Patent Application
20180347458
The subject matter disclosed herein relates to a system and method for improving, for example, a quality of turbomachinery fuel.
Turbomachinery, such as gas turbine systems, may provide for the generation of power. For example, the gas turbine systems typically include a compressor for compressing a working fluid, such as air, a combustor for combusting the compressed working fluid with fuel, and a turbine for turning the combusted fluid into a rotative power. For example, the compressed air is injected into a combustor, which combusts the fluid causing it to expand, and the expanded fluid is forced through the gas turbine. The gas turbine may then convert the expanded fluid into rotative power, for example, by a series of blade stages of the turbine. The rotative power may then be used to drive a load, which may include an electrical generator producing electrical power and electrically coupled to a power distribution grid. The fuel supplied for use in the combustor may vary in quality. It may be beneficial to improve the quality of the fuel.
Certain embodiments commensurate in scope with the originally claimed subject matter are summarized below. These embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter, but rather these embodiments are intended only to provide a brief summary of possible forms of the subject matter. Indeed, the subject matter may encompass a variety of forms that may be similar to or different from the embodiments set forth below.
In a first embodiment, a system includes a gas turbine system that combusts a fuel to produce a power, and the gas turbine system is disposed in a gas turbine site. The system also includes an analyzer system that determines multiple batch fuel characteristics of a batch of the fuel, and the batch of the fuel is delivered via a transport system. Moreover, the system includes a small batch fuel processing system that receives the batch of fuel and distills the batch of fuel to a distilled batch of fuel based on the multiple fuel characteristics. Further, the distilled batch of fuel adheres to manufacturer fuel recommended characteristics for use in the gas turbine system.
In a second embodiment, a method includes receiving, via a transport system, a batch of fuel. The method further includes analyzing, via an analyzer system, the batch of fuel to derive multiple batch fuel characteristics. In addition, the method includes determining, via a processor, a suitability of the batch of fuel to be used in a gas turbine system based on the multiple batch fuel characteristics. Moreover, the method includes distilling, via a small batch fuel processing system, the batch of fuel to produce a distilled batch of fuel that adheres to manufacturer fuel recommended criteria for use in the gas turbine system based on the suitability of the batch of fuel and on the multiple batch fuel characteristics.
In a third embodiment, a system includes an analyzer system that determines multiple batch fuel characteristics of a batch of fuel, and the batch of the fuel is delivered via a transport system. The system further includes a small batch fuel processing system that receives the batch of fuel and distills the batch of fuel to a distilled batch of fuel based on the multiple fuel characteristics, and the distilled batch of fuel adheres to manufacturer fuel recommended characteristics for use in a gas turbine system.
These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present disclosure will become better understood when the following detailed description is read with reference to the accompanying drawings in which like characters represent like parts throughout the drawings, wherein:
One or more specific embodiments of the present subject matter will be described below. In an effort to provide a concise description of these embodiments, all features of an actual implementation may not be described in the specification. It should be appreciated that in the development of any such actual implementation, as in any engineering or design project, numerous implementation-specific decisions must be made to achieve the developers' specific goals, such as compliance with system-related and business-related constraints, which may vary from one implementation to another. Moreover, it should be appreciated that such a development effort might be complex and time consuming, but would nevertheless be a routine undertaking of design, fabrication, and manufacture for those of ordinary skill having the benefit of this disclosure.
When introducing elements of various embodiments of the present disclosure, the articles “a,” “an,” “the,” and “said” are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements. The terms “comprising,” “including,” and “having” are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional elements other than the listed elements.
A gas turbine system may be configured to operate using fuel having fuel properties that fall within a particular range of characteristics. For example, some fuel properties may be within a manufacturer-specified range of characteristics (i.e., the fuel is “in spec”) and some fuel properties may be outside this particular range of characteristics (i.e., the fuel is “out of spec”). Fuel that includes fuel properties considered out of spec may, in some cases, still be used in the gas turbine system, but may reduce the life of the gas turbine system.
Further, fuel may be delivered to a site having a gas turbine system by various techniques (e.g., by trucks, via a pipeline, or combination thereof). The fuel that is delivered may sometimes be out of spec, and may not be recommended for use in the gas turbine system. As such, improving the quality of the out of spec fuel may change the out of spec fuel into in spec fuel. The techniques described herein may allow for a system to improve the quality of out of spec fuel so that it may become in spec fuel or so that it may become more suitable for use in the gas turbine system.
With the foregoing in mind, it may be useful to describe an embodiment of a turbomachinery incorporating techniques disclosed herein, such as a power production system 10 illustrated in
The air-fuel mixture may combust in the combustion system 22 to generate hot combustion gases, which flow downstream into the turbine 26 to drive one or more turbine stages. For example, the combustion gases may move through the turbine 26 to drive one or more stages of turbine blades, which may in turn drive rotation of a shaft 32. The shaft 32 may connect to a load 34, such as a generator that uses the torque of the shaft 32 to produce electricity. After passing through the turbine 26, the hot combustion gases may vent as exhaust gases 36 into the environment by way of the exhaust section 28. The exhaust gas 36 may include gases such as carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (NOx), and so forth.
The exhaust gas 36 may include thermal energy, and the thermal energy may be recovered by a heat recovery steam generation (HRSG) system 37. In combined cycle systems, such as the power production system 10, hot exhaust 36 may flow from the gas turbine 26 and pass to the HRSG 37, where it may be used to generate high-pressure, high-temperature steam 48. The steam 48 produced by the HRSG 37 may then be passed through the steam turbine system 41 for further power generation. In addition, the produced steam may also be supplied to any other processes where steam may be used, such as to a gasifier used to combust the fuel to produce the untreated syngas. The gas turbine engine generation cycle is often referred to as the “topping cycle,” whereas the steam turbine engine generation cycle is often referred to as the “bottoming cycle.” Combining these two cycles may lead to greater efficiencies in both cycles. In particular, exhaust heat from the topping cycle may be captured and used to generate steam for use in the bottoming cycle.
In certain embodiments, the power production system 10 may also include a controller 38. The controller 38 may be communicatively coupled to a number of sensors 42 and one or more actuators 43 suitable for controlling components of the system 10. The actuators 43 may include valves, switches, positioners, pumps, and the like, suitable for controlling the various components of the system 10. The controller 38 may receive data from the sensors 42, and may be used to control the compressor 20, the combustors 22, the turbine 26, the exhaust section 28, the load 34, the HRSG 37, the steam turbine system 41, and so forth.
In certain embodiments, the sensors 42 may be any of various sensor types useful in providing various operational data to the controller 38. For example, the sensors 42 may provide flow, pressure, and temperature of the compressor 20, speed and temperature of the turbine 26, vibration of the compressor 20 and the turbine 26, as well as flow for the exhaust gas 36, temperature, pressure and emission (e.g., CO2, NOx) levels in the exhaust gas 36, moisture content of the batch of fuel 31, carbon content in the batch of fuel 31, ambient temperature of the batch of fuel 31, temperature, pressure, clearance of the compressor 20 and the turbine 26 (e.g., distance between the rotating and stationary parts of the compressor 20, between the rotating and stationary parts of the turbine 26, and/or between other stationary and rotating components), flame temperature or intensity, vibration, combustion dynamics (e.g., fluctuations in pressure, flame intensity, and so forth), load data from load 34, output power from the turbine 26, and so forth. The sensors 42 may also include temperature sensors such as thermocouples, thermistors, and the like, disposed in the steam turbine system 41. The sensors 42 may also include flow sensors such as flowmeters (e.g., differential pressure flowmeters, velocity flowmeters, mass flowmeters, positive displacement flowmeters, open channel flowmeters) and liquid level sensors such as continuous level transmitters, ultrasonic transducers, laser level transmitters, and so on, disposed in the steam turbine system 41.
Additionally, the sensors 42 may include pressure sensors such as piezo-resistive pressure sensors, differential pressure sensors, optical pressure sensors, and so on, included in the steam turbine system 41. Fuel 31 properties may be sensed and/or otherwise provided to the controller 38, e.g., via a human operator interface 44. The fuel 31 properties may include moisture content, carbon content, chemical composition, specific gravity, ambient temperature, energy content, certain “numbers” (e.g., Wobbe Index, cetane number, octane number, and so on), or a combination thereof. In certain embodiments, the controller 38 may be communicatively coupled to a number of sensors 42, a human machine interface (HMI) operator interface 44, and one or more actuators 43 suitable for controlling components of the power production system 10. The actuators 43 may include valves, switches, positioners, pumps, and the like, suitable for controlling the various components of the power production system 10. The controller 38 may receive data from the sensors 42, and may be used to control the compressor 20, the combustors 22, the turbine 26, the exhaust section 28, the load 34, the HRSG 37, and so forth.
In certain embodiments, the HMI operator interface 44 may be executable by one or more computer systems of the power production system 10. A plant operator may interface with the power production system 10 via the HMI operator interface 44. Accordingly, the HMI operator interface 44 may include various input and output devices (e.g., mouse, keyboard, monitor, touch screen, or other suitable input and/or output device) such that the plant operator may provide commands (e.g., control and/or operational commands) to the controller 38.
The controller 38 may include a processor(s) 39 (e.g., a microprocessor(s)) that may execute software programs to control the power production system 10. Moreover, the processor 39 may include multiple microprocessors, one or more “general-purpose” microprocessors, one or more special-purpose microprocessors, and/or one or more application specific integrated circuits (ASICS), or some combination thereof. For example, the processor 39 may include one or more reduced instruction set (RISC) processors. The controller 38 may include a memory device 40 that may store information such as control software, look up tables, configuration data, etc.
The memory device 40 may include a tangible, non-transitory, machine-readable medium, such as a volatile memory (e.g., a random access memory (RAM)) and/or a nonvolatile memory (e.g., a read-only memory (ROM), flash memory, a hard drive, or any other suitable optical, magnetic, or solid-state storage medium, or a combination thereof). The memory device 40 may store a variety of information, which may be suitable for various purposes. For example, the memory device 40 may store machine-readable and/or processor-executable instructions (e.g., firmware or software) for the processor execution.
The power production system 10 also includes the fuel supply system 16 that provides the batch of fuel 31 through the fuel nozzles 24. A transport system 38 may transport the batch of fuel 31 (e.g., naphtha, kerosene, Arabian super light, or any other liquid fuel) to the location of the power production system 10. The transport system 38 may include a combination of pipelines and vehicles (e.g., trucks and boats) in order to transport the batch of fuel 31 to the location of the power production system 10. In the depicted embodiment, the fuel supply system 16 may include a small batch fuel processing system 50 that may be utilized to improve the suitability of the batch of fuel 31 for combustion and generation of power by the gas turbine system 12. After the batch of fuel 31 has arrived at the location of the power production system 10, the batch of fuel 31 may be analyzed. If the analysis shows that it may be beneficial to improve the quality of the batch of fuel 31, the batch of fuel 31 may be processed by the small batch fuel processing system 50 to improve the suitability of the batch of fuel 31 for combustion and power generation, as described in more detail below.
Further, the small batch fuel processing system 50 may include a processor 52 and a memory device 54. The processor 52 and memory device 54 may be part of the controller 38, or may be separate from the controller 38. Moreover, the processor 52 may include multiple microprocessors, one or more “general-purpose” microprocessors, one or more special-purpose microprocessors, and/or one or more application specific integrated circuits (ASICS), or some combination thereof. For example, the processor 52 may include one or more reduced instruction set (RISC) processors. The small batch fuel processing system 50 or controller 38 may include the memory device 54 that may store information such as control software, look up tables, configuration data, etc.
The memory device 54 may include a tangible, non-transitory, machine-readable medium, such as a volatile memory (e.g., a random access memory (RAM)) and/or a nonvolatile memory (e.g., a read-only memory (ROM), flash memory, a hard drive, or any other suitable optical, magnetic, or solid-state storage medium, or a combination thereof). The memory device 54 may store a variety of information, which may be suitable for various purposes. For example, the memory device 54 may store machine-readable and/or processor-executable instructions (e.g., firmware or software) for the processor execution.
In these cases, the delivered batch of fuel 31 may be routed to a batch fuel receiving tank system 60. The batch fuel receiving tank system 60 may be any size and type of container suitable for holding batch of fuel 31. For example, the batch fuel receiving tank system 60 may store a single shipment of the batch of fuel 31 (e.g., a single truckload), or may be large enough to store multiple shipments worth of batch of fuel 31. After arriving in the batch fuel receiving tank system 60, the batch of fuel 31 may be either stored and used for other purposes, or the batch of fuel 31 may be further refined to be brought within the recommended specifications. In some embodiments, the batch of fuel 31 may be resold, may be returned to the vendor of the batch of fuel 31, or may be used for purposes other than combustion in the gas turbine system 12 (e.g., providing heat).
Further, an analysis may be performed (e.g., by the processor 52) to calculate the cost (e.g., monetary cost, engineering cost, or combination thereof) of refining the batch of fuel 31 to be in spec or to be more usable by the gas turbine system 12, and the increased costs of using the out of spec batch of fuel 31 in the gas turbine system 12 (e.g., the reduced life, lower power output, and reduced efficiency of the gas turbine system 12). A return on investment (ROI) calculation may then be performed. If the cost of refining the batch of fuel 31 to be in spec is greater than the increased costs associated with using the out of spec batch of fuel 31, then it may be more cost effective to use the out of spec batch of fuel 31 in the gas turbine system 12. Thus, the out of spec batch of fuel 31 may be utilized in the gas turbine system 12, in some cases.
In other cases, the batch of fuel 31 may be processed through a batch distiller system 62. The batch distiller system 62 may remove some elements from the batch of fuel 31 to bring it within the recommended specification, as described in more detail below. The batch distiller system 62 allows the contents of the batch of fuel 31 to be separated based on a difference in boiling points. In order to do so, the batch distiller system 62 may include multiple containers and cooling tubes. Further, the batch distiller system 62 may operate by applying heat, creating a low pressure environment, or both. In some embodiments, the batch of fuel 31 is brought to a set of conditions which may cause some compounds within the fuel to boil, while other compounds in the batch of fuel 31 may remain in a liquid state. For example, the batch distiller system 62 may apply heat at a particular temperature, apply pressure (or vacuum) at a particular pressure, or a combination thereof, to remove some or all of the moisture content from the batch of fuel 31 or from a portion of the batch of fuel 31. Further, the batch distiller system 62 may be a distiller system that is smaller than, for example, plant distillers commonly used to refine hydrocarbons. For example, the batch distiller system 62 may be geared to distill only one delivery truck's worth (i.e., less than fifty thousand gallons) of batch of fuel 31.
A catch pot system 64 may be utilized to store the batch of fuel 31 for further testing and/or for use in the gas turbine system 12. For example, if the delivered batch of fuel 31 is not within the recommended specifications, the batch of fuel 31 may be sent to the catch pot system 64 to be mixed with other batch of fuel 31 that is within the recommended specifications so that all of the batch of fuel 31 in the catch pot system 64 is suitable for use by the gas turbine system 12 or within the recommended specifications. In other embodiments, the catch pot system 64 may receive the batch of fuel 31 that has passed through the batch distiller system 62. The batch of fuel 31 that has passed through the batch distiller system 62 may still be out of spec, but may be closer to in spec than it was before passing through the batch distiller system 62. In these instances, the batch of fuel 31 that has passed through the batch distiller system 62, but is still out of spec may be mixed with batch of fuel 31 that is in spec so that the combination of the in spec and out of spec batch of fuel 31 is in spec or otherwise suitable for gas turbine system 12 use. After batch of fuel 31 has arrived in the catch pot system 64, the analyzer system 56 may be utilized to test the characteristics of the batch of fuel 31. If the batch of fuel 31 is still out of spec, the batch of fuel 31 may be sent back to the batch fuel receiving tank system 60, or utilized for other purposes (e.g., resold, returned to a vendor, used for purposes other than combustion in the gas turbine system 12).
If the analyzer system 56 determines that the batch of fuel 31 is within the recommended specifications or within a range suitable for use by the gas turbine system 12, the batch of fuel 31 may be sent to the day tank system 58 or the gas turbine system 12. The day tank system 58 may be a container that is capable of holding enough batch of fuel 31 as may be utilized by the power production system 10 in a portion of or multiple days. Further, the day tank system 58 may include multiple containers and the batch of fuel 31 may be sent to different containers depending on certain characteristics of the batch of fuel 31 (e.g., the quality). After batch of fuel 31 has arrived in the day tank system 58, the batch of fuel 31 may be sent to the appropriate systems to be utilized in the combustion system 22 of the gas turbine system 12, as described above.
After the batch of fuel 31 arrives at the location of the power production system 10, the batch of fuel 31 is run through the analyzer system 56 for detection (block 102) of the batch of fuel 31 characteristics. As discussed above, the analyzer system 56 may determine which hydrocarbons are present and in which percentage. Further, the analyzer system 56 may determine the water content of the batch of fuel 31 and whether there are any impurities contained within the batch of fuel 31. If the analyzer system 56 determines that the batch of fuel 31 is not within the recommended specifications, the batch of fuel 31 may be improved so that it conforms to the recommended specifications.
For example, the batch of fuel 31 may undergo distillation (block 104) treatment based on the determined characteristics. For example, the batch of fuel 31 may be sent through the batch distiller system 62 to change the content of the batch of fuel 31. In some embodiments, the batch distiller system 62 may be utilized to reduce the water content of the batch of fuel 31, or the batch distiller system 62 may be utilized to remove certain hydrocarbons or particulate matter from the batch of fuel 31. Any water-soluble contaminants present in the water will be separated when the water boils off.
After the batch of fuel 31 has undergone distillation (block 104) treatment, the now treated batch of fuel 31 may be used to operate (block 106) the gas turbine system 12. As discussed above, the batch of fuel 31 may be received by the day tank system 58, where it may be utilized by the gas turbine system 12 (e.g., by the combustion system 22).
Next, the process 100 may analyze (block 108) the logistics of the batch of fuel 31 delivery for feedback. In particular, the process 100 may track the characteristics of the batch of fuel 31 as measured by the analyzer system 56 for each supplier. For example, the process 100 may analyze the quality of each shipment of batch of fuel 31 to determine statistics such as percentage of batch of fuel 31 delivered within the recommended specification, average quality of the batch of fuel 31, and relate the batch of fuel 31 characteristics to each supplier. This allows the process 100 to track the batch of fuel 31 supplied from each supplier.
Further, the process 100 may analyze (block 108) the treatment of the batch of fuel 31 for feedback. In particular, the process 100 may track the change in batch of fuel 31 quality before and after going through the distillation (block 104) treatment. For example, the process 100 may track the time and cost of improving the quality of the batch of fuel 31 to determine the value in treating the batch of fuel 31. Specifically, the process 100 may compare the time and cost of utilizing the distillation process to the time and cost of purchasing a new batch of batch of fuel 31 that is within the recommended specifications. In this manner, the process 100 may provide for analysis and actions related to treatment of the fuel batch 31.
The batch of fuel 31 that is sent to the batch fuel receiving tank system 60 may be processed in various ways. In some embodiments, a second analysis may be performed to determine the optimal way of dealing with the batch of fuel 31 that is not within the recommended specifications. In some instances, it may be cost effective to further improve the quality of the batch of fuel 31 so that it may be brought within the recommended specifications. In other instances, it may be cost effective to send the batch of fuel 31 to another location. For example, the batch of fuel 31 may be returned to the supplier or sold to a buyer.
In instances where it is determined that the batch of fuel 31 may be brought within the recommended specifications, the techniques described herein provide for multiple options for improving the quality of the batch of fuel 31. In some embodiments, the out of spec batch of fuel 31 may be combined with in spec batch of fuel 31 so that the combination of the two fuels produces in spec batch of fuel 31. In other instances, it may be more cost effective to improve the out of spec batch of fuel 31 by using the batch distiller system 62.
The batch distiller system 62 may be used to remove moisture content from the out of spec batch of fuel 31, and/or to separate the portion of the batch of fuel 31 that is in spec from the portion of the batch of fuel 31 that is out of spec. As discussed above, water may be removed because of a difference in boiling point between the water and other fuel components, e.g., hydrocarbons. In addition, higher molecular weight diolefins and asphaltenes can be separated from the more desirable hydrocarbons. Accordingly, the batch distiller system 62 may be heated, depressurized, or a combination thereof, to achieve a temperature and/or a pressure suitable for boiling or otherwise transitioning certain components of the batch of fuel 31 into a gaseous phase. For example, light hydrocarbons may be boiled first, and then recovered via a vapor condenser 156 and/or a vapor compressor 158. The vapor condenser system 156 may include one or more tubes that lower the temperature of the gaseous in spec batch of fuel 31. In some instances, the vapor condenser system 156 is sufficient to change the in spec batch of fuel 31 back into a liquid. In other instances, the vapor compressor system 158 may be utilized on its own or in conjunction with the vapor condenser system 156 to bring the in spec batch of fuel 31 back into a liquid state. The vapor compressor system 158 may be a compressor that increases the pressure of the vapor or gas. Decreasing the temperature, increasing the pressure, or a combination thereof may be sufficient to return the in spec batch of fuel 31 to a liquid state. After the in spec batch of fuel 31 has returned to a liquid state by passing through the vapor condenser system 156, the vapor compressor system 158, or both, the in spec batch of fuel 31 is sent to the catch pot system 64. In some instances, removing a portion of or all of the water from the batch of fuel 31 will bring the batch of fuel 31 within the recommended specifications. In these instances, the batch of fuel 31 may not undergo any further distilling and is sent to either the catch pot system 64 or the day tank system 58 for use in the gas turbine system 12.
The out of spec batch of fuel 31 that has been separated from the in spec batch of fuel 31 may be recovered and used for other purposes. For example, the out of spec batch of fuel 31 may be sent to an indirect oil burner 160 where the out of spec batch of fuel 31 may be burned to provide heat for the distilling process in the batch distiller 50. In some instances, the out of spec batch of fuel 31 may contain a large amount of asphaltene molecules. In these instances, the out of spec batch of fuel 31 may be sent to and collected by an asphaltene-rich residue tank 162. The batch of fuel 31 in the asphaltene-rich residue tank 162 may then be sold to a buyer or disposed of.
The batch of fuel 31 that is sent to the catch pot system 64 may be chemically analyzed (block 164) to determine the characteristics of the batch of fuel 31. If the batch of fuel 31 in the catch pot system 64 is found to still be out of spec, the batch of fuel 31 may be sent back to the batch fuel receiving tank system 60. If the batch of fuel 31 is found to be in spec, then the batch of fuel 31 may be sent to the day tank system 58, or the catch pot system 64 may be utilized for the same purpose as the day tank system 58. That is, the catch pot system 64 may send the batch of fuel 31 to the gas turbine system 12.
Technical effects include systems and methods for improving the fuel quality. Fuel received at the site of the gas turbine system may be considered out of spec and not recommended for use in the gas turbine system. After analyzing the characteristics of the fuel, the fuel may be improved so that it may be considered in spec and recommended for use in the gas turbine system. This may be accomplished by mixing the out of spec fuel with in spec fuel or by processing the out of spec fuel through a batch distiller. After the out of spec fuel has been changed to in spec fuel, it may be used in the gas turbine system. Improving the quality of the fuel in small batches, as described above, may be more cost effective, and more environmentally friendly than utilizing the out of spec fuel for other purposes.
This written description uses examples to disclose the subject matter, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the subject matter, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the subject matter is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal language of the claims.
The techniques presented and claimed herein are referenced and applied to material objects and concrete examples of a practical nature that demonstrably improve the present technical field and, as such, are not abstract, intangible or purely theoretical. Further, if any claims appended to the end of this specification contain one or more elements designated as “means for [perform]ing [a function] . . . ” or “step for [perform]ing [a function] . . . ”, it is intended that such elements are to be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f). However, for any claims containing elements designated in any other manner, it is intended that such elements are not to be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f). This written description uses examples to disclose the subject matter, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the subject matter, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the subject matter is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal language of the claims.
