Optical Interrogation Sensors for Gas Turbine Combustion Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Modern industrial gas turbines face a challenge in balancing high efficiency with low polluting emissions, as increased efficiency leads to higher combustion temperatures, which can result in nitrogen oxide production, while reducing temperatures to minimize emissions can cause incomplete combustion and instability. Precise control of the fuel/air mixture is necessary to achieve complete combustion, but existing systems lack effective methods for monitoring and controlling combustion parameters.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of optical interrogation sensors that use light to measure absorption within a gas turbine combustor, allowing for the control of combustion parameters such as fuel flow rates, fuel/air ratios, and temperature by analyzing spectral and temporal attenuation of light, enabling the detection of chemical species like H2O, CH4, CO, CO2, C2, CH, OH, and NO, and using this data for closed-loop feedback control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the fuel/air ratio is increased to improve combustion stability and complete combustion, then combustion stability is improved, but nitrogen oxide emissions increase due to higher maximum gas temperature
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces conventional mechanical/thermal sensing methods with optical interrogation techniques. Optical sensors measure combustion parameters (temperature, fuel/air ratio, chemical species) through light absorption and emission characteristics, enabling precise real-time monitoring without direct thermal contact. This allows the system to detect combustion state and adjust fuel/air ratios to maintain stability while preventing nitrogen oxide formation through optimized temperature control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements closed-loop feedback control using optical sensors to continuously monitor combustion parameters and adjust the fuel/air ratio accordingly. The optical interrogation system provides real-time data on combustion state, and the control system modifies fuel injection to maintain optimal conditions, ensuring both combustion stability and low nitrogen oxide emissions through dynamic adjustment.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If the fuel/air ratio is decreased to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions by lowering maximum gas temperature, then nitrogen oxide emissions are reduced, but combustion stability deteriorates and incomplete combustion occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs optical sensing to replace conventional thermal measurement methods, enabling precise detection of combustion parameters at lower temperatures. Optical interrogation can detect chemical species and combustion state through spectroscopy, allowing the system to maintain accurate monitoring even when maximum gas temperature is reduced to prevent nitrogen oxide formation, thus preventing combustion instability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses optical sensors to provide real-time feedback on combustion state, enabling the control system to adjust fuel/air ratios dynamically. This feedback mechanism ensures that when the fuel/air ratio is lowered to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions, the system can immediately compensate to maintain combustion stability and prevent incomplete combustion through continuous optimization.
3Ease of operation
If conventional optical fibers are used to gather and transmit light from combustion region, then light transmission is achieved, but measurement precision and detection capability are insufficient for precise combustion control
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces simple optical fiber transmission with advanced optical interrogation techniques that include modulated light sources, spectral analysis, and sophisticated detectors. The system uses optical modulation and spectroscopy to extract precise measurement data about combustion parameters, significantly improving detection capability beyond what conventional optical fibers alone could provide.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs optical modulation techniques and spectral analysis to transform simple light transmission into precise measurement capability. By varying optical parameters (frequency, intensity, wavelength) and analyzing the modulated signal characteristics, the system extracts detailed information about combustion state, fuel/air ratio, temperature, and chemical species concentration with high precision.
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 provides precise control over combustion parameters, optimizing nitrous oxide emissions, dynamic pressure oscillations, and fuel efficiencies by accurately monitoring and adjusting the fuel-to-air ratio and temperature, thereby enhancing combustion stability and reducing emissions.
Implementation Method 1
measuring absorption of the light within the gas turbine combustor
Implementation Method 2
optical interrogation sensors for combustion control... measuring absorption of the light within the gas turbine combustor
Data Source
AI summary
Certain embodiments of the invention may include systems and methods for providing optical interrogation sensors for combustion control. According to an example embodiment of the invention, a method for controlling combustion parameters associated with a gas turbine combustor is provided. The method can include providing an optical path through the gas turbine combustor, propagating light along the optical path, measuring absorption of the light within the gas turbine combustor, and controlling at least one of the combustion parameters based at least in part on the measured absorption.