Pressure-Balanced Fuel Valve for Gas Turbine Engines
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional fuel valves for industrial gas turbines face difficulties in smoothly shifting between open and closed positions under extreme high-temperature and high-pressure conditions, leading to inefficiencies and increased component complexity.
Innovation Solution
A pressure-balanced fuel valve design that equalizes pressures in its chambers, allowing the actuator to move between open and closed positions with reduced force, and features multiple outlets to prevent backflow, with coke-mitigating smooth contour surfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional fuel valves are used to control fuel flow under high pressure and temperature conditions, then the valve can deliver fuel to combustion cans, but the valve cannot smoothly shift between open and closed positions due to high fuel pressure and friction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies pressure balancing by creating equal pressure zones on both sides of the valve component. A first pressure zone is established between the valve component and a first chamber, while a second pressure zone is created between the valve component and a second chamber. By equalizing pressures in these zones, the net pressure force on the valve component is reduced, allowing smooth movement between open and closed positions without requiring excessive actuator force to overcome high fuel pressure.
2Productivity
If multiple fuel valves are installed to serve multiple combustion cans, then each combustion can receives dedicated fuel control, but the complexity and number of components in the fuel system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a multi-functional valve design where a single fuel valve can serve multiple combustion cans. The valve includes multiple outlets that can be selectively connected to different combustion cans, allowing one valve to perform the function of multiple valves. This reduces the total number of valves and components in the fuel system while maintaining the capability to deliver fuel to multiple combustion cans independently.
3Temperature
If fuel valves operate at high temperatures exceeding 400 degrees Fahrenheit, then the valve can function in the combustion section environment, but the valve undergoes large temperature changes that affect smooth operation
Solution Approach 1:
The pressure balancing mechanism also compensates for temperature-induced pressure variations. By maintaining equal pressure zones on both sides of the valve component, the system ensures that temperature changes do not create imbalanced pressure forces that would hinder smooth valve operation. The balanced design allows the valve to respond smoothly to actuator commands despite thermal expansion and pressure changes in the high-temperature combustion section environment.
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 pressure-balanced fuel valve reduces the force required to operate, minimizes backflow, and can serve multiple combustion cans, potentially halving the number of valves needed, thereby simplifying the fuel system and reducing weight and cost.
Implementation Method 1
The inventors realized that, by equalizing the pressures in the chambers of the fuel valve, the moving component in the fuel valve could slide without having to overcome the fuel pressure.
Implementation Method 2
The valve has coke mitigating features, including smooth contour surfaces exposed to the fuel or water flowing through the valve.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention may be embodied a valve for a combustor of a gas turbine, the valve including: a housing including a fluid inlet and fluid outlets; an actuator within the housing and movable between an open position and a closed position; a fluid path through the housing between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlets, wherein the fluid path is blocked while the actuator is in the closed positions such that fluid may not flow from the inlet to the outlets and fluid may not flow between the outlets, and wherein one of the fluid outlets is fluidly connected to a first combustion can of the combustor, and another of the fluid outlets is fluidly connected to a second combustion can of the combustor.