Patent ID: 9719423
Date: 2017-08-01
CPC Classifications: F02C,F05D

Claim:
1. An inlet air chilling system for use with a compressor in a gas turbine engine, comprising: an inlet air filter house with a flow of inlet air therein, wherein the inlet air filter house comprises first portion and a second portion; a bypass louver disposed between the first portion and the second portion of the inlet air filter house; an air chilling/heating coil positioned within the second portion of the inlet air filter house; an energy recovery/heating coil positioned downstream of the air chilling/heating coil within the second portion of the inlet air filter house; a temperature control valve in communication with the air chilling/heating coil and a humidity control valve and a pump in communication with the energy recovery/heating coil for regulating a flow therebetween; and a plurality of air filter elements positioned downstream of the energy recovery/heating coil within the first portion of the inlet air filter house, wherein the flow of inlet air passes through the air chilling/heating coil, the energy recovery/heating coil, and the plurality air filter elements in sequence before being supplied to the compressor, wherein a flow of chilled water within the air chilling/heating coil exchanges heat with the flow of inlet air to bring a temperature of the flow of inlet air to below an inlet air dew point temperature, wherein a portion of the flow of chilled water leaving the air chilling/heating coil after being warmed by the flow of air is routed to the energy recovery/heating coil to heat the flow of air to lower a relative humidity of the flow of air from about 100% to about 85% to prevent wetting and caking the plurality of air filter elements, wherein the bypass louver bypasses the flow of inlet air directly to the first portion of inlet air filter house so as to reduce internal pressure losses when the air chilling/heating coil and the energy recovery/heating coil in the second portion of the inlet air filter house are not in operation.