Micro gas turbine systems and uses thereof

Abstract

The present disclosure describes a micro gas turbine flameless heater, in which the heat is generated by burning fuel in a gas turbine engine, and the heater output air mixture is generated by transferring the heat in the gas turbine exhaust to the cold air drawn from the ambient environment. The present disclosure also describes component geometries and system layout for a gas turbine power generation unit that is designed for simple assembly, disassembly, and component replacement. The present disclosure also allows for quick removal of the rotating components of the gas turbine engine in order to reduce assembly and maintenance time. Furthermore, the present disclosure describes features that help to maintain safe operating temperatures for the bearings and structures of the gas turbine engine power turbine. Lastly, the present disclosure describes features of a fuel capture system that allow the injection of wellhead gas, which typically is a mixture of gaseous and liquid fuels, into the combustion chamber, and also describes methods of incorporating afterburners in the gas turbine engine, such that the gas turbine engine system can use wellhead gas to power equipment and reduce emissions from flaring in oil and gas applications.

1 . A gas turbine heater comprising:
 i) a gas turbine engine, further comprising:
 a shaft, 
   a compressor configured to rotate about the shaft, and to accept ambient air through a compressor inlet, and to pressurize the air;
 a combustion chamber in fluid communication with an outlet of the compressor, the combustion chamber being configured to receive combustible fuel from a fuel source and to receive air from the outlet of the compressor, such that an air-fuel mixture is created inside the combustion chamber; 
 an igniter at least a portion of which is positioned inside the combustion chamber, the igniter being configured to ignite the air-fuel mixture inside the combustion chamber, thereby generating pressurized, heated air in the combustion chamber; and 
 a turbine in fluid communication with an outlet of the combustion chamber, the turbine being configured to rotate about the shaft and extract shaft power from pressurized, heated air received from the combustor chamber outlet, thereby providing shaft power to drive the compressor; 
   ii) a fuel manifold comprising
 a pressure regulator configured to control pressure of combustible fuel supplied to the combustion chamber, 
 an ignition fuel orifice configured for restricting flow of combustible fuel into the combustion chamber during an ignition event, 
 an ignition fuel valve configured for controlling the flow of combustible fuel into the ignition fuel orifice, and 
   a second fuel valve configured for controlling the flow of additional combustible fuel into the combustion chamber;   iii) a fan configured to draw the ambient air in from the environment;   iv) a gas turbine air starter configured to provide air for starting the gas turbine engine;   v) a controller configured to receive one or more input signals indicative of engine performance metrics, and to generate one or more output signals that control the air starter and the fan;   vi) an electric generator configured to generate electric energy to power the air starter, the fan, and the controller; and   vii) an enclosure configured such that within the enclosure the gas turbine exhaust gas mixes with ambient air drawn by the fan to create warm air;   such that the gas turbine heater produces warm air at a gas turbine heater outlet.   
     
     
         2 .- 75 . (canceled)