FLEXIBLE FLOW CONTROL DEVICE FOR COGENERATION DUCTING APPLICATIONS

• US 20070062175A1
• Filed: 08/15/2006
• Published: 03/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pavol Pranda, Quan Yuan, Tailai Hu
• Original Assignee: Pavol Pranda, Quan Yuan, Tailai Hu
• Inventors: Pranda, Pavol, Yuan, Quan, Hu, Tailai
• Granted Patent: US 7,730,727 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 60/39.182
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 25/305 with fluid, e.g. liquid injection
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 6/18 using the waste heat of gas-turbine plants outside the plants themselves, e.g. gas-turbine power heat plants using waste heat as source of energy for refrigeration plants F25B27/02; using the waste heat of a gasturbine for steam generation or in a steam cycle see F01K23/10
• CPC Class Codes: F22B 1/1815 using the exhaust gases of gas-turbines
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 20/14 Combined heat and power generation [CHP]

Abstract

Apparatuses and methods for cogeneration ducting applications in which at least a desired effective flow stream control is maintained for stable combustion. A flow stream is directed through a flow control system to achieve the desired effective uniform flow rate and composition.

Claims

1. A flow control apparatus, comprising:

a contoured member forming a leading edge and defining a volume;

a plurality of separation members disposed in the volume and defining a plurality of fluid passageways of varying length disposed axially along a length of the contoured member;

a first plate actuatable between a first position and a second position; and

a second plate actuatable between a first position and a second position;

wherein while in their respective first positions, the upper and lower plates define a trailing edge and while in their respective second positions, the upper and lower plates define an opening through which fluid flowing from the fluid passageways is expelled;

wherein an outer surface formed by the contoured member and the first and second plates defines a fluid flow surface.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a perforated plate disposed between the plurality of fluid passageways and the opening.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a mechanism adapted to couple mechanical energy to the plates in order to actuate the plates between their respective first and second positions.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plates are hinged at respective ends opposite the trailing edge and move between their respective first and second positions by rotating at their respective hinges.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the fluid passageway comprises an aperture for injecting a flow stream.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the fluid passageway comprise an aperture for injecting fresh air.

7. An air flow control apparatus, comprising:

a) a plurality of flow control members, each comprising;

i) a contoured member forming a leading edge;

ii) a first plate actuatable between a first position and a second position; and

iii) a second plate actuatable between a first position and a second position;

wherein while in their respective first positions, respective distal ends of the upper and lower plates are proximate to one another and define a trailing edge, and while in their respective second positions, the distal ends are separated from one another, whereby the upper and lower plates define an opening through which fluid flowing from the fluid passageways is expelled;

wherein an outer surface formed by the contoured member and the first and second plates defines a fluid flow surface;

wherein a plurality of fluid channels of varying length are formed axially along a length of the contoured member and within a volume defined between the contoured member and the first and second plates; and

b) an actuator to actuate the plates between their respective first and second positions.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a perforated plate disposed between the plurality of fluid passageways and the opening.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a mechanism adapted to couple mechanical energy to the plates in order to actuate the plates between their respective first and second positions.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the plates are hinged at respective ends opposite the distal ends and move between their respective first and second positions by rotating at their respective hinges.

11. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a fresh air source fluidly coupled to the plurality of passageways at one end.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a controller configured to operate the actuator to configure the plurality of air flow control members in a fresh air mode in which the plates are in their respective second positions and fresh air is supplied from the fresh air source and a gas turbine mode in which the plates are in their respective second positions and a gas turbine is operated to produce an exhaust flow over the plurality of air flow control members.

13. A method for generating heat energy, comprising:

a) operating a cogeneration system in a first mode in which a gas turbine engine is operated to produce energy, wherein the operation in the first mode comprises;

i) flowing an exhaust of the gas turbine engine over a plurality of flow control members located in a main exhaust duct of the cogeneration system;

wherein each of the plurality of flow control members is a wing-shaped member having a pair of plates disposed on opposite sides of the wing-shaped member and actuatable between a closed configuration and an open configuration in which the plates are rotated into a flow pathway defined by the main exhaust duct and form an air outlet volume;

wherein the flow control devices are in the closed configuration while the cogeneration system operates in the first mode; and

b) operating the cogeneration system in a second mode in which the gas turbine engine is disabled and a steam generation system operates to generate energy, wherein the operation in the second mode comprises;

i) actuating the flow control members to the open configuration;

and

ii) flowing air into an axially disposed fluid passageway formed in each respective flow control member;

wherein the axially disposed fluid passageways are in fluid communication with the respective air outlet volumes, whereby the air is expelled from the respective flow control members into the main exhaust duct.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein respective distal ends of the plates are brought into proximity with one another to form a trailing edge of the respective flow control device while in the closed configuration.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the axially disposed passageway is defined by a plurality of channels of differing lengths.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the plates of each flow control device are rotatably disposed on respective axes each orthogonally disposed relative to the flow of the exhaust.

17. A flow control system for use with a cogeneration system comprising:

a) a plurality of flow control members, each comprising;

i) a contoured member forming a leading edge;

ii) a first plate actuatable between a first position and a second position;

ii) a second plate actuatable between a first position and a second position;

wherein while in their respective first positions, respective distal ends of the upper and lower plates are proximate to one another and define a trailing edge, wherein an outer surface formed by the contoured member and the first and second plates defines a fluid flow surface to effect flow stream uniformity of exhaust flow produced by a gas turbine while operating in a gas turbine mode; and

wherein while in their respective second positions, the distal ends are separated from one another, whereby the upper and lower pates define an opening through which fluid flowing from the fluid passageways is expelled;

wherein a plurality of fluid channels of varying length are formed axially along a length of the contoured member and within a volume defined between the contoured member and the first and second plates to effect flow stream uniformity while operating in a fresh air mode; and

(b) an actuator to actuate the plates between their respective first and second positions.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising a perforated plate disposed between the plurality of fluid passageways and the opening.

19. The system of claim 17, further comprising a mechanism adapted to couple mechanical energy to the plates in order to actuate the plates between their respective first and second positions.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the plates are hinged at respective ends opposite the distal ends and move between their respective first and second positions by rotating at their respective hinges.

21. The system of claim 17, further comprising a fresh air source fluidly coupled to the plurality of passageways at one end.

22. The system of claim 21, further comprising a controller configured to operate the actuator to configure the plurality of air flow control members in a fresh air mode in which the plates are in their respective second positions and fresh air is supplied from the fresh air source and a gas turbine mode in which the plates are in their respective second positions and a gas turbine is operated to produce an exhaust flow over the plurality of air flow control members

23. A system operable in a gas turbine mode and a fresh air mode, comprising:

a gas turbine engine;

a generator coupled to the gas turbine engine and configured to generate electrical energy from mechanical energy provided by the gas turbine engine;

a heat recovery steam generator located downstream from, and in fluid communication with, the gas turbine engine, whereby the heat recovery steam generator receives exhaust from the gas turbine engine while operating in the gas turbine mode; and

a plurality of wing-shaped flow control members disposed between the gas turbine engine and the heat recovery steam generator, and each comprising movable surfaces variably positionable to allow the respective flow control members to be placed in a first configuration during the gas turbine mode and a second configuration during the fresh air mode, wherein during the fresh air mode air is flowed into respective axial passageways of the flow control members and expelled into a volume defined between the respective movable surfaces.