Patent Application
20130006581
This invention relates generally to gas turbine engines, and more particularly, to a system and method for monitoring the health and performance of a gas turbine engine using combustion dynamics data observed during its operation.
Gas turbine engines generally include, in serial flow arrangement, a high-pressure compressor for compressing air flowing through the engine, a combustor in which fuel is mixed with the compressed air and ignited to form a high temperature gas stream, and a high-pressure turbine. The high-pressure compressor, combustor and high-pressure turbine are sometime collectively referred to as the core engine. At least some known gas turbine engines also include a low-pressure compressor, or booster, for supplying compressed air to the high-pressure compressor.
Gas turbine engines are used in many applications, including aircraft, power generation, and marine applications. The desired engine operating characteristics vary, of course, from application to application.
Gas turbine operators continuously seek to assess the current state and remaining life of gas turbines. Combustors in the gas turbines, due to their lower design life, tend to be on the critical path in determining shutdown times required for repair or causing unscheduled shutdowns due to failures.
In view of the foregoing, there is a need for a system and method for off-line as well as on-line monitoring the health and performance of gas turbine combustors and to assist operators to either avoid unscheduled shutdowns or to help plan shutdowns of gas turbine engines around peak requirements.
According to one embodiment, a gas turbine combustor health and performance monitoring system (CHPMS) comprises:
a real-time monitoring and analysis data processing module (RMAM) in electrical communication with and configured to receive real-time gas turbine operating condition data and real-time combustion dynamics data from one or more corresponding gas turbine controllers and corresponding sensors and on-site monitoring systems and corresponding sensors;
a spectral and wavelet analysis (SWA) data processing system in electrical communication with and configured to receive time domain combustion dynamics data from the RMAM and to evaluate the time domain combustion dynamics data to identify high-amplitude signal characteristics and corresponding patterns and trends, and further configured to convert the combustion dynamics data to frequency domain data;
an early detection data processing system (EDS) in electrical communication with and configured to receive time domain combustion dynamics data from the RMAM and to evaluate the combustion dynamics data to identify low-amplitude patterns and trends having a potential to grow in the near future;
a physics based prediction tools (PBPT) data processing system in communication with and configured to receive real-time gas turbine operating condition data from the RMAM and to evaluate the operating condition data and predict combustion dynamics therefrom, and further configured to compare the predicted combustion dynamics against the real-time combustion dynamics data generated by the SWA data processing system and the EDS to identify features and amplitudes which cannot be explained by variations caused only by operating conditions;
a historical data and failure analysis database (HDFAD) data processing system;
a machine history analysis (MHA) data processing system in electrical communication with the RMAM, PBPAT and HDFAD, wherein the MHA is configured to store the data generated via the PBPT, and further configured to evaluate the stored PBPT data to identify patterns and trends and to compare the patterns and trends identified from the stored PBPT data to historical data stored in the HDFAD data processing system to generate current combustor condition data and to identify and communicate the existence of any trend precedents to the PBPT such that the PBPT functions to identify potential causes of new trends and to provide remaining life assessment data based on the historical trending identified by the MHA; and
a self-assessment and improvement (SAIM) data processing system in electrical communication with the RMAM, wherein the real-time monitoring and analysis data processing module continuously compares the life assessment data and the resultant trend in predicted dynamics to real-time data and trends to identify differences that are communicated to the SAIM data processing system such that the SAIM data processing system analyzes the differences and generates resultant combustor health, performance and life assessment data that is communicated by the RMAM to corresponding gas turbine monitors and controllers.
According to another embodiment, a gas turbine combustor health and performance monitoring system (CHPMS) comprises:
a real-time monitoring and analysis data processing module (RMAM) in electrical communication with and configured to receive real-time combustion dynamics data from at least one of a corresponding gas turbine controller and a corresponding on-site monitoring system;
a physics based prediction tools (PBPT) data processing system in communication with and configured to receive the real-time gas turbine combustion dynamics data from the RMAM and to evaluate the combustion dynamics data and generate spectral feature trend data therefrom;
a historical field data analysis data processing module in communication with the RMAM and configured to generate observed behavior combustor data based on historical field combustor data, wherein the RMAM is further configured to compare the spectral feature trend data to the observed behavior combustor data to determine whether the combustor health is good or is deteriorating and to generate decision data therefrom; and
an operator monitoring system in communication with the RMAM and configured to receive and display the decision data generated by the RMAM to a system operator.
According to yet another embodiment, a method of determining gas turbine combustor health comprises:
generating real-time gas turbine combustion dynamics data via one or more sensors disposed at predetermined locations in a combustor;
evaluating the combustion dynamics data and generating spectral feature trend data therefrom via a physics based prediction tools data processing system;
generating observed behavior combustor data based on historical field combustor data via a historical field data analysis data processing module;
comparing the spectral feature trend data to the observed behavior combustor data via a real-time monitoring and analysis data processing module to determine whether the combustor health is good or is deteriorating and generating decision data therefrom; and
communicating the decision data to a monitoring system display.
According to still another embodiment, a method of determining gas turbine combustor health comprises:
evaluating time domain combustion dynamics data generated by one or more controllers, sensors and monitoring systems via a spectral and wavelet analysis data processing system (SWA) to identify gas turbine combustor high-amplitude signal characteristics and corresponding patterns and trends, and converting the combustion dynamics data to frequency domain data via the SWA;
evaluating the combustion dynamics data via an early detection data processing system (EDS) to identify low-amplitude patterns and trends having a potential to grow in the near future;
evaluating combustor operating condition data via a physics based prediction tools data processing system (PBPT) and predicting combustion dynamics therefrom, and comparing the predicted combustion dynamics against the real-time combustion dynamics data generated by the SWA and the EDS to identify features and amplitudes which cannot be explained by variations caused only by operating conditions;
storing and evaluating the data generated via the PBPT to identify patterns and trends, and comparing the patterns and trends to historical data stored in a historical data failure analysis database to generate current combustor condition data, and identifying and communicating the existence of any trend precedents to the PBPT such that the PBPT functions to identify potential causes of new trends and to provide remaining life assessment data based on the historical trending identified by the MHA;
comparing the life assessment data and the resultant trend in predicted dynamics to real-time data and trends via a real-time monitoring and analysis data processing module (RMAM) to identify differences that are communicated to a self-assessment and improvement data processing system (SAIM) such that the SAIM data processing system analyzes the differences and generates resultant combustor health, performance and life assessment data; and
communicating the resultant combustor health, performance and life assessment data via the RMAM to one or more corresponding gas turbine monitors and controllers.
These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood when the following detailed description is read with reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein:
While the above-identified drawing figures set forth particular embodiments, other embodiments of the present invention are also contemplated, as noted in the discussion. In all cases, this disclosure presents illustrated embodiments of the present invention by way of representation and not limitation. Numerous other modifications and embodiments can be devised by those skilled in the art which fall within the scope and spirit of the principles of this invention.
The gas turbine combustor health and performance monitoring system (CHPMS) 10 further comprises a real-time monitoring and analysis data processing module (RMAM) 24 that also may comprise a data processor such as, without limitation, a CPU or DSP and corresponding memory devices such as, for example, RAM, ROM, EEPROM, and HD/SSHD devices and associated interface devices, e.g. A/D and D/A devices, etc., allowing communication between the RMAM 24 and the associated subsystems. According to one embodiment, RMAM 24 is configured to receive real-time gas turbine operating condition data 26 and real-time combustion dynamics data from one or more corresponding gas turbine controllers and/or sensors 28 and/or on-site monitoring systems and/or sensors 26.
According to one embodiment, the spectral and wavelet analysis (SWA) data processing system 20 is configured to receive time domain combustion dynamics data from the real-time monitoring and analysis data processing module 24 and to evaluate the time domain combustion dynamics data to identify high-amplitude signal characteristics and corresponding patterns and trends. According to one aspect, the SWA data processing system 20 is further configured to convert the combustion dynamics data to frequency domain data.
The early detection data processing system (EDS) 14 according to one embodiment is configured to receive time domain combustion dynamics data from the real-time monitoring and analysis data processing module 24 and to evaluate the combustion dynamics data to identify low-amplitude patterns and trends having a potential to grow in the near future. The EDS 14 may, for example, employ singular spectral analysis, time series analysis, and PDF methods such as Monte-Carlo analysis techniques to evaluate the combustion dynamics data.
The physics based prediction tools (PBPT) data processing system 16 according to one embodiment is configured to receive real-time gas turbine operating condition data from the real-time monitoring and analysis data processing module 24 and to evaluate the operating condition data and predict combustion dynamics therefrom. According to one aspect, PBPT data processing system 16 is further configured to compare the predicted combustion dynamics against the real-time combustion dynamics data generated via the SWA data processing system 20 and the EDS 14 to identify features and amplitudes which cannot be explained by variations caused by operating conditions alone.
The machine history analysis (MHA) data processing system 18 according to one embodiment is configured to store the data generated via the PBPT data processing system 16, and further configured to evaluate the stored PBPT data processing system generated data to identify patterns and trends and to compare the patterns and trends identified from the stored PBPT data processing system generated data to historical data that is stored in the historical data and failure analysis database (HDFAD) data processing system 12 to generate current combustor condition data and to identify and communicate the existence of any trend precedents to the PBPT data processing system 16 allowing the PBPT data processing system 16 to identify potential causes of new trends and to provide a remaining life assessment data based on the historical trending identified by the MHA data processing system 18.
The real-time monitoring and analysis data processing module 24 according to one embodiment continuously compares the life assessment data and the resultant trend in predicted dynamics to real-time data and trends to identify differences that are communicated to the SAIM data processing system 20 allowing the SAIM data processing system 20 to analyze the differences and generate combustor health, performance and life assessment data therefrom that is communicated via the real-time monitoring and analysis data processing module 24 to corresponding gas turbine monitors and controllers 26, 28.
It can be appreciated that the CHPMS 10 leverages active research and development efforts by OEMs to predict and analyze combustion dynamics during the design stage of development, and advantageously uses these prediction tools in a combustor health and performance monitoring system 10 according to the principles described herein. The embodiments described herein are not so limited however, and it can also be appreciated that one or more additional subsystems can be included or even removed as desired or necessary to accommodate a particular application. Further, additional capabilities may be added or removed from any one or more subsystem or the CHPMS 10 itself as desired or necessary to accommodate a particular application of the principles described herein.
The embodiments described herein are best understood with an understanding that premixed gas turbines have faced combustion dynamics issues since their advent in response to increasingly lower emissions. The premixed flame is more susceptible to perturbations in fuel-air ratio and established a feedback cycle with the natural modes of the combustor, driving very high pressure pulsations known as combustion dynamics or combustion instabilities. The frequency and amplitude of combustion dynamics depend upon operating conditions, combustor geometry, combustor damping, and combustor structural health. The spectra of the combustion dynamics signal from gas turbine combustors exemplifies several features including multiple peaks corresponding to various axial modes, harmonics/overtones, screech modes corresponding to transverse and radial modes and their harmonics. Trends in relative strength of these features and their presence/absence can be used to assess health of the combustor.
More specifically, a physics-based model can be used to differentiate the changes in the spectral features attributable to variations in the operating conditions from the differences caused from changes in the corresponding hardware. Once identified, these trends in the spectra can be correlated with the observed failures in the field. Further, a phased-array of audio sensors, e.g. microphones, PCBs, strategically located inside a combustor can substantiate and provide the capability to differentiate spectral variation trends due to hardware condition changes. Keeping the foregoing details in mind, one embodiment of a spectral health monitoring approach is now described with reference to
The frequency and amplitudes of various modes and their harmonics depend on changes in operating conditions as well as combustor hardware changes, as stated herein. A physics-based prediction tool is advantageous as a tool to distinguish these two types of changes and to properly identify trends in features attributable to hardware changes. These trends can be correlated with the observed behavior using analysis of field data as described according to particular embodiments described herein.
The amplitude ‘A’ drops and the width ‘W’ of the peak increases with aging of combustor hardware since the tolerances get worse due to wear and tear of the combustor hardware. Further, the frequency ‘F’ shifts with continued operation. Thus, the ratio of original amplitude to a later amplitude (A_initial/A_Current) can be used in conjunction with (W_initial/W_current) and the shift in frequency (F_initial/F_current) to develop an algorithm to correlate these ratios with the current condition of combustor hardware. Further, the presence and absence of a particular peak during identical operating conditions can be correlated to changes in combustor hardware.
The embodiments described herein advantageously assist gas turbine users in avoiding costly hardware damage and downtime caused by unscheduled shutdowns. Further, the principles described herein assist gas turbine users in scheduling shutdowns around peak demand as well as evaluating the possibility of extending combustor life beyond its design life. The embodiments described herein further employ ubiquitous combustion dynamics data to monitor combustor hardware health, thus allowing a broad range of applications.
Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate there are numerous ways to analyze combustion dynamics data as well as to develop a physics model to predict dynamics frequency and amplitudes. Any such analysis and development techniques can be applied using the principles described herein to develop systems and methods of combustor health assessment using spectral analysis of combustion dynamics data so long as those techniques employ the spectral features of the dynamics data and their associated trends with hardware changes to assess the health of the combustors.
While the invention has been described in terms of various specific embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention can be practiced with modification within the spirit and scope of the claims.
