ADVANCED LASER IGNITION SYSTEM FOR GAS TURBINE INCLUDING AIRCRAFT ENGINE

• Main Authors: KOPECEK HERBERT, BREIT MICHAEL, DENIS SARA ROCCI, MCMANUS KEITH ROBERT
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 21.06.2012
• Subjects: AIR INTAKES FOR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS; BLASTING; COMBUSTION APPARATUS; COMBUSTION ENGINES; COMBUSTION PROCESSES; CONTROLLING FUEL SUPPLY IN AIR-BREATHING JET-PROPULSION PLANTS; GAS-TURBINE PLANTS; GENERATING COMBUSTION PRODUCTS OF HIGH PRESSURE OR HIGHVELOCITY, e.g. GAS-TURBINE COMBUSTION CHAMBERS; HEATING; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS; IGNITION, OTHER THAN COMPRESSION IGNITION, FORINTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES; LIGHTING; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; TESTING OF IGNITION TIMING IN COMPRESSION-IGNITION ENGINES; WEAPONS

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a laser ignition system for an internal combustion engine, more specifically a gas turbine engine.SOLUTION: The laser ignition system includes at least one laser light source 12 configured to generate a laser beam 14 and an optical beam guidance component 16. The optical beam guidance component 16 is configured to transmit the laser beam 14 to irradiate on an oxygenated fuel mixture supplied into a combustion chamber at a region of highest ignitability to generate a combustor flame in a flame region. The apparatus further includes an integrated control diagnostic component configured to detect at least a portion of a light emission and operable to control one or more combustion parameter(s) based in part on the detected light emission. The apparatus further includes additional enhanced ignition control configurations. A method for igniting a fuel mixture in the internal combustion engine is also presented.