Integrated Ventilation and Leak Detection for Heavy Fuel Enclosures
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing gas turbine fuel systems require separate ventilation and leak detection systems, which increase costs, installation complexity, and maintenance, due to the accumulation of heavier-than-air fuels at the bottom of enclosures.
Innovation Solution
An integrated ventilation and leak detection system with a ventilation duct having an inlet end positioned within the lower portion of the enclosure to draw in air and fuel, coupled with a detection unit at the outlet end to identify fuel leaks, reduces the need for separate systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate ventilation and leak detection systems are used, then each system can be optimized for its specific function, but the equipment cost, installation complexity, and maintenance requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the ventilation system and leak detection system into a single integrated system. The ventilation duct serves dual purposes: it ventilates the enclosure by removing hazardous gases while simultaneously transporting air samples to the detection unit for leak detection. This merging eliminates the need for separate systems, reducing equipment cost, installation complexity, and maintenance requirements while maintaining the functional optimization of both ventilation and leak detection
Solution Approach 2:
The ventilation duct is designed to perform multiple functions: it acts as both a ventilation pathway for removing hazardous gases and a sampling conduit for the leak detection system. The detection unit coupled to the ventilation duct enables the system to universally handle both ventilation and leak detection tasks, making the system more versatile and reducing the need for separate dedicated systems
2Stability of the object's composition
If heavy fuel is allowed to accumulate at the bottom of the enclosure, then natural stratification occurs, but the fuel leak detection becomes more difficult and requires specialized low-point scavenging systems
Solution Approach 1:
The ventilation duct includes a low-point inlet positioned at the bottom of the enclosure that proactively draws in air and any accumulated heavy fuel vapors before they can pose a significant hazard. This preliminary action of actively sampling at the lowest point prevents fuel accumulation from becoming a detection problem, as the continuous airflow ensures that any leaked fuel is immediately drawn into the detection system
3Measurement precision
If a low-point scavenging system is added to extract fuel from the bottom of the enclosure, then fuel leak detection improves, but the equipment cost and system complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the low-point sampling function into the ventilation duct itself. The ventilation duct's low-point inlet serves dual purposes: it maintains the ventilation function while simultaneously providing accurate leak detection by sampling at the lowest point where heavy fuel accumulates. This eliminates the need for a separate low-point scavenging system, reducing complexity while maintaining detection accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The ventilation duct is designed to universally handle both ventilation and precise leak detection functions. By coupling the detection unit to the ventilation duct at the outlet, the system enables the same duct to perform both air removal and fuel sampling, making the ventilation system itself capable of precise leak detection without requiring additional specialized equipment
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
This integrated system effectively ventilates the enclosure while detecting fuel leaks, simplifying equipment, installation, and maintenance, and maintaining reliability for heavy gas fuels, thereby reducing overall costs.
Implementation Method 1
because some fuel used in gas turbine engines is heavier than air, it tends to accumulate within a bottom part of the enclosure
Implementation Method 2
The at least one inlet end includes at least one opening defined therein and sized to enable air and fuel within the enclosure to be drawn into the ventilation duct to ventilate the enclosure
Implementation Method 3
a detection unit coupled in flow communication with the ventilation duct proximate to the outlet end for detecting fuel entrained within flow drawn into the ventilation duct
Data Source
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AI summary
A ventilation and leak detection system (200) for use in an enclosure (118) includes a ventilation duct (216) extending at least partially through an interior chamber (202) defined in the enclosure. The ventilation duct includes at least one inlet end (222) positioned within a lower portion (204) of the interior chamber and an outlet end (224). The at least one inlet end includes at least one opening (226) defined therein and sized to enable air (228) and fuel (232) within the enclosure to be drawn into the ventilation duct to ventilate the enclosure. The system further includes a detection unit (220) coupled in flow communication with the ventilation duct proximate to the outlet end for detecting fuel entrained within flow (230) drawn into the ventilation duct.