Variable load gas turbine

Claim 1

A gas turbine unit operable to facilitate rapid changes in a load imposed on said turbine unit, said turbine unit comprising: a compressor for pressurizing a fluid, a plurality of combustion chambers disposed in annular array in which pressurized fluid is admixed with a fuel and burned to produce a high temperature motive fluid, a plenum chamber encircling and in fluid communication with said combustion chambers and adapted to direct pressurized fluid from said compressor to said combustion chamber, a turbine portion in fluid communication with said combustion chamber and adapted to convert energy in said high temperature motive fluid to rotating energy, said turbine portion being so connected to said load and to said compressor to drive said load and said compressor, and said compressor portion and said turbine portion being matched so that during normal operation generally the complete output of the compressor portion passes through the turbine portion, an exhaust duct into which the motive fluid from the turbine portion is discharged, means for bleeding pressurized fluid from the plenum chamber and means for maintaining the fuel supplied to the combustion chamber at a predetermined flow rate, said bleed means and fuel flow maintaining means cooperating to negate flameout during rapid reduction in load and to maintain the temperature within the turbine portion at a generally high level so that the turbine unit can pick up load rapidly without large thermal shocks and stresses being produced therein, said bleed means comprising a plurality of apertures disposed circumferentially around the plenum chamber, a conduit in fluid communication with said aperture, flow control means disposed in said conduit, and a header in fluid communication with said apertures and said conduit, said flow control means being responsive to the speed of the turbine and the power output of the turbine unit.