Apparatus and method for combusting low quality fuel
AssigneeSiemens Westinghouse Power Corporation
InventorsJohn Samuel Brushwood, Paul Pillsbury, John Foote, Andreas Heilos
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A gas turbine (12) capable of combusting a low quality gaseous fuel having a ratio of flammability limits less than 2, or a heat value below 100 BTU/SCF. A high quality fuel is burned simultaneously with the low quality fuel to eliminate instability in the combustion flame. A sensor (46) is used to monitor at least one parameter of the flame indicative of instability. A controller (50) having the sensor signal (48) as input is programmed to control the relative flow rates of the low quality and high quality fuels. When instability is detected, the flow rate of high quality fuel is automatically increased in relation to the flow rate of low quality fuel to restore stability.
Claims11
A method of combusting fuel comprising:
- providing a supply of a first fuel exhibiting a first quality parameter;
- providing a supply of a second fuel exhibiting a second quality parameter;
- combusting simultaneously in a combustor a flow of the first fuel and a flow of the second fuel;
- monitoring at least one parameter Indicative of a level of stability of combustion in the combustor during the step of combusting;
- and
- controlling relative flow rates of the first fuel and the second fuel in response to the at least one parameter.
A method of combusting fuel, the method comprising:
- simultaneously combusting a low quality fuel and a high quality fuel in a combustor;
- monitoring a parameter responsive to combustion instability conditions in the combustor;
- and
- controlling the relative amounts of low quality fuel and high quality fuel being combusted in the combustor in response to the parameter.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.