Feed injector for a gasification system
The present disclosure provides a feed injector for a gasification system. The feed injector may include an inner tube defining an inner feed passage therein, an intermediate tube defining an intermediate feed passage therein, and an outer tube defining an outer feed passage therein. The outer tube may include an outer tube pipe portion and an outer tube tip portion attached to one another, and the outer tube tip portion may be formed of a ceramic matrix composite, a sintered Silicon Carbide, or a sintered Silicon Nitride. The present disclosure also provides a related method of operating a feed injector of a gasification system as well as a related integrated gasification combined cycle power plant.
1. A feed injector for a gasification system, the feed injector comprising:
an inner tube defining an inner feed passage therein;
an intermediate tube defining an intermediate feed passage therein; and
an outer tube positioned about a longitudinal axis of the feed injector and defining an outer feed passage therein, wherein the outer tube comprises an outer tube pipe portion and an outer tube tip portion attached to one another, wherein the outer tube tip portion comprises a pipe region and a flange region extending radially outward beyond the pipe region, and wherein the pipe region and the flange region are integrally formed of a ceramic matrix composite, a sintered Silicon Carbide, or a sintered Silicon Nitride.
2. The feed injector of claim 1 , wherein the outer tube tip portion further comprises a tip region, and wherein the pipe region extends axially between the tip region and the pipe region.
3. The feed injector of claim 2 , wherein the tip region has a tapered nozzle shape, the flange region has a disc shape, and the pipe region has a tubular shape.
4. The feed injector of claim 2 , wherein the outer tube tip portion further comprises a shield region extending radially outward beyond the pipe region and positioned upstream of the tip region.
5. The feed injector of claim 2 , wherein the tip region, the flange region, and the pipe region are integrally formed of the ceramic matrix composite, the sintered Silicon Carbide, or the sintered Silicon Nitride.
6. The feed injector of claim 2 , wherein the outer tube pipe portion comprises a flange region, and wherein the outer tube pipe portion and the outer tube tip portion are attached to one another via the flange regions thereof.
7. The feed injector of claim 2 , further comprising a mounting flange configured for mounting the feed injector to a gasifier of the gasification system, wherein the outer tube pipe portion and the outer tube tip portion are attached to one another via the mounting flange and the flange region of the outer tube tip portion.
8. The feed injector of claim 1 , wherein the outer tube pipe portion is formed of a metal or metal alloy, and wherein the outer tube tip portion is formed of a melt-infiltrated SiC/SiC matrix composite.
9. The feed injector of claim 1 , wherein the intermediate tube comprises an intermediate tube pipe portion and an intermediate tube tip portion attached to one another.
10. The feed injector of claim 9 , wherein the intermediate tube tip portion is formed of a ceramic matrix composite.
11. The feed injector of claim 10 , wherein the intermediate tube further comprises a plurality of centering fins extending from the intermediate tube tip portion, and wherein the centering fins and the intermediate tube tip portion are integrally formed of the ceramic matrix composite.
12. The feed injector of claim 9 , wherein the intermediate tube further comprises an intermediate tube tip insert positioned within the intermediate tube tip portion.
13. The feed injector of claim 12 , wherein the intermediate tube tip insert is formed of an alumina ceramic composite.
14. The feed injector of claim 1 , wherein the inner tube comprises an inner tube pipe portion, an inner tube tip portion attached to the inner tube pipe portion, and an inner tube tip covering positioned over an outer surface of the inner tube tip portion, and wherein the inner tube tip covering is formed of an alumina ceramic composite.
15. A method of operating a feed injector of a gasification system, the method comprising:
directing a first flow of air through an inner feed passage defined within an inner tube;
directing a flow of fuel through an intermediate feed passage defined within an intermediate tube;
directing a second flow of air through an outer feed passage defined within an outer tube positioned about a longitudinal axis of the feed injector; and
mixing the first flow of air, the second flow of air, and the flow of fuel within a reaction zone of a gasifier to produce a syngas;
wherein the outer tube comprises an outer tube pipe portion and an outer tube tip portion attached to one another, wherein the outer tube tip portion comprises a pipe region and a flange region extending radially outward beyond the pipe region, and wherein the pipe region and the flange region are integrally formed of a ceramic matrix composite, a sintered Silicon Carbide, or a sintered Silicon Nitride.
16. An integrated gasification combined cycle power plant, comprising:
a gas turbine engine comprising a compressor, a combustor in communication with the compressor, and a turbine in communication with the combustor; and
a gasification system comprising a gasifier and a feed injector, wherein the feed injector comprises:
an inner tube defining an inner feed passage therein;
an intermediate tube defining an intermediate feed passage therein; and
an outer tube positioned about a longitudinal axis of the feed injector and defining an outer feed passage therein, wherein the outer tube comprises an outer tube pipe portion and an outer tube tip portion attached to one another, wherein the outer tube tip portion comprises a pipe region and a flange region extending radially outward beyond the pipe region, and wherein the pipe region and the flange region are integrally formed of a ceramic matrix composite, a sintered Silicon Carbide, or a sintered Silicon Nitride.
17. The integrated gasification combined cycle power plant of claim 16 , wherein the outer tube tip portion further comprises a tip region having a tapered nozzle shape, wherein the flange region has a disc shape, wherein the pipe region has a tubular shape extending axially between the tip region and the pipe region, and wherein the tip region, the flange region, and the pipe region are integrally formed of the ceramic matrix composite, the sintered Silicon Carbide, or the sintered Silicon Nitride.
18. The integrated gasification combined cycle power plant of claim 16 , wherein the outer tube pipe portion is formed of a metal or metal alloy, and wherein the outer tube tip portion is formed of a melt-infiltrated SiC/SiC matrix composite.
19. The integrated gasification combined cycle power plant of claim 16 , wherein the intermediate tube comprises an intermediate tube pipe portion, an intermediate tube tip portion attached to the intermediate tube pipe portion, and an intermediate tube tip insert positioned within the intermediate tube tip portion, and wherein the intermediate tube tip insert is formed of an alumina ceramic composite.
20. The integrated gasification combined cycle power plant of claim 16 , wherein the inner tube comprises an inner tube pipe portion, an inner tube tip portion attached to the inner tube pipe portion, and an inner tube tip covering positioned over an outer surface of the inner tube tip portion, and wherein the inner tube tip covering is formed of an alumina ceramic composite.