Flame monitoring of a gas turbine combustor using multiple dynamic pressure sensors in multiple combustors
AssigneeSiemens Energy, Inc.
InventorsHeiko Claussen, Nancy H. Ulerich, Zainul Momin, Patrick Ronald Flohr
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Abstract
The state of a flame in a subject combustor of a gas turbine engine is acoustically monitored using a dynamic pressure sensor within the subject combustor and one or more additional sensors in nearby combustors. Dynamic pressure sensor output signals from the sensors are cross correlated to identify acoustic oscillations generated by a flame in the subject combustor and received by the sensors. The cross correlation may be constrained by a maximum time delay between correlated components of the signals, based on physical characteristics.
Claims20
A flame monitoring method for a plurality of gas turbine engine combustors arranged for combusting fuel in a gas turbine engine, comprising:
- receiving a first dynamic sensor output signal from a first acoustic sensor positioned in a first gas turbine engine combustor, the first dynamic sensor output signal containing components indicative of first acoustic oscillations generated by a first flame within the first gas turbine engine combustor;
- receiving a second dynamic sensor output signal from a second acoustic sensor positioned in a second gas turbine engine combustor, the second dynamic sensor output signal containing components indicative of second acoustic oscillations generated by the first flame within the first gas turbine engine combustor and propagated to the second acoustic sensor positioned in the second gas turbine engine combustor;
- performing a cross-correlation operation on the first and second dynamic sensor output signals to determine a cross-correlation value between the first and second acoustic oscillations, the cross-correlation operation being constrained by a maximum time delay between correlated components of the first and second acoustic oscillations;
- and
- based on the cross-correlation value, determining whether the first flame is present within the first gas turbine engine combustor.
A system for monitoring flames in a plurality of gas turbine engine combustors arranged for combusting fuel in a gas turbine engine combustor, comprising:
- a first acoustic sensor positioned for measuring acoustic oscillations within a first combustor of the gas turbine engine combustor;
- a second acoustic sensor positioned for measuring acoustic oscillations within a second combustor of the gas turbine engine combustor;
- a processor connected for receiving dynamic pressure sensor output signals from the first and second acoustic sensors;
- computer readable media containing computer readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform the following operations:
- receiving a first dynamic sensor output signal from the first acoustic sensor positioned within the first combustor, the first dynamic sensor output signal containing components indicative of first acoustic oscillations generated by a first flame within the first combustor;
- receiving a second dynamic sensor output signal from the second acoustic sensor positioned within the second combustor, the second dynamic sensor output signal containing components indicative of second acoustic oscillations generated by the first flame within the first combustor and propagated to the second acoustic sensor positioned in the second combustor;
- performing a cross-correlation operation on the first and second dynamic sensor output signals to determine a cross-correlation value between the first and second acoustic oscillations, the cross-correlation operation being constrained by a maximum time delay between correlated components of the first and second acoustic oscillations;
- and
- based on the cross-correlation value, determining whether the first flame is present within the first combustor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.