Gas Turbine Combustor Control for Stoichiometric Diluent Combustion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Gas turbine engines face issues with excessive oxygen levels in combustion products due to certain fuel-to-oxidant ratios, leading to detrimental effects on the system and downstream components.
Innovation Solution
A control system that determines a stoichiometric fuel-to-oxidant ratio and generates control signals to adjust fuel flow, using both feed forward and feedback mechanisms to maintain a target equivalence ratio, even in the presence of exhaust gas recirculation, thereby controlling combustion in gas turbine systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If a certain fuel-to-oxidant ratio is used for combustion, then combustion efficiency is improved, but oxygen levels in combustion products become excessive and detrimental to the system
Solution Approach 1:
The control system continuously monitors the equivalence ratio and adjusts the fuel flow rate based on feedback signals to maintain stoichiometric combustion, thereby optimizing combustion efficiency while preventing excessive oxygen levels in the combustion products
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the fuel-to-oxidant ratio parameter to achieve stoichiometric combustion conditions, changing the equivalence ratio to precisely control the combustion process and eliminate harmful excess oxygen in the exhaust
2Object-generated harmful factors
If exhaust gas recirculation is used to reduce emissions, then nitrogen oxide formation is reduced, but maintaining stoichiometric combustion becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The control system incorporates feedback mechanisms that monitor combustion conditions and adjust fuel flow in real-time to compensate for the effects of exhaust gas recirculation, maintaining stoichiometric combustion despite the added complexity of EGR
Solution Approach 2:
The control system acts as an intermediary between the exhaust gas recirculation system and the fuel injection system, coordinating their operations to achieve both emission reduction and stable stoichiometric combustion
3Stability of the object's composition
If fuel flow is increased to maintain stoichiometric combustion with diluent present, then combustion stability is improved, but unburnt fuel levels increase
Solution Approach 1:
The control system uses feedback to precisely regulate fuel flow rate, increasing it only to the extent necessary to maintain stoichiometric combustion stability while preventing excessive fuel that would lead to unburnt fuel in the exhaust
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the fuel flow rate based on real-time combustion conditions and diluent levels, optimizing the fuel supply to maintain stability without creating unburnt fuel problems
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 oxygen and unburnt fuel levels in exhaust gases, enhancing the efficiency and reliability of gas turbine systems by achieving stoichiometric combustion and improving energy recovery and emission reduction.
Implementation Method 1
combust a fuel with an oxidant (e.g., air) in a combustor section to generate hot combustion products
Implementation Method 2
generate a control signal for input to a fuel flow control system configured to control a flow of the fuel to the turbine combustor based on the oxidant flow information, a target equivalence ratio, and FORST to enable combustion at the target equivalence ratio in the presence of an exhaust gas diluent
Data Source
AI summary
In one embodiment, a gas turbine system includes a controller configured to receive fuel composition information related to a fuel used for combustion in a turbine combustor; receive oxidant composition information related to an oxidant used for combustion in the turbine combustor; receive oxidant flow information related to a flow of the oxidant to the turbine combustor; determine a stoichiometric fuel-to-oxidant ratio based at least on the fuel composition information and the oxidant composition information; and generate a control signal for input to a fuel flow control system configured to control a flow of the fuel to the turbine combustor based on the oxidant flow information, a target equivalence ratio, and the stoichiometric fuel-to-oxidant ratio to enable combustion at the target equivalence ratio in the presence of an exhaust diluent within the turbine combustor.