초록 ▼

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 t

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.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A combustion turbine air intake filter assembly comprising: a support;a filter alignment ring; anda 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 manif

1. A combustion turbine air intake filter assembly comprising: a support;a filter alignment ring; anda 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. 2. A combustion turbine air filter assembly according to claim 1, wherein said upstream filter further comprises first and second upstream filters and said plurality of filters further comprises said first and second upstream filters and a high efficiency air intake filter, said first and second upstream filters being concentrically assembled, said second upstream filter being disposed about said first upstream filter, and said high efficiency air intake filter being concentrically situated within said first upstream filter. 3. A combustion turbine air filter assembly according to claim 1, wherein said upstream end of said support further comprises a threaded post, and each of at least two of said plurality of said filters is each independently secured to said threaded post by a nut. 4. A combustion turbine air filter assembly according to claim 3, wherein each interface between said each of at least two of said plurality of said filters and said support further comprises a hermetic seal. 5. A combustion turbine air filter assembly according to claim 1, wherein said second face of said filter alignment ring further comprises one or more channels concentrically disposed about said filter alignment ring each said channel being configured to receive a downstream end of at least one of said plurality of filters, said channel further comprising a seal hermetically interposed between said downstream end of at least one of said plurality of filters and said channel. 6. A combustion turbine air filter assembly according to claim 4, further comprising a plurality of air filter assemblies stacked end to end wherein said filter alignment ring comprises a first alignment ring supporting a downstream air filter assembly and a second alignment ring provides a seal between said downstream air filter assembly and an upstream air filter assembly. 7. In a combustion turbine air filter assembly having a support;a filter alignment ring; anda 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 filtersforming 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; andsaid 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; andsaid 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; andremoving said second upstream filter from the filter assembly. 8. A method according to claim 7, further comprising the steps of: obtaining a replacement filter for said second upstream filter; and securing said replacement second upstream filter to said support. 9. A method according to claim 8, wherein the replacement filter is substantially identical to the second upstream filter being changed out. 10. A method according to claim 8, wherein the replacement filter is a different type of filter than the second upstream filter being changed out. 11. A method according to claim 7, further comprising: unsecuring said first upstream filter from said support; andremoving said first upstream filter from the filter assembly. 12. A method according to claim 11, further comprising obtaining a replacement filter for said first upstream filter; and securing said replacement first upstream filter to the support. 13. A method according to claim 12, wherein the replacement first upstream filter is substantially identical to the first upstream filter being changed out. 14. A method according to claim 12, wherein the replacement first upstream filter is a different type of filter than the first upstream filter being changed out. 15. A method according to claim 12, further comprising obtaining a replacement filter for said second upstream filter; and securing said replacement second upstream filter to the support to replace the second upstream filter after the first upstream filter has been replaced. 16. A method according to claim 15, wherein the replacement second upstream filter is substantially identical to the second upstream filter being changed out. 17. A method according to claim 15, wherein the replacement second upstream filter is a different type of filter than the second upstream filter being changed out. 18. 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 filtersforming 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; andsaid 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; andsaid 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; andsecuring each of said one or more filters to said support. 19. A method for installing a combustion turbine air filter assembly according to claim 18, wherein said step of securing each said one or more filters to said support further comprises securing an end cap to an upstream threaded end of said support with a nut. 20. A combustion turbine air intake filter assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said filter alignment ring further comprises a plurality of discrete channels disposed concentrically around said raised wall whereby each filter contacting said filter alignment ring fits within a single channel. 21. A combustion turbine air intake filter assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said filter alignment ring further comprises a channel and said raised wall comprises the inner wall of said channel whereby each filter end that contacts said filter alignment ring fits within said channel. 22. A combustion turbine air intake filter assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said filter alignment ring further comprises a plurality of channels disposed circumferentially around said raised wall, and said raised wall comprises the inner wall of the innermost channel, wherein each channel receives a single filter end.