Fabric filter louver assembly

Abstract

A fabric filter for separating particulate matter from a gas stream includes a filter compartment and an inlet opening for delivering at least a portion of the gas stream to the filter compartment. The fabric filter further includes one or more filter elements within the filter compartment and a louver assembly for providing access for the at least a portion of the gas stream to said filter compartment. The louver assembly has a first louver associated with the inlet opening and movable between a first-louver-first position and a first-louver-second position. The louver assembly has a second louver associated with the inlet opening and movable between a second-louver-first position and a second-louver-second position. The first louver and the second louver are movable independent of each other to facilitate or restrict fluid communication through said opening.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of operating a louver assembly for a fabric filter that comprises a first louver associated with an inlet opening of the fabric filter that is movable between a first-louver-first position and a first-louver-second position and a second louver associated with the inlet opening that is movable between a second-louver-first position and a second-louver-second position, the method comprising:
 moving the first louver independently of the second louver in order to adjust a proportion of an area of said opening that is open to fluid communication therethrough.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to claim  23 , wherein the first and second louvers are moved independently in response to a gas-flow demand through said inlet opening. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to claim  24 , further comprising altering the louver assembly between a first state corresponding to a first gas-flow demand through the inlet opening and a second state corresponding to a second gas-flow demand through the inlet opening that is lower than the first gas flow demand, wherein in the first state the first louver is in the first-louver-first position and the second louver is in the second-louver-first position, thus substantially opening both first and second portions of the inlet opening, and
 wherein in the second state the first louver is in the first-louver-second position and the second louver is in the second-louver-first position, thus substantially closing the first portion of the inlet opening and substantially opening the second portion of the inlet opening.   
     
     
         4 . The method according to claim  25 , further comprising detecting a load parameter and altering the louver assembly between the first state and the second state based on the load parameter. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to claim  26 , further comprising altering the louver assembly to the first state when the load parameter corresponds to a high-load condition and altering the louver assembly to the second state when the load parameter corresponds to a low-load condition.