BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1A is a front plan view of a known inlet filter house.
FIG. 1B is a top plan view of the known inlet filter house of FIG. 1A.
FIG. 1C is a side view of the known inlet filter house of FIG. 1A.
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FIG. 2A is a front plan view of an inlet filter house with the air bypass system as is described herein.
FIG. 2B is a top plan view of the inlet filter house with the air bypass system of FIG. 2A.
FIG. 2C is a side plan view of an inlet filter house with the air bypass system of FIG. 2A.
FIG. 3 is an expanded view of an air bypass duct of FIGS. 2A-C illustrating the air dampers.
FIG. 4A is a front plan view of an inlet filter house with an alternative embodiment of the air bypass system.
FIG. 4B is a top plan view of the inlet filter house with the alternative embodiment of the air bypass system of FIG. 4A.
FIG. 4C is a side plan view of the inlet filter house with the alternative embodiment of the air bypass system of FIG. 4A.
FIG. 5A is a front plan view of an inlet filter house with an alternative embodiment of the air bypass system.
FIG. 5B is a top plan view of the inlet filter house with the alternative embodiment of the air bypass system of FIG. 5A.
FIG. 5C is a side plan view of the inlet filter house with the alternative embodiment of the air bypass system of FIG. 5A.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Referring now to the drawings, in which like numerals refer to like elements throughout the several views, FIGS. 1A-1C show a known inlet filter house 10. The inlet filter house 10 may be used with a gas turbine engine as is described above. The inlet filter house 10 includes a filter house envelope 20. The filter house envelope 20 is typically a box like structure with a number of filters 30 positioned therein. The filters 30 may be conventional filter devices so as to limit the intake of dust and debris into the gas turbine engine as a whole. Positioned within the filter house envelope 20 may be a power augmentation system 40. The power augmentation system 40 may include a chiller coil 50 or other types of chilling devices such as those described above. Positioned adjacent to the filter house envelope 20 may be a transition section 60. The transition section 60 narrows the airflow path so as to increase the airflow velocity. The transition section 60 may lead to an inlet duct 70. The inlet duct 70 leads to the gas turbine components as are described above. The inlet filter house 10 also may include a support 80 or other type of positioning device. The inlet filter house 10 may have other or additional components as may be desired.
FIGS. 2A-2C show an inlet filter house 100 as is described herein. The inlet filter house 100 may include the components described above with respect to the inlet filter house 10 and/or similar components. The inlet filter house 100 also includes an air bypass system 110. The air bypass system 110 includes a number of bypass ducts. In this case, a pair of side ducts, a first side duct 120 and a second side duct 130, and a top duct 140. The ducts 120, 130, 140 may be positioned about the chiller coil 50. Not all of the ducts 120, 130, 140 may be used. Other and further configurations of the ducts 120, 130, 140 also may be used herein. The arrows show the flow of air through the several ducts 120, 130, 140. The ducts 120, 130, 140 may be made out of polymers or other lightweight types of materials. The ducts 120, 130, 140 generally do not have any type of structural role. Metals and other types of standard structural materials, however, also may be used. The ducts 120, 130, 140 also may be in the form of an air bladder. The air bladder could deflate and inflate so as to create the airflow path therethrough.
FIG. 3 shows the air bypass system 110 with a damper door 150 positioned therein. The damper doors 150 may be controlled manually or automatically. Any number of damper doors 150 may be used herein. Alternatively, the air bladders could inflate and deflate within or in place of the ducts 120, 130, 140 and control the airflow path therethrough without the use of the doors 150.
FIGS. 4A-4C show a further embodiment of an inlet filter house 200. As above, the inlet filter house 200 may include the components of the inlet house 10 and/or similar components. The inlet filter house 200 also includes an air bypass system 210. In this system 210, only one duct is used, an upper duct 220. The upper duct 220 may be positioned about the chiller 50. Likewise, the upper duct 220 may include a damper 230 positioned therein so as to open and close the duct 220 as may be desired. The configuration of the air bypass system 210 has the advantage of avoiding possible interference with the piping related to the power augmentation system 40. Similar configurations may be used herein.
In use, the air bypass systems 110, 210 generally will only be used when the power augmentation system 40 is not operating. As such, the air bypass systems 110, 210 would be closed by the damper doors 150, 230 or by other means during operation of the power augmentation system 40. When the power augmentation system 40 is not operational, the air bypass systems 110, 210 thus route the incoming air through some or all of the ducts 120, 130, 140 so as to add flow area around the power augmentation system 40 and avoid the resistance therethrough.
The use of the air bypass systems 110, 210 thus minimizes the air inlet system resistance by providing an additional flow path around the power augmentation system 40. The pressure drop varies as the square of the gas velocity, so even a modest increase in the available flow area (and hence reduction in air velocity) offers a reduction in the pressure drop. The use of the air bypass systems 110, 120 thus will lower the inlet pressure drop and increase the turbine output and performance. The use of the air bypass systems 110, 210 also improves the overall economics of the power augmentation system 40 because the designed pressure drop through the power augmentation system 40 is no longer a compromise between the cost of the heat exchanger and a performance penalty paid when it is not in use. The power augmentation system 40 thus can be designed for a lower cost and a higher pressure drop while in service because an independent means is available to reduce the operating inlet pressure drop when augmentation is not needed.
FIGS. 5A and 5B show a further embodiment of an inlet filter house 300. In this embodiment, the chiller coil 50 may be moved to the front of the filter house envelope 20. The filters 30 themselves would be positioned behind the chiller coil 50. A drift eliminator and/or coalescer pad 310 also may be used herein. The inlet filter house 300 also includes an air bypass system 320. The air bypass system 320 includes a pair of damper doors 330 positioned between the chiller coil 50 and the filters 30. When the chiller coil 50 is not in use, the damper doors 330 may be opened so as to permit airflow directly into the filters 30. The use of the air bypass system 320 thus enables a reduction in the pressure drop when the chiller coil 50 is positioned in front of the filters 30 and not operating. The air bypass system 320 also may use hinged damper doors 330 or even the air bladders.
It should be apparent that the foregoing relates only to the preferred embodiments of the present application and that numerous changes and modifications may be made herein by one of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the general spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the following claims and the equivalents thereof.
Patent Application
20070294984
