Gas turbine engines and methods of controlling formation of condensates

A method of conditioning a fuel, the method comprising:

• dynamically adjusting an operating temperature of the fuel;
• dynamically adjusting an operating pressure of the fuel;
• determining a first dew point temperature of the fuel at a first time;
• and
• adjusting the pressure of the fuel based on the first dew point temperature;
• determining a second dew point temperature of the fuel at a second time after adjusting the pressure of the fuel;
• and
• maintaining an operating temperature of the fuel to be at a temperature that is at least at the determined dew point temperature.

A method for conditioning a fuel for use with a turbine, said method comprising:

• controlling operation of a heater to dynamically adjust an operating temperature of a fuel;
• controlling operation of a pressure control device to dynamically adjust an operating pressure of the fuel;
• and
• controlling operation of a controller coupled to the heater and to the pressure control device to:
• determine a first dew point temperature of the fuel at a first time;
• selectively adjust the pressure of the fuel using the pressure control device to reduce the first dew point temperature to a second dew point temperature that is lower than the first dew point temperature;
• predict a temperature drop over a transient phase, wherein during the transient phase the turbine changes from an initial fuel flow rate to a target flow rate;
• determine, based on the predicted temperature drop, an amount of thermal energy needed to maintain the temperature of the fuel above the second dew point temperature over the transient phase;
• and
• adjust, selectively, an operating parameter of the heater prior to the transient phase, to maintain the operating temperature of the fuel at or above the second dew point temperature during the transient phase.

A controller for use with a fuel conditioning system used with a turbine engine, the controller configured to:

• couple to a heater used within the turbine engine;
• couple to a pressure control device coupled within the turbine engine;
• couple to a temperature sensor coupled within the gas turbine engine;
• determine a first dew point temperature of the fuel supplied to the turbine at a first time;
• selectively adjust the pressure of the fuel to reduce the first dew point temperature to a second dew point temperature that is lower than the first dew point temperature;
• predict a temperature drop over a transient phase, wherein during the transient phase the turbine engine changes from an initial fuel flow rate to a target flow rate:
• determine, based on the predicted temperature drop, an amount of thermal energy needed to maintain the temperature of the fuel above the second dew point temperature over the transient phase;
• and
• adjust an operating parameter of the heater prior to the transient phase, to maintain the operating temperature of the fuel at or above the second dew point temperature during the transient phase.

The controller in accordance with claim 8, wherein the controller is further configured to:

• detect at least one component of the fuel;
• detect the operating pressure of the fuel;
• and
• determine at least one of the first dew point temperature and the second dew point temperature of the fuel based on at least one of the detected at least one component of the fuel and the operating pressure of the fuel.