Turbomachine cooling and alternative fuel supply

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025382914-A1
Application number	US-202519237616-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 13, 2025
Priority date	Jun 18, 2024
Publication date	Dec 18, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method of operating a turbomachine includes directing a flow of ammonia vapor to one or more hot gas path components of the turbomachine. As a result, heat is transferred to the ammonia vapor from the one or more hot gas path components. The method also includes cracking the ammonia vapor by the heat from the one or more hot gas path components, which causes a hydrogen gas and a nitrogen gas to be produced. The method further includes flowing the hydrogen gas produced by cracking the ammonia vapor to a combustor of the turbomachine. The invention also includes a turbomachine.

First claim

1 . A method of operating a turbomachine, the method comprising:
directing a flow of ammonia vapor to one or more hot gas path components of the turbomachine, whereby heat is transferred to the ammonia vapor from the one or more hot gas path components; cracking the ammonia vapor by the heat from the one or more hot gas path components, whereby a hydrogen gas and a nitrogen gas are produced; and flowing the hydrogen gas produced by cracking the ammonia vapor to a combustor of the turbomachine.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising flowing the ammonia vapor across a catalyst, wherein the ammonia vapor is cracked by interaction with the catalyst and by the heat from the one or more hot gas path components.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the catalyst is downstream of the one or more hot gas path components, whereby the ammonia vapor is heated by the one or more hot gas path components before flowing the ammonia vapor across the catalyst.

4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing a flow of liquid ammonia to a cooling air system of the turbomachine and generating the flow of ammonia vapor from the liquid ammonia in the cooling air system of the turbomachine.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the cooling air system, a turbine section of the turbomachine, and the combustor of the turbomachine form a closed ammonia vapor circuit.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising flowing the nitrogen gas produced by cracking the ammonia vapor to the combustor of the turbomachine.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein directing the flow of ammonia vapor to the one or more hot gas path components of the turbomachine comprises flowing the ammonia vapor through a cooling circuit within at least one of the one or more hot gas path components of the turbomachine.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more hot gas path components of the turbomachine comprises a nozzle in a turbine section of the turbomachine.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the nozzle is a first stage nozzle.

10 . A turbomachine, comprising:
one or more hot gas path components; a combustor; and a controller, the controller configured for: directing a flow of ammonia vapor to the one or more hot gas path components of the turbomachine, whereby heat is transferred to the ammonia vapor from the one or more hot gas path components; cracking the ammonia vapor by the heat from the one or more hot gas path components, whereby a hydrogen gas and a nitrogen gas are produced; and flowing the hydrogen gas produced by cracking the ammonia vapor to the combustor of the turbomachine.

11 . The turbomachine of claim 10 , further comprising a catalyst, wherein the controller is further configured for flowing the ammonia vapor across the catalyst, wherein the ammonia vapor is cracked by interaction with the catalyst and by the heat from the one or more hot gas path components.

12 . The turbomachine of claim 11 , wherein the catalyst is downstream of the one or more hot gas path components, whereby the ammonia vapor is heated by the one or more hot gas path components before flowing the ammonia vapor across the catalyst.

13 . The turbomachine of claim 10 , further comprising a cooling air system, wherein the controller is further configured for providing a flow of liquid ammonia to the cooling air system of the turbomachine and generating the flow of ammonia vapor from the liquid ammonia in the cooling air system of the turbomachine.

14 . The turbomachine of claim 13 , wherein the cooling air system, a turbine section of the turbomachine, and the combustor of the turbomachine form a closed ammonia vapor circuit.

15 . The turbomachine of claim 10 , wherein the controller is further configured for flowing the nitrogen gas produced by cracking the ammonia vapor to the combustor of the turbomachine.

16 . The turbomachine of claim 10 , further comprising a cooling circuit within at least one of the one or more hot gas path components, wherein directing the flow of ammonia vapor to the one or more hot gas path comprises flowing the ammonia vapor through the cooling circuit.

17 . The turbomachine of claim 10 , wherein the one or more hot gas path components of the turbomachine comprises a nozzle in a turbine section of the turbomachine.

18 . The turbomachine of claim 17 , wherein the nozzle is a first stage nozzle.

Assignees

• Ge Vernova Infrastructure Tech Llc

Inventors

• Kumar Rajesh

Classifications

• F02C7/224

  Heating fuel before feeding to the burner · CPC title

• F23R2900/00002

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

• C01B3/047

  Decomposition of ammonia · CPC title

• F02C7/18 Primary

  the medium being gaseous, e.g. air {(F02C7/125 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• F23R3/36

  Supply of different fuels · CPC title