Patent US5826429A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5826429A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Catalytic combustor with lean direct injection of gas fuel for low emissions combustion and methods of operation
Assignee: General Electric Co
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Filing: 1995-12-22
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Granted: 1998-10-27
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Expires: 2015-12-22
Abstract
Abstract A combustor for a gas turbine includes a diffusion flame combustion zone, a catalytic combustion zone and a post-catalytic combustion zone. At start-up or low-load levels, fuel and compressor discharge air are supplied to the diffusion flame combustion zone to provide combustion products for the turbine. At mid-range operating conditions, the products of combustion from the diffusion flame combustion zone are mixed with additional hydrocarbon fuel for combustion in the presence of a catalyst in the catalytic combustion zone. Because the fuel/air mixture in the catalytic reactor bed is lean, the combustion reaction temperature is too low to produce thermal NO x . Under high-load conditions, a lean direct injection of fuel/air is provided in a post-catalytic combustion zone where auto ignition occurs with the reactions going to completion in the transition between the combustor and turbine section. In the post-catalytic combustion zone, the combustion temperature is low and the residence time in the transition piece is short, hence minimizing thermal NO x .
Inventors
- 👤 Kenneth W. Beebe
- 👤 Stephen L. Hung
- 👤 Martin B. Cutrone
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 21:34
CPC Classifications
F; F23; F23C; F23C13/00; F02; F02B; F02B51/00; F02B51/02; F02G; F02G3/00; F23C6/00; F23C6/04; F23C6/045; F23C6/047; F23R; F23R3/00; F23R3/28; F23R3/34; F23R3/346; F23R3/40; Y; Y02; Y02T; Y02T10/00; Y02T10/10; Y02T10/12
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
163 words
A combustor for an industrial gas turbine, comprising: a combustor housing for combusting fuel and confining a stream of combustion products for flow in a downstream direction, said combustion housing having (i) a diffusion flame combustion zone including a fuel nozzle for introducing fuel into said zone and air admission openings for introducing air into the zone; (ii) a catalytic combustion zone downstream of the diffusion flame combustion zone and including a catalytic reactor bed and a fuel inlet for supplying fuel thereto; (iii) a post-catalytic combustion zone downstream of said catalytic combustion zone including in said post-catalytic combustion zone a nozzle for flowing a fuel/air mixture into said post-catalytic combustion zone; and (iv) a transition piece downstream of said post-catalytic combustion zone between said post-catalytic combustion zone and a first stage of the gas turbine and in which transition piece secondary fuel oxidation reactions go to completion without substantial formation of NO x due to short residence time in said transition piece.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
163 words
A combustor for an industrial gas turbine, comprising: a combustor housing for combusting fuel and confining a stream of combustion products for flow in a downstream direction, said combustion housing having (i) a diffusion flame combustion zone including a fuel nozzle for introducing fuel into said zone and air admission openings for introducing air into the zone; (ii) a catalytic combustion zone downstream of the diffusion flame combustion zone and including a catalytic reactor bed and a fuel inlet for supplying fuel thereto; (iii) a post-catalytic combustion zone downstream of said catalytic combustion zone including in said post-catalytic combustion zone a nozzle for flowing a fuel/air mixture into said post-catalytic combustion zone; and (iv) a transition piece downstream of said post-catalytic combustion zone between said post-catalytic combustion zone and a first stage of the gas turbine and in which transition piece secondary fuel oxidation reactions go to completion without substantial formation of NO x due to short residence time in said transition piece.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
55 words
A combustor according to claim 1 wherein said post-catalytic combustion zone is encompassed by a liner, said nozzle for flow of fuel/air mixture into said post-catalytic combustion zone including a plurality of fuel and air orifices disposed to flow the fuel/air mixture into the post-catalytic combustion zone, said orifices being spaced inwardly of said liner.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
48 words
A combustor according to claim 1 wherein said nozzle for flowing fuel/air mixture into said post-catalytic combustion zone includes a plurality of spokes extending inwardly of said housing and having a plurality of fuel and air orifices disposed to flow the fuel/air mixture into the post-catalytic combustion zone.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
19 words
A combustor according to claim 1 wherein said fuel inlet for the catalytic reactor bed is disposed upstream thereof.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
59 words
A combustor according to claim 4 wherein said fuel inlet for the catalytic reactor bed includes a plurality of venturi tubes disposed in said housing, each said tube having a wall defining a throat and an orifice through the wall of the throat and means for flowing fuel through said orifices into the flow stream through the venturi tubes.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
67 words
A combustor according to claim 1 wherein said post-catalytic combustion zone is encompassed by a liner, said nozzle for flow of fuel/air mixture into said post-catalytic combustion zone including a plurality of fuel and air orifices disposed to flow the fuel/air mixture into the post-catalytic combustion zone, said orifices being spaced inwardly of said liner, said fuel inlet for the catalytic reactor bed being disposed upstream thereof.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
59 words
A combustor according to claim 6 wherein said fuel inlet for the catalytic reactor bed includes a plurality of venturi tubes disposed in said housing, each said tube having a wall defining a throat and an orifice through the wall of the throat and means for flowing fuel through said orifices into the flow stream through the venturi tubes.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2001-10-26 | 2002-04-27 | 2002-10-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-10-26 | 2006-04-27 | 2006-10-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-10-26 | 2010-04-27 | 2010-10-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |