Granted Patent B2

US 12,523,179 · App. 18/734,288 · Granted Jan 13, 2026

Inventors: Oyebimpe B. Olubode (Toronto, CA); Alston Ilford Scipio (Mableton, GA); Adenuga Moshood Adelakun (Winnipeg, CA); Temitayo O. Femi-Fowode (SE Smyrna, GA); Colin Noel Stevens (Atlanta, GA); John Karigiannis (Laval, CA)

Assignee: GE Vernova Infrastructure Technology LLC

F02C9/40F02C3/30F02C3/34

Abstract

Claims (48)

1 . A method of blending at least two fuels of a gas turbine, the method comprising:

providing the at least two fuels to a mixing chamber via a fuel supply system, the fuel supply system including a fuel supply circuit for each fuel of the at least two fuels;

mixing, via an effusion plate and baffles of the mixing chamber, the at least two fuels to form a fuel mixture;

determining, via one or more sensors, a measured interchangeability index of the fuel mixture, the interchangeability index being one of a measured Wobbe Index of the fuel mixture or a measured Modified Wobbe Index of the fuel mixture;

comparing the measured interchangeability index to a predetermined interchangeability index;

adjusting, via the fuel supply system, one or more parameters of at least one of the at least two fuels based on the comparison between the measured interchangeability index and the predetermined interchangeability index;

providing the fuel mixture to a combustion system of a gas turbine; and

combusting the fuel mixture in the combustion system of a gas turbine to form exhaust gases and providing at least some of the exhaust gases to the fuel supply system as one of the at least two fuels.

2 . The method as in claim 1 , wherein the one or more parameters include at least one of a pressure, a temperature, an amount, and a flow rate.

3 . The method as in claim 1 , wherein adjusting the one or more parameters comprises:

adjusting a temperature of at least one of the at least two fuels via an electric heater disposed in thermal communication on the fuel supply circuit.

4 . The method as in claim 1 , wherein adjusting the one or more parameters comprises:

adjusting an amount of at least one of the at least two fuels provided to the mixing chamber by modulating a control valve disposed in fluid communication on the fuel supply circuit.

5 . The method as in claim 1 , further comprising, prior to providing the fuel mixture to the combustion system, providing the fuel mixture from the mixing chamber to a second mixing chamber.

6 . The method as in claim 1 , further comprising providing the fuel mixture from the mixing chamber to a second mixing chamber, mixing the fuel mixture with another one of the at least two fuels in the second mixing chamber to form a second fuel mixture, and providing the second fuel mixture to the combustion system.

7 . The method as in claim 1 , further comprising providing ammonia to the exhaust gases prior to providing the at least some of the exhaust gases to the fuel supply system.

8 . The method as in claim 1 , wherein the fuel supply circuit includes a main fuel supply line, an electric heater disposed in thermal communication on the main fuel supply line and one or more valves disposed in fluid communication on the main fuel supply line downstream of the electric heater, a recirculation line extending from the main fuel supply line, and an atmospheric vent line extending from the main fuel supply line.

9 . A system for blending at least two fuels of a gas turbine engine, the system comprising:

a combustion system of a gas turbine;

a mixing chamber including an effusion plate and a plurality of baffles;

a fuel supply system for supplying at the least two fuels to the mixing chamber and the combustion system, the fuel supply system including a fuel supply circuit for each fuel of the at least two fuels;

one or more sensors operably connected to the fuel supply system;

a controller operably connected to the fuel supply system, the mixing chamber, and the one or more sensors, the controller including memory and one or more processors, the memory storing instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the system to perform one or more operations including:

providing the at least two fuels to the mixing chamber via the fuel supply system;

mixing, via the mixing chamber, the at least two fuels to form a fuel mixture;

determining, via the one or more sensors, a measured interchangeability index of the fuel mixture, the interchangeability index being one of a measured Wobbe Index of the fuel mixture or a measured Modified Wobbe Index of the fuel mixture;

comparing the measured interchangeability index to a predetermined interchangeability index;

adjusting, via the fuel supply system, one or more parameters of at least one of the at least two fuels based on the comparison between the measured interchangeability index and the predetermined interchangeability index;

providing the fuel mixture to the combustion system, and

wherein the one or more operations further include combusting the fuel mixture in the combustion system to form exhaust gases and providing at least some of the exhaust gases to the fuel supply system as one of the at least two fuels.

10 . The system as in claim 9 , wherein adjusting the one or more parameters comprises:

adjusting a temperature of at least one of the at least two fuels via an electric heater disposed in thermal communication on the fuel supply circuit.

11 . The system as in claim 9 , wherein adjusting the one or more parameters comprises:

adjusting an amount of at least one of the at least two fuels provided to the mixing chamber by modulating a control valve disposed in fluid communication on the fuel supply circuit.

12 . The system as in claim 9 , further comprising a second mixing chamber downstream of the mixing chamber, and wherein the one or more operations further include further comprising providing the fuel mixture from the mixing chamber to the second mixing chamber, mixing the fuel mixture with another one of the at least two fuels via the second mixing chamber to form a second fuel mixture, and providing the second fuel mixture to the combustion system.

13 . The system as in claim 9 , wherein the one or more operations further include providing ammonia to the exhaust gases prior to providing the at least some of the exhaust gases to the fuel supply system.

14 . The system as in claim 9 , further comprising a second mixing chamber and a third mixing chamber, wherein the mixing chamber and the second mixing chamber are in fluid communication with the third mixing chamber.

15 . The system as in claim 9 , wherein the fuel supply circuit includes a main fuel supply line, an electric heater disposed in thermal communication on the main fuel supply line and one or more valves disposed in fluid communication on the main fuel supply line downstream of the electric heater, a recirculation line extending from the main fuel supply line, and an atmospheric vent line extending from the main fuel supply line.

16 . The system as in claim 9 , wherein the fuel supply system further includes an outlet line extending from the mixing chamber to the combustion system, wherein a heat exchanger is disposed in thermal communication on the outlet line.

17 . The system as in claim 9 , wherein the effusion plate defines a plurality of apertures, and wherein the effusion plate is disposed upstream of the baffles.

18 . A method of blending at least two fuels, the method comprising:

providing the at least two fuels to a mixing chamber via a fuel supply system, the fuel supply system including a fuel supply circuit for each fuel of the at least two fuels;

mixing, via baffles of the mixing chamber, the at least two fuels to form a fuel mixture;

determining, via one or more sensors, a measured interchangeability index of the fuel mixture, the interchangeability index being one of a measured Wobbe Index of the fuel mixture or a measured Modified Wobbe Index of the fuel mixture;

comparing the measured interchangeability index to a predetermined interchangeability index;

adjusting, via the fuel supply system, one or more parameters of at least one of the at least two fuels based on the comparison between the measured interchangeability index and the predetermined interchangeability index;

providing the fuel mixture to a combustion system; and

combusting the fuel mixture in the combustion system to form exhaust gases and providing at least some of the exhaust gases to the fuel supply system as one of the at least two fuels.

Assignments (3)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (17)