Fuel Delivery System for Combustor Can Temperature Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Combustor-to-combustor acoustic coupling leads to undesirable sympathetic vibrations in turbine components due to coherent combustion dynamics, which conventional frequency avoidance techniques and combustor tuning fail to adequately address without compromising thermodynamic efficiency and component life.
Innovation Solution
A fuel delivery system with multiple manifolds supplying fuel to combustor cans at different temperatures and pressures, reducing coherence by inducing frequency differences between combustor components through controlled fuel temperature and pressure ratios across fuel injectors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If combustor tuning is used to protect turbine buckets, then turbine component protection is improved, but combustor function and operability are restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the fuel temperature parameter to alter the combustion dynamics frequency. By controlling fuel temperature, the system shifts the combustion frequency away from turbine resonant frequencies, reducing coherent vibrations and protecting turbine components without requiring combustor tuning that would restrict operability.
2Reliability
If conventional frequency avoidance techniques are used, then combustion dynamics coherence is reduced, but thermodynamic efficiency is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses fuel temperature control to shift combustion dynamics frequency, achieving coherence reduction without the severe restrictions of conventional combustor tuning. This parameter change approach maintains better thermodynamic efficiency compared to traditional frequency avoidance techniques.
3Duration of action of stationary object
If combustor tuning is applied to reduce sympathetic vibrations, then turbine component wear is reduced, but operating flexibility is lost
Solution Approach 1:
By dynamically controlling fuel temperature, the system can shift combustion frequencies to avoid resonant conditions across a wide range of operating conditions. This maintains component life protection while preserving operating flexibility, unlike fixed combustor tuning arrangements.
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 approach reduces combustion dynamics coherence, enhancing thermodynamic efficiency, promoting flame stability, and extending component life while minimizing emissions across a wide range of operating conditions without the need for combustor tuning.
Implementation Method 1
The first manifold may be in communication with a fuel heater
Implementation Method 2
combusting the first flow of fuel, supplying a second flow of fuel to a second set of fuel injectors at a second temperature and a second pressure, and combusting the second flow of fuel
Data Source
AI summary
The present application provides a fuel delivery system for a combustor with reduced coherence and/or reduced combustion dynamics. The combustor can assembly may include a first manifold for delivering a first flow of fuel to a first set of fuel injectors and a second manifold for delivering a second flow of fuel to a second set of fuel injectors. The first flow of fuel may have a first temperature and the second flow of fuel may have a second temperature. The first temperature may be higher than the second temperature.