Electrostatic flame control technology
AssigneeUnited Technologies Corporation
InventorsSteven D. Porter, Jon E. Sobanski
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of controlling fuel injection into a combustor of a gas turbine engine including: applying a first electrical charge to fuel such that the fuel becomes a charged fuel; and applying a second electrical charge to a component of the combustor, wherein the first electrical charge is applied to the fuel at a first frequency and the second electrical charge is applied to the component at a second frequency such that at least one of a selected tone, a selected screech, and a selected noise is produced by spraying the charged fuel through the component and into a combustion chamber of the combustor from a fuel nozzle.
Claims20
A method of controlling fuel injection into a combustor of a gas turbine engine, the method comprising:
- applying a first electrical charge to fuel such that the fuel becomes a charged fuel;
- and
- applying a second electrical charge to a component of the combustor,
- wherein the first electrical charge is applied to the fuel at a first frequency and the second electrical charge is applied to the component at a second frequency such that at least one of a selected tone, a selected screech, and a selected noise is produced by spraying the charged fuel through the component and into a combustion chamber of the combustor from a fuel nozzle.
A fuel injection control system for use in a combustor of a gas turbine engine, the fuel injection control system comprising:
- a charge controller configured to apply a first electrical charge to fuel such that the fuel becomes a charged fuel and apply a second electrical charge to a component of the combustor or fuel nozzle;
- and
- a fuel nozzle configured to spray the charged fuel through the component and into a combustion chamber of the combustor,
- wherein the first electrical charge is applied to the fuel at a first frequency and the second electrical charge is applied to the component at a second frequency such that at least one of a selected tone, a selected screech, and a selected noise is produced by spraying the charged fuel through the component and into a combustion chamber of the combustor from the fuel nozzle.
A fuel injection control system for use in a combustor of a gas turbine engine, the fuel injection control system comprising:
- a charge controller configured to apply a first electrical charge to fuel such that the fuel becomes a charged fuel and apply a second electrical charge to a component of the combustor;
- a fuel nozzle configured to spray the charged fuel through the component and into a combustion chamber of the combustor;
- and
- an amperage reader electrically connected to the component and the charge controller, wherein the amperage reader is configured to detect a change in amperage of electrical current flowing through the component and transmit the change of amperage to the charge controller, wherein the charge controller is configured to adjust a polarity or a magnitude of at least one of the first electrical charge or second electrical charge in response to the amperage detected.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.