Dual-Fuel Combustor Delivery With Feedback Valve Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing gas turbine engine combustors face challenges in efficiently managing multiple fuel types and maintaining stability under varying operating conditions, leading to inefficiencies and potential combustion issues.
Innovation Solution
A fuel delivery system for gas turbine engines that includes a passive or active feedback mechanism to adjust the position of pilot fuel selection valves based on operating conditions, using logic controllers and sensors to manage the flow of primary and secondary fuels, ensuring optimal combustion stability and efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a single type of fuel is used in the combustor, then the system is simple to operate, but the adaptability to different operating conditions is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The fuel delivery system is segmented into multiple independent fuel lines (first fuel line and second fuel line), each capable of delivering different fuel types to the combustor. This segmentation allows the system to handle multiple fuel types while maintaining organized, manageable control over each fuel delivery path.
Solution Approach 2:
The fuel delivery system is designed with multi-functionality to accommodate different fuel types (e.g., hydrocarbon fuel and hydrogen fuel) through a single integrated system. The combustor and associated control mechanisms are configured to universally handle various fuel types, enabling the system to adapt to different operating conditions and fuel availability.
2Productivity
If passive fuel delivery adjustment is used, then the device complexity is reduced, but the response to varying operating conditions is slower
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates feedback mechanisms through logic controllers that receive input from sensors monitoring operating conditions. This feedback enables the controllers to automatically adjust fuel delivery parameters in real-time, optimizing combustion performance while maintaining system stability across varying operating conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces purely mechanical passive adjustment systems with electronically controlled fuel delivery mechanisms. Logic controllers and sensors substitute for mechanical feedback systems, enabling more precise and rapid response to operating conditions while reducing mechanical complexity through electronic control.
3Reliability
If multiple fuel types are delivered simultaneously, then the adaptability to operating conditions is improved, but the fuel delivery control becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The fuel selection valve is designed with dynamic positioning capability, allowing it to be selectively positioned in different locations along the fuel line to control which fuel type reaches the combustor. This dynamic adjustment enables reliable combustor operation by adapting fuel delivery to current operating conditions while managing control complexity through a single movable valve rather than multiple fixed valves.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A
Figure 2B~2C
AI summary
A fuel delivery system (700b; 700c; 800b; 800c) for a combustor (300) of a gas turbine engine (20) including a primary fuel tank (518) configured to store a primary fuel (510), a secondary fuel tank (558) configured to store a secondary fuel (550), a swirler (326) configured to produce a main flame within a combustion chamber (302) of the combustor, and a fuel nozzle (322) configured to produce a pilot flame within the combustion chamber of the combustor. The fuel nozzle includes a nozzle outlet (323) that is located proximate to an end (328) of the swirler or at the end of the swirler, the end of the swirler being located at an inlet (306) of the combustor. The fuel delivery system also includes a primary fuel line (512) fluidly connecting the primary fuel tank to the fuel nozzle and a secondary fuel line (552) fluidly connecting the secondary fuel tank to the swirler.