US 12,352,218 B2
Fuel supply system for a combustor
David Justin Brady, Lynn, MA (US); Mirko Gernone, Mari (IT); Michael A. Benjamin, Cincinnati, OH (US); and Steven C. Vise, West Chester, OH (US)
Assigned to General Electric Company, Evendale, OH (US)
Filed by GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, Schenectady, NY (US); and GE Avio S.r.l., Rivalta di Torino (IT)
Filed on Feb. 1, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/590,472.
Prior Publication US 2023/0243311 A1, Aug. 3, 2023
Int. Cl. F02C 9/40 (2006.01); F02C 3/22 (2006.01); F02C 7/22 (2006.01); F02C 7/224 (2006.01); F23R 3/30 (2006.01); F23R 3/36 (2006.01)
CPC F02C 9/40 (2013.01) [F02C 3/22 (2013.01); F02C 7/22 (2013.01); F02C 7/224 (2013.01); F23R 3/30 (2013.01); F23R 3/36 (2013.01); F05D 2220/32 (2013.01); F05D 2240/36 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A fuel supply system selectively fluidly coupled to, and defining a fuel source for, a combustion section of a turbine engine, the turbine engine having at least one heat source, the fuel supply system comprising:
a first fuel supply having a liquid fuel;
a second fuel supply having a first gaseous fuel;
a heat exchanger fluidly coupled to the first fuel supply and thermally coupled to the at least one heat source, the heat exchanger configured to produce a heat sufficient to change the liquid fuel to a second gaseous fuel;
a first outlet line extending from the heat exchanger and fluidly coupling the heat exchanger to the combustion section;
a second outlet line, separate from the first outlet line, extending from the heat exchanger and fluidly coupling the heat exchanger to the second fuel supply and defining a fluid input to the second fuel supply; and
a gaseous fuel inlet line extending from the second fuel supply to a portion of the first outlet line that is downstream of the heat exchanger and upstream of a portion of the combustion section, the gaseous fuel inlet line defining a gaseous fuel input of the first gaseous fuel to the first outlet line.
 
18. A fuel supply system selectively fluidly coupled to, and defining a fuel source for, a combustion section of a turbine engine, the turbine engine having at least one heat source, the fuel supply system comprising:
a first fuel supply having a liquid fuel, the first fuel supply being provided within a first housing;
a second fuel supply having a first gaseous fuel, the second fuel supply being provided within a second housing, separate from the first housing;
a heat exchanger fluidly coupled to the first fuel supply and the at least one heat source, the heat exchanger configured to produce a heat sufficient to change the liquid fuel to a second gaseous fuel;
an inlet line defining an input to the heat exchanger, the inlet line configured to feed an input fluid to the heat exchanger;
a first outlet line fluidly coupling the heat exchanger to the combustion section;
a second outlet line fluidly coupling the heat exchanger to the second fuel supply, the inlet line defining a fluid inlet to the second fuel supply;
a gaseous fuel inlet line extending between the second fuel supply and a portion of the inlet line that is upstream of the heat exchanger and downstream of the first fuel supply, the gaseous fuel inlet line defining a gaseous fuel output from the second fuel supply and a gaseous fuel input to the inlet line; and
a controller module having a processor and a memory, the memory having instructions stored thereon which, when executed by the processor, cause the controller module to selectively operate one or more components of the fuel supply system such that:
during startup of the turbine engine, the first gaseous fuel flows through the gaseous fuel inlet line and is fed to the combustion section, and the liquid fuel does not flow through the fuel supply system; and
after startup of the turbine engine and when the heat exchanger produces the heat sufficient to change the liquid fuel to the second gaseous fuel, the liquid fuel is fed to the heat exchanger to change the liquid fuel into the second gaseous fuel.