Patent Abstract:
A system including a gas turbine engine, including a combustor configured to generate products of combustion, a turbine driven by the products of combustion from the combustor, a compressor having a compressor discharge leading into a chamber between the combustor and a compressor discharge casing, an extraction manifold coupled to the combustor, wherein the extraction manifold is fluidly coupled to the chamber.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    The subject matter disclosed herein relates to fluid injection systems, and more particularly to a manifold. 
         [0002]    Various combustion systems include combustion chambers in which fuel and an oxidant, such as air, oxygen, and oxygen-containing mixtures, combust to generate hot gases. For example, a gas turbine engine may include one or more combustion chambers that are configured to receive compressed air from a compressor, inject fuel and, at times, other fluids into the compressed air, and generate hot combustion gases to drive one or more turbine stages. Each combustion chamber may include one or more nozzles, a combustion zone within a combustion liner, a flow sleeve surrounding the combustion liner, and a gas transition duct. Compressed air from the compressor flows to the combustion zone through a gap between the combustion liner and the flow sleeve. Unfortunately, inefficiencies may be created as the compressed air passes through the gap, thereby negatively effecting performance of the gas turbine engine. 
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION 
       [0003]    In one embodiment, a system including a gas turbine engine, including a combustor configured to generate products of combustion, a turbine driven by the products of combustion from the combustor, a compressor having a compressor discharge leading into a chamber between the combustor and a compressor discharge casing, an extraction manifold coupled to the combustor, wherein the extraction manifold is fluidly coupled to the chamber. 
         [0004]    In another embodiment, a system including a turbine combustor casing having a wall and a flange, wherein the wall and the flange extend circumferentially about an interior space, and the flange comprises an extraction aperture configured to be in fluid communication with a compressor discharge, and an extraction manifold coupled to the flange over the extraction aperture, wherein the extraction manifold including a first portion having a first passage with a first axis, and a second portion having a second passage with a second axis, wherein the first and second axes are offset from one another by an offset distance, and the first and second axes are oriented crosswise to one another. 
         [0005]    In another embodiment, a system including an extraction manifold, including a first portion having a first passage with a first axis, wherein the first portion has a mounting flange configured to mount to a turbine combustor in fluid communication with a compressor discharge, and a second portion having a second passage with a second axis, wherein the first and second axes are offset from one another by an offset distance, the first and second axes are oriented crosswise to one another, and the second passage comprises at least one flow guide configured to inhibit swirl of an extraction flow, straighten the extraction flow, or a combination thereof. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]    These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention 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: 
           [0007]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram of an embodiment of a gas-turbine system; 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional side view of an embodiment of a combustor with a high-pressure-air-extraction manifold; 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of an embodiment of a combustor casing with a high-pressure-air-extraction manifold; 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of an embodiment of a combustor-aft casing; 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a high-pressure-air-extraction manifold along line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a high-pressure-air-extraction manifold along line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 3 ; and 
           [0013]      FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a high-pressure-air-extraction manifold along line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 3 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0014]    One or more specific embodiments of the present invention 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. 
         [0015]    When introducing elements of various embodiments of the present invention, 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. 
         [0016]    The disclosed embodiments are generally directed towards a system for providing steady pressurized airflow to pilot and/or blank cartridges (i.e., nozzles) in the combustor, to improve combustion dynamics. More specifically, the disclosed embodiments are directed to a combustor-aft casing with a high-pressure-air-extraction manifold. The combustor-aft casing includes an aperture in fluid communication with a source of steady pressurized air in the gas-turbine system. Steady pressurized airflow is therefore able to travel through the combustor-aft casing and the air-extraction manifold to the pilot and/or blank cartridges. Moreover, the air-extraction manifold includes features that reduce airflow swirl, thereby reducing pressure losses. A reduction in pressure losses through the air-extraction manifold increases the pressure available for the pilot and/or blank cartridges, improving combustion dynamics. For example, the air-extraction manifold may include an interior surface capable of reducing airflow swirl. The interior surface may be rough, jagged, pentagonally shaped, among others, reducing the ability of the airflow to swirl through the air-extraction manifold. By further example, the interior surface may include one or more flow guides (e.g., grooves, protrusions, or flats), which inhibit swirl of the airflow and help guide the airflow along the longitudinal axis of the manifold. 
         [0017]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram of an embodiment of a turbine system  10 . The turbine system  10  may use liquid or gas fuel, such as natural gas and/or a synthetic gas, to drive the turbine system  10 . As depicted, one or more fuel nozzles  12  may intake a fuel supply  14 , partially mix the fuel with air (e.g., an oxidant, such as O 2  and O 2  mixtures), and distribute the fuel and air mixture into the combustor  16  where further mixing occurs between the fuel and air. As described in the disclosed embodiments, a high-pressure-air-extraction manifold  64  couples to the combustor  16 , guiding stable high-pressure air from the compressor to the fuel nozzle(s)  12 . The stable high-pressure air enables purging of blank fuel nozzles/cartridges and/or to feed a pilot fuel nozzle/cartridge. The air-fuel mixture combusts in the combustor  16 , thereby creating hot pressurized exhaust gases. The combustor  16  directs the exhaust gases through a turbine  18  toward an exhaust outlet  20 . As the exhaust gases pass through the turbine  18 , the gases force turbine blades to rotate a shaft  22  along an axis of the turbine system  10 . As illustrated, the shaft  22  is connected to various components of the turbine system  10 , including a compressor  24 . The compressor  24  also includes blades coupled to the shaft  22 . As the shaft  22  rotates, the blades within the compressor  24  also rotate, thereby compressing air from an air intake  26  through the compressor  24  and into the fuel nozzles  12  and/or combustor  16 . The shaft  22  may also be connected to a load  28 , which may be a vehicle or a stationary load, such as an electrical generator in a power plant or a propeller on an aircraft, for example. The load  28  may include any suitable device capable of being powered by the rotational output of turbine system  10 . 
         [0018]      FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional side view of an embodiment of a combustor  16 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , an axial axis  30  runs horizontally and is considered generally parallel to the shaft  22 . A radial axis  32  runs vertically and is generally perpendicular to the shaft  22 . Lastly, a circumferential direction  34  is considered to encircle the axial axis  30 . The combustor  16  includes an aft end  36  and a fore end  38 . The fore end  38  is located near the front (or upstream) of the turbine  18  and the aft end  36  is located near the back (or downstream) nearest the turbine  18 . The radial outermost layer of the combustor  16  is the combustor-aft casing  40 , which may enclose the components of the combustor  16 . Portions of the combustor-aft casing  40  may be directly in contact with a flow sleeve  41 , which aids in cooling the components of the combustor  16 . Continuing inward in the radial direction  32 , the next component is a combustion liner  42 , which may contain the combustion reaction. An empty space is disposed between the flow sleeve  41  and the combustion liner  42 , and may be referred to as an annulus  44 . The annulus  44  may direct airflow to a head end  46  of the combustor  16 . More specifically, airflow reaches the annulus  44  from compressed airflow discharged by the compressor  24  into the air plenum  50 . The air plenum  50  surrounds the flow sleeve  41  enabling compressed air  48  to pass through apertures  52  and into the annulus  44 . After passing through the apertures  52 , the annulus  44  channels the compressed air  48  to the head end  46 . In the head end  46 , the compressed air  48  may be turned or redirected toward one or more fuel nozzles  12  (e.g., a set of fuel nozzles  54 ). The fuel nozzles  12  are configured to partially premix air and fuel to create a fuel air mixture  56 . The fuel nozzles  54  discharge the fuel air mixture  56  into a combustion zone  58 , where a combustion reaction takes place. The combustion reaction generates in hot pressurized combustion products  60 . These combustion products  60  then travel through a transition piece  62  to the turbine  18 , thereby generating mechanical power. 
         [0019]    As explained above, the gas-turbine system  10  may include multiple fuel nozzles  12 . The fuel nozzles  12  may include fuel cartridges, a pilot cartridge, and blank cartridges (e.g., cartridges that inject air but not fuel). The fuel cartridges combine fuel and air to create a fuel air mixture for combustion in the combustion zone  58 . The pilot cartridge, like the fuel cartridges, combines fuel and air to create a fuel air mixture for combustion. However, the pilot cartridge anchors the combustion flame (i.e., affects combustion dynamics) for the remaining fuel cartridges. The blank cartridges, unlike the fuel and pilot cartridges, inject air into the combustion zone  58 . Moreover, the blank cartridges, like the pilot cartridge, affect the combustion dynamics within the combustor  16 . During operation, the air flowing through annulus  44  may not provide sufficiently stable airflow and pressure to the pilot cartridge and/or the blank cartridges. Accordingly, the gas-turbine system  10  includes a high-pressure-air-extraction manifold  64 , which enables a steady flow of pressurized air to travel from the air plenum  50  directly to the fore end  38  of the combustor  16  for use in the pilot and/or blank cartridges. The pressure of the air inside the air plenum  50  is more stable and consistent than the airflow traveling through the annulus  44 . Accordingly, the high-pressure extraction air manifold  64  facilitates combustion dynamics by channeling the steady supply of pressurized air in the air plenum  50  to the pilot and/or blank cartridges. As illustrated, the high-pressure-air-extraction manifold  64  couples to the combustor-aft casing  40  and is in fluid communication with the opening  66 . The opening  66  enables airflow from the plenum  50  to travel through the manifold  64 , through conduit or line  68 , and into the head end  46  for use by the pilot and/or blank cartridges. 
         [0020]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of an embodiment of a combustor-aft casing  40  with the high-pressure-air-extraction manifold  64 . As explained above, the combustor-aft casing  40  enables the high-pressure-air-extraction manifold  64  to channel a source of steady pressurized airflow from the air plenum  50  (seen in  FIG. 2 ) to the pilot and/or blank cartridges. As illustrated, the combustor-aft casing  40  includes a casing wall  88 , flange  90 , and flange  92 . The flanges  90  and  92  include respective apertures  94  and  96 . The flanges  90  and  92  enable combustor-aft casing  40  to connect to the combustion flow sleeve  41  and to the head end  46  (seen in  FIG. 2 ). Moreover, the apertures  94  enable the air-extraction manifold  64  to couple to the combustor-aft casing  40  with bolts, fasteners, etc. Specifically, the air-extraction manifold  64  couples to the flange  90  and over an air-extraction aperture (illustrated in  FIG. 4 ). Accordingly, airflow is able to pass through the flange  90  and into the high-pressure-air-extraction manifold  64 . The air-extraction manifold  64  includes a combustor-connection portion  98 , and an air-line-connector portion  100 . The combustor-connection portion  98  includes a flange  102  and a body portion  104 . The combustor-connection portion  98  couples to the flange  90  with flange  102  using bolts that pass through apertures  106 . The body portion  104  couples to the air-line-connector portion  100 . Accordingly, as airflow passes through the flange  90  it enters the body portion  104 , which then channels the airflow into the air-line-connector portion  100  for movement through line  68  (seen in  FIG. 2 ). The air-line-connector portion  100  may be annular in shape and include an annular aperture  108  (e.g., bore or passage) and annular grooves  110  and  112 . The annular grooves  110  and  112  enable connection of a line or hose  68  (e.g., an air conduit), for directing the steady pressurized air from the air plenum  50  to the head end  46  (seen in  FIG. 2 ). In addition, the air-line-connector portion  100  may be offset from a conduit that runs through the combustor connector portion  98 . Indeed, offsetting the air-line-connector portion  100  enables connection of the line or hose  68  without interference between the air-extraction manifold  64  and the combustor casing wall  88 . As high-pressure airflow enters the air-extraction manifold  64  in direction  114 , the airflow passes through the body portion  104  and into the aperture  108  of the air-line-connector portion  100 . The pressurized airflow then exits the air-extraction manifold  64  in direction  116  into the line or hose  68  (seen in  FIG. 2 ). Thus, airflow travels through the air-extraction manifold  64  in two directions that are generally crosswise (e.g., perpendicular) to one another. The change in direction of the airflow may induce swirling that may cause the airflow to lose pressure. As will be explained in more detail in  FIGS. 5-7 , the aperture  108  may include various anti-swirl surfaces that reduce swirling, and the associated pressure drops. 
         [0021]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of an embodiment of a combustor-aft casing  40  with an air-extraction aperture  120  at a mounting region  121  for the air-extraction manifold  64 . The air-extraction aperture  120  enables the steady high-pressure air to travel from the air plenum  50  and into the air-extraction manifold  64  (seen in  FIG. 2 ). Moreover, by including the aperture  120  in the flange  90 , existing gas-turbine systems may be retrofitted with the air-extraction manifold  64 . As illustrated, the flange  90  defines the air-extraction aperture  120 . In the present embodiment, the aperture  120  forms a kidney bean shape (i.e., narrow opening between two large openings), enabling the aperture  120  to be adequately sized, but conform to the flange  90  (e.g., avoid interference with the apertures  94 ). In other embodiments, the aperture  120  may form different shapes to include rectangular, half-moon, elliptical, etc. 
         [0022]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a high-pressure-air-extraction manifold  64  taken along line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 3 . As explained above, the air-extraction manifold  64  enables pilot and blank cartridges to receive steady high pressure air from the air plenum  50  (seen in  FIG. 2 ). In addition, the air-extraction manifold  64  reduces air pressure drops by blocking or inhibiting airflow swirl, thereby improving combustion dynamics with the pilot and/or blank cartridges. The air-extraction manifold  64  includes a combustor-connection portion  132  and an air-line-connector portion  134 . The combustor-connection portion  132  includes a flange  136  and a body portion  138 . As explained above, the flange  136  enables the air-extraction manifold  64  to couple to the combustor-aft casing  40  (seen in  FIGS. 3 and 4 ). The body portion  138  includes a conduit  140  (i.e., a first passage). The conduit  140  conducts airflow  141  from the aperture  120  in the combustor-aft casing  40  (seen in  FIG. 4 ), to the air-line-connector portion  134 . As illustrated, the air-line-connector portion  134  includes an axis  135  (i.e., a first axis) and the body portion  138  includes an axis  139  (i.e., a second axis). The two axes  135  and  139  are offset from one another by a distance  143 . The offset  143  between the two axes  135  and  139  may cause the airflow to swirl as the airflow  141  exits the conduit  140  and enters a conduit  142  (i.e., a second passage) of the air-line-connector portion  138 . The swirling airflow causes pressure drops, thus reducing the air pressure available for the pilot and/or blank cartridges. As illustrated, the conduit  142  includes a rough interior surface  144 . The rough interior surface  144  breaks up the airflow  141  (i.e., inhibiting swirl of the airflow  141 ) reducing the pressure drop of the airflow  141  through the air-extraction manifold  64 . Thus, the disclosed embodiments include anti-swirl features on the interior surface of the conduit  142  to inhibit swirling flow of the airflow circumferentially about the first axis  135 , while helping guide the airflow axially along the first axis  135  (i.e., the anti-swirl features may be described as flow guides, which extend in an axial direction along the first axis  135 ). Accordingly, the pilot and/or blank cartridges receive increased steady pressurized airflow from the air plenum  50  (seen in  FIG. 2 ), improving combustion dynamics. 
         [0023]      FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a high-pressure-air-extraction manifold  64  taken along line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 3 . As explained above, the air-extraction manifold  64  enables pilot and blank cartridges to receive steady high pressure air from the air plenum  50  (seen in  FIG. 2 ). Moreover, the air-extraction manifold  64  reduces airflow swirling and the associated pressure drops, thereby improving combustion dynamics with the pilot and/or blank cartridges. The air-extraction manifold  64  includes a combustor-connection portion  162  and an air-line-connector portion  164 . The combustor-connection portion  162  includes a flange  166  and a body portion  168 . As explained above, the flange  166  enables the air-extraction manifold  64  to couple to the combustor-aft casing  40  (seen in  FIGS. 3 and 4 ). The body portion  168  includes a conduit  170  (i.e., a first passage). The conduit  170  enables airflow  171  to travel from the aperture  120  (seen in  FIG. 4 ) in the combustor-aft casing  40  to the air-line-connector portion  164 . As illustrated, the air-line-connector portion  164  includes an axis  165  (i.e., a first axis) and the body portion  168  includes an axis  169  (i.e., a second axis). The two axes  165  and  169  are offset from one another by a distance  173 . The offset  173  between the two axes  165  and  169  may cause airflow entering a conduit  172  (i.e., a second passage) to swirl and lose pressure. As illustrated, the conduit  172  includes a jagged interior surface  174  (i.e., a surface that alternates between protrusions and grooves). The jagged interior surface  174  breaks up the airflow  171 , enabling the airflow  171  to transition from the conduit  170  to the conduit  172  without swirling. More specifically, the jagged interior surface  174  reduces pressure losses by breaking up the swirling airflow  171 . Thus, the disclosed embodiments include anti-swirl features on the interior surface of the conduit  172  to inhibit swirling flow of the airflow circumferentially about the first axis  165 , while helping guide the airflow axially along the first axis  165  (i.e., the anti-swirl features may be described as flow guides, which extend in an axial direction along the first axis  165 ). Accordingly, the pilot and/or blank cartridges receive increased steady pressurized airflow from the air plenum  50  (seen in  FIG. 2 ), improving combustion dynamics. 
         [0024]      FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a high-pressure-air-extraction manifold  64  along line  5 - 5 . As explained above, the air-extraction manifold  64  enables pilot and blank cartridges to receive steady high pressure air from the air plenum  50  (seen in  FIG. 2 ). Moreover, the air-extraction manifold  64  reduces swirling of the airflow and the associated pressure drops, enabling improved combustion dynamics with the pilot and/or blank cartridges. The air-extraction manifold  64  includes a combustor-connection portion  192  and an air-line-connector portion  194 . The combustor-connection portion  192  includes a flange  196  and a body portion  198 . As explained above, the flange  196  enables the air-extraction manifold  64  to couple to the combustor-aft casing  40  (seen in  FIGS. 3 and 4 ). The body portion  198  includes a conduit  200  (i.e., a first passage). The conduit  200  enables airflow  201  to travel from the aperture  120  (seen in  FIG. 4 ) in the combustor-aft casing  40  to the air-line-connector portion  194 . As illustrated, the air-line-connector portion  194  includes an axis  195  (i.e., a first axis) and the body portion  198  includes an axis  199  (i.e., a second axis). The two axes  195  and  199  are offset from one another by a distance  203 . The offset  203  between the two axes  195  and  199  may cause airflow entering a conduit  202  (i.e., a second passage) to swirl and lose pressure, reducing the air pressure available for the pilot and/or blank cartridges. As illustrated, the conduit  202  includes a pentagonal shaped interior surface  204 . However, in other embodiments the interior surface may be any polygonal shape having 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, or more sides (e.g., a triangle, square, rectangle, pentagon, hexagon, etc.). The pentagonal interior surface  204  breaks up the airflow  201 , enabling the airflow  201  to transition from the conduit  200  to the conduit  202  without swirling. More specifically, the pentagonal interior surface  202  reduces pressure losses by breaking up the swirling airflow  201 . Thus, the disclosed embodiments include anti-swirl features on the interior surface of the conduit  202  to inhibit swirling flow of the airflow circumferentially about the first axis  195 , while helping guide the airflow axially along the first axis  195  (i.e., the anti-swirl features may be described as flow guides, which extend in an axial direction along the first axis  195 ). Accordingly, the pilot and/or blank cartridges receive increased steady pressurized airflow from the air plenum  50  (seen in  FIG. 2 ), improving combustion dynamics. 
         [0025]    Technical effects of the invention include a combustor-aft casing with an aperture, capable of receiving an air-extraction manifold. The aperture and air-extraction manifold enable steady compressed airflow to travel to the pilot and/or blank cartridges, enabling the pilot and/or blank cartridges to improve combustion dynamics in the gas-turbine system. Moreover, the air-extraction manifold includes swirl inhibiting features that reduce pressure losses. Accordingly, the air-extraction manifold increases the pressure available for the pilot and/or blank cartridges, improving combustion dynamics in the gas-turbine system. 
         [0026]    This written description uses examples to disclose the invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the invention 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 languages of the claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 8