# US 10,119,471 B2 · Turbine engine assembly and method of operating thereof > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,119,471 B2 - Document ID: US10119471B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/879,470 - Filed: 2015-10-09 - Published: 2017-04-13 - Granted: 2018-11-06 - Earliest claimed: 2015-10-09 - Assignees: General Electric Company - Applicants: General Electric Company - Inventors: Debabrata Mukhopadhyay; Pugalenthi Nandagopal; James Adaickalasamy - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10119471B2 ## CPC - F02C 7/185: {Cooling means for reducing the temperature of the cooling air or gas} - F01D 11/24: by selectively cooling-heating stator or rotor components - F01K 23/10: with exhaust fluid of one cycle heating the fluid in another cycle (F01K17/025 takes precedence) - F02C 3/04: having a turbine driving a compressor (power transmission arrangements F02C7/36; control of working fluid flow F02C9/16) - F02C 7/14: of fluids in the plant {, e.g. lubricant or fuel (F02C7/185 takes precedence)} - F05D 2220/32: in gas turbines - F05D 2220/72: a steam turbine - F05D 2260/213: by the provision of a heat exchanger within the cooling circuit - F02C: GAS-TURBINE PLANTS; AIR INTAKES FOR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS; CONTROLLING FUEL SUPPLY IN AIR-BREATHING JET-PROPULSION PLANTS (construction of turbines F01D; jet-propulsion plants F02K; construction of compressors or fans F04; generating combustion products of high pressure or high velocity F23R; using gas turbines in compression refrigeration plants F25B11/00) - F01D: NON-POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, e.g. STEAM TURBINES (machines or engines for liquids F03; non-positive displacement pumps F04D) - F01K: STEAM ENGINE PLANTS; STEAM ACCUMULATORS; ENGINE PLANTS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; ENGINES USING SPECIAL WORKING FLUIDS OR CYCLES (gas-turbine or jet-propulsion plants F02; nuclear power plants, engine arrangements therein G21D) - F05D: INDEXING SCHEME FOR ASPECTS RELATING TO NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, GAS-TURBINES OR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS ## Abstract A turbine engine assembly is provided. The assembly includes a compressor, and an air duct coupled in flow communication with the compressor. The air duct is configured to channel a flow of bleed air from the compressor therethrough. The assembly also includes a fluid supply system coupled in flow communication with the air duct, wherein the fluid supply system is configured to channel a flow of fluid towards the air duct to modify a temperature of the bleed air based on an operating condition of the turbine engine assembly. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A turbine engine assembly comprising: a compressor; an air duct coupled in flow communication with said compressor, said air duct configured to channel a flow of bleed air from said compressor therethrough; and a fluid supply system coupled in flow communication with said air duct, wherein said fluid supply system comprises: a control valve in upstream flow communication with said air duct; a water line coupled in upstream flow communication with said control valve and configured to channel a flow of water towards said control valve; a steam line coupled in upstream flow communication with said control valve and configured to channel a flow of steam toward said control valve; and a controller operably coupled to said control valve, said controller operable to selectively channel the flow of water and the flow of steam downstream from said control valve as a flow of fluid towards said air duct to selectively (i) reduce a temperature of the flow of bleed air in said air duct during a steady state operating condition of the turbine engine assembly, and (ii) increase a temperature of the flow of bleed air in said air duct during a transient operating condition of the turbine engine assembly. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein said fluid supply system comprises a source of water coupled in upstream flow communication with said water line and a source of steam coupled in upstream flow communication with said steam line. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein said fluid supply system comprises a heat exchange device coupled in flow communication with said water line upstream from said control valve, said heat exchange device configured to preheat the flow of water. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein said controller is selectively operable to channel the flow of fluid having a temperature (i) less than a predetermined threshold towards said air duct when the turbine engine assembly is in the steady state operating condition, and (ii) greater than the predetermined threshold towards said air duct when the turbine engine assembly is in the transient operating condition. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The assembly in accordance with claim 4, wherein said controller is selectively operable to channel the flow of fluid having a temperature (i) less than the predetermined threshold towards said air duct when the turbine engine assembly is operating at greater than a predetermined load percentage threshold, and (ii) greater than the predetermined threshold towards said air duct when the turbine engine assembly is operating at less than the predetermined load percentage threshold. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein said fluid supply system comprises at least one nozzle configured to inject the flow of fluid into said air duct such that the flow of fluid and the flow of bleed air are mixed within said air duct. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein said fluid supply system comprises at least one nozzle configured to discharge the flow of fluid onto an exterior surface of said air duct. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The assembly in accordance with claim 1 further comprising a turbine positioned downstream from said compressor, said turbine comprising at least one hot gas path component configured to receive the flow of bleed air discharged from said air duct. ### Claim 9 A system for use in cooling modifying a temperature of compressor bleed air in a turbine engine assembly comprising a compressor, said system comprising: an air duct coupled in flow communication with the compressor, said air duct configured to channel the compressor bleed air from the compressor therethrough; and a fluid supply system coupled in flow communication with said air duct, wherein said fluid supply system comprises: a control valve in upstream flow communication with said air duct; a water line coupled in upstream flow communication with said control valve and configured to channel a flow of fluid water towards said air duct control valve; a steam line coupled in upstream flow communication with said control valve and configured to channel a flow of steam toward said control valve; and a controller operably coupled to said control valve, said controller operable to selectively channel the flow of water and the flow of steam downstream from said control valve as a flow of fluid towards said air duct to selectively (i) reduce a temperature of the compressor bleed air in said air duct during a steady state operating condition of the turbine engine assembly, and (ii) increase a temperature of the compressor bleed air in said air duct during a transient operating condition of the turbine engine assembly. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The system in accordance with claim 9, wherein said fluid supply system comprises a source of water coupled in upstream flow communication with said water line and a source of steam coupled in upstream flow communication with said steam line. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The system in accordance with claim 9, wherein said fluid supply system comprises a heat exchange device coupled in flow communication with said water line upstream from said control valve, said heat exchange device configured to preheat the flow of water. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The system in accordance with claim 9, wherein said controller is selectively operable to channel fluid the flow of fluid having a temperature (i) less than a predetermined threshold towards said air duct when the turbine engine assembly is in the steady state operating condition, and (ii) greater than the predetermined threshold towards said air duct when the turbine engine assembly is in the transient operating condition. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The system in accordance with claim 12, wherein said controller is selectively operable to channel the flow of fluid having a temperature (i) less than the predetermined threshold towards said air duct when the turbine engine assembly is operating at greater than a predetermined load percentage threshold, and (ii) greater than the predetermined threshold towards said air duct when the turbine engine assembly is operating at less than the predetermined load percentage threshold. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The system in accordance with claim 9, wherein said fluid supply system comprises at least one nozzle configured to inject the flow of fluid into said air duct such that the flow of fluid and the compressor bleed air are mixed within said air duct. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The system in accordance with claim 9, wherein said fluid supply system comprises at least one nozzle configured to discharge the flow of fluid onto an exterior surface of said air duct. ### Claim 16 A method of operating a turbine engine assembly, said method comprising: channeling a flow of bleed air from a compressor of the turbine engine assembly into an air duct; channeling a flow of water into a water line coupled in upstream flow communication with a control valve; channeling a flow of steam into a steam line coupled in upstream flow communication with the control valve; and selectively channeling the flow of water and the flow of steam downstream from the control valve as a flow of fluid towards the air duct such that a temperature of the flow of bleed air in the air duct is selectively (i) reduced during a steady state operating condition of the turbine engine assembly and (ii) increased during a transient operating condition of the turbine engine assembly. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method in accordance with claim 16 further comprising discharging the flow of bleed air from the air duct towards at least one hot gas path component within the turbine engine assembly. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The method in accordance with claim 16, further comprising at least one of injecting the flow of fluid into the air duct and discharging the flow of fluid onto an exterior surface of the air duct. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method in accordance with claim 18 further comprising preheating the flow of water upstream from the control valve. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The method in accordance with claim 16, wherein said channeling the flow of steam comprises channeling the flow of steam from a source of steam that includes a heat recovery steam generator.