Ventilation for an enclosure of a gas turbine and related method

• US 6,357,221 B1
• Filed: 07/21/2000
• Issued: 03/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Schroeder, Troy Joseph, OʼToole, Michael Anthony, Leach, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Freay, Charles G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gartenberg, Ehud
• Application Number:
  US09/621,876
• Time in Patent Office: 606 Days
• Field of Search: 60/393.1, 60/393.3
• US Class Current: 60/797
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 25/12 Cooling
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 25/14 Casings modified therefor double casings F01D25/26
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 25/28 Supporting or mounting arrangements, e.g. for turbine casing
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 20/16 Combined cycle power plant [CCPP], or combined cycle gas turbine [CCGT]

Abstract

A ventilation scheme for a rotary machine supported on pedestals within an enclosure having a roof, end walls and side walls with the machine arranged parallel to the side walls, includes ventilation air inlets located in a first end wall of the enclosure; a barrier wall located within the enclosure, proximate the first end wall to thereby create a plenum chamber. The barrier wall is constructed to provide a substantially annular gap between the barrier wall and a casing of the turbine to thereby direct ventilation air axially along the turbine; one or more ventilation air outlets located proximate a second, opposite end wall on the roof of the enclosure. In addition, one or more fans are provided for pulling ventilating air into said plenum chamber via the ventilation air inlets.

Claims

1. A ventilation scheme for a rotary machine supported on pedestals within an enclosure having a roof, end walls and side walls with the machine arranged parallel to the side walls, the ventilation scheme comprising:

ventilation air inlets located in a first end wall of the enclosure;

a barrier wall located within the enclosure, proximate said first end wall to thereby create a plenum chamber, said barrier wall constructed to provide a substantially annular gap between said barrier wall and a casing of the turbine to thereby direct ventilation air axially along the turbine;

one or more ventilation air outlets located proximate a second, opposite end wall; and

one or more fans for pulling ventilating air into said plenum chamber via said ventilation air inlets.

2. The ventilation scheme of claim 1 wherein said one or more ventilation outlets are located in the roof of the enclosure.

3. The ventilation scheme of claim 1 wherein the rotary machine is a turbine and wherein turbine flow is in one direction and ventilation air flow is in an opposite direction.

4. The ventilation scheme of claim 1 and further including at least one transverse ventilation air inlet in each of the side walls of the enclosure.

5. The ventilation scheme of claim 4 wherein said transverse ventilation air inlets are axially offset from each other and both are located downstream of the plenum chamber.

6. The ventilation scheme of claim 1 wherein said ventilation air inlets are located in an upper region of s aid first end of said wall.

7. The ventilation scheme of claim 5 wherein said transverse ventilation air inlets are located in lower regions of said side walls to thereby direct ventilation air to an area below the rotary machine and between the pedestals.

8. The ventilation scheme of claim 1 wherein a first personnel door is located in one of the side walls of the enclosure, upstream of the internal barrier wall and a second personnel door is located in said internal barrier wall.

9. The ventilation scheme of claim 8 wherein a third personnel door is located in said one of the side walls, downstream of the internal barrier wall.

10. The ventilation scheme of claim 1 and including at last one flow opening in the internal barrier wall, located so as to reduce or eliminate any stagnant or recirculation zones within the enclosure, downstream of the internal barrier wall.