SIC FLAME SENSORS FOR GAS-TURBINE CONTROL-SYSTEMS

The research and development activities carried out to develop a SiC f lame sensor for gas turbines utilized for power generation are discuss ed. These activities included the fabrication:and characterization of SiC UV photodiodes and small SiC signal diodes as well as the designin g and testing of production flame detector assemblies. The characteris tics that make this solid state flame detector particularly useful for dry low NOx (DLN) premixed oil and natural gas fuels will be describe d. Since this device provides both analog de and ac output signals, tu rbine combustor mode tracking, combustion flame dynamics and flame int ensity tracking have been demonstrated. Sensors designed for productio n have been built, qualified and field rested. These sensors are now b eing installed in gas turbine power plants and are a component part of the turbine control system. This development has resulted in the firs t commercialized turbine control application to use SiC electronic dev ices. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.