Variable feed enclosed combustor system and method for its use

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11725813-B2
Application number	US-201815862270-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 4, 2018
Priority date	Jan 4, 2018
Publication date	Aug 15, 2023
Grant date	Aug 15, 2023

Abstract

Disclosed herein are systems, apparatuses, and methods for using a sensed combustion zone temperature to continuously control combustion of a first (main) gas within an enclosed combustor. The combustor is in fluid communication with a first gas line carrying the first gas, a second gas line independent of the first gas line carrying a second (assist) gas having a higher heating value than the first gas, and air dampers providing draft or assist air. The first gas may be vapors from a production source or tank. A computer control system monitors the combustion zone temperature of the enclosed combustor as sensed by a sensor in electronic communication with the computer control system and controls the combustion zone temperature by changing a condition of a first gas line valve of the first gas line, a second gas line valve of the second gas line, and the air dampers.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for controlling continuous combustion of a first gas within an enclosed combustor; the method comprising:
providing the enclosed combustor with a plurality of combustor burners, each combustor burner comprising a burner tip delivering a fuel-rich burner jet and;
monitoring a combustion zone temperature T using a sensor in electronic communication with a computer control system, the computer control system configured to receive signals from the sensor and send and receive signals to and from a first gas line valve, a second gas line valve, and an air damper regulator;
varying a flow of at least one of a first gas, a second gas, and air in response to the combustion zone temperature T by adjusting at least one of the first gas line valve, the second gas line valve, and the air damper regulator, thereby aiding combustion of the first gas;
swirling the first gas, the second gas, or a mixture of the first and second gases within the enclosed combustor with gas swirling vanes in the form of flat plates that are arranged about a central longitudinal axis of each burner tip of the plurality of combustor burners of in the enclosed combustor; and
swirling the air within the enclosed combustor with air swirling vanes in the form of inclined wall vanes located on the enclosed combustor sidewalls above the air damper regulator and below the uppermost end of each burner tip of the plurality of combustor burners;
wherein the first gas has a varying combustibility and the second gas has a higher heating value than the first gas;

wherein a pilot gas line is configured to permit a pilot gas flow along the pilot gas line to the enclosed combustor, the pilot gas line being independent of the first and second gas lines;
wherein the computer control system is further configured to shut down the first gas line valve, the second gas line valve, and a valve to the pilot gas line when the combustion zone temperature T surpasses a safety limit.

2. A method according to claim 1 further comprising at least one of:
adjusting the second gas line valve to permit a second gas flow to the enclosed combustor when T<T.sub.1;
adjusting the first gas line valve to permit a first gas flow to the enclosed combustor when T=T.sub.1;
adjusting the second gas line valve to reduce the second gas flow to the enclosed combustor when T=T.sub.2;
wherein
T.sub.1 is a first combustion zone temperature limit; and
T.sub.2 is a second different combustion zone temperature limit, T.sub.2>T.sub.1.

3. A method according to claim 1 further comprising at least one of:
adjusting the air damper regulator to permit an air flow to the enclosed combustor when T>T.sub.2; and
adjusting the air damper regulator to reduce the air flow to the enclosed combustor when T.Itoreq.T.sub.2;
wherein
T.sub.1 is a first combustion zone temperature limit; and
T.sub.2 is a second different combustion zone temperature limit, T.sub.2>T.sub.1.

4. A method according to claim 1 further comprising:
adjusting the second gas line valve to increase the second gas flow to the enclosed combustor when T.sub.1.Itoreq.T.Itoreq.T.sub.2 and the first gas line valve is open;
wherein
T.sub.1 is a first combustion zone temperature limit; and
T.sub.2 is a second different combustion zone temperature limit, T.sub.2>T.sub.1.

5. A method according to claim 1 further comprising: closing the first gas line valve, the second gas line valve, or the first and second gas line valves when T.gtoreq.T.sub.3; wherein T.sub.3 is a third different elevated combustion zone temperature limit, T.sub.2 is a second different combustion zone temperature limit, T.sub.2>T.sub.1; and T.sub.1 is a first combustion zone temperature limit.

6. A system for controlling continuous combustion using a combustion zone temperature, the system comprising:
a first gas line valve connected to a first gas line arranged to transport a first gas to an enclosed combustor;
a second gas line valve connected to a second gas line arranged to carry a second gas to the enclosed combustor, the second gas having a higher heating value than the first gas;
an air damper regulator connected to an air damper arranged to permit air into the enclosed combustor;
a sensor arranged to sense a combustion zone temperature of the enclosed combustor;
a computer control system configured to monitor the combustion zone temperature of the enclosed combustor as sensed by the sensor and control the combustion zone temperature by adjusting a pilot gas valve, the first gas line valve, the second gas line valve, and the air damper regulator;
a pilot gas line arranged to permit a pilot gas flow along the pilot gas line to the enclosed combustor, the pilot gas line being independent of the first and second gas lines;
a plurality of combustor burners located in the enclosed combustor, each combustor burner comprising a burner tip delivering a fuel-rich burner jet;
gas swirling vanes in the form of flat plates that are arranged about a central longitudinal axis of each burner tip of the plurality of combustor burners in the enclosed combustor to swirl the first gas, the second gas, or a mixture of the first and second gases within the enclosed combustor; and
air swirling vanes in the form of inclined wall vanes located on the enclosed combustor sidewalls above the air damper regulator and below the uppermost end of each of the burner tips to swirl the air within the enclosed combustor;
wherein the computer control system is further configured to shut down the first gas line valve, the second gas line valve, and a valve to the pilot gas line when the combustion zone temperature T surpasses a safety limit.

7. A system according to claim 6 wherein the gas swirling vanes include oblique oriented vanes.

8. A system according to claim 6 wherein the air swirling vanes include oblique oriented vanes spaced apart from one another along the sidewall of the enclosed combustor.

Assignees

• Schlumberger Technology Corp
• Cameron Int Corp

Inventors

• Khan Rafiqul
• Hatfield Ii Herman C
• Jariwala Ankur D
• Sams Gary W

Classifications

• F23G7/08 Primary

  using flares, e.g. in stacks · CPC title

• F23G7/065

  using gaseous or liquid fuel · CPC title

• F05D2240/12

  Fluid guiding means, e.g. vanes · CPC title

• F23G2204/103

  gaseous or liquid fuel · CPC title

• F23G2207/101

  for temperature · CPC title