Inlet Bleed Heat System Conduit Placement for Pressure Drop Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional inlet bleed heat (IBH) systems for combustion turbine engines face challenges in maintaining uniform compressor inlet temperatures due to temperature gradients and require a large number of costly components, leading to increased pressure drops.
Innovation Solution
A simplified IBH system with two horizontally oriented conduits positioned near the downstream end of a silencer, reducing pressure drop and promoting uniform mixing of ambient and heated air, thereby minimizing temperature gradients.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a large number of vertical manifolds are arranged between the bleed air and the compressor inlet, then mixing in the horizontal plane is provided, but temperature gradients remain within the bleed air and the installation and maintenance processes become costly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the essential function of mixing from the complex manifold system and implements it through a simplified plenum chamber design. Instead of using multiple vertical manifolds, the invention uses a single plenum with strategically positioned inlet and outlet openings that utilize fluid dynamics to achieve uniform mixing with minimal components.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies pneumatic principles by designing the plenum chamber to utilize air flow patterns and pressure distribution to achieve uniform temperature distribution. The inlet openings positioned at the upstream end and outlet openings at the downstream end create a flow pattern that naturally mixes the bleed air with ambient air without requiring complex mechanical mixing structures.
2Stability of the object's composition
If a large number of vertical manifolds are arranged between the bleed air and the compressor inlet, then mixing is provided, but the overall pressure drop across the inlet system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the unnecessary pressure losses associated with multiple manifold connections by extracting only the essential mixing function. The simplified plenum design with minimal openings reduces flow resistance and pressure drop while maintaining effective temperature uniformity through strategic opening placement that leverages natural flow patterns.
3Temperature
If conventional IBH systems are used to maintain compressor inlet temperatures, then temperature control is achieved, but the system requires many costly components leading to increased maintenance costs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the functions of multiple separate manifold components into a single integrated plenum chamber structure. This consolidation reduces the number of parts that need to be manufactured, installed, and maintained, while the strategic positioning of inlet and outlet openings within the plenum maintains the temperature control function.
Solution Approach 2:
The plenum chamber serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as a mixing chamber, a flow distribution system, and a pressure regulation element. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate dedicated components for each function, reducing overall system complexity and maintenance requirements.
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
The system effectively reduces temperature gradients and overall pressure drop across the inlet system, enhancing the operational efficiency of combustion turbine engines with fewer components and lower maintenance costs.
Implementation Method 1
heated air from the compressor extraction outlet passes through the two conduits and raises a temperature of ambient air passing through the plenum and then into the compressor inlet
Implementation Method 2
promoting uniform mixing of ambient and heated air, thereby minimizing temperature gradients
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 4
AI summary
An embodiment of the present invention takes the form of an IBH system (95) that has two conduits (100,105), which are positioned close to a downstream end of a silencer section (90). This arrangement may reduce the overall pressure drop associated with the inlet system (55). This arrangement may also promote a substantially uniform mixing between the cooler ambient air and the warmer heated air.