Gas turbine compressor inlet pressurization having a torque converter system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9239007-B2
Application number	US-201213485273-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 31, 2012
Priority date	May 31, 2012
Publication date	Jan 19, 2016
Grant date	Jan 19, 2016

Abstract

A supercharging system for a gas turbine system includes a compressor, a combustor, a turbine and a shaft. The supercharging system includes a fan assembly that provides an air stream and a torque converter coupled to the shaft and the fan assembly. The supercharging system also includes a subsystem for conveying a first portion of the air stream output to the compressor; and a bypass subsystem for optionally conveying a second portion of the air stream output to other uses.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A supercharging system for a gas turbine system having a compressor, a combustor, a turbine and a shaft, the supercharging system comprising:
a fan assembly that provides an air stream;
a torque converter coupled to the shaft and the fan assembly;
a subsystem for conveying a first portion of the air stream output to the compressor; and
a bypass subsystem for optionally conveying a second portion of the air stream output to other uses, the supercharging system further comprising a control subsystem that controls the torque converter thereby controlling the air stream flow rate, wherein the control subsystem that controls the torque converter comprises a torque converter control subsystem that controls a working fluid pump and adjustable guide vanes in the torque converter and the gas turbine system further comprises a heat recovery steam generator, and wherein the bypass subsystem conveys the second portion of the air stream output to the heat recovery steam generator.

2. The supercharging system of claim 1 further comprising a control system that controls the bypass subsystem.

3. The supercharging system of claim 1 wherein the bypass subsystem comprises a variable geometry diverter.

4. The supercharging system of claim 1 wherein a supercharger controller controls the second portion of the air stream output.

5. A gas turbine system comprising:
a compressor;
a combustor;
a turbine;
a shaft coupled to the turbine;
a torque converter;
a fan coupled to the torque converter generating an air stream; and
a bypass subsystem that allocates the air stream between the compressor and other uses, further comprising a control system that controls the bypass subsystem and
the gas turbine system further comprises a heat recovery steam generator, wherein the bypass subsystem conveys a second portion of the air stream output to the heat recovery steam generator.

6. The gas turbine system of claim 5 wherein the torque converter comprises a working fluid pump and adjustable guide vanes.

7. The gas turbine system of claim 6 further comprising a control subsystem that controls the working fluid pump and the adjustable guide vanes.

8. The gas turbine system of claim 5 further comprising a heat recovery steam generator coupled to the turbine and a variable geometry diverter disposed between the fan and the heat recovery steam generator.

9. The gas turbine system of claim 5 wherein the bypass subsystem comprises a variable geometry diverter.

10. The gas turbine system of claim 9 wherein the variable geometry diverter comprises a conduit and a damper.

11. The gas turbine system of claim 5 wherein the fan comprises a variable pitch blade.

12. A method of operating a gas turbine comprising:
coupling a fan assembly to a turbine system shaft with a torque converter;
determining a first flow rate to be provided to a compressor in the gas turbine;
determining a second flow rate to be provided to other uses; and
providing the first flow rate to the compressor, and the second flow rate to the other uses, wherein the gas turbine is part of a combined cycle system having a heat recovery steam generator, and further comprising purging the heat recovery steam generator with the second flow rate;
and the method further comprises conveying the second flow rate to the heat recovery steam generator and wherein providing the first flow rate to the compressor, and the second flow rate to the other uses comprises controlling a working fluid pump and adjustable guide vanes in the torque converter.

13. The method of operating a gas turbine of claim 12 further comprising:
detecting a decoupling event; and
draining a working fluid from the torque converter.

14. The method of operating a gas turbine of claim 13 further comprising:
determining when recoupling is desired; and
providing the working fluid to the torque converter.

Assignees

• Ekanayake Sanji
• Scipio Alston I
• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Ekanayake Sanji
• Scipio Alston I

Classifications

• F02C6/08

  the gas being bled from the gas-turbine compressor · CPC title

• F02C9/18

  by bleeding, bypassing or acting on variable working fluid interconnections between turbines or compressors or their stages {(F02C3/113 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• Y02E20/16

  Combined cycle power plant [CCPP], or combined cycle gas turbine [CCGT] · CPC title

• Y02E20/14

  Combined heat and power generation [CHP] · CPC title

• F02C6/18

  using the waste heat of gas-turbine plants outside the plants themselves, e.g. gas-turbine power heat plants (using waste heat as source of energy for refrigeration plants F25B27/02; using the waste heat of a gasturbine for steam generation or in a steam cycle see F01K23/10) · CPC title