Combustor arrangement for a gas turbine

Abstract

A combustor arrangement for a gas turbine includes a first burner, a first combustion chamber, a mixer for admixing a dilution gas to the gases leaving the first combustion chamber during operation, a second burner, and a second combustion chamber arranged sequentially in a fluid flow connection. These elements of the combustor arrangement are arranged in a row to form a flow path extending between the first combustion chamber and the second burner. The arrangement includes a central lance body in the flow path, extending from the first burner into the second burner, which lance body includes at least one air duct for providing air for the mixer, wherein the air is injected into the combustor through air supply elements.

Claims

1. A combustor arrangement for a gas turbine assembly, comprising: a first burner; a first combustion chamber; a mixer for admixing a dilution gas to hot gases leaving the first combustion chamber during operation; a second burner; a second combustion chamber arranged sequentially in a fluid flow connection, wherein the first burner, the first combustion chamber, the mixer, the second burner and the second combustion chamber are arranged in a row to form a flow path extending between the first combustion chamber and the second burner; a central lance body arranged inside the flow path and extending from the first burner through the first combustion chamber into the mixer; wherein the central lance body includes at least one air duct for providing air for the mixer between the first burner and the second burner, wherein the air is to be injected during operation into the combustor arrangement through air supply elements; and wherein the central lance body comprises at least one fuel duct arranged within the central lance body and configured to provide fuel for the second burner, the at least one fuel duct having a curled duct on an input side, a longitudinal duct extending from the curled duct along a longitudinal axis of the central lance body to an L-shaped outlet, and wherein the L-shaped outlet is configured to provide the fuel to the second burner.

2. The combustor arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the at least one air duct in the central lance body comprises a plurality of air ducts in the central lance body, and wherein the plurality of air ducts are concentrically arranged annular-shaped passages along a longitudinal axis of the combustor arrangement and arranged adjacent to an outer housing surface of the central lance body.

3. The combustor arrangement according to claim 2, wherein the annular-shaped passages have lengths to connect with at least two different air supply elements of the air supply elements along the central lance body.

4. The combustor arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the air supply elements comprise: annular passages, holes, slits or vents in a housing wall of the central lance body.

5. The combustor arrangement according to claim 1, wherein a housing of the combustor arrangement partially encompasses the central lance body and is configured to be connected to a housing of a second burner reaction zone of the gas turbine, wherein, in a connected position, a free end of the central lance body extends into the housing of the second burner reaction zone, wherein the central lance body is surrounded by the flow path and is arranged inside a combustor housing, wherein an air supply is provided in counter flow direction of the flow path outside of the second combustion chamber towards a cavity around first burner devices of the first burner to be introduced into the first burner devices or into the at least one air duct of the central lance body as well as into cavities of a double walled housing wall between the flow path and the air supply.

6. The combustor arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the at least one fuel duct is two fuel ducts arranged within the central lance body, one of the two fuel ducts is configured to transport a first liquid fuel product and the other of the two fuel ducts is configured to transport a second gaseous fuel product to the burners.

7. The combustor arrangement according to claim 1, wherein a housing of the combustor arrangement increases in a cross-section of a combustion cavity between a first burner stage towards a first burner reaction zone.

8. The combustor arrangement according to claim 1, wherein a housing of the combustor arrangement increases in a cross-section of a combustion cavity between a second burner stage towards a second burner reaction zone of the combustor arrangement.

9. The combustor arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the first burner comprises a plurality of first burners, each of the plurality of first burners comprises: first fuel supply elements extending into a combustion cavity of the associated first burner, wherein the first fuel supply elements are connected with the at least one fuel duct.

10. The combustor arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the first burner comprises between two and ten first burner devices in a first burner stage.

11. The combustor arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the central lance body is removably mounted in the combustor arrangement.

12. The combustor arrangement according to claim 1, wherein a cross section of the flow path increases in a counter flow direction such that the central lance body and fuel injectors extending from the central lance body are retractable in an axial direction out of the flow path.

13. The combustor arrangement according to claim 3, wherein the air supply elements comprise: annular passages, holes, slits or vents in a housing wall of the central lance body.

14. The combustor arrangement according to claim 13, wherein a housing of the combustor arrangement partially encompasses the central lance body and is configured to be connected to a housing of a second burner reaction zone of the gas turbine, wherein, in a connected position, a free end of the central lance body extends into the housing of the second burner reaction zone, wherein the central lance body is surrounded by the flow path and is arranged inside a combustor housing, wherein an air supply is provided in a counter flow direction of the flow path outside of a combustor chamber towards a cavity around the first burner devices of the first burner to be introduced into the first burner devices or into the air ducts of the central lance body as well as into cavities of a double walled housing wall between the flow path and the air supply.

15. The combustor arrangement according to claim 13, wherein the central lance body further comprises: a first burner fuel duct for providing the fuel for the first burner.

16. The combustor arrangement according to claim 13, wherein a housing of the combustor arrangement increases in a cross-section of a combustion cavity between a first burner stage towards a first burner reaction zone.

17. The combustor arrangement according to claim 13, wherein a housing of the combustor arrangement increases in a cross-section of the combustion cavity between a second burner stage towards a second burner reaction zone of the combustor arrangement.

18. The combustor arrangement according to claim 13, wherein the second burner comprises a plurality of second burners, each of the plurality of second burners comprises: second fuel supply elements extending into a combustor cavity outside the central lance body, wherein the second fuel supply elements are connected with the at least one fuel duct, wherein the second fuel supply elements are lobed injectors.

19. The combustor arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the second burner comprises a plurality of second burners, each of the plurality of second burners comprises: second fuel supply elements extending into a combustor cavity outside the central lance body, wherein the second fuel supply elements are connected with the at least one fuel duct.

20. A combustor arrangement for a gas turbine assembly, comprising: a first burner; a first combustion chamber; a mixer for admixing a dilution gas to hot gases leaving the first combustion chamber during operation; a second burner; a second combustion chamber arranged sequentially in a fluid flow connection, wherein the first burner, the first combustion chamber, the mixer, the second burner and the second combustion chamber are arranged in a row to form a flow path extending between the first combustion chamber and the second burner; a central lance body arranged inside the flow path and extending from the first burner through the first combustion chamber into the mixer; wherein the central lance body includes at least one air duct for providing air for the mixer between the first burner and the second burner, wherein the air is to be injected during operation into the combustor arrangement through air supply elements; wherein the central lance body comprises at least one fuel duct arranged within the central lance body and configured to provide fuel for the second burner, the at least one fuel duct having a curled duct on an input side, a longitudinal duct extending from the curled duct along a longitudinal axis of the central lance body to an outlet, and wherein the outlet is configured to provide the fuel to the second burner; and wherein the central lance body is removably mounted in the combustor arrangement, and wherein a cross section of the flow path increases in a counter flow direction such that the central lance body and fuel injectors extending from the central lance body are retractable in an axial direction out of the flow path.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Preferred embodiments of the invention are described in the following with reference to the drawings, which are for the purpose of illustrating the present preferred embodiments of the invention and not for the purpose of limiting the same. In the drawings,

(2) FIG. 1 shows a simplified longitudinal section through a combustor arrangement of a gas turbine assembly according to an embodiment of the invention,

(3) FIG. 2 shows a greatly simplified schematical longitudinal section through a combustor arrangement for a gas turbine assembly according to a further embodiment of the invention,

(4) FIG. 3 shows the schematical section from FIG. 2 with dual fuel ducts, and

(5) FIG. 4 shows FIG. 1 with specific references to gas flow and gas flow passages.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(6) FIG. 1 shows a simplified longitudinal section through a combustor arrangement 10 for a gas turbine assembly according to an embodiment of the invention. The first stage comprises axial swirlers with integrated fuel injection provided in an annulus around a central lance body 50 and covered by an outer cylindrical housing, also called combustor housing 100.

(7) FIG. 1 shows a combustor 10 for a gas turbine assembly 10. Such a gas turbine assembly 10 comprises on the input side a compressor, not shown here, followed by one or more combustor arrangements 10 and finally on the output side a turbine. The combustor arrangement 10 comprises a first burner 20 and a second burner 60 connected downstream of the associated first burner 20. A second burner reaction zone 40 as input stage for the turbine is connected downstream of the second burner 60. The turbine acts downstream of the second reaction zones 40 belonging to the second burner 60.

(8) The combustor 10 of the gas turbine assembly of FIG. 1 has five distinct burner devices such as so-called EV-burner as disclosed in EP 0 321 809 A1 or so-called the AEV-burner as disclosed inter alia in DE 195 47 913 A1. These burner devices form the first burner 20 and are provided around a central longitudinal axis 13 and the longitudinal section shows two of them as they appear in the section view.

(9) Each first burner device of the first burner 20 is arranged downstream of the compressor (not shown) and is acted upon by the air compressed there. The second burner 60 is arranged downstream of the reaction zone 21 belonging to the associated first burner 20 and is provided in an annular region around the lance body 50. The first reaction zone 21 is also called first combustion chamber. Each first burner device of the first burner 20 has a first fuel supply device 22 which supplies a gaseous and/or liquid fuel to said first burner device via a first fuel supply element 23 (here a lance extending into the first burner 20) provided on the longitudinal axis 24 of each first burner device.

(10) The second burner 60 has autonomous second fuel supply elements 63 which likewise ensure the supply of a gaseous and/or a liquid fuel as will be explained later.

(11) The first fuel supply device 22 can be connected (not in FIG. 1) with the central lance body 50, preferably integrated as shown within the embodiment of FIG. 2. This enables the complete removal of the lance as a unit with all relating ducts and fuel supply lines as explained below.

(12) The combustor 10 of the gas turbine assembly comprises the combustor housing 100 encompassing the plurality of first burner devices. Housing 100 can be a multi-part housing and being mounted in a flange area 101 to an exterior frame 102. It is also possible that the housing encompasses the exterior frame 102 entirely. Housing part 90 is usually also integrated into the combustor housing 100. FIG. 2 schematically shows such integration.

(13) The different first burner devices are mounted within corresponding openings 103 of the housing 100. Each first burner device comprises a first burner housing 25 extending into the first burner reaction zone 21 and comprising at its free end 26 beyond the first burner reaction zone 21 a blocking and sealing area, especially a hula seal, against the housing part 90 of the combustor arrangement 10.

(14) The number of combustor chambers arranged in this way depends on the size of the gas turbine assembly and on the power output to be achieved. The combustor chamber as accommodated in the housing 100 of a gas turbine assembly 10 is at the same time surrounded by an envelope of air 105, via which the compressed air flows to the first burner 20. The number of first burner devices of the first burner stage 20 can be predetermined to be between e.g. 3 and 10.

(15) The combustion gas path is symbolized here by an arrow 27 and through which the combustion gases of the first burner 20 flow when the combustor of the gas turbine assembly is in operation.

(16) The compressor generates compressed air which is supplied to the first burners 20. A substream of the compressed air may in this case serve as cooling gas or cooling air and be utilized for cooling various components of the combustor 10 of the gas turbine assembly. Here it flows between the housing parts 25 and 100 and provide a thermal isolation between these surfaces. The first fuel supply element 23 injects the fuels directly into the individual first burner device of the first burner 20, said burner device being acted upon by compressed air and being designed as a premix burner. Fuel injection and the respective premix burner are in this case coordinated with one another such as to establish a lean fuel/oxidizer mixture which burns within the first burner reaction zone 21 with favorable values for pollutant emission and efficiency. It is especially noted that the cross-section of the first reaction zone 21 behind the burner device is larger than the cross-section after the first burner 20 and approaching the second burner 60 at the end of zone 21. The combustion gases in this case occurring are supplied to the second burner 60.

(17) The combustion gases from the first reaction zone 21 are cooled to an extent such that fuel injection into the combustion gases, which takes place via the second fuel supply device 63 at the second burner 60, does not lead to undesirable premature auto-ignition outside the second reaction zone 40. For example, the combustion gases are cooled to about 1100 C. or below with the aid of the elongated first reaction zone acting as a heat exchanger.

(18) The fuel for the second stage is supplied from the center of the lance body 50 where on the input side a curled duct 162 provides elasticity when the device changes its dimension due to change of temperature. The spiral duct 162 for an axial compensation of the fuel duct line is then provided as longitudinal duct 62 along the axis 13 inside the lance body 50 of the combustor 10 until the second burner zone. There, an L-shaped outlet provides the liquid into the second burner area 60 through a number of second fuel supply devices 63 to distribute the fuel.

(19) This additional fuel is then supplied in the second burner 60 with the aid of the second fuel supply device 63 comprising injectors. The fuel is added to the combustion gases of the first stage cooled in this way, here, too, the burners and fuel supply being configured so as to form a lean fuel/oxidizer mixture which burns in the second reaction zone 40 with favorable values in terms of pollutant emission and of efficiency.

(20) The combustion gases formed in the second reaction zone 40 are then leaving the combustor arrangement and are led to the turbine. In this context, the central lance body 50 comprises a rounded free end 51, especially an aerodynamically shaped free end. The five first burner devices form a common ring-shaped transfer duct, so that the turbine acting directly downstream can be acted upon uniformly. It is noted that as beyond the first stage 20, the second burner reaction zone 40 is provided with a cross-section enlarging step providing space for the expansion of the fuel-gas mix. The second burner reaction zone 21 is also called second combustion chamber.

(21) As an optional feature the central lance 50 can also provide cooling and process air in an air injection stage, also called mixer 30 between the first burner 20 and the second burner 60. The cooling air is distributed via air supply elements 33. These air supply elements 33 can be provided on both wall parts of the combustor casing, at the inner wall and at the outer wall, i.e. at the cylindrical inner wall of the lance 50 housing and at the cylindrical outer wall of the housing parts 90. To achieve this air ducts are provided within the housing part 90 or the entire housing part 90 comprises an air guiding cavity 91. On the inner side air ducts 52 and 53 are provided within the lance body 50.

(22) It is an advantage of feeding the air from the outer surface housing 90 and from the inner surface housing, especially in air injection stage 30, but also at the end of the lance body 50 with ducts 53 and opposite distribution vents in housing 90 in the lower second burner stage 61, that the air has only to travel half the diameter of the combustor in area 30 (or 61) to thoroughly mix with the combustion gas in the mixing stage 31 (or the mixing stage 61) when travelling to the second burner 60 or to the second burner reaction zone 40. The combustion process can be further enhanced, if short tubes are provided radially or slightly oriented in the direction of the gas flow as air supply elements 33 to inject the air even more evenly distributed within the process cavity between the stages 21 and 31.

(23) It is an advantage of the principle of use of the single central lance body 50, incorporating a plurality of first burner devices, that it is independent from the embodiment chosen for the fuel injection lance with its first and second burners 20 and 60. Although a specific first burner stage 20 from the applicant (GT13E2 AEV Burner by Alstom) is schematically shown in the drawing of FIG. 1, it is clear that the aims of the invention can also be reached, if other first stage burner types as EV burner, axial swirler and flame sheet combustor, to name a few, are used.

(24) On the other side, it is possible that gas turbine assembly 10 is run with only a part of the autonomously operated first burner devices of first burner 20 for part-load operation. Then, there is not necessarily a reduction in operation to the five first burners devices, but the number of first burner devices which are fully in operation can be reduced, here from five to a reduced number. Flexibility, the gain in efficiency and minimization of pollutant emissions in the gas turbine assembly 10 according to the invention can thus be maximized in any operating state.

(25) FIG. 2 shows greatly simplified schematical longitudinal section through a combustor 10 for a gas turbine assembly according to a further embodiment of the invention, and FIG. 3 shows the embodiment of FIG. 2 with dual fuel ducts 28 and 128. Same or similar features receive the same or similar reference numerals throughout the drawings.

(26) The combustor arrangement 10 is shown with simplified main parts. The combustor arrangement has an encompassing housing 100 wherein the housing parts 90 of the embodiment of FIG. 1 are here integrated part of the entire housing. The cavity 191 built by the doubled walled housing 100 provides air to all parts of the combustor 10, i.e. to the injector stage 30 as well as to the axial injector/annular swirler 120 building the first burner stage 20. The section increasing step 29 provides the passage to the first burner reaction zone 21. For flame stabilization the cross section of the flow path increases and provides space for an expansion of the combustion gases.

(27) Air from ducts within the central lance 50 and from the encompassing housing cavity 191 are injected at the mixing stage 30 according to the air flow 35 indicating arrows to be mixed within the mixing stage 31. The introduction of this additional air can be provided through simple bores, slits or vents in the housing walls as air supply elements 33.

(28) Then additional fuel is injected at the second burner stage 60 as described in connection with the embodiment of FIG. 1. The combustion gases travel through the lower second burner area 61 over the stump free end 51 of the lance body 50 into the second burner reaction zone 61 where the walls are provided as a double walled sequential liner area 40. Here a second increase in the cross section of the flow path happens to provide space for expansion of the combustion gases when the section increasing step 59 is passed. It is noted that FIG. 2 shows a section with two first burner devices 120. Each of the first burner devices 120 can be separated elements as in FIG. 1 with separate burner housings 25 integrated towards the stump end 51 with still separated cavities or they can be provided together in one cavity encompassing the central lance body 50 in a ring shape (at every cross section view along axis 13). In any case the combustion products are evacuated according to the combustion path arrow 57 towards the turbine (not shown).

(29) It can be seen from FIG. 3 that fuels ducts 28 and 128 are provided within the lance body 50, starting form a common fuel supply line 122 near the axis 13 of the lance body 50. One fuel duct 28 is provided for each of the first burner devices, i.e. for each first burner device or axial swirler/injector 120 of the first stage. A central duct 128 is provided and extends forward until the area of the second burner stage 60, where it branches out into the respective number of second burner devices in area 60 of the second burner 60 to supply the respective fuel supply elements 63. The central duct 128 is surrounded by air duct elements 152 which can be provided as the remaining cavity room or as specific duct lines.

(30) In one embodiment, which can of course be combined with the features of the embodiment of FIG. 1, the fuel ducts are double ducts, comprising one duct for a liquid fuel and one separate duct for a gaseous fuel product. The two ducts can be concentric lines for each fuel duct 28 and 128. The injectors can be inter alia axial swirler injectors in the first stage and lobed or micro VG injectors in the second or reheat stage.

(31) FIG. 1 also shows further optional hula seals between the housing part 90 and the housing of the sequential liner. This enables to separate the housing parts 90 from the main housing of the lance, mounted on the frame 102 so that the inner combustion arrangement 10 with the lance body 50 and all major parts, including the first burner 20 can be retracted from the gas turbine assembly.

(32) FIG. 4 shows FIG. 1 with specific references to gas flow and gas flow passages within the lance body 50, the combustor housing 100 and the part housing 90. An annular passage 211 is provided around the housing part 90 and radially delimited by the housing 100. Gas is inflowing according to first inlet arrow 210. It will be explained later that a further annular opening 231 is provided in the sequential liner 41 and shown as second inlet arrow 230 into the cavity 91 in housing part 90.

(33) The annular passage 211 splits off into an burner area 213 around the different first burner devices and around the burner device housings 95 as well as into an device housing passage 215. The respective arrows are gas flow path arrow 212 and 214. The gas in the device housing passage 215 flows in a counter flow compared to main burn flow path 27.

(34) Gas around the burner devices enters the burner devices at arrow 216 and are guided into the combustor reaction zone 21. A further gas flow 218 enters the lance body 50 and divides up in cavity space 219 inside the trunk of lance body 50 into an outer annular space 221 and an inner annular space 223. Both cavities guide gas inside the trunk to the respective outlets in the mixing stage 30 and the second burner stage 60.

(35) Reference numeral 224 at the mixer 30 shows an injection arrow 224 directed radially to inject the gas as dilution gas into the mixer chamber. A further gas portion is guided along the lance body trunk 50 in an annular passage 225 towards the end of the mixing stage.

(36) On the opposite housing 90 side, gas entering through the liner 41 in space 233 is guided through similar holes, vents or annular passages according to the referenced arrow 234 into the mixing stage. Further gas from the space 233 is guided according to arrow 266 as second burner gas into the second burner zone opposite to the fuel injection as explained in connection with FIG. 1. Further second burner stage gas is injected into the lower zone 61 of the second burner through slits, holes or annular passages in the part housing 90 according to the arrow with the reference numeral 236.

(37) Inside the trunk of the lance body 50 at the rounded free end 51 similar gas from the annular passage 221 is injected into the lower zone 61 of the second burner through slits, holes or annular passages in the rounded free end 51 of the lance body 50 according to the arrow with the reference numeral 226.

(38) Furthermore, it is possible that additional gas it injected into the second combustor area or zone 40 at the end surface 55 of the lance body 50 facing this second combustor area 40. The respective arrow has the reference numeral 228. The final gas passages 228 are oriented to inject the gas in an angle of 30 to 60 degrees from the longitudinal axis 13 of the combustor arrangement 10.

(39) TABLE-US-00001 LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS 10 combustor arrangement for gas turbine assembly 13 central longitudinal axis 20 first burner 21 first burner reaction zone 22 first fuel supply device 23 first fuel supply element 24 longitudinal axis of chamber element 25 first burner housing 26 free end 27 combustion path arrow 28 first burner dual fuel ducts 29 section increasing step 30 mixer/air injection stage 31 mixing stage 33 air supply elements 35 air flow 40 second burner reaction zone 41 sequential liner area 50 central lance body 51 rounded free end 52 air duct 53 air duct 55 end surface 57 combustion path arrow 59 section increasing step 60 second burner 61 second burner, lower zone 62 fuel duct 63 second fuel supply elements 90 housing part 91 cavity 95 burner device housing 100 combustor housing 101 flange area 102 exterior frame 103 opening 105 air envelope/cavity 120 swirler injector of first stage 122 common fuel supply line 128 second burner dual fuel ducts 152 air duct in the lance body 162 helix duct 191 cavity 210 first inlet arrow/path 211 annular passage 212 gas flow path arrow 213 burner area 214 gas flow path arrow 215 device housing passage 216 arrow at burner devices 218 further gas flow into lance 219 cavity space 221 outer annular space 223 inner annular space 224 injection arrow 225 injection arrow 226 further second burner stage gas, lance body portion 228 final gas passage 230 second inlet arrow/path 231 further annular opening 233 space in part housing 234 inlet arrow (part housing) 236 further second burner stage gas, part housing portion 266 second burner gas