Gas Turbine Fuel Pipe Damper for Pulsation Damping

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing solutions for mitigating acoustic pulsations in gas turbine fuel distribution systems either increase fuel pressure requirements or fail to effectively damp pulsations within the fuel line, leading to structural vibrations and combustion instabilities.

Innovation Solution

A gas turbine fuel pipe with a perforated lining damper that provides both acoustic decoupling between the combustion chamber and fuel line, and damping of pulsations within the fuel line, using a reactive damper with dissipation characteristics to minimize pressure drop and reduce vibrations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If fuel line pressure drop is increased to acoustically decouple pulsations, then pulsation coupling between combustion chamber and fuel line is reduced, but fuel pressure requirements increase and dedicated fuel compression system may be needed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepulsation couplingVSAvoidfuel pressure

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSStress or pressure

Solution Approach 1:

A damper is introduced as an intermediary component between the fuel line and combustion chamber. The damper includes a damper volume attached to the fuel line and a perforated liner with acoustic absorption material inside, which mediates the acoustic coupling by absorbing pulsations rather than reflecting them, thereby decoupling the system without increasing fuel pressure requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The perforated liner with acoustic absorption material acts as a porous structure that allows acoustic energy to be absorbed and dissipated. The perforations enable the liner to interact with acoustic waves while maintaining structural integrity, providing effective pulsation damping without creating significant pressure drop across the fuel line.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #31Porous materials

2Object-affected harmful factors

If Helmholtz dampers or expansion chamber dampers are used to reduce pulsations, then pulsation damping is achieved, but high pulsations are generated in the fuel line due to reflective characteristics

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovepulsationsVSAvoidreflected pulsations

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of using reflective dampers that convert incoming acoustic waves into reflected waves (creating high pulsations), the invention uses absorptive damping where the acoustic absorption material converts acoustic energy into thermal energy through viscous dissipation. This converts the harmful reflected pulsations into beneficial heat dissipation, eliminating the generation of high pulsations in the fuel line.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the damping mechanism from reactive (reflective) to absorptive by introducing acoustic absorption material into the damper volume. This parameter change in the damping approach fundamentally alters how acoustic energy is handled, preventing the generation of high pulsations while still achieving effective pulsation reduction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Object-affected harmful factors

If reactive dampers are used to provide acoustic transmission loss, then outgoing waves are reduced, but high pulsations are generated where incoming waves travel

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoutgoing wavesVSAvoidhigh pulsations in fuel line

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The invention replaces reactive damping (which reflects waves and generates high pulsations) with absorptive damping. The acoustic absorption material absorbs incoming acoustic energy and converts it to heat, eliminating the harmful reflected waves and high pulsations in the fuel line while still achieving the goal of reducing outgoing waves.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

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

The perforated pipe damper effectively reduces vibrations and pulsations, minimizing structural damage and combustion issues while maintaining low fuel pressure requirements, thereby enhancing the structural integrity and performance of gas turbine combustors.

Implementation Method 1

a perforated lining extending across at least part of the opening in the fuel line outer wall

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectViscous dissipation: Viscous Damping

Implementation Method 2

The dissipative characteristics can minimize the build-up of high pulsations in the piping

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAcoustic absorption: Acoustic Absorption

Data Source

PatentUS10323575B2Gas turbine fuel pipe comprising a damper

Publication Date: 2019.06.18 ANSALDO ENERGIA SWITZERLAND AG

AI summary

The invention concerns a gas turbine fuel pipe, having a fuel line, the fuel line having a fuel line volume, a fuel line outer wall and an opening in the fuel line outer wall, a damper having a damper volume and a damper outer wall and attached in fluid communication with the fuel line, wherein the damper covers the opening in the fuel line outer wall, and a perforated lining extending across at least part of the opening in the fuel line outer wall.