초록 ▼

A fuel injection system has a fuel lance for supplying gaseous fuel to the burner of a gas turbine engine. The fuel lance includes a gas sensor that is used to monitor the concentration of the methane fuel inside the gas pilot channel of the fuel lance. The invention prevents overheating caused by t

A fuel injection system has a fuel lance for supplying gaseous fuel to the burner of a gas turbine engine. The fuel lance includes a gas sensor that is used to monitor the concentration of the methane fuel inside the gas pilot channel of the fuel lance. The invention prevents overheating caused by the ignition of the methane fuel inside the fuel lance by monitoring the concentration of the methane fuel during the purge sequence and taking action if a critical fuel air mixture is reached.

대표청구항 ▼

I claim: 1. A fuel injection system for supplying fuel to a combustion chamber constituting part of a gas turbine engine, comprising: a fuel lance constituting part of a burner and connectable to a supply of gaseous fuel and to a supply of purge gas, the fuel lance having an internal gas channel th

I claim: 1. A fuel injection system for supplying fuel to a combustion chamber constituting part of a gas turbine engine, comprising: a fuel lance constituting part of a burner and connectable to a supply of gaseous fuel and to a supply of purge gas, the fuel lance having an internal gas channel through which the gaseous fuel is supplied to the combustion chamber during combustion, and through which the purge gas is supplied to remove any residual gaseous fuel during a purge sequence; and a gas sensor for sensing concentration of the gaseous fuel inside the internal gas channel of the fuel lance, and for generating an output signal indicative of said concentration. 2. The fuel injection system according to claim 1, and a check valve inside the internal gas channel of the fuel lance for preventing reverse flow of the gaseous fuel and the purge gas through the internal gas channel to the supplies. 3. The fuel injection system according to claim 2, wherein the fuel lance is connectable to the supply of gaseous fuel and to the supply of purge gas through a manifold, wherein the gas sensor is located in the internal gas channel, and wherein the check valve is located adjacent the gas sensor and prevents the reverse flow to the manifold. 4. The fuel injection system according to claim 1, and an electronic device for processing the output signal to monitor operation of the fuel injection system based on said concentration. 5. The fuel injection system according to claim 1, and an electronic device for processing the output signal to monitor operation of the fuel injection system based on a rate of change of said concentration. 6. The fuel injection system according to claim 1, and an electronic device for processing the output signal to monitor operation of the fuel injection system, and for generating a warning signal when said concentration exceeds a predetermined level. 7. The fuel injection system according to claim 1, wherein the gas sensor is a mixed metal oxide semiconductor (MMOS) sensor. 8. A fuel injection system for supplying fuel to a common combustion chamber constituting part of a gas turbine engine, comprising: a plurality of fuel lances each constituting part of a burner and connectable to a common supply of gaseous fuel and to a common supply of purge gas, each fuel lance having an internal gas channel through which the gaseous fuel is supplied to the common combustion chamber during combustion, and through which the purge gas is supplied to remove any residual gaseous fuel during a purge sequence; and a corresponding plurality of gas sensors each operative for sensing concentration of the gaseous fuel inside the internal gas channel of a respective fuel lance, and for generating an output signal indicative of said concentration. 9. The fuel injection system according to claim 8, wherein the fuel lances are connected to the common supplies through a common manifold; and a corresponding plurality of check valves each mounted inside the internal gas channel of the respective fuel lance for preventing reverse flow of the gaseous fuel and the purge gas through the internal gas channel to the common manifold. 10. The fuel injection system according to claim 9, and a fuel supply valve mounted between the common manifold and the common supply of gaseous fuel, and a purge gas supply valve mounted between the common manifold and the common supply of purge gas. 11. A method of monitoring a fuel injection system connected to a combustion chamber constituting part of a gas turbine engine, comprising the steps of: connecting a fuel lance constituting part of a burner and having an internal gas channel to a supply of gaseous fuel and to a supply of purge gas; supplying the gaseous fuel through the internal gas channel to the combustion chamber during combustion; supplying the purge gas through the internal gas channel to remove any residual gaseous fuel during a purge sequence; sensing concentration of the gaseous fuel inside the internal gas channel of the fuel lance; and generating an output signal indicative of said concentration. 12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising the step of processing the output signal to generate a warning signal when said concentration exceeds a predetermined level. 13. The method according to claim 11, further comprising the step of processing the output signal to control operation of the fuel injection system when said concentration exceeds a predetermined level. 14. The method according to claim 11, wherein the sensing step is continuously performed. 15. The method according to claim 11, wherein the sensing step is performed at regular intervals. 16. The method according to claim 11, wherein the sensing step is performed during the purge sequence. 17. The method according to claim 11, wherein the sensing step is performed during a period when the gaseous fuel is not intentionally supplied to the combustion chamber. 18. The method according to claim 11, further comprising the step of processing the output signal to monitor a rate of change of said concentration. 19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the processing step is performed by generating a warning signal when the rate of change of said concentration exceeds a predetermined level. 20. The method according to claim 18, wherein the processing step is performed by controlling operation of the fuel injection system when the rate of change of said concentration exceeds a predetermined level. 21. The method according to claim 18, wherein the processing step is performed by using at least one of said concentration and the rate of change of said concentration to determine an operating condition of the fuel injection system. 22. The method according to claim 18, and the step of preventing reverse flow of the gaseous fuel by mounting a check valve in the internal gas channel, and wherein the processing step is performed by using at least one of said concentration and the rate of change of said concentration to determine an operating condition of the check valve. 23. A method of monitoring a fuel injection system connected to a common combustion chamber constituting part of a gas turbine engine, comprising the steps of: connecting a plurality of fuel lances each constituting part of a burner and having an internal gas channel to a common supply of gaseous fuel and to a common supply of purge gas; supplying the gaseous fuel through the internal gas channel of each fuel lance to the common combustion chamber during combustion; supplying the purge gas through the internal gas channel of each fuel lance to remove any residual gaseous fuel during a purge sequence; sensing concentration of the gaseous fuel inside the internal gas channel of each fuel lance; and generating an output signal indicative of said concentration within the internal gas channel of each fuel lance. 24. The method according to claim 23, further comprising the step of generating a warning signal when said concentration inside at least one of the fuel lances exceeds a predetermined level. 25. The method according to claim 23, further comprising the step of generating a warning signal by comparing said respective concentrations inside the plurality of the fuel lances. 26. The method according to claim 23, further comprising the step of processing the output signal for each fuel lance to monitor a rate of change of each concentration inside each fuel lance. 27. The method according to claim 26, further comprising the step of using at least one of said concentration and the rate of change of said concentration inside at least one of the fuel lances to determine an operating condition of the fuel injection system. 28. The method according to claim 26, further comprising the step of preventing reverse flow of the gaseous fuel by mounting a check valve in each internal gas channel, and wherein the processing step is performed by using at least one of said concentration and the rate of change of said concentration inside at least one of the fuel lances to determine an operating condition of the check valve in each internal gas channel.