US008O83466B2
(12) United States Patent (10) Patent No.: US 8,083,466 B2
Zhang et al. (45) Date of Patent: Dec. 27, 2011
(54) TURBOMACHINE INLET HEATING SYSTEM (56) References Cited
(75) Inventors: Hua Zhang, Greer, SC (US); David U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
Wesley Ball, Jr., Easley, SC (US); 6,027.304 A 2/2000 Arar et al.
Valery Ivanovich Ponyavin, Greenville, 6,685.425 B2 22004 Poccia et al.
SC (US); Douglas Scott Byrd, Greer, 7,033,135 B2 * 4/2006 Mortzheim et al. .......... 415,115
SC (US) * cited by examiner
(73) Assignee: General Electric Company,
Schenectady, NY (US) Primary Examiner — Dung A. Le
(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm — Cantor Colburn LLP
(*) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this
patent is extended or adjusted under 35
U.S.C. 154(b) by 496 days. (57) ABSTRACT
A turbomachine system includes a compressor having a com
(21) Appl. No.: 12/403,444 pressorintake and a compressor extraction outlet, and an inlet
(22) Filed: Mar 13, 2009 system fluidly connected to the compressor intake and the
compressor extraction outlet. The inlet system includes a
(65) Prior Publication Data plenum having a first end portion that extends to a second end
portion through an intermediate portion. The inlet system also
US 2010/O232945 A1 Sep. 16, 2010 includes a heating system having a plurality of conduits
(51) Int. Cl extending horizontally through the intermediate portion of
FoiD 2I/2 (2006.01) the plenum and arranged in a vertical relationship. Heated air
(52) U.S. Cl 415/15 415,416. 415/418; 41.5/134: from the compressor extraction outlet passes through the
Oa - - - - ---- ----- - 45/135. 60,772. 60/785. 60/795 plurality of conduits and raises a temperature of ambient air
(ss) Field of classifications, ...isio, passing through the plenum and into the compressor intake.
415/118, 134, 135, 145; 60/772,785,795
See application file for complete search history. 12 Claims, 2 Drawing Sheets
U.S. Patent Dec. 27, 2011 Sheet 1 of 2 US 8,083,466 B2
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U.S. Patent Dec. 27, 2011 Sheet 2 of 2 US 8,083,466 B2
FIG. 2
US 8,083,466 B2
1. 2
TURBOMACHINE NILET HEATING SYSTEM the following detailed description taken in conjunction with
the accompanying drawings in which:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION FIG. 1 is block diagram illustration a turbomachine includ
ing an inlet heating system in accordance with an exemplary
The subject matter disclosed herein relates to turboma embodiment; and
chines and, more particularly, to an inlet heating system for a FIG. 2 is schematic illustration the inlet heating system of
gas turbine. FIG 1.
In some gas turbine applications, there are instances of gas The detailed description explains embodiments of the
turbine plant operation where gas turbine pressure ratio invention, together with advantages and features, by way of
reaches an operating pressure ratio limit of the compressor 10 example with reference to the drawings.
causing compressor Surge. The compressor pressure ratio is
typically larger than the turbine pressure ratio in that the latter DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
is Subject to pressure loss in the combustor. In order to provide
compressor pressure ratio protection, compressor discharge With reference to FIG. 1, a turbomachine system con
air is bled off and re-circulated to the compressor inlet. This 15 structed in accordance with an exemplary embodiment is
method of operation, known as inlet bleed heat (IBH) control, indicated generally at 2. Turbomachine system 2 includes a
raises inlet temperature of the compressor inlet by mixing gas powered turbomachine 4 having a compressor 6 provided
colder ambient air with the bleed portion of the hot compres with a compressor intake 8. Compressor intake 8 is shown to
Sor discharge air. include a plurality of inlet guide veins 9 arranged downstream
Conventionally, in order to maintain compressor inlet tem of an inlet plenum 10. Gas powered turbomachine 4 is further
peratures within a small range, a large number of Vertical shown to include a turbine 12 fluidly connected to an exhaust
manifolds are arranged between the bleed air and the com diffuser 14. In the exemplary embodiment shown, compres
pressor inlet. While the vertical manifolds provide mixing in sor 6 is operatively linked to turbine 12 through a compressor
the horizontal plane, temperature gradients remain within the extraction outlet or manifold 20.
bleed air making it difficult to maintain the compressor inlet 25 In further accordance with the exemplary embodiment,
temperature within the Small range. turbomachine system 2 includes an inlet system 40 having a
louvered intake 43 mounted to an inlet filter house 45. Lou
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION vered intake 43 is fluidly connected to inlet plenum 10 via a
plenum 49. Plenum 49 includes a first end portion 54 that
According to one aspect of the invention, a turbomachine 30 extends to a second end portion 55 through an intermediate
includes a compressor having a compressor intake and a portion 56. Intake system 40 is also shown to include an inlet
compressor extraction outlet, and an inlet system fluidly con silencer 62 arranged downstream from inlet filter house 45 as
nected to the compressor intake and the compressor extrac well as an inlet heating system 66 arranged downstream from
tion outlet. The inlet system includes a plenum having a first inlet silencer 62.
end portion that extends to a second end portion through an 35 As best shown in FIG. 2, inlet heating system 66 includes
intermediate portion. The first end portion defines an inlet for a first conduit 80 having a first end section 81 that extends to
receiving ambient air and the second end portion defines an a second end section 82 through an intermediate section 83.
outlet for compressor intake air. The inlet system also First conduit 80 includes a first plurality of openings 85 and
includes a heating system having a plurality of conduits an opposing second plurality of openings 86. With this
extending horizontally through the intermediate portion of 40 arrangement, first conduit 80 establishes a first portion 88 of
the plenum and arranged in a vertical relationship. Each of the a vertical curtain of heated air 89. Inlet heating system 66 is
plurality of conduits includes a first end section, a second end also shown to include a second conduit 90 having a first end
section and an intermediate section with at least one of the section 91 that extends to a second end section 92 through an
first and second end sections being fluidly connected to the intermediate section 93. Second conduit 90 includes a first
compressor extraction outlet. Heated air from the compressor 45 plurality of openings 95 and an opposing second plurality of
extraction outlet passes through the plurality of conduits and openings 96 that, in a manner similar to that described above
raises a temperature of ambient air passing through the ple with respect to first conduit 80 establishes a second portion 98
num and into the compressor intake. of the avertical curtain of heated air 89.
According to another aspect of the invention, a method of First and second conduits 80 and 90 are fluidly connected
heating inlet air to a turbomachine includes guiding ambient 50 extraction manifold 20 via an extraction air delivery conduit
air into a first end portion of plenum, passing the ambient air 110. Extraction air delivery conduit 110 includes a first end
across a plurality of conduits extending horizontally through 112 fluidly connected to compressor extraction manifold 20
an intermediate portion of the plenum and arranged in a that extends to a second end 113 that is fluidly connected to
Vertical relationship, introducing heated compressor extrac inlet heating system 66. More specifically, second end 113 of
tion air into the plurality of conduits, and transferring heat 55 extraction air delivery conduit 110 is fluidly connected to
from the heated compressor extraction air to the ambient air second end portion 92 of second conduit 90. A connection
passing through the plenum. member 116 extends from second end 113 and is fluidly
These and other advantages and features will become more connected to first end section 81 offirst conduit 80. Extraction
apparent from the following description taken in conjunction air delivery conduit 110 is further shown to include a valve
with the drawings. 60 member 119 and a control valve 122. Valve member 119 is
selectively activated to deliver a heated air flow to inlet heat
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING ing system 66. With this arrangement, opposing heated air
flows, as indicated by arrows A and B, are passed through first
The Subject matter, which is regarded as the invention, is and second conduits 80 and 90. The opposing heated airflows
particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims at 65 pass through the plurality of openings 85, 86 and 95, 96 to
the conclusion of the specification. The foregoing and other establish the vertical curtain of heated air 89 within plenum
features, and advantages of the invention are apparent from 49.
US 8,083,466 B2
3 4
It has been found that the use of only two pipes arranged pressor extraction outlet passing through the plurality
along a horizontal plane and in a vertical orientation relative of conduits raises a temperature of ambient air pass
to one another exchange sufficient heat with the inlet air flow ing through the plenum and into the compressor
in order to enhance turbomachine operation without creating intake.
significant impact on compressor reliability. That is, in con 5 2. The turbomachine system according to claim 1, wherein
trast to the conventional multiple, vertically oriented, hori each of the plurality of conduits includes a plurality of outlet
Zontal rows of heating pipes that require considerable openings through which pass the heated air from the com
amounts piping materials, the use of two horizontal conduits pressor extraction outlet into the plenum.
has been Surprisingly found to achieve a better mixing effect. 3. The turbomachine system according to claim 2, wherein
More specifically, despite the smaller surface are of the two 10 the plurality of outlet openings in each of the plurality of
conduits, the vertical curtain of heated air sufficiently elevates conduits are arranged to discharge heated extraction air along
the temperature of the inlet air uniformly to compressor 4 so a vertical plane within the plenum.
as to enhance turbomachine operation. 4. The turbomachine system according to claim 1, wherein
At this point, it should be understood that the present the plurality of conduits comprises a first conduit and a sec
invention provides a system for heating inlet air to a turbo 15 ond conduit.
machine that employs only two horizontally oriented con 5. The turbomachine system according to claim 4, wherein
duits that are in a heat exchange relationship with inlet air to the first end section of the first conduit defines a heated
a turbomachine. The lower surface area of the two conduits extraction air inlet and the second end section of the second
leads to lower energy losses thereby enhancing turbomachine conduit defines a heated extraction air inlet, wherein the
operation by creating a uniform temperature distribution for heated extraction air passing through the first and second
the compressor. It should also be understood that the particu conduits flow in opposing directions.
lar size of the plurality of openings, the distance between the 6. The turbomachine system according to claim 1, wherein
plurality of openings and the orientation of the openings the plurality of conduits comprises no more than two con
along the conduits can vary and would depend upon inlet duits.
geometry and turbomachine heating requirements. 25 7. A method of heating inlet air to a turbomachine, the
While the invention has been described in detail in connec method comprising:
tion with only a limited number of embodiments, it should be guiding ambient air into a first end portion of plenum;
readily understood that the invention is not limited to such passing the ambient air across a plurality of conduits
disclosed embodiments. Rather, the invention can be modi extending horizontally through an intermediate portion
fied to incorporate any number of variations, alterations, Sub 30 of the plenum and arranged in a vertical relationship;
stitutions or equivalent arrangements not heretofore introducing heated compressor extraction air into the plu
described, but which are commensurate with the spirit and rality of conduits; and
scope of the invention. Additionally, while various embodi transferring heat from the heated compressor extraction air
ments of the invention have been described, it is to be under to the ambient air passing through the plenum.
stood that aspects of the invention may include only some of 35 8. The method of claim 7, wherein transferring heat from
the described embodiments. Accordingly, the invention is not the heated compressor extraction air to the ambient air com
to be seen as limited by the foregoing description, but is only prises passing the heated compressor extraction air through
limited by the scope of the appended claims. openings formed in the plurality of conduits and into the
ambient air.
The invention claimed is:
1. A turbomachine system comprising: 40 9. The method of claim 8, wherein passing the heated
a compressor including a compressor intake and a com compressor extraction air through openings formed in the
pressor extraction outlet; and plurality of conduit members comprises forming a vertical
an inlet system fluidly connected to the compressor intake curtain of heated air within the plenum.
and the compressor extraction outlet, the inlet system 10. The method of claim 7, wherein introducing the heated
including: 45 compressor extraction air into the plurality of conduits com
a plenum including a first end portion that extends to a prises introducing the heated compressor extraction air into
no more than two conduits.
second end portion through an intermediate portion, 11. The method of claim 7, wherein introducing the heated
the first end portion defining an inlet for receiving compressor extraction air into the plurality of conduits com
ambient air and the second end portion defining an 50 prises introducing the heated compressor extraction air into a
outlet for compressor intake air; first conduit and a second conduit.
a heating system including a plurality of conduits 12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:
extending horizontally through the intermediate por passing the heated extraction air into a first end portion of
tion of the plenum and arranged in a vertical relation the first conduit in a first direction; and
ship, each of the plurality of conduits including a first 55 flowing the heated extraction air into a second end portion
end section, a second end section and an intermediate of the second conduit in a second direction, the second
section, at least one of the first and second end sec direction being opposite the first direction.
tions being fluidly connected to the compressor
extraction outlet, wherein heated air from the com k k k k k
