# US 9,435,268 B2 · Methods of Si based ceramic components volatilization control in a gas turbine engine > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,435,268 B2 - Document ID: US9435268B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/222,927 - Filed: 2014-03-24 - Published: 2015-09-24 - Granted: 2016-09-06 - Earliest claimed: 2014-03-24 - Assignees: General Electric Company - Applicants: General Electric Company - Inventors: Andres Jose Garcia-Crespo; John Delvaux; Noemie Dion Ouellet - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9435268B2 ## CPC - F02C 9/40: specially adapted to the use of a special fuel or a plurality of fuels - F01D 5/288: {Protective coatings for blades} - F05D 2270/11: to prolong engine life - Y02T 50/60: Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft - 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) - F01D: NON-POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, e.g. STEAM TURBINES (machines or engines for liquids F03; non-positive displacement pumps F04D) - F05D: INDEXING SCHEME FOR ASPECTS RELATING TO NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, GAS-TURBINES OR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract A method of controlling volatilization of silicon based components in a gas turbine engine includes measuring, estimating and/or predicting a variable related to operation of the gas turbine engine; correlating the variable to determine an amount of silicon to control volatilization of the silicon based components in the gas turbine engine; and injecting silicon into the gas turbine engine to control volatilization of the silicon based components. A gas turbine with a compressor, combustion system, turbine section and silicon injection system may be controlled by a controller that implements the control method. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of controlling volatilization of silicon based components in a gas turbine engine, the method comprising: measuring, estimating and/or predicting a variable related to operation of the gas turbine engine; correlating the variable to determine an effective amount of silicon to control volatilization of the silicon based components in the gas turbine engine; comparing the effective amount of silicon to a maximum amount of silicon; and injecting the lesser of the effective amount of silicon and the maximum amount of silicon into the gas turbine engine to control volatilization of the silicon based components. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the variable comprises at least one of temperature of turbine exhaust gas, inlet guide vane position, turbine load, fuel flow, silicon or silicon hydroxide content of the turbine exhaust gas, water content of the turbine exhaust gas, a component temperature of the gas turbine engine, metal particulates in the turbine exhaust gas, rare earth particulates in the turbine exhaust gas, triboluminescence events associated with the gas turbine engine, ceramic particles in the turbine exhaust gas, and local humidity at an inlet plane of the gas turbine engine. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the effective amount of silicon is re-correlated periodically or continuously during operation of the gas turbine engine. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein temperature of turbine exhaust gas, fuel flow, water content of the turbine exhaust gas and a component temperature of the gas turbine engine are each measured and correlated to determine the effective amount of silicon. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the variable is a component temperature of the gas turbine and the correlation has a linear relationship between the effective amount of silicon and the component temperature of the gas turbine. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method according to claim 5, wherein the effective amount of silicon is zero when the component temperature is at or below a predetermined temperature and increases linearly when the component temperature is above the predetermined temperature. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method according to claim 6, wherein the predetermined temperature is 800 degrees Fahrenheit. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the variable is water content of the turbine exhaust gas and the correlation has an exponential relationship between the effective amount of silicon and the water content. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method according to claim 8, wherein the exponential relationship is adjusted based upon another measured, estimated and/or predicted variable. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the variable is temperature of the turbine exhaust gas and the correlation has a linear relationship between the effective amount of silicon and the temperature of the turbine exhaust gas. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the variable is correlated based upon ambient conditions external to the gas turbine engine in addition to the variable. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the maximum amount of silicon is a maximum amount of silicon that can be injected into the gas turbine engine without exceeding particulate emission requirements. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method according to claim 12, wherein the maximum amount of silicon is variable. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the maximum amount of silicon is predetermined based upon parameters of the gas turbine engine. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the effective amount of silicon is fixed amount until a predetermined operational event of the gas turbine engine occurs. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method according to claim 15, wherein the predetermined operational event is a non-zero cumulative operating duration of the gas turbine engine. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method according to claim 15, wherein the predetermined operational event is detecting an impact event in the gas turbine engine. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method according to claim 17, wherein the impact event is detected by detecting at least one of a silicon carbide particulate in the turbine exhaust gas, a metal particulate in the turbine exhaust gas, a rare earth particulate in the turbine exhaust gas, and a triboluminescence event. ### Claim 19 A method of controlling volatilization of silicon based components in a gas turbine engine, the method comprising: measuring temperature of turbine exhaust gas, fuel flow, water content of the turbine exhaust gas, and a component temperature of the gas turbine engine; correlating each of the temperature of the turbine exhaust gas, the fuel flow, the water content and the component temperature to determine an effective amount of silicon to control volatilization of the silicon based components in the gas turbine engine; and injecting the effective amount of silicon into the gas turbine engine to control volatilization of the silicon based components. ### Claim 20 A gas turbine engine system comprising: a compressor; a combustion system; a turbine section; an injector adapted to inject silicon into the combustion system; and a controller, wherein the controller includes programming for: measuring, estimating and/or predicting a variable related to operation of the gas turbine engine; correlating the variable to determine an effective amount of silicon to control volatilization of silicon based components in the gas turbine engine; comparing the effective amount of silicon to a maximum amount of silicon; and injecting the lesser of the effective amount of silicon and the maximum amount of silicon into the gas turbine engine to control volatilization of the silicon based components.