Patent Publication Number: US-2017356650-A1

Title: Detecting combustion anomalies in gas turbines using audio output

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     The subject matter disclosed herein relates to turbomachinery, and more specifically, to detecting combustion anomalies, events, or problems in gas turbines using audio output. 
     Plant operators may be removed from the physical noises of the equipment (e.g., gas turbines) in plants as the equipment is running. For example, the operator may be monitoring the operation of the plant at a location remote from the plant, sound-proofing of the equipment operating in the plants may reduce the audible noise emitted, or the like. As such, the operators oftentimes rely on alarms created by a control system to protect the equipment. However, operators may become desensitized to or ignore the alarms for significant periods of time, which may lead to an undesirable operating condition of the equipment occurring. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION 
     Certain embodiments commensurate in scope with the originally claimed subject matter are summarized below. These embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter, but rather these embodiments are intended only to provide a brief summary of possible forms of the subject matter. Indeed, the subject matter may encompass a variety of forms that may be similar to or different from the embodiments set forth below. 
     In one embodiment, a turbine system includes a combustion system comprising a number of combustion cans, a number of sensors, each of the number of sensors coupled to a respective combustion can of the number of combustion cans, and a controller. The controller includes a memory storing one or more processor-executable routines and a processor configured to access and execute the one or more routines encoded by the memory. The one or more routines, when executed cause the processor to receive one or more signals from the number of sensors, convert the one or more signals to audio output, and output the converted audio output via one or more audio output devices. 
     In one embodiment, a controller includes a memory storing one or more processor-executable routines and a processor configured to access and execute the one or more routines encoded by the memory. The one or more routines, when executed cause the processor to receive one or more signals from a number of sensors, wherein each of the number of sensors are coupled to a respective combustion can of a number of combustion cans included in a combustion system of a turbine system, convert the one or more signals to audio output, and output the converted audio output via one or more audio output devices. 
     In one embodiment, one or more tangible, non-transitory computer-readable mediums includes instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to receive one or more signals from a number of sensors. Each of the number of sensors are coupled to a respective combustion can of a number of combustion cans included in a combustion system of a turbine system, and the signals are indicative of pressure inside each of the number of combustion cans during combustion. The instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, also cause the one or more processors to convert the one or more signals to audio output and output the converted audio output via one or more audio output devices. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present subject matter will become better understood when the following detailed description is read with reference to the accompanying drawings in which like characters represent like parts throughout the drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram of a turbine system that enables detection of combustion anomalies, events, or problems via audio output, in accordance with an embodiment; 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram of a combustion system including combustion cans with sensors attached thereto that output respective signals to a controller, in accordance with an embodiment; 
         FIG. 3  is a screenshot of a graphical user interface for utilization in listening to audio output from a combustion system, in accordance with an embodiment; and 
         FIG. 4  is a flow chart illustrating an embodiment of a method for detecting combustion anomalies, events, or problems via audio output, in accordance with an embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     One or more specific embodiments of the present subject matter will be described below. In an effort to provide a concise description of these embodiments, all features of an actual implementation may not be described in the specification. It should be appreciated that in the development of any such actual implementation, as in any engineering or design project, numerous implementation-specific decisions must be made to achieve the developers&#39; specific goals, such as compliance with system-related and business-related constraints, which may vary from one implementation to another. Moreover, it should be appreciated that such a development effort might be complex and time consuming, but would nevertheless be a routine undertaking of design, fabrication, and manufacture for those of ordinary skill having the benefit of this disclosure. 
     When introducing elements of various embodiments of the present subject matter, the articles “a,” “an,” “the,” and “said” are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements. The terms “comprising,” “including,” and “having” are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional elements other than the listed elements. 
     As previously discussed, plant operators may ignore or become desensitized to certain alarms related to gas turbine health that are emitted at control stations remote from the plant. As such, gas turbine equipment issues may arise at the plants that result in significant equipment downtime (e.g., the equipment is not operational) or maintenance costs. This issue may be particularly relevant for gas turbine combustion. Thus, it is now generally recognized that improved techniques for detecting gas turbine combustion anomalies, events, or problems are desirable. 
     Accordingly, embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to a system and method for detecting gas turbine combustion anomalies, events, or problems using audio output. That is, some embodiments enable gas turbine operators to monitor potential combustion anomalies, events, or problems via audible noise obtained from sensors in the combustion system. As described below, the sensors may be combustion dynamics pressure sensors that are already present in the combustion system of the gas turbine. Leveraging the existing combustion dynamics pressure sensors may reduce new instrumentation and installation costs. In some embodiments, the sensors may emit signals to a controller and/or computing device executing a software application. The software application may cause a processor to convert the signals into audio signals and output the audio signals via audio output devices of the controller and/or computing device. The plant operators may listen to the combustion system and detect anomalies, events, or problems based on a change in the sound of the combustion system, rather than solely relying on controller alarms. 
     Turning now to the drawings,  FIG. 1  illustrates a block diagram of a turbine system  10  that that enables detection of combustion anomalies, events, or problems via audio output, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. The turbine system  10  includes a turbine engine  12  and an aftertreatment system  14 . In certain embodiments, the turbine system  10  may be a power generation system. The turbine system  10  may use liquid or gas fuel, such as natural gas and/or a hydrogen-rich synthetic gas, to run the turbine system  10 . As shown, the turbine system  10  includes an air intake section  16 , a compressor  18 , a combustion system  20 , and the turbine  12 . The turbine  12  may be drivingly coupled to the compressor  18  via a shaft. In operation, air enters the turbine system  10  through the air intake section  16  (indicated by the arrows  17 ) and is pressurized in the compressor  18 . The compressor  18  may include a number of compressor blades coupled to the shaft. The rotation of the shaft causes rotation of the compressor blades, thereby drawing air into the compressor  18  and compressing the air prior to entry into the combustion system  20 . 
     As compressed air exits the compressor  18  and enters the combustion system  20 , the compressed air  17  may be mixed with fuel  19  for combustion within one or more combustion cans. For example, the combustion cans may include one or more fuel nozzles that may inject a fuel-air mixture into the combustion cans in a suitable ratio for optimal combustion, emissions, fuel consumption, power output, and so forth. The combustion of the air  17  and fuel  19  generates hot pressurized exhaust gases, which may then be utilized to drive one or more turbine blades within the turbine  12 . In operation, the combustion gases flowing into and through the turbine  12  flow against and between the turbine blades, thereby driving the turbine blades and, thus, the shaft into rotation to drive a load  21 , such as an electrical generator in a power plant. As discussed above, the rotation of the shaft also causes blades within the compressor  18  to draw in and pressurize the air received by the intake  16 . 
     The combustion gases that flow through the turbine  12  may exit the downstream end  15  of the turbine  12  as a stream of exhaust gas. The exhaust gas stream may continue to flow in the downstream direction towards the aftertreatment system  14 . For instance, the downstream end  15  may be fluidly coupled to the aftertreatment system  14 . As a result of the combustion process, the exhaust gas may include certain byproducts, such as nitrogen oxides (NO x ), sulfur oxides (SO x ), carbon oxides (CO x ), and unburned hydrocarbons. Due to certain regulations, the aftertreatment system  14  may be employed to reduce or substantially minimize the concentration of such byproducts prior to releasing the exhaust gas stream into the atmosphere. 
     One or more sensors  22  may be included in the combustion system  20 . In some embodiments, the sensors  22  may include any type of combustion dynamic pressure sensors. The sensors  22  may already be included in the assembled combustion system  20  and no other instrumentation may be added to the combustion system  20  to perform certain embodiments of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, the sensors  22  may be configured to sense pressure signals or waves in any desirable amplitude and frequency range within the respective combustion cans  23 . The sensors  22  may include piezoelectric materials that generate electric signals resulting from pressure. In some embodiments, the sensors  22  may include Micro-Electrico-Mechanical Systems (EMs) sensors, Hall effect sensors, magnetorestrictive sensors, or any other sensor designed to sense vibration, pressure, or the like. Additionally, the sensors  22  may include optical sensors that are configured to measure combustion dynamics optically. The sensors  22  may include communication circuitry that enables the sensors  22  to be communicatively coupled to a controller  24  and/or a computing device  25  via a wireless (e.g., Bluetooth® Low Energy, ZigBee®, WiFi®) or wired connection (e.g., Ethernet). In some embodiments, the computing device  25  may include a laptop, a smartphone, a tablet, a personal computer, a human-machine interface, or the like. 
     In some embodiments, the sensors  22  may include a microphone or array of microphones included in the combustion system  20  and/or disposed in portions of the turbine system  10  external to the combustion system  20 . For example, the microphones or array of microphones may be disposed within or near the inlet, the exhaust stack, the compressor  18 , the turbine  12 , or the like. In some embodiments, the microphone or array of microphones may send detected sound indicative to the controller  24  for use in a sound level meter or series of sound level meters. In some embodiments the detected sound may be indicative of combustion dynamics. 
     During combustion, the sensors  22  may transmit signals indicative of pressure (e.g., static, dynamic) or vibration to the controller  24  and/or the computing device  25 . The controller  24  and/or the computing device  25  may receive the signals from the sensors  22  and convert the signals into audio signals suitable for outputting (e.g., via an audio output device associated with the computing device  25 ). As such, the controller  24  and/or the computing device  25  may each include one or more tangible, non-transitory computer-readable mediums (e.g., memories  26  and  27 ) storing computer instructions that, when executed by a respective processor  28  and  29  of the controller  24  and/or the computing device  25 , cause the processor  28  and  29  to receive the signals, convert the signals to audio signals, and output the audio signals via a respective audio output device  30  and  31  (e.g., speaker, bullhorn, megaphone, siren, headphone, amplifier, public address (PA) system, etc.). It should be noted that non-transitory merely indicates that the media is tangible and not a signal. Further, the controller  24  and/or the computing device  25  may include communication circuitry, such as a network interface, that is configured to receive the signals and transmit them to the processors  28  and  29 . 
     The processors  28  and  29  may be any type of computer processor or microprocessor capable of executing computer-executable code. Moreover, the processors  28  and  29  may include multiple processors or microprocessors, one or more “general-purpose” processors or microprocessors, one or more special-purpose processors or microprocessors, and/or one or more application specific integrated circuits (ASICS), or some combination thereof. For example, the processor  28  may include one or more reduced instruction set (RISC) processors. 
     The memories  26  and  27  may be any suitable articles of manufacture that can serve as media to store processor-executable routines, code, data, or the like. These articles of manufacture may represent computer-readable media (e.g., any suitable form of memory or storage) that may store the processor-executable code or routines used by the respective processors  28  and  29  to perform the presently disclosed techniques. For example, the memories  26  and  27  may include volatile memory (e.g., a random access memory (RAM)), nonvolatile memory (e.g., a read-only memory (ROM)), flash memory, a hard drive, or any other suitable optical, magnetic, or solid-state storage medium, or a combination thereof. The memories  26  and  27  may also be used to store any data (e.g., recordings of the audio output for each of the combustion cans for a desired amount of time), analysis of the data, the software application, and the like. 
     Generally, the processors  28  and  29  may execute software applications that include a graphical user interface (GUI) that enables a user to select which combustion cans (or all combustion cans) in the combustion system  20  to listen to via the audio output devices  30  and  31  of the controller  24  and/or the computing device  25 . Additional features relating to the GUI are discussed below. As may be appreciated, the operator may listen to the audio representing combustion pressure or dynamics in the selected combustion can(s) at a location remote from the actual combustion system  20  using the controller  24  and/or the computing device  25 . In some embodiments, the operator may be in relative close proximity to the combustion system  20  while listening to the audio output via the controller  24  and/or the computing device  25  during combustion. 
     Based on the audio output that is output via the audio output devices  30  and/or  31 , the operator may determine that there is an anomaly, event, or problem occurring in the combustion system  20 . Indeed, the user may pinpoint which combustion can  23  is experiencing the anomaly, event, or problem by using the disclosed techniques. For example, the operator may discern that the current noise emitted from the combustion can(s)  23  during combustion sounds different (e.g., abnormal) than the noise emitted from those combustion can(s)  23  during combustion when the combustion system  20  is operating as expected. As such, the operator may perform a preventative action, such as shut down the turbine system  10 , check the combustion can(s)  23  identified as emitting the irregular sound, perform maintenance on the combustion system  22 , perform replacement of components in the combustion system  22 , schedule maintenance and/or replacement, or the like. 
       FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram of the combustion system  20  including the combustion cans  23  with sensors  22  attached thereto that output respective signals to the controller  24 , in accordance with an embodiment. Although the signals are shown as sent to the controller  24 , it should be noted that the signals may be also sent to the computing device  25 , which may perform similar functionality related to converting the signals to audio and outputting the audio as the controller  24 . As depicted, a respective sensor  22  may be coupled to each combustion can  23  in the combustion system  20 . Thus, if there are six combustion cans  23  in the combustion system  20 , then six sensors  22  may be used (e.g., one sensor  22  coupled to each respective combustion can  23 ). It should be noted that, in some embodiments, there may not be a one-to-one relationship between the number of sensors  22  and the number of combustion cans  23 . For example, one sensor  22  may be used to monitor all of the combustion cans  23 , a few sensors  22  may be used to monitor all of the combustion cans  23 , or more than one sensor  22  may be used to monitor a single combustion can  23 . 
     In some embodiments, the combustion dynamic pressure sensors may be probes that are partially inserted into the combustion cans  23 . The signals emitted by the sensors  22  may be sent to the controller  24  and/or the computing device  25  that include a software application that may convert the signals into audio output  34  and emit the audio output  34 . 
     It should be noted that the software application may be downloadable from an application distribution platform installed on the controller  24  and/or the computing device  25 . The application distribution platform may be proprietary and private. Thus, in some embodiments, downloading of the software application that enables listening to the audio representative of the pressure inside the combustion cans  23  during combustion may be restricted to authorized users. In this way, the application distribution platform may perform authentication of the controller  24  and/or the computing device  25  that requests to download the software application. 
       FIG. 3  is a screenshot of a graphical user interface (GUI)  40  that displays a list  42  of combustion can(s)  23  available for audio output and receives a user selection of which combustion can(s)  23  for which to provide audio output, in accordance with an embodiment. Additionally, the GUI  40  displays an input selector  44  related to whether the user desires to receive control alarms related to the turbine system  10 . As depicted, the list  42  includes radio button selectors for “combustion can # 1 ,” “combustion can # 2 ,” “combustion can # 3 ,” “combustion can # 4 ,” combustion can # 5 ,” combustion can # 6 ,” and “select all.” Although the combustion cans  23  are identified by numerals, in practice the combustion cans  23  may include alphanumeric identifiers or serial numbers. In other words, the “# 1 ” through “# 6 ” numerals are used for illustrative purposes and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. Further, although radio button selectors are used in the list  42 , it should be noted that any selection input element may be used such as a dropdown list, a checkbox, an input textbox, or the like. Additionally, in some embodiments, voice commands may be used to select the combustion cans  23  to listen to from the list  42 . Thus, the controller  24  and/or the computing device  25  may include a microphone that is configured to receive sounds and the processor  28  and  29  may be configured to process the sounds to select the desired combustion cans  23  to listen to. 
     The user may use an input peripheral such as a mouse to move an arrow or hand selection icon around the GUI. When the user depresses and releases a button on the mouse and the selection icon is above a radio button selector, the radio button selector may toggle to a selected state if in a deselected state or may toggle to a deselected state if already in a selected state. Additionally, the input peripheral may include a touchscreen. When the user touches a portion of the touchscreen where a radio button selector is located, the radio button selector may toggle to a selected state if in a deselected state or may toggle to a deselected state if already in a selected state. Further, if the user selects the “select all” radio button selector, then any of the other radio button selectors for the combustion cans # 1  through # 6  that are already in the selected state may toggle to the deselected state and the “select all” radio button selector may toggle to the selected state. 
     In some embodiments, the combustion cans  23  in the combustion system  20  may be represented graphically, similar to  FIG. 2 , on the GUI  40 . In this way, instead of, or in addition, to selecting the combustion cans  23  from the list  42 , the user may select a graphical representation of the combustion can  23  on a visualization of the combustion system  20  to listen to audio output  34  from those particular combustion cans  23 . Additionally, the user may select the combustion can  23  to listen to from the list  42  and the graphical representation of the combustion can  23  may be highlighted in the combustion system  20  displayed on the GUI  40 . This may enable the user to visualize where each combustion can  23  is physically located relative to one another in the combustion system  20 . 
     When the user selects a particular combustion can  23  to listen to, the GUI may display a visualization  46  of a sound wave representative of the audio emitted from the inside of the respective combustion can  23  as obtained by the sensor  22 . Thus, the user may be able to visualize the sound wave on the GUI  40  via the visualization  46  that is being displayed by a display of the controller  24  and/or the computing device  25 . Although the embodiment of the visualizations  46  depicted are time domain outputs (amplitude versus time), it should be should be appreciated that the visualizations  46  may be spectral outputs (frequency versus amplitude). A spectral output may enable a user to identify the frequency associated with any abnormality detected and may guide an action to be taken. 
     Further, the software application associated with the GUI may output a live feed of the audio for the selected combustion cans  23  to the respective audio output device  30  and/or  31  of the controller  24  and/or the computing device  25 . Thus, in some embodiments the user may listen to the audio from the selected combustion cans  23  and/or view the sound wave associated with the audio of the selected combustion cans  23 . Using both the audio output  34  and the visual representation  46  in conjunction may enable the user to double check a determination of whether an anomaly, event, or problem is present. For example, the sound wave visualization  46  may be used to confirm that a loud or unexpected noise was detected by the sensors  22  in the combustion can  23  during combustion and the noise was not due to some event near the operator using the computing device  25 . That is, the audio output  34  and the sound wave visualization  46  may be used as a check on each other. 
     Using the list  42  on the GUI  40 , the user may select the combustion can(s)  23  to listen to. For example, the user may select to listen to just one combustion can  23 , may select to listen to the top half of combustion cans  23  (e.g., combustion can # 1  through # 3 ), may select to listen to the bottom half of combustion cans  23  (e.g., combustion can # 4  through # 6 ), or may select to listen to all of the combustion cans  23 . In this ways, the user may detect whether an anomaly, event, or problem is present in the combustion cans  23  in general or on an individual basis by listening to audio output  34  representing the pressure within the combustion cans  23  during combustion. The audio output  34  may be provided in real-time or near real-time as the combustion is occurring. Also, the audio output  34  may be provided via the controller  24  and/or the computing device  25 , which may be physically located away from the actual combustion system  20  (e.g., in a control room or in a separate building). 
     Further, using the input selector  44  for control alarms, the user GUI  40  may provide an input selection to the user to select whether to receive control alarms. Receiving information (e.g., type of alarm, status, parameters, timestamp) related to control alarms may be used in conjunction with the audio output  34  of the combustion cans  23  during combustion to perform diagnostics. For example, certain control alarms may relate to vibration above a threshold, oil pressure below a threshold, oil pressure above a threshold, bearing temperature above a threshold, cooling water failure, power failure, or the like. The user may view the control alarm that is currently activated and listen to the audio output  34  of the selected combustion cans  23  to determine that the irregular audio output  34  is caused by the event indicated by the control alarm. Likewise, when the user hears irregular audio output  34  from the combustion cans  23  during combustion and the control alarms are not triggered or activated, then the user may determine that the control alarms need to be recalibrated or checked to make sure they are operating properly. 
       FIG. 4  is a flow chart illustrating an embodiment of a method  50  for detecting combustion anomalies, events, or problems via audio output, in accordance with an embodiment. Although the following description of the method  50  is described with reference to the processor  28  of the controller  24 , it should be noted that the method  50  may be performed by other processors disposed on other devices that may be capable of communicating with the sensors  22 , such as the processor  29  of the computing device  25  or other components associated with the turbine system  10 . Additionally, although the following method  50  describes a number of operations that may be performed, it should be noted that the method  50  may be performed in a variety of suitable orders and all of the operations may not be performed. It should be appreciated that the method  50  may be wholly executed by the controller  24  or the execution may be distributed between the controller  24  and the computing device  25 . Further, the method  50  may be implemented as computer instructions included in a software application stored on the memory  26  or  27 . As previously discussed, the software application may be obtainable from a software distribution platform. 
     Referring now to the method  50 , the processor  28  may receive (block  52 ) an input selection of the combustion cans  23  for which to provide audio output  34 . The input selection may be entered by a user using the GUI  40  described above. For example, the user may select the combustion cans  23  from the list  42 . The user may select a subset of combustion cans  23  (one or more but not all), or all of the combustion cans  23 . Based on the input selection, the processor  28  may cause a network interface to tune-in to the respective sensors  22  associated with the selected combustion cans  23 . Additionally or alternatively, the network interface may already be communicatively coupled to the sensors  22  associated with the selected combustion cans  23 . 
     The processor  28  may receive (block  54 ) the signals from the sensors  22  of the selected combustion cans  23 . As previously described, each sensor  22  may include a combustion dynamic pressure sensor that senses pressure waves or signals in the combustion can  23  and emits the signal. 
     Once the signals are received, the processor  28  may convert (block  56 ) the signals to the audio output  34 . In some embodiments, the processor  28  may perform additional processing or calculations on the signal during conversion prior to output of the audio output  34 . For example, the processor  28  may perform A-weighting, B-weighting, C-weighting, D-weighting, reverse A-weighting, reverse B-weighting, reverse C-weighting, reverse D-weighting, or the like. It should be appreciated that any type of suitable frequency-dependent amplification or filtering may be performed by the processor  28 . It should also be appreciated that the audio output  34  may include the converted signals from a subset of combustion cans  23  (one or more but not all), or all of the combustion cans  23  depending on the combustion cans  23  selected by the user. 
     The processor  28  may output (block  58 ) the converted audio output  34  via the audio output device  30  or  31 . The user may listen to the audio output  34  to detect whether there is an anomaly, event, or problem present in the combustion can  23  or the combustion system  20 . That is, an irregular noise emitted from a particular combustion can  23  during combustion may be indicative of an issue with that respective combustion can  23  or with the combustion system  20  as a whole. 
     If the user selected to listen to the audio from a single combustion can  23  and determines that the audio output  34  is satisfactory (regular noise during combustion), then the method  50  may be repeated, as shown by arrow  58 , and the user may select the next combustion can  23  to which to listen. The method  50  may be repeated until the user listens to all of the combustion cans  23  in the combustion system  20  or until the user identifies an anomaly, event, or problem in the combustion system  20  and performs a preventative action, as described above. 
     Technical effects of the subject matter include detecting a combustion anomaly, event, or problem in a combustion system  20  using audio output. The audio output  34  may be obtained via one or more sensors  22  in each of the combustion cans  23  in the combustion system  20 . The sensors  22  may already be installed in the combustion system  20 , and thus, no additional instrumentation is installed to perform the disclosed embodiments. The sensors  22  may sense pressure waves. Further, the sensors  22  may emit the signals to the controller  24  and/or the computing device  25 , which may execute a software application to convert the signals to the audio output  34  to emit via the audio output devices  30  and  31 . In addition, some embodiments enable the user to select the combustion cans  23  for which to provide the audio output  34  using a GUI  40 , among other things. 
     This written description uses examples to disclose the subject matter, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the subject matter, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the subject matter is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal language of the claims.