Ignition system for power generation engine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12305578-B2
Application number	US-202117304584-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 23, 2021
Priority date	Jun 23, 2020
Publication date	May 20, 2025
Grant date	May 20, 2025

Abstract

The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a method that includes igniting an igniter stage configured to ignite combustion in a turbine combustor assembly, receiving pressure signals from a pressure sensor configured to sense pressure in the turbine combustor assembly, and controlling operation of the igniter stage based on the received pressure signals.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A turbine combustor assembly, comprising:
a primary combustion chamber in fluid communication with a primary fuel injector and a primary air inlet; and

an igniter carried by the primary combustion chamber, comprising:
an igniter stage comprising:
an auxiliary combustion chamber housing comprising a mixing chamber and a tubular throat converging downstream of the mixing chamber; and
an ignition source projecting into the mixing chamber of the auxiliary combustion chamber housing;

a pressure sensor configured to sense pressure within the primary combustion chamber; and
a controller configured to:
receive pressure feedback signals, from the pressure sensor, representative of pressure fluctuations due to combustion in the primary combustion chamber;
identify dynamic pressures due to combustion based on the received pressure feedback signals;
control an increase of a fuel flow to the igniter during combustion in the primary combustion chamber based on the identification;
modify the dynamic pressures due to combustion based on the controlled increase of the fuel flow to the igniter during combustion in the primary combustion chamber; and
reduce audible emissions of combustion in the turbine combustor assembly based on the modification of the dynamic pressures during combustion in the primary combustion chamber.

2. The turbine combustor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the tubular throat extends into the primary combustion chamber, and the mixing chamber is arranged within the tubular throat.

3. The turbine combustor assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a fluid conduit configured to fluidically connect the pressure sensor to the primary combustion chamber.

4. The turbine combustor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to determine ignition of fuel in the primary combustion chamber based on the received pressure feedback signals.

5. The turbine combustor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to determine an absence of combustion in the primary combustion chamber, and initiate an ignition process during absence of combustion based on the determined absence of combustion.

6. The turbine combustor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the ignition source further comprises a spark generating igniter, and the controller is further configured to control spark of the spark generating igniter based on the received pressure feedback signals.

7. A method, comprising:
igniting an igniter stage;
igniting, by the ignited igniter stage, combustion in a turbine combustor assembly;
receiving pressure feedback signals from a pressure sensor configured to sense pressure fluctuations due to the combustion in the turbine combustor assembly;
identifying dynamic pressures due to combustion based on the received pressure feedback signals;
controlling operation of the igniter stage by increasing a flow of fuel to the igniter stage during combustion in the primary combustion chamber based on the identification;
modifying the dynamic pressures due to combustion based on the controlled increase of the flow of fuel to the igniter stage during combustion in the primary combustion chamber; and
reducing audible emissions of combustion in the turbine combustor assembly based on the modification of the dynamic pressures during combustion in the primary combustion chamber.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein igniting the igniter stage comprises:
receiving fuel into an auxiliary combustion chamber of the igniter stage of the turbine combustor assembly;
mixing air incoming into the auxiliary combustion chamber with the fuel to provide a first air and fuel mixture; and
igniting the first air and fuel mixture in the auxiliary combustion chamber.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein igniting combustion in the turbine combustor assembly comprises igniting a primary air and fuel mixture, in a primary combustion chamber of the turbine combustor assembly, with a combusting air and fuel mixture provided by the igniter stage.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein said controlling operation of the igniter stage during combustion in the primary combustion chamber based on the identification comprises:
determining, based on the received pressure feedback signals, an absence of the combustion in the turbine combustor assembly; and
re-igniting the igniter stage, based on the determining.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the absence of the combustion in the turbine combustor assembly is an absence of combustion in a primary combustion chamber of the turbine combustor assembly.

12. The method of claim 7 , further comprising reducing combustion dynamics of combustion in the turbine combustor assembly based on said controlling operation of the igniter stage.

13. The method of claim 7 , further comprising reducing sound pressure levels of combustion in a primary combustion chamber of the turbine combustor assembly based on said controlling operation of the igniter stage.

14. The method of claim 7 , further comprising controlling spark of a spark generating igniter of the igniter stage based on the received pressure feedback signals.

Assignees

• Woodward Inc

Inventors

• Dam Bidhan
• Oonk Logan
• Huber Dan
• Prasad Vinay
• Sarker Sudipa

Classifications

• F05D2270/303

  Temperature · CPC title

• F05D2270/301

  Pressure · CPC title

• F05D2240/35

  Combustors or associated equipment · CPC title

• F05D2220/32

  in gas turbines · CPC title

• F02C9/26

  Control of fuel supply (F02C9/48 takes precedence; fuel valves F02C7/232) · CPC title