Patent Application
20140020394
The subject matter disclosed herein relates to turbomachines, and more specifically, to ventilation for a housing of a turbomachine.
In general, a turbomachine transfers energy between a mechanical system and a fluid. Some turbomachines, such as gas turbine engines, combust a mixture of compressed air and fuel to produce hot combustion gases. The compressed air is drawn from an air intake. A gas turbine engine produces work through expansion of combustion gases. A turbomachine (e.g., a gas turbine engine) or engine may be installed within an enclosure. However, some of the combustion gases may collect in the enclosure. Ventilation systems for the enclosure may be separate from the air intake or enclosure. Some ventilation systems may create a significant amount of noise.
Certain embodiments commensurate in scope with the originally claimed invention are summarized below. These embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of the claimed invention, but rather these embodiments are intended only to provide a brief summary of possible forms of the invention. Indeed, the invention may encompass a variety of forms that may be similar to or different from the embodiments set forth below.
In a first embodiment, a system includes an air intake coupled to a turbomachine enclosure. The air intake is configured to produce a first airflow and a second airflow. The air intake includes a conduit, an inlet, an inlet duct, an outlet duct, an outlet, and a fan. The conduit is configured to direct the first airflow to a turbomachine subsystem within the turbomachine enclosure. The inlet is configured to removably couple with the fan and to direct the second airflow in a first direction. The inlet duct is coupled to the inlet, configured to direct the second airflow in a second direction at least partially around the conduit, and configured to direct the second airflow in a third direction into the turbomachine enclosure. The outlet duct is configured to receive the second airflow from the turbomachine enclosure from a fourth direction substantially opposite to the third direction. The outlet duct is configured to direct the second airflow in the second direction to an outlet. The outlet is configured to removably couple with the fan and to direct the second airflow from the turbomachine enclosure in a fifth direction. The fan is disposed within the air intake, is removably coupled to the inlet or to the outlet, and is configured to positively or negatively pressurize the turbomachine enclosure with the second airflow based on the orientation and disposition of the fan.
In a second embodiment, a system includes an enclosure surrounding a turbomachine subsystem and an air intake coupled to the enclosure. The air intake is configured to direct a first airflow to the turbomachine subsystem and to direct a second airflow to the enclosure. The air intake includes an inlet duct, an outlet duct, and a fan. The inlet duct is coupled to the enclosure and configured to receive the second airflow. The outlet duct is coupled to the enclosure and configured to direct the second airflow. The fan is removably coupled to the inlet duct to positively pressurize the enclosure or removably coupled to the outlet duct to negatively pressurize the enclosure.
In a third embodiment, a method includes directing a first airflow through a conduit to a gas turbine system disposed within an enclosure and receiving a second airflow from a first direction through an inlet configured to removably couple with a fan. The method also includes directing the second airflow in a second direction through an inlet duct at least partially around the first airflow, directing the second airflow in a third direction through the inlet duct into the enclosure, and receiving the second airflow from a fourth direction substantially opposite to the third direction through an outlet duct from the enclosure. The method also includes directing the second airflow in the second direction to an outlet, and directing the second airflow in a fifth direction from the outlet configured to removably couple with the fan, and pressurizing the enclosure with a positive or a negative pressure based on the orientation and disposition of the fan.
These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood when the following detailed description is read with reference to the accompanying drawings in which like characters represent like parts throughout the drawings, wherein:
One or more specific embodiments of the present invention will be described below. In an effort to provide a concise description of these embodiments, all features of an actual implementation may not be described in the specification. It should be appreciated that in the development of any such actual implementation, as in any engineering or design project, numerous implementation-specific decisions must be made to achieve the developers' specific goals, such as compliance with system-related and business-related constraints, which may vary from one implementation to another. Moreover, it should be appreciated that such a development effort might be complex and time consuming, but would nevertheless be a routine undertaking of design, fabrication, and manufacture for those of ordinary skill having the benefit of this disclosure.
When introducing elements of various embodiments of the present invention, the articles “a,” “an,” “the,” and “said” are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements. The terms “comprising,” “including,” and “having” are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional elements other than the listed elements.
A modular ventilation system of an air intake has a modular and flexible design for the ventilation of an enclosure, e.g., for a turbomachine such as a gas turbine engine or a reciprocating engine. The inlet and outlet of the modular ventilation system are configured to removably couple with a fan to enable a switch from a positively pressurized enclosure to a negatively pressurized enclosure by changing only the location and orientation of the fan. The fan is configured to push or pull an airflow through the enclosure. The inlet, outlet, and fan are integrated within the air intake, which may attenuate the noise of the fan removably coupled to the inlet or the outlet. Vent silencers may also attenuate the noise. The inlet may be proximate the outlet to at least increase the ease of switching the location and orientation of the fan between the inlet and the outlet. The inlet and outlet ducts coupling the modular ventilation system to the enclosure are also integrated in the air intake. The inlet and outlet ducts enable the switch between a positively pressurized enclosure and a negatively pressurized enclosure without affecting the structure of the inlet and outlet ducts. The inlet and outlet ducts may be configured to route the airflow into the enclosure along defined relative directions. The airflow may flow through the inlet ducts and outlet ducts in substantially the same direction without regard to the location and orientation of the fan.
Turning now to the drawings and referring first to
The compressor 22 or other component draws air 18 into the subsystem 20 via the air intake 12. The air intake 12 draws air 18 into the turbomachine system 10 via a suitable mechanism, such as a cold air intake, and produces a first airflow 42 and a second airflow 44. The first airflow 42 may be for mixture of air 18 with the fuel 30 via fuel nozzle 28. Air 18 taken in by subsystem 20 may be compressed into pressurized air 46 by rotating blades within compressor 22. The pressurized air 46 may then be fed into one or more fuel nozzles 28. Fuel nozzles 28 may then mix the pressurized air 46 and fuel 30, to produce the suitable air-fuel mixture 32 for combustion, e.g., a combustion that causes the fuel 30 to more completely burn, so as not to waste fuel 30 or cause excess emissions in the exhaust gas 34. Again, the turbine 26 is driven by the exhaust gases 34.
The second airflow 44 is drawn through a modular ventilation system 14 for cooling of the subsystem 20 and its components (e.g., compressor 22, combustor 24, turbine 26) and ventilation of the enclosure 16. The second airflow 44 may substantially isolate the enclosure 16 from the ambient environment 48 or substantially isolate the ambient environment 48 from the enclosure 16. For example, a positively pressurized enclosure 16 may substantially isolate the enclosure 16 from the ambient environment 48. A negatively pressurized enclosure 16 may substantially isolate the ambient environment 48 from the enclosure 16. The modular ventilation system 14 is integrated with the air intake 12 and includes a fan or other apparatus configured to produce the second airflow 44. The modular ventilation system 14 is configured for readily interchanging the pressurization and/or ventilation direction of the enclosure 16, such as by changing the orientation or the location of fan. The enclosure may contain noise produced by the turbomachine system 10. For example, the enclosure 16 may have acoustic panels to reduce the perceptible noise outside the enclosure 16.
The air intake 12 may have a plurality of vanes 62 configured to guide air 18 in and out of the air intake 12. The plurality of vanes 62 may be fixed or adjustable. In some embodiments, the first set 64 of vanes 62 configured to guide air 18 into the modular ventilation system 14 may be adjustable separate from the remainder 66 of the vanes 62 into the intake system 50. In some embodiments, the second airflow 44 is configured to circulate through the enclosure 16 in substantially the same direction (e.g., downstream) as the first airflow 42. The first airflow 42 is configured to flow downstream from the intake system 50 to the exhaust outlet 68. As illustrated in
The inlet 70 and outlet 72 of the modular ventilation system 14 are configured to removably couple with fan 74. The fan 74 may be coupled to either of the inlet 70 or outlet 72. For example, the inlet 70 and outlet 72 are similarly sized and configured to removably couple with the similarly sized inlet and outlet ducts 58, 60. In some embodiments, the fan 74 coupled to the inlet 70 has a geometry different from the fan 74 coupled to the outlet 72. The fan 74 removably coupled to the inlet 70 is also removably coupled to the inlet duct 58; the fan 74 removably coupled to the outlet 72 is also removably coupled to the outlet duct 60. The fan 74 may be configured to push or pull the second airflow 44 through the enclosure 16. In some embodiments, the flow direction or orientation of the fan 74 coupled to the inlet 70 or the outlet 72 may be readily changed. For example, the fan 74 may be removably coupled to the inlet 70 to push the second airflow 44 downstream through the enclosure 16 or to pull the second airflow 44 upstream. The fan 74 may be removably coupled to the outlet 72 to pull the second airflow 44 downstream through the enclosure 16 or to push the second airflow 44 upstream. In some embodiments, different types of fans 74 may be used based on the location (e.g., inlet 70 or outlet 72) and/or orientation (e.g., upstream or downstream). Types of fans 74 include, but are not limited to blower fans and suction fans. Some fans 74 may have blades 75 driven by a drive motor 76 and a housing 77 to support the motor 76 and protect the blades 75. The fan directs the air path through the housing 77. However, the drive motor 76 may be outside the housing 77 to enable air to flow through the fan 74 without exposing the drive motor 76 to the air. This may increase the operational temperature range of the fan 74 and/or decrease air obstruction through the housing 77. In some embodiments, the modular ventilation system 14 may have a plurality of fans 74 removably coupled in the inlet 70 or outlet 72.
The inlet ducts 58 and the outlet ducts 60 of the air intake 12 are configured to ease switching of the location and/or orientation of the fan 74. In some embodiments, the inlet 70 is adjacent to the outlet 72 and separated only by a removable partition 78. The partition 78 may be removable along a partition axis 79, a first direction 80, or a fifth direction 90 to provide ready access to the fan 74. For example, a railing 81 may enable the removable partition 78 to be moved to provide access to the fans without an overhead crane. The inlet 70 may be located proximate the outlet 72, such as within less than approximately 0.5 m, 1 m, or 2 m. In some embodiments, an adjustable port 83 (e.g., damper) through the partition 78 enables the second airflow 44 from the outlet duct 60 to enter the inlet duct 58. For example, when operating in low temperatures, the second airflow 44 from the outlet duct 60 may be warmer than the ambient environment 48. Recirculating at least a portion of the second airflow 44 from the outlet duct 60 through the damper 83 may warm the second airflow 44 to a desirable temperature for the subsystem 20. A desirable temperature may be greater than approximately −10° C., 0° C., 10° C., or 20° C. In some embodiments, the inlet 70 and outlet 72 are between the conduit 52 and the exhaust outlet 68. The inlet ducts 58 and outlet ducts 60 may have substantially similar structure to enable the fan 74 to be switched between the inlet 70 and outlet 72 without substantially affecting the quantity and/or direction of the second airflow 44. In some embodiments, the inlet and outlet ducts 58, 60 are configured so that the magnitude of the pressure difference between the enclosure 16 and the ambient environment 48 is substantially the same, without regard to whether the enclosure 16 is positively pressurized or negatively pressurized.
The inlet and outlet ducts 58, 60 are configured to direct the second airflow 44 along a defined route. For example, the second airflow 44 may be received through the inlet 70 from a first direction 80. The inlet duct 58 directs the second airflow 44 in a second direction 82. In some embodiments, the inlet duct 58 at least partially surrounds the conduit 52. The inlet duct 58 may direct the second airflow 44 at least partially around the first airflow 42 that flows through the conduit 52. For example, the second airflow 44 may pass through a first inlet duct portion 59 and/or a second inlet duct portion 63. The inlet duct 58 couples to the enclosure 16 and directs the second airflow 44 along the third direction 84 into the enclosure 16. In some embodiments, the second direction 82 may be substantially perpendicular to the first direction 80 and/or the third direction 84. The second airflow 44 flows through interior chamber 61 the enclosure 16 around the subsystem 20 as generally indicated by arrow 86. As discussed above, the second airflow 44 may cool the subsystem 20 and ventilate the enclosure 16. The outlet duct 60 is configured to receive the second airflow 44 from a fourth direction 88. The fourth direction 88 may be substantially opposite to the third direction 84. The outlet duct 60 directs the second airflow 44 in the second direction 82. In some embodiments, the second direction 82 is towards the outlet 72. The outlet duct 60 at least partially surrounds the exhaust outlet 68, and the outlet duct 60 directs the second airflow 44 at least partially around the first airflow 42 or exhaust gas 34 through the outlet duct 68. For example, the second airflow 44 may pass through a first outlet duct portion 69 and/or a second outlet duct portion 71. In some embodiments, the second airflow 44 cools the exhaust gas 34. The outlet 72 is configured to direct the second airflow 44 in a fifth direction 90 from the air intake 12. The second direction 82 may be substantially perpendicular to the fourth direction 88 and the fifth direction 90. As discussed in this example and shown in
The modular ventilation system 14 may be configured to attenuate noise from the fan 74 and/or second airflow 44 through the air intake 12. In some embodiments, the modular ventilation system 14 has a vent silencer 92. The inlet duct 58 and/or the outlet duct 60 may have a vent silencer 92. The vent silencer 92 may be at an end 94 of the modular ventilation system 14. The vent silencer 92 may include dampers 93 and/or baffles. The vent silencer 92 may have a plurality of acoustic dampening chambers between the dampers 93, each having one or more inlets. The air intake 12 may be configured to attenuate noise from the fan 74 through insulation and/or the location of the modular ventilation system 14 internally within the air intake 12. For example, the modular ventilation system 14 may be configured to attenuate noise by approximately 10%, approximately 20%, or approximately 30%. In some embodiments, the modular ventilation system 14 is configured to reduce the average sound power level below approximately 85, 80, 75, 70, or 65 dB around the enclosure 16.
As described above, both the inlet 70 and the outlet 72 are configured to removably couple with the one or more fans 74. In an embodiment as shown in FIG. 3, the fans 74 are removably coupled to the inlet 70 and configured to push the second airflow 44 downstream through the enclosure 16. Alternatively, the fans 74 may be removably coupled to the outlet 72 as shown by the dashed boxes 96 and configured to pull the second airflow 44 downstream through the enclosure 16.
The modular ventilation unit 14 is configured to receive the air 18 and direct the second airflow 44 in the first direction 80 (e.g., into the page of
In some embodiments, a controller 98 is coupled to the modular ventilation system 14 and is configured to monitor and control properties of the second airflow 44. The controller 98 may be configured to monitor the environment of the interior chamber 61 through one or more sensors 100. The one or more sensors 100 may include a pressure sensor, temperature sensor, or a gas detector (e.g., oxygen sensor), or any combination thereof The sensors 100 may be disposed in any of the enclosure 16, the inlet 70, the outlet 72, the inlet duct 58, and the outlet duct 60. In some embodiments, the controller 98 may control the drive motors 76 of the fans 74 to adjust the speed, mass flow, and direction of the fans 74 based at least in part on the feedback received from the sensors 100. The controller 98 may also be electrically coupled to the first set 64 of vanes 62 to control the quantity of air 18 flowing into and/or out of the modular ventilation system 14. In some embodiments, the controller 98 is configured to control the adjustable port 83 to control the quantity of the recirculated second airflow 44 and to control the temperature of the second airflow 44 within the enclosure 16.
In contrast to
As illustrated in
This written description uses examples to disclose the invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal language of the claims.
