Adaptive inertial particle separators and methods of use
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorTimothy J. Higgins
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for operating a gas turbine engine including a compressor is provided. The method includes defining a predetermined concentration, placing at least one sensor in an inlet of the gas turbine engine, detecting a sand and dust concentration value using the at least one sensor; and deploying a boot to facilitate preventing particles from entering the compressor when the sand and dust concentration value equals or exceeds the predetermined concentration. The boot includes a plurality of fluid exit slots such that clean air is facilitated to be adhered to a flow path surface downstream from the boot.
Claims20
A method for operating a gas turbine engine including a compressor, said method comprising:
- defining a predetermined concentration;
- placing at least one sensor in an inlet of the gas turbine engine;
- detecting a sand and dust concentration value using the at least one sensor;
- and
- deploying a boot to facilitate preventing particles from entering the compressor when the sand and dust concentration value equals or exceeds the predetermined concentration, and including a plurality of fluid exit slots disposed in the boot such that clean air is facilitated to be adhered to a flow path surface downstream from the boot.
An inertial particle separation system for a gas turbine engine, said system comprising:
- an inlet of said gas turbine engine;
- an inflatable boot coupled to a surface defining a flow path through said inlet, said boot comprising a plurality of fluid exit slots configured to facilitate clean air to adhere to a flow path surface downstream from said boot;
- and
- means for causing said boot to be deployed.
A dual mode particle inertial separation apparatus for a gas turbine engine, said apparatus comprising:
- an inertial particle separator comprising an entry channel and a flow path, said inertial particle separator facilitating effective removal of sand particles and debris from fluid in said entry channel during a first mode of operation of said inertial particle separator;
- and
- an inflatable boot coupled to a surface of said inertial particle separator and defining said flow path, said boot inflated during a second mode of operation of said inertial particle separator to facilitate increasing removal efficiency of sand particles and debris from fluid in said entry channel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.