Systems and methods to control combustion dynamic frequencies based on a compressor discharge temperature

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9745896-B2
Application number	US-201313777724-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 26, 2013
Priority date	Feb 26, 2013
Publication date	Aug 29, 2017
Grant date	Aug 29, 2017

Abstract

Systems and methods for frequency separation in a gas turbine engine are provided herein. The systems and methods for frequency separation in a gas turbine engine may include determining a hot gas path natural frequency, determining a combustion dynamic frequency, and modifying a compressor discharge temperature to separate the combustion dynamic frequency from the hot gas path natural frequency.

First claim

That which is claimed:

1. A method for frequency separation in a gas turbine engine having a compressor, a combustor having a convective time, and a turbine, the method comprising:
determining a hot gas path component natural frequency, wherein the hot gas path component is located in the turbine;
determining a combustion dynamic amplitude and/or frequency; and
modifying a compressor discharge temperature with an adjustable flow of inlet bleed heat comprising hot air removed from an aft portion of the compressor that is supplied back to the compressor to separate the combustion dynamic frequency from the hot gas path component natural frequency and change the convective time of the combustor.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the combustion dynamic amplitude and/or frequency comprises monitoring the combustor with at least one dynamic pressure sensor.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining the compressor discharge temperature by monitoring the compressor with at least one temperature sensor.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein modifying the compressor discharge temperature comprises adjusting one or more inlet guide vanes.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein modifying the compressor discharge temperature comprises adjusting a temperature of air entering the compressor.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein modifying the compressor discharge temperature to separate the combustion dynamic frequency from the hot gas path component natural frequency results in a change to the combustor dynamic frequency.

7. A system for frequency separation in a gas turbine engine, the system comprising: a compressor; a combustor in communication with the compressor, wherein the combustor comprises a convective time; a turbine in communication with the compressor and the combustor, wherein the turbine comprises a hot gas path component; and a computer controller in communication with at least one of the compressor, the combustor, or the turbine, the computer controller being configured to modify a compressor discharge temperature with an adjustable flow of inlet bleed heat comprising hot air removed from an aft portion of the compressor that is supplied back to the compressor to separate a combustion dynamic frequency from a hot gas path component natural frequency and change the convective time of the combustor.

8. The system of claim 7 , further comprising at least one dynamic pressure sensor associated with the combustor and configured to monitor the combustion dynamic frequency.

9. The system of claim 7 , further comprising at least one temperature sensor associated with a compressor discharge and configured to monitor the compressor discharge temperature.

10. The system of claim 7 , further comprising one or more inlet guide vanes associated with the compressor, wherein the computer controller is configured to adjust the one or more inlet guide vanes to modify the compressor discharge temperature.

11. The system of claim 7 , wherein the computer controller is configured to adjust a temperature of air entering the compressor to modify the compressor discharge temperature.

12. The system of claim 7 , wherein the hot gas path component natural frequency comprises a single frequency or a range of frequencies.

13. The system of claim 7 , wherein the hot gas path component comprises a turbine bucket.

14. The system of claim 7 , wherein the combustion dynamic frequency comprises a single frequency or a range of frequencies.

15. A system for frequency separation, comprising:
a gas turbine engine comprising a compressor, a combustor in fluid communication with the compressor, wherein the combustor comprises a convective time, and a turbine in fluid communication with the combustor, wherein the turbine comprises a hot gas path component having a natural frequency; and
a controller in communication with the gas turbine engine, the controller comprising:
at least one memory that stores computer-executable instructions;
at least one processor configured to access the at least one memory,

wherein the at least one processor is configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to:
determine the hot gas path component natural frequency;
determine a combustion dynamic frequency; and
modify a compressor discharge temperature with an adjustable flow of inlet bleed heat comprising hot air removed from an aft portion of the compressor that is supplied back to the compressor to separate the combustion dynamic frequency from the hot gas path component natural frequency and change the convective time of the combustor.

16. The system of claim 15 , further comprising:
at least one dynamic pressure sensor associated with the combustor and configured to monitor the combustion dynamic frequency; and
at least one temperature sensor associated with the compressor and configured to monitor the compressor discharge temperature.

17. The system of claim 15 , further comprising one or more inlet guide vanes associated with the compressor, wherein the controller is configured to adjust the one or more inlet guide vanes to modify the compressor discharge temperature.

18. The system of claim 15 , wherein the controller is further configured to adjust a temperature of air entering the compressor to modify the compressor discharge temperature.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Crothers Sarah Lori
• Collier Matthew Durham
• Sherman Scott Edward
• Citeno Joseph Vincent

Classifications

• 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

• F05D2270/083

  by monitoring combustion conditions · CPC title

• F05D2270/14

  to control thermoacoustic behaviour in the combustion chambers · CPC title

• F05D2270/10

  to cope with, or avoid, compressor flow instabilities · CPC title

• F05D2260/96

  Preventing, counteracting or reducing vibration or noise · CPC title