# US 9,435,219 B2 · Gas turbine inlet system and method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,435,219 B2 - Document ID: US9435219B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/454,533 - Filed: 2012-04-24 - Published: 2013-10-24 - Granted: 2016-09-06 - Earliest claimed: 2012-04-24 - Assignees: General Electric Company - Applicants: Michael Corey Mullen; Rex Allen Morgan - Inventors: Michael Corey Mullen; Rex Allen Morgan - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9435219B2 ## CPC - F01D 17/146: {by throttling the volute inlet of radial machines or engines} - F01D 17/162: {for axial flow, i.e. the vanes turning around axes which are essentially perpendicular to the rotor centre line (F01D17/167 takes precedence)} - F02C 7/057: Control or regulation (conjointly with fuel supply control F02C9/50, with nozzle area control F02K1/16) - F02C 9/20: by throttling; by adjusting vanes - F05D 2270/08: to produce clean exhaust gases - F05D 2270/3011: Inlet pressure - Y02T 50/60: Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft - F01D: NON-POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, e.g. STEAM TURBINES (machines or engines for liquids F03; non-positive displacement pumps F04D) - 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) - F05D: INDEXING SCHEME FOR ASPECTS RELATING TO NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, GAS-TURBINES OR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract A gas turbomachine inlet system includes a duct member having an inlet portion fluidically coupled to an outlet portion through an intermediate portion. The inlet portion, outlet portion, and intermediate portion define a fluid flow zone. A throttling system is arranged in the duct member at one of the inlet portion, outlet portion and intermediate portion. The throttling system is configured and disposed to selectively establish a pressure drop through the fluid flow zone. A method of controlling inlet pressure drop through an inlet system for a gas turbomachine is also described herein. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A gas turbomachine inlet system, the gas turbomachine inlet system comprising a gas turbomachine that comprises a compressor, a turbine and a combustor, the gas turbomachine inlet system comprising: a duct member having an inlet portion fluidically coupled to an outlet portion through an intermediate portion, the inlet portion, outlet portion and intermediate portion defining a fluid flow zone, the duct member being separate from the gas turbomachine and connected to the gas turbomachine at the compressor; and at least one throttling system arranged in the duct member at one of the inlet portion, outlet portion, and intermediate portion, the at least one throttling system being configured and disposed to selectively establish a pressure drop through the fluid flow zone, and one of the at least one throttling system includes an inflatable diaphragm. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The gas turbomachine inlet system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one throttling system further includes a plurality of louvers arranged at the inlet portion of the duct member, the plurality of louvers being configured to be selectively shiftable between a first, low pressure drop position that provides a substantially unrestricted inlet zone of the duct member and a second, high pressure drop position that provides a substantially restricted inlet zone of the duct member. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The gas turbomachine inlet system according to claim 2, wherein each of the plurality of louvers includes a center pivot defining a pivot axis. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The gas turbomachine inlet system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one throttling system further includes a plurality of louvers arranged at the intermediate portion of the duct member, the plurality of louvers being configured to be selectively shiftable between a first, low pressure drop position that provides a substantially unrestricted flow path through the intermediate portion and a second, high pressure drop position that provides a substantially restricted flow path through the intermediate portion. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The gas turbomachine inlet system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one throttling system further includes a restrictor member mounted along the intermediate portion of the duct member, the restrictor member being configured and disposed to be selectively shiftable between a first, low pressure drop position and a second, high pressure drop position. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The gas turbomachine inlet system according to claim 5, wherein the restrictor member includes a first end section that extends to a second end section, the first end section defining a pivot axis for the restrictor member. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The gas turbomachine inlet system according to claim 6, wherein the at least one throttling system includes an actuator member configured and disposed to pivot the restrictor member between the first and second position. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The gas turbomachine inlet system according to claim 1, wherein the inflatable diaphragm positioned at the outlet portion of the duct member, the flow restriction device being configured and disposed to move between a first, low pressure drop position that provides a substantially unrestricted outlet zone of the duct member and a second, high pressure drop position that provides a substantially restricted outlet zone of the duct member. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The gas turbomachine inlet system according to claim 8, wherein the inflatable diaphragm extends about an inner perimeter of the outlet portion of the duct member. ### Claim 10 A method of controlling the inlet pressure drop through an inlet system for a gas turbomachine, the method comprising: establishing an operating mode for the gas turbomachine; and adjusting a throttling system provided in a duct member of the inlet system to control the inlet pressure to the gas turbomachine based on the operating mode; wherein adjusting the throttling system includes selectively shifting a plurality of louvers arranged in the duct member between a first, low pressure drop position, and a second, high pressure drop position, wherein adjusting the throttling system includes selectively shifting a restrictor member arranged in the duct member between a first, low pressure drop position, and a second, high pressure drop position; and wherein adjusting the throttling system includes selectively inflating a flow restriction device arranged in the duct member between a first, low pressure drop position, and a second, high pressure drop position. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising: sensing exhaust emissions of the gas turbomachine operating in the operating mode; and adjusting the throttling system based on the sensed exhaust emissions to reduce the exhaust emissions without changing the operating mode. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising: calculating one of an estimated gas turbomachine emissions and an estimated combustion reference temperature through a real time engine simulation model; and adjusting the throttling system based on the one of the estimated gas turbomachine emissions and the estimated combustion reference temperature. ### Claim 13 A gas turbomachine comprising: a compressor portion having a compressor inlet; a turbine portion mechanically coupled to the compressor portion; a combustor assembly fluidically connected to the compressor portion and the turbine portion; and an inlet system fluidically connected to the compressor inlet, the inlet system comprising: a duct member having an inlet portion fluidically coupled to an outlet portion through an intermediate portion, the inlet portion, outlet portion, and intermediate portion defining a fluid flow zone, the duct member being separate from the gas turbomachine and connected to the gas turbomachine at the compressor; and at least one throttling system arranged in the duct member at one of the inlet portion, outlet portion, and intermediate portion, the at least one throttling system being configured and disposed to selectively establish a pressure drop through the fluid flow zone, and one of the at least one throttling system includes an inflatable diaphragm. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The gas turbomachine according to claim 13, wherein the at least one throttling system further includes a plurality of louvers arranged at one of the inlet portion and the intermediate portion of the duct member, the plurality of louvers being configured to be selectively shiftable between a first, low pressure drop position that provides a substantially unrestricted inlet zone of the duct member and a second, high pressure drop position that provides a substantially restricted inlet zone of the duct member. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The gas turbomachine according to claim 13, wherein the at least one throttling system further includes a restrictor member mounted along the intermediate portion of the duct member, the restrictor member being configured and disposed to be selectively shiftable between a first, low pressure drop position and a second, high pressure drop position. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The gas turbomachine according to claim 13, wherein the inflatable diaphragm is positioned at the outlet portion of the duct member, the inflatable diaphragm being configured and disposed to move between a first, low pressure drop position that that provides a substantially unrestricted outlet zone of the duct member and a second, high pressure drop position that provides a substantially restricted outlet zone of the duct member. ### Claim 17 A gas turbomachine inlet system, the gas turbomachine inlet system comprising a gas turbomachine that comprises a compressor, a turbine and a combustor, the gas turbomachine inlet system comprising: a duct member having an inlet portion fluidically coupled to an outlet portion through an intermediate portion, the inlet portion, outlet portion and intermediate portion defining a fluid flow zone, the duct member being separate from the gas turbomachine and connected to the gas turbomachine at the compressor; and a throttling system arranged in the duct member at one of the inlet portion, outlet portion, and intermediate portion, the throttling system being configured and disposed to selectively establish a pressure drop through the fluid flow zone; wherein the throttling system includes a plurality of louvers arranged at the inlet portion of the duct member, the plurality of louvers each of the plurality of louvers includes a center pivot defining a pivot axis and being configured to be selectively shiftable between a first, low pressure drop position that provides a substantially unrestricted inlet zone of the duct member and a second, high pressure drop position that provides a substantially restricted inlet zone of the duct member; wherein the throttling system includes a plurality of louvers arranged at the intermediate portion of the duct member, the plurality of louvers being configured to be selectively shiftable between a first, low pressure drop position that provides a substantially unrestricted flow path through the intermediate portion and a second, high pressure drop position that provides a substantially restricted flow path through the intermediate portion; wherein the throttling system includes a restrictor member mounted along the intermediate portion of the duct member, the restrictor member being configured and disposed to be selectively shiftable between a first, low pressure drop position and a second, high pressure drop position; wherein the throttling system includes a flow restriction device positioned at the outlet portion of the duct member, the flow restriction device being configured and disposed to move between a first, low pressure drop position that provides a substantially unrestricted outlet zone of the duct member and a second, high pressure drop position that provides a substantially restricted outlet zone of the duct member, the flow restriction device extends about an inner perimeter of the outlet portion of the duct member and the flow restriction device comprises an inflatable diaphragm.