BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the invention relate to a panel for machinery enclosure, particularly for turbomachine enclosures.

More specifically, embodiments of the present invention relate to a multilayered panel for turbomachine enclosure.

As it is known, turbomachines are usually housed in a housing structure or enclosure. Said enclosure generally comprises a support structure constituted by a plurality of beams and pillars, said support structure being closed by panels that form lateral walls and the ceiling of the enclosure.

The enclosure is arranged both for the need to reduce the noise emission of the machinery towards the surrounding environment and for the need to control the atmosphere conditions, pressure and temperature, around the machinery and, not least, to avoid foul, dust and in general unwanted substances in the proximity of the machinery.

Moreover, the enclosure is arranged for the need to protect the machinery from the possible development of fire and/or from explosions that can occur in the plant and that may damage the machine itself.

An example of such enclosure300is shown inFIG. 1.

Current panels for machine enclosures, in particular for turbomachine enclosures in the oil and gas industry, comprise a steel made structure and an internal rock-wool, or similar material, layer for noise reduction.

Panels for machine enclosures in fact perform multiple functions.

Among these functions, the panels perform a function of acoustic screen, so that the perceived noise outside the enclosure is reduced to desired levels, and/or to noise levels indicated by the reference standards for personnel safety.

Moreover, the panels perform a function of thermal screen being suitable to reduce heat transfer through the enclosure walls.

An example of known panels for machine enclosures is shown inFIG. 2.

With reference toFIGS. 1 and 2, an enclosure300for a machinery, particularly for a turbomachine, is currently realized by means of panels100comprising a steel sheet101, an internal noise reducing layer102, and a perforated sheet103.

The steel sheet101has a supporting function and allows to fix the panel100to the supporting structure200of the enclosure.

Once the panel is installed, the steel sheet101faces the outside of the enclosure, while the perforated sheet103faces the internal side of the enclosure.

The noise reducing layer102is made of rock-wool or similar materials.

The perforated sheet103facing the internal side of the enclosure300is perforated in order to allow the sound waves to penetrate inside the panel and to meet the rock-wool layer, which has a sound reducing function.

The steel panel100is usually directly bolted to a part of the supporting structure200of the enclosure.

The performances of the panel in term of noise reduction are strictly related to the panel thickness, and in particular to the thickness of the noise reducing layer102, and this implies that higher performances require larger panels, with a weight increase.

Additionally, the traditional enclosure panels of the type ofFIG. 2do not provide high blast and fire protection, and any design change directed to enhance the blast and/or fire protection performances leads to a considerable increase of the weight of the panel itself and of the supporting structure.

The weight of the enclosures is one of the drawbacks afflicting the known solutions. In fact, a high weight of the enclosure is a negative aspect not only in the case of machinery setups, and in particular turbomachinery, on off-shore platforms, but also in the case of in-shore installations.

In fact, the machinery are usually installed on a steel base frame, both for in-shore and off-shore applications. The machinery enclosure can be mounted directly on this base frame which is in turn supported by steel structures or installed on the ground. In alternative, the enclosure can be installed on the platform deck, for off-shore, or directly on the ground by means of foundations in case of in-shore plants.

In case that the machinery, and the enclosure, are mounted on a base plate, by increasing the overall weight of enclosure and machinery increase the static and dynamic loads for which the skid must be designed, leading therefore to an additional weight increase. When the baseplate is supported by the platform deck (off-shore) or by steel structures mounted on ground (in-shore), also the supporting structure will need to be strengthened to withstand this load increase.

In case that the machinery, and the enclosure, are mounted directly on the ground, by increasing the overall weight of enclosure and machinery increases the depth of the excavation necessary for the foundations.

For these reasons, therefore, an increase in the weight of the enclosure is always an unwanted circumstance, since it involves an increase in the costs and in the complexity of the machinery installation.

An additional requirement that the panels for enclosures of machinery must meet, is the resistance to forces caused by an external explosion, called explosion loads.

The improvements in the engineering of the plants, e.g. the possibility to perform more accurate calculation of the pressure wave in case of explosion, lead to always more accurate calculation of the explosion loads to which the enclosure may be subjected in case of explosion in one part of the plant. In addition, the attention to personnel safety and environmental protection has increased rapidly in the latest years leading to always more demanding requirements and therefore it is needed that the panels of the enclosure meet design parameters always more restrictive than in the past in terms of resistance to loads explosives.

Thanks to more accurate techniques of calculation it has been possible to conclude that the metal panels of the known type do not resist to the desired explosives loads values.

Panels for enclosures of the prior art are therefore afflicted by several disadvantages.

Among them, it has already been shown that the high weight of the individual panels of the enclosure is a drawback afflicting the know technic.

Furthermore, limited resistance to explosives loads, namely the bending stresses arising to the panel by the shock wave of an explosion taking place outside the enclosure is another drawback afflicting the prior art panels.

Moreover, the known panels are unsuitable to resist to fire, since the steel sheet101facing the external side of the enclosure and the rock wool are not suitable to resist to fire and no special treatments are provided in order to increase such resistance.

Not least, high costs for logistics and assembly of the enclosure deriving from the weight of the panels are a further drawback afflicting the prior art.

Furthermore, the need to realize the panels of stainless steel or other suitable steels capable of resisting to aggressive environments, e.g. in case of installations on offshore platforms in the sea, dramatically increases the costs of the known panels.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Embodiments of the present invention concern a panel for machinery, particularly turbomachines enclosure, capable to provide high levels of jet fire and fire/blast protection together with high performances in term of noise abatement with a lighter structure with respect to the panels of the prior art.

More in details, the panel for turbomachines enclosures according to embodiments of the present invention presents, when compared with the technical solution known in the art, increased blast and fire resistance and increased noise abatement.

All these performances are obtained by a panel for enclosures which also presents reduced weight with respect to the prior art.

Additionally, the panel turbomachines enclosures according to embodiments of the present invention presents higher corrosion resistance which renders the panel suitable to be successfully installed also on off-shore platforms with increased reliability and reduced costs.

Embodiments of the present invention are also directed to provide a panel for turbomachine enclosures which requires lean installation and reduced impact on EHS (environmental, health, safety).

