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US 8,801,825 B2Granted
Systems and methods for air intake filter assemblies
AssigneeFlorida Power & Light Company
InventorsRobert Jacob Sessions, Martin P. Domenech, James A. Keener, William A. Spanks, Jr.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Combustion turbine air intake filter assemblies, their components, and methods of use are disclosed. In certain embodiments, the assemblies may be useful, inter alia, for extending high efficiency filter life, reducing turbine downtime for filter assembly changeouts, or adjusting filter assemblies to address changing local conditions after the assemblies have been put into service.
Claims22
A combustion turbine air intake filter assembly comprising:
- a support;
- a filter alignment ring;
- and
- a plurality of filters comprising at least a high efficiency air intake filter, and an upstream filter;
- said support having a longitudinal axis and being attached to an air filter manifold, said manifold having a high pressure side and a low pressure side and at least one air passage therethrough, said support having a downstream end and an upstream end and extending essentially perpendicularly from said high pressure side of said air filter manifold, said upstream end of said support being configured to adjustably support one or more of said filters;
- said filter alignment ring having opposing first and second faces and extending concentrically around said at least one air passage through said air filter manifold and having an aperture therethrough, said first face being configured to form a sealed interface with said high pressure side of said air filter manifold, said second face comprising said aperture being aligned with said air passage in said air filter manifold, said ring having a raised wall extending circumferentially around said ring adjacent said aperture, said ring and said raised wall forming a surface for receiving an end of one of said plurality of filters and for preventing said end from substantial lateral movement, the interface between said receiving surface and said end of one of said plurality of filters forming a sealed abutment;
- said high efficiency air intake filter being concentrically disposed about a longitudinal axis and having an upstream end and a downstream end;
- said longitudinal axis of said high efficiency air intake filter and said longitudinal axis of said support being substantially aligned;
- said downstream end of said high efficiency air intake filter being open and forming a hermetically sealed interface with said filter alignment ring;
- said upstream end of said high efficiency air filter forming an aperture through which said upstream end of said support may be received and adjustably secured to said high efficiency filter to form a sealed interface between said upstream end of said high efficiency filter said upstream end of said support;
- said upstream filter being disposed about a longitudinal axis and having an upstream end and a downstream end, said upstream filter extending concentrically around said high efficiency air filter, said longitudinal axis of said upstream filter and said longitudinal axis of said support being substantially aligned;
- said downstream end of said upstream filter being open and forming a hermetically sealed interface with said filter alignment ring;
- said upstream end of said upstream filter forming an aperture through which said upstream end of said support may be received, said upstream end of said support being releasably and adjustably secured to said upstream filter such that, when secured, a sealed interface is formed between said upstream end of said upstream filter said upstream end of said support, and when released, said upstream filter may be removed from said assembly during turbine operation.
10 more elements
In a combustion turbine air filter assembly having
- a support;
- a filter alignment ring;
- and
- a plurality of filters comprising at least a high efficiency air intake filter, a first upstream filter, and a second upstream filter;
- said support having a longitudinal axis and being attached to an air filter manifold, said manifold having a high pressure side and a low pressure side and at least one air passage therethrough, said support having a downstream end and an upstream end and extending essentially perpendicularly from said high pressure side of said air filter manifold, said upstream end of said support being configured to adjustably support one or more of said filters;
- said filter alignment ring having opposing first and second faces and extending concentrically around said at least one air passage through said air filter manifold and having an aperture therethrough, said first face being configured to form a sealed interface with said high pressure side of said air filter manifold, said second face comprising said aperture being aligned with said air passage in said air filter manifold, said ring having a raised wall extending circumferentially around said ring adjacent said aperture, said ring and said raised wall forming a surface for receiving an end of one of said plurality of filters and for preventing said end from substantial lateral movement, the interface between said receiving surface and said end of one of said plurality of filters
- forming a sealed abutment;
- said high efficiency air intake filter being concentrically disposed about a longitudinal axis and having an upstream end and a downstream end;
- said longitudinal axis of said high efficiency air intake filter and said longitudinal axis of said support being substantially aligned;
- said downstream end of said high efficiency air intake filter being open and forming a hermetically sealed interface with said filter alignment ring;
- said upstream end of said high efficiency air filter forming an aperture through which said upstream end of said support may be received and adjustably secured to said high efficiency filter to form a sealed interface between said upstream end of said high efficiency filter said upstream end of said support;
- said first upstream filter being disposed about a longitudinal axis and having an upstream end and a downstream end, said first upstream filter extending concentrically around said high efficiency air filter, said longitudinal axis of said first upstream filter and said longitudinal axis of said support being substantially aligned;
- said downstream end of said first upstream filter being open and forming a hermetically sealed interface with said filter alignment ring;
- said upstream end of said first upstream filter forming an aperture through which said upstream end of said support may be received, said upstream end of said support being releasably and adjustably secured to said first upstream filter such that, when secured, a sealed interface is formed between said upstream end of said first upstream filter said upstream end of said support, and when released, said first upstream filter may be removed from said assembly during turbine operation;
- and
- said second upstream filter being disposed about a longitudinal axis and having an upstream end and a downstream end, said second upstream filter extending concentrically around said first upstream air filter, said longitudinal axis of said second upstream filter and said longitudinal axis of said support being substantially aligned;
- said downstream end of said second upstream filter being open and forming a hermetically sealed interface with said filter alignment ring;
- and
- said upstream end of said second upstream filter forming an aperture through which said upstream end of said support may be received, said upstream end of said support being releasably and adjustably secured to said second upstream filter such that, when secured, a sealed interface is formed between said upstream end of said second upstream filter said upstream end of said support, and when released, said second upstream filter may be removed from said assembly during turbine operation;
- a method of removing an air filter from said assembly while said turbine is in operation comprising the steps of:
- unsecuring said second upstream filter from said support;
- and
- removing said second upstream filter from the filter assembly.
20 more elements
In a combustion turbine air filter assembly having
- a support;
- a filter alignment ring;
- a plurality of filters comprising at least a high efficiency air intake filter;
- a first upstream filter;
- and a second upstream filter;
- said support having a longitudinal axis and being attached to an air filter manifold, said manifold having a high pressure side and a low pressure side and at least one air passage therethrough, said support having a downstream end and an upstream end and extending essentially perpendicularly from said high pressure side of said air filter manifold, said upstream end of said support being configured to adjustably support one or more of said filters;
- said filter alignment ring having opposing first and second faces and extending concentrically around said at least one air passage through said air filter manifold and having an aperture therethrough, said first face being configured to form a sealed interface with said high pressure side of said air filter manifold, said second face comprising said aperture being aligned with said air passage in said air filter manifold, said ring having a raised wall extending circumferentially around said ring adjacent said aperture, said ring and said raised wall forming a surface for receiving an end of one of said plurality of filters and for preventing said end from substantial lateral movement, the interface between said receiving surface and said end of one of said plurality of filters
- forming a sealed abutment;
- said high efficiency air intake filter being concentrically disposed about a longitudinal axis and having an upstream end and a downstream end;
- said longitudinal axis of said high efficiency air intake filter and said longitudinal axis of said support being substantially aligned;
- said downstream end of said high efficiency air intake filter being open and forming a hermetically sealed interface with said filter alignment ring;
- said upstream end of said high efficiency air filter forming an aperture through which said upstream end of said support may be received and adjustably secured to said high efficiency filter to form a sealed interface between said upstream end of said high efficiency filter said upstream end of said support;
- said first upstream filter being disposed about a longitudinal axis and having an upstream end and a downstream end, said first upstream filter extending concentrically around said high efficiency air filter, said longitudinal axis of said first upstream filter and said longitudinal axis of said support being substantially aligned;
- and
- said downstream end of said first upstream filter being open and forming a hermetically sealed interface with said filter alignment ring;
- said upstream end of said first upstream filter forming an aperture through which said upstream end of said support may be received, said upstream end of said support being releasably and adjustably secured to said first upstream filter such that, when secured, a sealed interface is formed between said upstream end of said first upstream filter said upstream end of said support, and when released, said first upstream filter may be removed from said assembly during turbine operation;
- said second upstream filter being disposed about a longitudinal axis and having an upstream end and a downstream end, said second upstream filter extending concentrically around said first upstream air filter, said longitudinal axis of said second upstream filter and said longitudinal axis of said support being substantially aligned;
- said downstream end of said second upstream filter being open and forming a hermetically sealed interface with said filter alignment ring;
- and
- said upstream end of said second upstream filter forming an aperture through which said upstream end of said support may be received, said upstream end of said support being releasably and adjustably secured to said second upstream filter such that, when secured, a sealed interface is formed between said upstream end of said second upstream filter said upstream end of said support, and when released, said second upstream filter may be removed from said assembly during turbine operation;
- a method of removing an air filter from said assembly while said turbine is in operation comprising the steps of:
- selecting a high efficiency filter, a first upstream filter, and a second upstream filter;
- sealing said one or more filters onto said second face of filter alignment ring around said raised wall of said filter alignment ring;
- and
- securing each of said one or more filters to said support.
22 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.