Cooling fluid control system and methods of operating a cooling fluid system for a turbine engine
A cooling fluid control system for a turbine engine having one or more fuel nozzles. The cooling fluid control system includes a cooling fluid system and a controller. The cooling fluid system is in fluid communication with the one or more fuel nozzles for supplying a cooling fluid to the one or more fuel nozzles. The controller controls the cooling fluid system to supply the cooling fluid through the one or more fuel nozzles when the turbine engine is shut down. In one aspect, the controller controls the cooling fluid system to supply the cooling fluid through the one or more fuel nozzles when a fuel nozzle temperature of the one or more fuel nozzles is greater than a fuel nozzle temperature threshold during at least one of a mid-level power operation or a low power operation of the turbine engine.
1 . A method of operating a cooling fluid system for a turbine engine, the method comprising:
shutting down the turbine engine;
determining that an ambient air temperature about the turbine engine is greater than an ambient air temperature threshold; and
supplying cooling fluid from the cooling fluid system through one or more fuel nozzles of the turbine engine in response to both shutting down the turbine engine and determining that the ambient air temperature about the turbine engine is greater than the ambient air temperature threshold.
2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising pumping, with a cooling fluid supply pump, the cooling fluid to the one or more fuel nozzles when the turbine engine is shut down.
3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising shutting off the cooling fluid to the one or more fuel nozzles when the ambient air temperature is less than or equal to the ambient air temperature threshold.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the ambient air temperature threshold is in a range of 32° F. to 35° F.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the turbine engine includes a combustor having a combustion chamber, and the method further comprises injecting the cooling fluid from the one or more fuel nozzles into the combustion chamber when the turbine engine is shut down and the cooling fluid is supplied from the cooling fluid system through the one or more fuel nozzles.
6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the combustion chamber is defined by an outer liner and an inner liner, the cooling fluid system includes one or more cooling fluid drain ports disposed through at least one of the outer liner or the inner liner, and the method further comprising draining the cooling fluid in the combustion chamber through the one or more cooling fluid drain ports when the turbine engine is shut down and the cooling fluid is supplied from the cooling fluid system through the one or more fuel nozzles.
7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the cooling fluid system includes a cooling fluid tank, and the method further comprises returning the cooling fluid from the combustion chamber to the cooling fluid tank to store the cooling fluid therein when the turbine engine is shut down and the cooling fluid is supplied from the cooling fluid system through the one or more fuel nozzles.
8 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising pumping, with a cooling fluid return pump, the cooling fluid from the combustion chamber to the cooling fluid tank.
9 . The method of claim 7 , wherein supplying cooling fluid from the cooling fluid system through the one or more fuel nozzles when the turbine engine is shut down comprises supplying the cooling fluid from the cooling fluid tank to the one or more fuel nozzles when the turbine engine is shut down.
10 . A cooling fluid control system for a turbine engine, the cooling fluid control system comprising:
one or more fuel nozzles a cooling fluid system in fluid communication with the one or more fuel nozzles for supplying a cooling fluid to the one or more fuel nozzles; and
a controller configured to control the cooling fluid system to supply the cooling fluid through the one or more fuel nozzles when the turbine engine is shut down and an ambient air temperature about the turbine engine is greater than an ambient air temperature threshold.
11 . The cooling fluid control system of claim 10 , further comprising a cooling fluid supply pump, wherein the controller controls the cooling fluid supply pump to pump the cooling fluid to the one or more fuel nozzles.
12 . The cooling fluid control system of claim 10 , wherein the controller controls the cooling fluid system to shut off the cooling fluid to the one or more fuel nozzles when the ambient air temperature is less than or equal to the ambient air temperature threshold.
13 . The cooling fluid control system of claim 10 , wherein the ambient air temperature threshold is in a range of 32° F. to 35° F.
14 . The cooling fluid control system of claim 10 , further comprising a combustor having a combustion chamber, and the controller controls the cooling fluid system to inject the cooling fluid from the one or more fuel nozzles into the combustion chamber.
15 . The cooling fluid control system of claim 14 , wherein the combustion chamber is defined by an outer liner and an inner liner, the cooling fluid system includes one or more cooling fluid drain ports disposed through at least one of the outer liner or the inner liner, and the controller controls the cooling fluid system to drain the cooling fluid in the combustion chamber through the one or more cooling fluid drain ports.
16 . The cooling fluid control system of claim 15 , wherein the cooling fluid system includes a cooling fluid tank, and the controller controls the cooling fluid system to return the cooling fluid from the combustion chamber to the cooling fluid tank to store the cooling fluid therein.
17 . The cooling fluid control system of claim 16 , wherein the cooling fluid system includes a cooling fluid return pump, and the controller controls the cooling fluid return pump to pump the cooling fluid from the combustion chamber to the cooling fluid tank.
18 . The cooling fluid control system of claim 16 , wherein the controller controls the cooling fluid system to supply the cooling fluid from the cooling fluid tank to the one or more fuel nozzles.
19 . A cooling fluid control system for a turbine engine, the cooling fluid control system comprising:
one or more fuel nozzles;
a combustor having a combustion chamber defined by an outer liner and an inner liner, the one or more fuel nozzles in fluid communication with the combustion chamber;
one or more cooling fluid drain ports disposed through at least one of the outer liner or the inner liner;
a cooling fluid system in fluid communication with the one or more fuel nozzles for supplying a cooling fluid to the one or more fuel nozzles; and
a controller configured to control the cooling fluid system to:
supply the cooling fluid through the one or more fuel nozzles when the turbine engine is shut down;
inject the cooling fluid from the one or more fuel nozzles into the combustion chamber; and
drain the cooling fluid in the combustion chamber through the one or more cooling fluid drain ports.
20 . The cooling fluid control system of claim 19 , wherein the cooling fluid system includes a cooling fluid tank, and the controller controls the cooling fluid system to return the cooling fluid from the combustion chamber to the cooling fluid tank to store the cooling fluid therein.