Inlet air chilling system with humidity control and energy recovery

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9719423-B2
Application number	US-201213602363-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 4, 2012
Priority date	Sep 4, 2012
Publication date	Aug 1, 2017
Grant date	Aug 1, 2017

Abstract

An inlet air chilling system for use with a gas turbine engine is disclosed. The inlet air chilling system may include an inlet air filter house, an air chilling/heating coil positioned within the inlet air filter house, and an energy recovery/heating coil positioned downstream of the air chilling/heating coil within the inlet air filter house and in communication with the air chilling/heating coil.

First claim

We claim:

1. An inlet air chilling system for use with a compressor in a gas turbine engine, comprising:
an inlet air filter house with a flow of inlet air therein, wherein the inlet air filter house comprises first portion and a second portion;
a bypass louver disposed between the first portion and the second portion of the inlet air filter house;
an air chilling/heating coil positioned within the second portion of the inlet air filter house;
an energy recovery/heating coil positioned downstream of the air chilling/heating coil within the second portion of the inlet air filter house;
a temperature control valve in communication with the air chilling/heating coil and a humidity control valve and a pump in communication with the energy recovery/heating coil for regulating a flow therebetween; and
a plurality of air filter elements positioned downstream of the energy recovery/heating coil within the first portion of the inlet air filter house,
wherein the flow of inlet air passes through the air chilling/heating coil, the energy recovery/heating coil, and the plurality air filter elements in sequence before being supplied to the compressor,
wherein a flow of chilled water within the air chilling/heating coil exchanges heat with the flow of inlet air to bring a temperature of the flow of inlet air to below an inlet air dew point temperature,
wherein a portion of the flow of chilled water leaving the air chilling/heating coil after being warmed by the flow of air is routed to the energy recovery/heating coil to heat the flow of air to lower a relative humidity of the flow of air from about 100% to about 85% to prevent wetting and caking the plurality of air filter elements,
wherein the bypass louver bypasses the flow of inlet air directly to the first portion of inlet air filter house so as to reduce internal pressure losses when the air chilling/heating coil and the energy recovery/heating coil in the second portion of the inlet air filter house are not in operation.

2. The inlet air chilling system of claim 1 , wherein the first portion comprises an existing inlet air filter house disposed downstream of the second portion, which comprises an inlet air filter house extension.

3. The inlet air chilling system of claim 1 , wherein the air chilling/heating coil comprises a multi-pass coil.

4. The inlet air chilling system of claim 1 , further comprising a mist eliminator positioned within the second portion of the inlet air filter house between the air chilling/heating coil and the energy recovery/heating coil to remove and dispose of any airborne condensate water droplets generated in the air chilling/heating coil.

5. The inlet air chilling system of claim 1 , further comprising a chilled or hot water supply corresponding to a selected chilling or heading mode of operation in communication with the air chilling/heating coil.

6. The inlet air chilling system of claim 1 , further comprising an energy recovery/heating coil pump positioned between the air chilling/heating coil outlet and the energy recovery/heating coil inlet to supply the energy recovery/heating coil with warmed water leaving the air chilling/heating coil.

7. The inlet air chilling system of claim 1 , wherein the air chilling/heating coil and the energy recovery/heating coil collectively form a power augmentation system.

8. The inlet air chilling system of claim 1 , wherein the inlet air filter house comprises one or more temperature sensors in communication with the temperature control valve and one or more humidity sensors in communication with the humidity control valve.

9. The inlet air chilling system of claim 1 , further comprising a weather hood installed in front of the second portion of the inlet air filter house.

10. The inlet air chilling system of claim 9 , further comprising one or more pre-filters disposed within the second portion of the inlet air filter house downstream of the weather hood and upstream of the air chilling/heating coil.

Assignees

• Motakef Abbas
• Desai Bhalchandra Arun
• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Motakef Abbas
• Desai Bhalchandra Arun

Classifications

• F02C7/052

  with dust-separation devices · CPC title

• F05D2260/213

  by the provision of a heat exchanger within the cooling circuit · CPC title

• F02C7/143

  before or between the compressor stages · CPC title

• F02C7/047 Primary

  Heating to prevent icing · CPC title

• F05D2260/205

  Cooling fluid recirculation, i.e. after cooling one or more components is the cooling fluid recovered and used elsewhere for other purposes · CPC title