Turbine Combustor Fuel Assembly Water Buffering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Fuel left in unused flow paths in gas turbine engines can degrade and cause backflow of hot combustion gases, leading to decreased performance and potential damage to components, especially when switching between gaseous and liquid fuels.
Innovation Solution
The system uses water to displace liquid fuel from flow paths when not in use, acting as a buffer to prevent backflow and maintain pressure, thereby minimizing the impact of combustion gases and reducing the risk of coking or oxidation, and utilizes demineralized water or condensate to clean and purge the fuel paths.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If liquid fuel is supplied through separate flow paths for different fuel types, then the gas turbine engine can operate with multiple fuel types, but fuel left in unused flow paths may degrade and cause backflow of hot combustion gases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a buffer fluid (inert gas or liquid) as an intermediary substance in the unused fuel flow path. This buffer fluid acts as a mediator between the combustion chamber and the unused fuel supply, preventing direct contact between hot combustion gases and residual fuel, thereby eliminating the degradation and backflow problems while maintaining multi-fuel capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs an inert atmosphere (using inert gas as buffer fluid) in the unused fuel flow path to create a protective environment that prevents oxidation and degradation of residual fuel. This inert environment also prevents backflow of hot combustion gases by maintaining pressure differential and chemical inertness
2Speed
If fuel is left in unused flow paths, then the system maintains readiness for rapid fuel switching, but degradation and backflow occur decreasing engine performance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-filling the unused fuel flow path with buffer fluid before fuel switching occurs. This preliminary preparation ensures that when fuel switching is needed, the buffer fluid is already in position to prevent backflow and degradation, enabling rapid switching without performance penalty
Solution Approach 2:
The buffer fluid serves as a temporary intermediary that maintains system readiness while protecting against harmful effects. It allows the system to keep fuel in flow paths for rapid switching capability without suffering the consequences of fuel degradation or backflow
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 effectively prevents backflow of combustion gases, reduces the formation of harmful deposits, and maintains engine performance by using water as a buffer and solvent, ensuring efficient operation when switching between fuel types.
Implementation Method 1
a controller to send signals to one or more control elements to displace the liquid fuel from the liquid fuel flow path with water supplied from a water flow path
Implementation Method 2
The presence of water in the liquid fuel flow paths may help to prevent undesired backflow of combustion gases from one gas turbine combustor through to another through the manifold
Implementation Method 3
The mixture of the liquid fuel and water is then routed to main nozzles of the combustor
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
A system includes a gas turbine engine having a combustor (10), a liquid fuel supply (50) coupled to the combustor (16), and a water supply (15) coupled to the liquid fuel supply (50). The water supply (15) is configured to flow water (15) through the liquid fuel supply (50) while the liquid fuel supply (50) is not in use to flow a liquid fuel (42).