Gas turbine and fuel nozzle assembly for mixing hydrogen fuel and steam to control flame speed

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12410746-B1
Application number	US-202418765725-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Jul 8, 2024
Priority date	Jul 8, 2024
Publication date	Sep 9, 2025
Grant date	Sep 9, 2025

Abstract

A gas turbine engine comprising a compressor section, a combustion section, and a turbine section in a serial flow arrangement, with the combustion section comprising a combustor liner that at least partially defines a combustion chamber; and a gaseous fuel nozzle assembly, comprising: a steam supply to supply steam; a hydrogen fuel supply to supply gaseous hydrogen fuel; and a fuel nozzle body fluidly coupled with the steam supply and the hydrogen fuel supply.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A gas turbine engine, comprising:
a compressor section, combustion section, and turbine section in serial flow arrangement, with the combustion section comprising:
a combustor liner that at least partially defines a combustion chamber; and
a gaseous fuel nozzle assembly, comprising:
a steam supply to supply steam;
a hydrogen fuel supply to supply gaseous hydrogen fuel; and
a fuel nozzle body fluidly coupled with the steam supply and the hydrogen fuel supply to provide the steam and the gaseous hydrogen fuel to the combustion chamber to limit a flame speed in the combustion chamber;

wherein the fuel nozzle body includes a first fluid passage and a second fluid passage;
wherein the first fluid passage is fluidly coupled with the hydrogen fuel supply;
wherein the second fluid passage is fluidly coupled with the steam supply and includes an annular configuration disposed at least partially around the first fluid passage; and
wherein the second fluid passage includes a plurality of orifices fluidly coupled with the first fluid passage to enable the steam to flow from the second fluid passage into the first fluid passage to mix with the gaseous hydrogen fuel in the first fluid passage.

2. The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the first fluid passage is fluidly coupled with the combustion chamber, and the second fluid passage is fluidly coupled with at least one of the combustion chamber or the first fluid passage.

3. The gas turbine engine of claim 2 , wherein the gaseous fuel nozzle assembly includes a steam conduit fluidly coupled with the second fluid passage and extending radially outward from the fuel nozzle body.

4. The gas turbine engine of claim 3 , wherein the gaseous fuel nozzle assembly includes an outer wall radially spaced from a first end of the fuel nozzle body such that a first outer fluid passage is at least partially defined between the outer wall and the fuel nozzle body.

5. The gas turbine engine of claim 4 , wherein the steam conduit includes a plurality of steam conduit outlets disposed in the first outer fluid passage.

6. The gas turbine engine of claim 5 , wherein the gaseous fuel nozzle assembly includes a swirler disposed in the first outer fluid passage.

7. The gas turbine engine of claim 6 , wherein the outer wall includes an air passage to emit air into the combustion chamber.

8. The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the gaseous fuel nozzle assembly includes a swirler in the first fluid passage; and
wherein the plurality of orifices is upstream of the swirler.

9. The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the gaseous fuel nozzle assembly includes a swirler in the first fluid passage; and
wherein the plurality of orifices includes at least one orifice upstream of the swirler to facilitate mixing of the steam with the gaseous hydrogen fuel, and at least one orifice downstream of the swirler for flame shaping.

10. The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the gaseous fuel nozzle assembly includes:
an outer wall radially spaced from a first end of the fuel nozzle body,
a first intermediate wall disposed at least partially between the outer wall and the fuel nozzle body,
a second intermediate wall disposed at least partially between the first intermediate wall and the outer wall, and
a first fluid passage fluidly coupled with at least one of the hydrogen fuel supply and the steam supply; and
wherein the first fluid passage includes a first segment extending through the second intermediate wall to the combustion chamber.

11. The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the gaseous hydrogen fuel is 100% hydrogen gas.

12. A gas turbine engine, comprising:
a compressor section, combustion section, and turbine section in serial flow arrangement, with the combustion section comprising:
a combustor liner that at least partially defines a combustion chamber; and
a gaseous fuel nozzle assembly, comprising:
a steam supply to supply steam:
a hydrogen fuel supply to supply gaseous hydrogen fuel; and
a fuel nozzle body fluidly coupled with the steam supply and the hydrogen fuel supply to provide the steam and the gaseous hydrogen fuel to the combustion chamber to limit a flame speed in the combustion chamber:

wherein the fuel nozzle body includes a first fluid passage and a second fluid passage;
wherein the first fluid passage is fluidly coupled with the hydrogen fuel supply;
wherein the second fluid passage is fluidly coupled with the steam supply and includes an annular configuration disposed at least partially around the first fluid passage;
wherein the first fluid passage is fluidly coupled with the combustion chamber, and the second fluid passage is fluidly coupled with at least one of the combustion chamber or the first fluid passage;
wherein the gaseous fuel nozzle assembly includes a steam conduit fluidly coupled with the second fluid passage and extending radially outward from the fuel nozzle body; and
wherein the gaseous fuel nozzle assembly includes an outer wall radially spaced from a first end of the fuel nozzle body such that a first outer fluid passage is at least partially defined between the outer wall and the fuel nozzle body; and
wherein the steam conduit extends radially outward into the outer wall and axially aft through the outer wall to emit steam into the combustion chamber.

13. A gas turbine engine, comprising:
a compressor section, combustion section, and turbine section in serial flow arrangement, with the combustion section comprising:
a combustor liner that at least partially defines a combustion chamber; and
a gaseous fuel nozzle assembly, comprising:
a steam supply to supply steam;
a hydrogen fuel supply to supply gaseous hydrogen fuel; and
a fuel nozzle body fluidly coupled with the steam supply and the hydrogen fuel supply to provide the steam and the gaseous hydrogen fuel to the combustion chamber to limit a flame speed in the combustion chamber;

wherein the fuel nozzle body includes a first fluid passage and a second fluid passage;
wherein the first fluid passage is fluidly coupled with the hydrogen fuel supply;
wherein the second fluid passage is fluidly coupled with the steam supply and includes an annular configuration disposed at least partially around the first fluid passage;
wherein the gaseous fuel nozzle assembly includes an outer wall radially spaced from a first end of the fuel nozzle body such that a first outer fluid passage is at least partially defined between the outer wall and the fuel nozzle body;
wherein the first fluid passage includes a first segment that extends through the outer wall to emit the gaseous hydrogen fuel into the combustion chamber; and
wherein the second fluid passage includes a second segment that extends through the outer wall and at least partially around the first segment to emit the steam into the combustion chamber.

14. A gas turbine engine, comprising:
a compressor section, combustion section, and turbine section in serial flow arrangement, with the combustion section comprising:
a combustor liner that at least partially defines a combustion chamber; and
a gaseous fuel nozzle assembly, comprising:
a steam supply to supply steam:
a hydrogen fuel supply to supply gaseous hydrogen fuel; and
a fuel nozzle body fluidly coupled with the steam supply and the hydrogen fuel supply to provide the steam and the gaseous hydrogen fuel to the combustion chamber to limit a flame speed in the combustion chamber;

wherein the gaseous fuel nozzle assembly includes a manifold with a mixing chamber fluidly coupled with the fuel nozzle body, the mixing chamber conf

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Naik Pradeep
• Cooper Clayton S
• Pal Sibtosh
• Chiranthan R Narasimha
• Pedota Michael
• Vise Steven C
• Bucaro Michael T
• Benjamin Michael A
• Wickersham Andrew J
• Sampath Karthikeyan

Classifications

• F23R3/286

  having fuel-air premixing devices (F23R3/30 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F23R2900/00002

  Gas turbine combustors adapted for fuels having low heating value [LHV] · CPC title

• F02C3/20

  using a special fuel, oxidant, or dilution fluid to generate the combustion products · CPC title

• F02C3/30 Primary

  Adding water, steam or other fluids {for influencing combustion, e.g. to obtain cleaner exhaust gases (F02C7/141, F02C7/30, F01D21/00, F01K21/04, F23D11/10 take precedence)} · CPC title

• F02C7/222

  Fuel flow conduits, e.g. manifolds · CPC title