Detecting flashback by monitoring engine-dynamic spikes

A computer system for auto-tuning a gas turbine (GT) engine using engine dynamics to adjust for flashback events, the computer system comprising a processor coupled to a computer storage medium, the computer storage medium having stored thereon a plurality of computer software components executable by the processor, the computer software components comprising:

• an acquisition component that measures an instantaneous signal of low-frequency dynamics while monitoring the engine dynamics for the GT engine;
• a processing component that performs an analysis to determine whether the instantaneous signal qualifies as a spike that satisfies one or more flashback criteria, wherein performing the analysis comprises:
• (a) calculating an average of the measured low-frequency dynamics over a predefined period of time;
• (b) determining whether the instantaneous signal overcomes a first predetermined value of the one or more flashback criteria, wherein the first predetermined value represents a multiple of the calculated average;
• and
• (c) determining whether the instantaneous signal overcomes a second predetermined value of the one or more flashback criteria, wherein the second predetermined value represents preestablished minimum amplitude of the instantaneous signal;
• and
• an adjustment component that, upon receiving an indication that the instantaneous signal satisfies one or more flashback criteria, adjusts one or more fuel-flow splits while maintaining total fuel flow to the GT engine substantially constant.

One or more computer-readable media that, when invoked by computer-executable instructions, perform a method that adjusts one or more fuel-flow splits of a gas-turbine (GT) engine upon detecting the occurrence of flashback events, the method comprising:

• monitoring dynamics of the GT engine during an automated tuning procedure, wherein monitoring comprises:
• (a) measuring an instantaneous signal of lean blowout (LBO);
• and
• (b) averaging the measured LBO over a predefined period of time;
• determining whether a spike, as indicated by the instantaneous signal of the measured LBO, satisfies one or more flashback criteria, wherein determining comprises:
• (a) determining whether the spike overcomes a first predetermined value of the one or more flashback criteria, wherein the first predetermined value represents a multiple of the averaged LBO;
• or
• (b) determining whether the spike overcomes a second predetermined value of the one or more flashback criteria, wherein the second predetermined value represents preestablished minimum amplitude of the instantaneous signal;
• upon recognizing that the spike overcomes either the first predetermined value or the second predetermined value, generating an updated running record by adding a count to a running record of spikes detected from the GT engine;
• determining whether the updated running record overcomes an alarm limit;
• incident to determining that the updated running record overcomes the alarm limit, adjusting the one or more fuel-flow splits while maintaining total fuel flow to the GT engine substantially constant;
• and
• incident to determining that the updated running record fails to overcome the alarm limit, providing an indication that the fuel-flow splits are to remain unchanged.