Separate feedings of cooling and dilution air

Abstract

A combustor arrangement of a gas turbine engine or power plant is disclosed, having at least one combustion chamber, at least one mixer arrangement for admixing air or gas to the hot gas flow leaving the combustion chamber. The mixer arrangement is configured to guide combustion gases in a hot gas flow path extending downstream of the combustion chamber, wherein the mixer includes a plurality of injection pipes pointing inwards from the side walls of the mixer arrangement for admixing air portions to cool at least the hot gas flow leaving combustion chamber. The mixer arrangement is applied to at least one volume of dilution air flowing from a first plenum and at least one volume of cooling air flowing from a second plenum.

Claims

1. A combustor arrangement of a gas turbine engine or power plant the combustion combustor arrangement, comprising: at least one combustion chamber, at least one mixer arrangement for admixing an air or gas portion to hot gas flow leaving the combustion chamber, wherein the at least one mixer arrangement is configured to guide combustion gases in a hot gas flow path extending downstream of the at least one combustion chamber, wherein the at least one mixer arrangement includes a plurality of injection pipes arranged in rows and pointing inwards from side walls of the mixer arrangement for admixing air portions to cool at least a portion of the hot gas flow leaving the combustion chamber, wherein the plurality of injection pipes are arranged in multiple rows along an axial direction of the hot gas flow path, wherein a first group of the plurality of injection pipes is configured to inject into the at least one mixer arrangement at least one portion of dilution air flowing through a first plenum, and a second group of the plurality of injection pipes is configured to inject into the at least one mixer arrangement at least one portion of cooling air originating from a precedent cooling of a sequential liner and flowing through a second plenum, the first plenum being radially outward of the second plenum, and wherein the first group of the plurality of injection pipes is arranged upstream of the second group of the plurality of injection pipes along the hot gas flow path.

2. The combustor arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the at least one portion of dilution air which is to flow from the first plenum will engage directly or indirectly at least one injection pipe of the plurality of injection pipes, whereby the at least one portion of dilution air is supplied from a compressor of the gas turbine engine or power plant, which is connected in combination with the combustion arrangement.

3. The combustor arrangement according to claim 2, wherein the cooling air which is to flow from the second plenum will flow directly or indirectly at least one injection pipe of the plurality of injection pipes inside of a connecting duct.

4. The combustor arrangement according to claim 3, wherein another portion of cooling air which is to flow inside of the connecting duct is supplied from another portion of the cooling air used in cooling of the sequential liner.

5. The combustor arrangement according to claim 4, wherein a fuel injector is arranged at an outlet of the mixer arrangement, whereby the fuel injector will be cooled by a quantity of dilution air when flowing from the first plenum.

6. The combustor arrangement according to claim 5, wherein the cooling air which is to flow from the second plenum will flow along the connecting duct, which is disposed annularly around the hot gas flow path.

7. The combustor arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the at least one portion of cooling air which is to flow from the second plenum is provided as effusion cooling air with respect to an inner liner of hot gas flow.

8. The combustor arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the at least one portion of cooling air which is to flow from the second plenum will engage directly or indirectly at least one injection pipe of the plurality of injection pipes inside of a connecting duct.

9. The combustor arrangement according to claim 1, wherein a fuel injector is arranged at an outlet of the mixer arrangement, whereby the fuel injector will be cooled by a quantity of the at least one portion of dilution air when flowing from the first plenum.

10. The combustor arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the at least one portion of cooling air which is to flow from the second plenum will flow along a connecting duct, which is disposed annularly around the hot gas flow path.

11. The combustor arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of injection pipes are arranged to point inward from an inner liner of hot gas flow, and are arranged with a regular or irregular partitioning in circumferential direction of hot gas flow.

12. The combustor arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of injection pipes have a cylindrical, conical or quasi-conical shape.

13. The combustor arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the mixer arrangement comprises multiple injection pipe rows along the hot gas flow path with at least two of the multiple injection pipe rows of an equal, similar, or different protrusion depth.

14. The combustor arrangement according to claim 13, wherein at least two of the multiple injection pipe rows of the mixer have injection pipes of an equal, similar, or different cross-section.

15. The combustor arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of injection pipes of a single row extend to a center of the mixer and are arranged in radial direction inversely to each other.

16. The combustor arrangement according to claim 1, wherein at least one injection pipe of the plurality of injection pipes is inclined with respect to the hot gas flow path.

17. The combustor arrangement according to claim 1, wherein at least one injection pipe of the plurality of injection pipes has a number of injection holes along a protrusion depth to inject orthogonally or quasi-orthogonally flowed dilution air into the hot gas flow path.

18. The combustor arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the at least one mixer arrangement is configured to operate as a damper.

19. A method for operating a combustor arrangement of a gas turbine engine or power plant, having at least one combustion chamber, at least one mixer arrangement for admixing air or gas to hot gas flow leaving the combustion chamber, wherein the at least one mixer arrangement is configured to guide combustion gases in a hot gas flow path extending downstream of the combustion chamber, wherein the at least one mixer arrangement includes a plurality of injection pipes pointing inwards from side walls of the at least one mixer arrangement, t method comprising: admixing air portions via the at least one mixer arrangement to cool at least the combustion gases leaving t combustion chamber; and applying the at least one mixer arrangement to act on at least one volume of dilution air flowing from a first plenum and at least one volume of cooling air flowing from a second plenum, wherein the plurality of injection pipes are arranged in multiple rows, wherein a first group of the plurality of injection pipes is configured to inject into the at least one mixer arrangement at least one portion of dilution air flowing through a first plenum, and a second group of the plurality of injection pipes is configured to inject into the at least one mixer arrangement at least one portion of cooling air originating from a precedent cooling of a sequential liner and flowing through a second plenum, and wherein the first group of the plurality of injection pipes is arranged upstream of the second group of the plurality of injection pipes along the hot gas flow path.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

(1) The disclosure, its nature as well as its advantages, shall be described in more detail below with the aid of the accompanying figures. Referring to the figures:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a generic gas turbine engine using sequential combustion with a mixer arrangement for admixing dilution air or a dilution gas;

(3) FIG. 2 shows a mixer arrangement of a gas turbine engine comprising an introduction of a cooling air and dilution air;

(4) FIG. 3 shows a mixer arrangement of a gas turbine engine comprising an introduction of a cooling air and dilution air coming from two different plena;

(5) FIG. 4 shows a cross section of a mixer comprising a series of injection pipes mounted circumferentially and extending in radial direction;

(6) FIG. 5 shows further cross section of a mixer.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

(7) FIG. 1 shows generalized a gas turbine engine 100 with a sequential combustor arrangement 104 according to the disclosure. It comprises a compressor 103, a combustor arrangement 104, and a turbine 105. The combustor arrangement 104 comprises a first burner 112, a first combustion chamber 101, and a mixer arrangement 115 for admixing a dilution air to the hot gases 109 leaving the first combustion chamber 101 during operation. Downstream of the mixer arrangement 115 the combustor arrangement 104 additionally comprises a second burner 113, and a second combustion chamber 102. The first burner 112, first combustion chamber 101, mixer 115, second burner 113 and second combustion chamber 102 are arranged sequentially in a fluid flow connection. Fuel can be introduced into the first burner 112 via a first fuel injection 123, mixed with compressed air which is compressed in the compressor 103, and combusted in the first combustion chamber 101. Dilution air is admixed in the subsequent mixer arrangement 115. Additional fuel can be introduced into the second burner via a second fuel injection 124, mixed with hot gases 109 leaving the mixer arrangement 115, and combusted in the second combustion chamber 102. The hot gases 109 leaving the second combustion chamber 102 are expanded in the subsequent turbine 105, performing work. The turbine 105 and compressor 103 are arranged on a shaft 106. The remaining heat of the exhaust gas 107 leaving the turbine 105 can be further used in a heat recovery steam generator or boiler (not shown) for steam generation. In the example shown here compressor exit gas is admixed as dilution air. Typically, compressor exit gas is compressed ambient air 108. For gas turbines with flue gas recirculation (not shown) the compressor exit gas is a mixture of ambient air and recirculated flue gas. Typically, the gas turbine system includes a generator (not shown) which is coupled to a shaft 106 of the gas turbine 100.

(8) FIG. 2 shows a dilution air mixer arrangement 115 according to the state of the art. In this example compressed gas from the compressor plenum is guided along combustor liner in a connection duct (not shown, but see WO 2014/063835) as air plenum of the dilution air flow 110. From the mentioned connection duct a first part of the dilution air flow 110 is injected as dilution air 110a into the mixer via injection pipes 114 a-d having various lengths La-d. Additionally, a second part of the flow air 110 is injected as effusion air 110b into the mixer via injection holes 125 disposed along the whole extension of the mixer arrangement 115, i.e. from the hot gas inlet 126 to the mixer outlet 127, precisely to a downstream arranged and cooled 110c fuel injector 128.

(9) The height L a-d of the various subsequently disposed injection pipes 114 a-c are chosen such that good mixing of injected dilution air flow 110 with the hot gas 109 leaving the first combustion chamber is assured.

(10) Furthermore, the mixer arrangement 115 comprising at least one or more groups of injection pipes 114 a-d pointing inwards from the side walls of the mixer arrangement for admixing the dilution air 110a to cool the hot gases 109 leaving the first combustion chamber. The injection pipes 114 a-d are circumferentially distributed along the side wall of the mixer arrangement and wherein the injection pipes having a cylindrical, conical or quasi-conical shape addressed to the center of the mixer arrangement.

(11) For example, the injection pipes of a first group have a first protrusion depth into the hot gas flow path 109, the second injection pipes of the second group have a second protrusion depth, the third injection pipes of the third group have a third protrusion, and the fourth injection pipes of the fourth group have a fourth protrusion depth. The mixer arrangement is arranged such that the dilution air is admixed during operation to cool the hot gases 109.

(12) Moreover, the protrusion depth of the injection pipes of the first group compared to the last group may be regularly increasing or decreasing, whereby a mutual depth of the injection pipes along the respective group is also possible.

(13) Additionally, the number of injection pipes can be chosen such that the distance between the exit-openings of neighboring injection pipes are similar. Similar in this context can mean that the distance between exit openings in the group with larger penetration depth one to three times the distance between exit openings of injection pipes of the group with smaller penetration depth. The distance between exit openings can further be increased with the exit diameter of the injection pipes. For example it can be proportional to the exit diameter.

(14) Moreover, the mixer arrangement comprising in the hot gas flow direction at least one row of injection pipes with equal, similar or different protrusion depth, wherein the mixer comprising multiple rows of injection pipes in the hot gas flow direction with equal, similar or different protrusion depth.

(15) At least one injection pipe group is circumferentially distributed along the side wall of the mixer arrangement and having a staggered design relative to a plane normal to the main flow direction of the hot gases flowing through the mixer, wherein the stagger can be designed between 0.1 and 3.5 times the diameter of the relative injection pipes.

(16) The protrusion depth of the injection pipes of the first row is closer to the center of the mixer arrangement than the protrusion depth of a second row, then, the protrusion depth of the second row is closer or further to the center of the mixer than the protrusion depth of the third row, wherein the injection pipes of the single row extending approximately to the center of the mixer and are arranged in radial direction inversely to each other.

(17) The injection pipes can be comprised along their protrusion depth a number of injection holes used to inject orthogonally or quasi-orthogonally the flowed dilution air into the hot gas flow. Furthermore, the injection pipes having uniform or non-uniform conical gradient along the respective protrusion depth.

(18) Moreover, the injection pipes can be inclined in the hot gas flow direction at an angle of less than 90 relative to the flow direction of the hot gases such that the dilution air leaving the pipes have a flow component in the direction of the hot gas flow at the location of the injection.

(19) FIG. 3 shows a further dilution air mixer arrangement 200. In this example compressed gas from the compressor plenum is guided along combustor liner in a connection duct 111 as air plenum, in which the dilution air flow 110 flows after the sequential liner cooling. The dilution air mixer arrangement 200 can be arranged with an annular cross section. For an annular dilution air mixer arrangement the height H corresponds to the difference between the diameter of an outer wall of the annular flow section and the inner wall of the annular flow section.

(20) From the mentioned connection duct 111 a first part of the flow air 110 is injected as dilution air 110a into the mixer arrangement via at least one injection pipe group 114 a-d having various lengths La-d. Additionally, a second part of the flow air 110 is injected as effusion air 110b into the mixer arrangement via various injection holes 125 disposed along the whole extension of the mixer arrangement 200, i.e. from the hot gas inlet 126 to the mixer outlet 127, precisely to a downstream arranged fuel injector 128.

(21) The height L a-d of the various subsequently disposed injection pipes 114 a-c are chosen such that good mixing of injected dilution air flow 110 with the hot gas 109 leaving the first combustion chamber is assured.

(22) Furthermore, the mixer arrangement 115 comprising at least one or more groups of injection pipes 114 a-d pointing inwards from the side walls of the mixer arrangement for admixing the dilution air 110a to cool the hot gases 109 leaving the first combustion chamber. The injection pipes 114 a-d are circumferentially distributed along the side wall of the mixer arrangement and wherein the injection pipes having a cylindrical, conical or quasi-conical shape addressed to the center of the mixer arrangement.

(23) For example, the injection pipes of a first group have a first protrusion depth into the hot gas flow path 109, the second injection pipes of the second group have a second protrusion depth, the third injection pipes of the third group have a third protrusion, and the fourth injection pipes of the fourth group have a fourth protrusion depth. The mixer arrangement is arranged such that the dilution air is admixed during operation to cool the hot gases 109.

(24) Moreover, the protrusion depth of the injection pipes of the first group compared to the last group may be regularly increasing or decreasing, whereby a mutual depth of the injection pipes along the respective group is also possible.

(25) Additionally, the number of injection pipes can be chosen such that the distance between the exit-openings of neighboring injection pipes are similar. Similar in this context can mean that the distance between exit openings in the group with larger penetration depth one to three times the distance between exit openings of injection pipes of the group with smaller penetration depth. The distance between exit openings can further be increased with the exit diameter of the injection pipes. For example it can be proportional to the exit diameter.

(26) Moreover, the mixer arrangement comprising in the hot gas flow direction at least one row of injection pipes with equal, similar or different protrusion depth, wherein the mixer comprising multiple rows of injection pipes in the hot gas flow direction with equal, similar or different protrusion depth.

(27) At least one injection pipe group is circumferentially distributed along the side wall of the mixer arrangement and having a staggered design relative to a plane normal to the main flow direction of the hot gases flowing through the mixer, wherein the stagger can be designed between 0.1 and 3.5 times the diameter of the relative injection pipes.

(28) The protrusion depth of the injection pipes of the first row is closer to the center of the mixer arrangement than the protrusion depth of a second row, then, the protrusion depth of the second row is closer or further to the center of the mixer than the protrusion depth of the third row, wherein the injection pipes of the single row extending approximately to the center of the mixer and are arranged in radial direction inversely to each other.

(29) The injection pipes can be comprised along their protrusion depth a number of injection holes used to inject orthogonally or quasi-orthogonally the flowed dilution air into the hot gas flow. Furthermore, the injection pipes having uniform or non-uniform conical gradient along the respective protrusion depth.

(30) Moreover, the injection pipes can be inclined in the hot gas flow direction at an angle of less than 90 relative to the flow direction of the hot gases such that the dilution air leaving the pipes have a flow component in the direction of the hot gas flow at the location of the injection.

(31) Some of the dilution air 129 could be taken from the upstream compressor plenum 131 with full Pk2 and a lower temperature Tk2. A first part 130a of this dilution air 129 is directed to at least one injection pipe group 114a but any other combination can be considered. A second part 130b of the mentioned dilution air 129 cools 130b the fuel injector 128.

(32) FIG. 4 shows a baseline of a preferred embodiment of the invention in which a series of injection pipes 224, 225 are mounted radially and fed by a further plenum with dilution air flow 220. In the Figure the hot gas flow generated by the first combustor flows through the radially disposed long injection pipes 224, and intermediated disposed short injection pipes 225. Both, the long and the short injection pipes are directed radially towards the center of the mixer 222, wherein the long injection pipes 224 extending nearly to the center of the mentioned mixers. The disposition of the injection pipes 224, 225 in the circumferential direction of the mixer is uniformly provided, wherein a non-uniform distribution is also possible. Each injection pipes 224, 225 are also equipped with a large number of injection holes 223 used to inject the flowed dilution air 221 into the hot gas flow 109 (see FIG. 4). The key feature of this mixer 222 reflects a good distribution of such injection holes 223 along the respective radial extension of the injection pipes 224, 225, so that the dilution air flow 220 is pre-distributed and therefore requiring a much shorter mixing time and length. In summary, the injection pipes, characterized by conical or other geometries, are arranged to cover the full cross sectional area with dilution air being injected into the hot gas flow, orthogonal to the page.

(33) FIG. 5 shows a baseline of a further preferred embodiment of the invention in which a series of injection pipes 224 are mounted radially and fed by a further plenum with dilution air flow 220. In the Figure the hot gas flow generated by the first combustor flows through the radially disposed long injection pipes 224, which having uniformly length. Accordingly, the injection pipes 224, as shown, are directed radially towards the center of the mixer 222, and they extending nearly to the center of the mixer. The disposition of the injection pipes 224 in the circumferential direction of the mixer is uniformly provided, wherein a non-uniform distribution is also possible. Each injection pipes 224, are also equipped with a large number of injection holes 223 used to inject the flowed dilution air 221 into the hot gas flow 109 (see FIG. 4). The key feature of this mixer 222 reflects a good distribution of such injection holes 223 along the respective radial extension of the injection pipes 224, so that the dilution air flow 220 is pre-distributed and therefore requiring a much shorter mixing time and length. In summary, the injection pipes, characterized by conical or other geometries, are arranged to cover the full cross sectional area with dilution air being injected into the hot gas flow, orthogonal to the page. All injection pipes possess the same length.

LIST OF REFERENCES NUMEROUS

(34) 100 Gas Turbine 101 First combustor chamber 102 Second combustor chamber 103 Compressor 104 Combustor arrangement 105 Turbine 106 Shaft 107 Exhaust Gas 108 Compressed Air 109 Hot gas flow, path 110 Dilution air flowing from a second plenum 110a Dilution air through the pipe 110b Dilution air through the effusion hole 110c Dilution air through the fuel injector 110c Dilution air from the fuel injector 111 Connecting duct 112 First burner 113 Second burner 114a Injection pipe 114b Injection pipe 114c Injection pipe 114d Injection pipe 115 Mixer arrangement 126 Hot gas inlet 127 Mixer outlet 128 Fuel injector 129 Dilution air flowing from a first plenum 130a First portion 130b Second portion 130b Cooling procedure of the fuel injector 200 Mixer arrangement 220 Dilution air flow 221 Dilution air into the hot gas flow 222 Mixer arrangement 223 Injection hole 224 Injection pipe 225 Injection pipe L a-d Height of the various injection pipes H Height of the annular dilution air plenum