# US 2013/0152597 A1 · System and method for flame stabilization

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- Number: US 2013/0152597 A1
- Document ID: US20130152597A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/557,750
- Filed: 2012-07-25
- Published: 2013-06-20
- Earliest claimed: 2011-12-20
- Assignees: General Electric Company
- Inventors: Mark David Durbin; Mark Anthony Mueller; Lance Kenneth Blakeman; David Albin Lind
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130152597A1

## CPC

- F23R 3/286: {having fuel-air premixing devices (F23R3/30 takes precedence)}
- F23R 3/346: {for staged combustion}
- F23D 2900/00008: Burner assemblies with diffusion and premix modes, i.e. dual mode burners
- F23D 2900/00015: Pilot burners specially adapted for low load or transient conditions, e.g. for increasing stability
- F23R: GENERATING COMBUSTION PRODUCTS OF HIGH PRESSURE OR HIGH VELOCITY, e.g. GAS-TURBINE COMBUSTION CHAMBERS (fluidised bed combustion apparatus specially adapted for operation at superatmospheric pressures F23C10/16)
- F23D: BURNERS

## Abstract

A system and method for flame stabilization is provided that forestalls incipient lean blow out by improving flame stabilization. A combustor profile is selected that maintains desired levels of power output while minimizing or eliminating overboard air bleed and minimizing emissions. The selected combustor profile maintains average shaft power in a range of from approximately 50% up to full power while eliminating overboard air bleed in maintaining such power settings. Embodiments allow for a combustor to operate with acceptable emissions at lower flame temperature. Because the combustor can operate at lower bulk flame temperatures during part power operation, the usage of inefficient overboard bleed can be reduced or even eliminated.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system for flame stabilization, the system comprising a combustor having one or more premixers, each premixer having one or more premixed cups, and each premixer having formed and disposed within one or more variable ELBO channels.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 further comprising the one or more variable ELBO channels being placed into fluid communication with the cups, wherein the one or more variable ELBO channels provide fuel used in creating a diffusion flame downstream from each cup and the premixed channels provide fuel for creating a premixed flame downstream from each cup.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 further comprising the one or more pre mixers numbering a total of twenty four premixers.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 further comprising one or more overboard bleed channels.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The system of claim 4 wherein the one or more overboard bleed channels are a first overboard bleed channel and a second overboard bleed channel.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 further comprising a selected combustor profile and pattern wherein the premixers have a fuel flow selected from the group diffusion, premix, both, no fuel flow; and, any subset of premixers may have any choice of fuel flow taken from the group.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The system of claim 6 wherein the selected combustor profile provides for staging through any of the burner modes, including circumferentially staging, in any order whatsoever, following burner modes in order, altering utilization of premixers in selected burner modes, or skipping any burner modes as required.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The system of claim 7 wherein the selected combustor profile maintains desired levels of power output while minimizing or eliminating overboard air bleed and minimizing emissions.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The system of claim 7 wherein the selected combustor profile maintains average shaft power in a range of from approximately 50% up to full power while eliminating overboard air bleed in maintaining such power settings.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 further comprising the one or more premixed cups being two cups; an A Premixed Cup and a B Premixed Cup, and the one or more variable ELBO channels being an A Premixed Cup Premixed Channel and a B Premixed Cup Premixed Channel.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 further comprising the one or more premixed cups being three cups; an A Premixed Cup, a B Premixed Cup, and a C Premixed Cup; the one or more variable ELBO channels being an A Premixed Cup Premixed Channel a B Premixed Cup Premixed Channel and a C Premixed Cup Premixed Channel.

### Claim 12

A Method for Flame Stabilization comprises the steps of:
a. Providing an engine having a controller for fuel flow, a combustor having one or more premixers, each premixer having one or more cups, the one or premixers having formed and disposed within: a variable ELBO channel, a Premixed Channel for each cup, such channels being placed into fluid communication with the cups wherein, when utilized, the variable ELBO channel provides fuel used in creating a diffusion flame downstream from each cup and the premixed channels, when utilized, provide fuel for creating a premixed flame downstream from each cup.
b. Starting the engine whereby fuel at start up is provided by A ELBO (diffusion) fuel in burner mode 1 and maintaining burner mode 1 wherein A ELBO (diffusion) fuel flow results in a flame being a diffusion flame through demands of up to approximately 15% partial power.
c. As power demand rises above a level beyond which the A ELBO cup will provide fuel flow allowing operation within desired operating parameters, the controller shifting fuel flow to burner mode 2 wherein A ELBO (diffusion)+B ELBO (diffusion) fuel flow results in flames being diffusion flames and through demands of between about 15% to about 50% power.
d. As power demand rises above either the A ELBO or the A ELBO+B ELBO threshold, the controller shifting fuel flow to burner mode 3 wherein A ELBO+B ELBO (diffusion)+A PREMIXED fuel flow results in a flame resulting from fuel flowing in the B cup remaining a diffusion flame and a flame resulting from the fuel flowing in the A cup transitioning from a diffusion flame to a premixed flame and through demands of between about 50% to about 75% power.
e. As power demand continues to increase in burner mode 3, embodiments provide that B PREMIXED cups are activated thereby transitioning flame resulting from the fuel flowing in the B cup transitioning from a diffusion flame to a premixed flame in order to control bulk flame temperature.
f. As power demand rises to a full power setting, the controller shifting fuel flow to burner mode 4 wherein A ELBO+B ELBO+A PREMIXED+B PREMIXED fuel flow results in flames being premixed flames and through demands of between about 75% to 100% or full power.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12 further comprising as selected combustor profile and pattern wherein the premixers have a fuel flow selected from the group diffusion, premix, both, no fuel flow; and, any subset of premixers may have any choice of fuel flow taken from the group.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13 wherein the controller analyzes factors selected from the group power demand, control temperature as Tflame, average thermal efficiency and adjusts staging through any of the burner modes, including circumferentially staging, in any order whatsoever, following burner modes in order, altering utilization of pre mixers in selected burner modes, or skipping any burner modes as required, in order to maintain desired levels of power output while minimizing or eliminating overboard air bleed and minimizing emissions.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14 wherein the selected combustor profile maintains desired levels of power output while minimizing or eliminating overboard air bleed and minimizing emissions.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The system of claim 15 wherein the selected combustor profile maintains average shaft power in a range of from approximately 50% up to full power while eliminating overboard air bleed in maintaining such power settings.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15 wherein the one or more cups is two cups: being an A Premixed Cup and a B Premixed Cup.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17 further comprising the one or more premixed cups being two cups;
an A Premixed Cup, and as B Premixed Cup; and the one or more variable ELBO channels being an A Premixed Cup Premixed Channel and a B Premixed Cup Premixed Channel.

### Claim 19 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15 wherein the one or more cups is three cups: being an A Premixed Cup, as B Premixed Cup, and a C Premixed Cup.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The method of claim 19 further comprising the one or more premixed cups being three cups; an A Premixed Cup, a B Premixed Cup, and a C Premixed Cup; and the one or more variable ELBO channels being an A Premixed Cup Premixed Channel a B Premixed Cup Premixed Channel and a C Premixed Cup Premixed Channel.