclosed. The method includes operatively disposing a combustor can in a combustor of a gas turbine. The combustor can comprising a plurality of combustor fuel nozzles, each having a fuel injector and configured to selectively provide a liquid fuel, a liquid fluid or liquid fuel and liquid fluid to a fuel injector nozzle that is configured to provide, respectively, a plurality of liquid fuel jets, a plurality of liquid fluid jets or a combination thereof, that are in turn configured to provide an atomized liquid fuel stream, an atomized liquid fluid stream, or an atomized and emulsified liquid fuel-liquid fluid stream, respectively. The method also includes selectively providing an amount of fuel, fluid or a combination thereof to the fuel injector nozzle to produce an atomized fuel stream, atomized fluid stream, or an atomized and emulsified fuel-fluid stream, respectively.