Flow-Deflector Anti-Icing Assembly for Uniform Filter Heating
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing gas turbine systems face challenges in preventing ice buildup on air intake filters due to cold ambient conditions and high humidity, which can lead to operational inefficiencies and potential damage from both ice formation and extreme temperatures.
Innovation Solution
An anti-icing system with nozzles that inject heated fluid into the airflow and a flow-deflector assembly with plates to distribute and mix the airflow, maintaining optimal temperature across the filter face to prevent ice buildup and protect against extreme temperatures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If heated fluid is injected into the airflow to prevent ice formation, then the filter is protected from ice buildup, but the temperature distribution across the filter face becomes non-uniform causing hot spots
Solution Approach 1:
The flow deflector assembly is segmented into multiple plates arranged in a stack, with each plate creating individual flow paths through gaps between them. This segmentation distributes the heated fluid flow across multiple zones, preventing concentration of heat in a single location and thereby eliminating hot spots while maintaining uniform temperature distribution across the filter face.
Solution Approach 2:
The flow deflector plates are positioned at specific locations upstream of the filter to create localized flow modification zones. Each plate configuration is designed to address specific thermal distribution needs at different locations across the filter face, ensuring uniform heating without creating localized overheating conditions.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If multiple nozzles are used to distribute heated fluid across the filter, then ice protection is improved, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The flow deflector assembly combines multiple flow distribution functions into a single integrated structure. Rather than using separate nozzles for each flow path, the stacked plates with gaps between them create multiple flow paths within one compact assembly, reducing the total number of components while achieving the same ice protection effect.
Solution Approach 2:
The flow deflector plates serve multiple functions simultaneously: they distribute the heated fluid flow across the filter face, prevent ice formation, and maintain uniform temperature distribution. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate specialized components for each function, simplifying the overall system.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If heated fluid flow rate is increased to ensure complete ice prevention, then ice protection is enhanced, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The flow deflector plates are positioned upstream of the filter to pre-distribute and pre-mix the heated fluid with the airflow before it reaches the filter surface. This preliminary action ensures that ice prevention is achieved with lower heated fluid flow rates, as the heat is already distributed and mixed effectively before contact with the filter, reducing energy consumption.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Effectively prevents ice formation and protects the filter from extreme temperatures, ensuring consistent system performance by maintaining uniform temperature distribution across the filter face, while being cost-effective and compatible with existing systems.
Implementation Method 1
multiple nozzles, wherein each nozzle of the multiple nozzles includes one or more outlets that are configured to inject a heated fluid into an airflow
Implementation Method 2
The multiple plates may be configured to direct the airflow through the one or more vertically-extending gaps to spread the airflow upstream of the one or more outlets to facilitate mixing of the heated fluid and the airflow
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
An anti-icing system (38) for a gas turbine system (10) includes multiple nozzles (40), wherein each nozzle (40) of the multiple nozzles (40) includes one or more outlets (102) that are configured to inject a heated fluid into an airflow (34) within an air intake conduit (13). The anti-icing system (38) also includes multiple plates (90) disposed upstream of the one or more outlets (102), wherein each plate (90) of the multiple plates (90) extends laterally across the air intake conduit (13) and is vertically spaced apart from one or more adjacent plates (90) to define one or more vertically-extending gaps (96). The multiple plates (90) are configured to direct the airflow (34) through the one or more vertically-extending gaps (96) to spread the airflow (34) upstream of the one or more outlets (102) to facilitate mixing of the heated fluid and the airflow (34).