# US 9,435,258 B2 · System and method for heating combustor fuel

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- Number: US 9,435,258 B2
- Document ID: US9435258B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/651,813
- Filed: 2012-10-15
- Published: 2014-04-17
- Granted: 2016-09-06
- Earliest claimed: 2012-10-15
- Assignees: General Electric Company
- Applicants: General Electric Company
- Inventors: Durgaprasad Janapaneedi; Korey Frederic Rendo; Dean Matthew Erickson; Timothy Russell Bilton; Christina Renee Pompey
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9435258B2

## CPC

- F02C 3/34: with recycling of part of the working fluid, i.e. semi-closed cycles with combustion products in the closed part of the cycle
- F02C 6/06: providing compressed gas (F02C6/10 takes precedence)
- F02C 7/224: Heating fuel before feeding to the burner
- F02C: GAS-TURBINE PLANTS; AIR INTAKES FOR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS; CONTROLLING FUEL SUPPLY IN AIR-BREATHING JET-PROPULSION PLANTS (construction of turbines F01D; jet-propulsion plants F02K; construction of compressors or fans F04; generating combustion products of high pressure or high velocity F23R; using gas turbines in compression refrigeration plants F25B11/00)

## Abstract

A system for heating combustor fuel includes a turbine exhaust plenum and a heat exchanger downstream from the turbine exhaust plenum. The heat exchanger has an exhaust inlet, an exhaust outlet, a fuel inlet, and a fuel outlet. An exhaust recirculation plenum has a recirculation inlet connection downstream from the exhaust outlet and a recirculation outlet connection upstream from the exhaust inlet. The system further includes structure for controlling a recirculated exhaust flow from the exhaust outlet into the exhaust recirculation plenum.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system for heating combustor fuel, comprising:
a turbine exhaust plenum having an exhaust supply connection;
a mixing plenum disposed downstream from the exhaust supply connection;
a heat exchanger downstream from the mixing plenum, wherein the heat exchanger has an exhaust inlet in fluid communication with the mixing plenum, an exhaust outlet downstream from the exhaust inlet, a fuel inlet, and a fuel outlet;
a blower disposed downstream from the exhaust outlet of the heat exchanger; and
an exhaust recirculation plenum having a recirculation inlet connection downstream from the blower and a recirculation outlet connection fluidly connected to the mixing plenum, wherein the mixing plenum comprises a plurality of baffles downstream from the recirculation outlet connection and upstream from the heat exchanger inlet.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system as in claim 1, further comprising a three-way valve disposed downstream from the blower at the recirculation inlet connection.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The system as in claim 1, further comprising a throttle valve disposed downstream from the blower and upstream from the mixing plenum within the exhaust recirculation plenum.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The system as in claim 1, further comprising an exhaust return connection between the blower and the turbine exhaust plenum.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The system as in claim 4, further comprising an exhaust return valve between the blower and the exhaust return connection.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The system as in claim 1, further comprising a fuel bypass plenum having a fuel bypass inlet upstream from the fuel inlet to the heat exchanger and a fuel bypass outlet downstream from the fuel outlet of the heat exchanger.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The system as in claim 6, further comprising a Wobbe Index sensor disposed downstream from the fuel bypass plenum.

### Claim 8

A gas turbine comprising:
a compressor;
a combustor downstream from the compressor;
a turbine downstream from the combustor;
a turbine exhaust plenum downstream from the turbine;
a system for heating combustor fuel, comprising:
a turbine exhaust plenum having an exhaust supply connection;
a mixing plenum disposed downstream from the exhaust supply connection;
a heat exchanger downstream from the mixing plenum, wherein the heat exchanger has an exhaust inlet in fluid communication with the mixing plenum, an exhaust outlet downstream from the exhaust inlet, a fuel inlet, and a fuel outlet;
a blower disposed downstream from the exhaust outlet of the heat exchanger; and
an exhaust recirculation plenum having a recirculation inlet connection downstream from the blower and a recirculation outlet connection fluidly connected to the mixing plenum, wherein the mixing plenum comprises a plurality of baffles downstream from the recirculation outlet connection and upstream from the heat exchanger inlet.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The gas turbine in claim 8, further comprising a three-way valve disposed downstream from the blower at the recirculation inlet connection.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The gas turbine as in claim 8, further comprising a throttle valve disposed downstream from the blower and upstream from the mixing plenum within the exhaust recirculation plenum.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The gas turbine as in claim 8, further comprising an exhaust return connection between the blower and the turbine exhaust plenum.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The gas turbine as in claim 11, further comprising an exhaust return valve between the blower and the exhaust return connection.

### Claim 13 (depends on 8)

The gas turbine as in claim 8, further comprising a fuel bypass plenum having a fuel bypass inlet upstream from the fuel inlet to the heat exchanger and a fuel bypass outlet downstream from the fuel outlet of the heat exchanger.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The gas turbine as in claim 13, further comprising a Wobbe Index sensor disposed downstream from the fuel bypass plenum.