F05D2270/31

GAS TURBINE ENGINE AND OPERATING METHOD
20230008605 · 2023-01-12 ·

A method of controlling a gas turbine engine. The gas turbine engine has a compressor, a combustor, and a motor configured to drive the compressor. The method has in a first idle mode, controlling combustor fuel flow to maintain compressor rotational speed at or above a predetermined value; and in a second idle mode, controlling the combustor and the motor to drive the compressor to maintain the compressor rotational speed at or above a second predetermined value, lower than the first predetermined value.

Gas turbine operation

A aircraft gas turbine engine and operation method, the engine including: a staged combustion system having pilot and main fuel injectors, and operates in a pilot-only range wherein fuel delivers to pilot fuel injectors, and a pilot-and-main operation range wherein fuel is delivered to at least the main fuel injectors. The engine further includes a fuel delivery regulator to pilot and main fuel injectors, which receives fuel from a first and second source containing fuels each with different characteristics. The staged combustion system switches between pilot-only and pilot-and-main range operation when in steady cruise mode, the mode defining a boundary between first and second engine cruise operation range. The fuel delivery regulator delivers fuel to pilot fuel injectors during at least part of the first engine cruise operation with different fuel characteristics from fuel delivered to one or both pilot and main fuel injectors the second engine cruise operation range.

METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING FUEL TO GAS TURBINE ENGINES

Methods and systems for supply of fuel for a turbine-driven fracturing pump system used in hydraulic fracturing may be configured to identify when the supply pressure of primary fuel to a plurality of gas turbine engines of a plurality of hydraulic fracturing units falls below a set point, identify a gas turbine engine of the fleet of hydraulic fracturing units operating on primary fuel with highest amount of secondary fuel available, and to selectively transfer the gas turbine engine operating on primary fuel with the highest amount of secondary fuel from primary fuel operation to secondary fuel operation. Some methods and systems may be configured to transfer all gas turbine engines to secondary fuel operation and individually and/or sequentially restore operation to primary fuel operation and/or to manage primary fuel operation and/or secondary fuel operation for portions of the plurality of gas turbine engines.

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING FUEL FLOW TO AN AIRCRAFT ENGINE DURING START

A method and system for controlling fuel flow to an aircraft engine during start are provided. Following light-off, an actual value of at least one engine operating parameter is obtained. Based on a difference between the actual value and a target value, a first command is generated to cause fuel flow to be provided to the engine's combustor according to a computed fuel flow rate defined by a fuel schedule of the engine. When the computed fuel flow rate is within a fuel flow rate limit, the first command is output. Otherwise, a limiting factor is applied to the computed fuel flow rate to limit a reduction in fuel flow to the combustor and a limited fuel flow rate is obtained, and a second command is output to cause fuel flow to be provided to the combustor according to the limited fuel flow rate.

Method for controlling the supply of fuel to a combustion chamber of a turbine engine, fuel supply system and turbine engine

A method for controlling the fuel injection of a turbine engine using a fuel supply circuit. The supply circuit includes a pilot injection line and a main injection line. During a transition of the supply distribution between the pilot injection line and the main supply line, the method includes the following steps: a) determining at least a minimum value to be maintained for a pressure value; b) determining at least one hydraulic quantity of the supply circuit; c) based on the determined hydraulic quantity of the supply circuit, calculating a calculated fuel supply distribution value corresponding to the minimum value to be maintained; and switching the fuel supply distribution to the calculated fuel distribution value.

Methods and systems for supplying fuel to gas turbine engines

Methods and systems for supply of fuel for a turbine-driven fracturing pump system used in hydraulic fracturing may be configured to identify when the supply pressure of primary fuel to a plurality of gas turbine engines of a plurality of hydraulic fracturing units falls below a set point, identify a gas turbine engine of the fleet of hydraulic fracturing units operating on primary fuel with highest amount of secondary fuel available, and to selectively transfer the gas turbine engine operating on primary fuel with the highest amount of secondary fuel from primary fuel operation to secondary fuel operation. Some methods and systems may be configured to transfer all gas turbine engines to secondary fuel operation and individually and/or sequentially restore operation to primary fuel operation and/or to manage primary fuel operation and/or secondary fuel operation for portions of the plurality of gas turbine engines.

Dual schedule flow divider valve, system, and method for use therein

A passive flow splitting system for use in a turbine engine control system to provide split fuel flow to two fuel manifolds to supply primary and secondary fuel injectors for the particular combustion zones thereof utilizing intentionally different split ratios dependent on ascending or descending combustion fuel flow is provided. The system includes a passive fuel divider valve (FDV) that includes a primary piston and a secondary piston. The primary piston is moveable independently from the secondary piston during a portion of its stroke, and is hydro-locked to the secondary piston during another portion of its stroke. An ecology valve is also provided to purge the fuel from the primary and/or secondary manifolds during different modes of operation. A transfer valve is included to control the position of ecology piston of the ecology valve.

System and method for controlling fuel flow to an aircraft engine during start

A method and system for controlling fuel flow to an aircraft engine during start are provided. Following light-off, an actual value of at least one engine operating parameter is obtained. Based on a difference between the actual value and a target value, a first command is generated to cause fuel flow to be provided to the engine's combustor according to a computed fuel flow rate defined by a fuel schedule of the engine. When the computed fuel flow rate is within a fuel flow rate limit, the first command is output. Otherwise, a limiting factor is applied to the computed fuel flow rate to limit a reduction in fuel flow to the combustor and a limited fuel flow rate is obtained, and a second command is output to cause fuel flow to be provided to the combustor according to the limited fuel flow rate.

GAS TURBINE ENGINE INJECTOR MODULE WITH THERMALLY COUPLED FUEL LINES HAVING RESPECTIVE OUTLETS

An injector module includes an injector stem that extends along an injector longitudinal axis between an inlet end and an outlet end of the injector module. The injector module also includes a first fuel line of a first fuel circuit at least partly extending through the injector stem. The first fuel line has a first outlet disposed at the outlet end of the injector stem. The injector module further includes a second fuel line of a second fuel circuit at least partly extending through the injector stem. The second fuel line has a second outlet disposed at the outlet end of the injector stem. The first outlet and the second outlet are spaced apart and have different orientations relative to the injector longitudinal axis. The first fuel line is thermally coupled to the second fuel line.

Controller and method

A controller for a gas turbine is arranged to supply a load L. The gas turbine includes a fuel supply arranged to supply fuel at a fuel flow rate FF to a combustor, wherein the fuel supply includes a first fuel supply and a second fuel supply. The controller is arranged to determine one or more ratios R of one or more combustor operating parameters COP respectively at the load L to respective reference combustor operating parameters COPR at a reference load LR. The controller is further arranged to control a proportion P of the fuel flow rate FF supplied via the first fuel supply based, at least in part, on the determined one or more ratios R. A gas turbine with the controller and a method controls the gas turbine.