scholarly journals Optimum Power Boosting of Gas Turbine Cycles With Refrigerated Inlet Air and Compressor Intercooling

Author(s):  
Mohand A. Ait-Ali

With or without turbine blade cooling, gas turbine cycles have consistently higher turbine inlet temperatures than steam turbine cycles. But this advantage is more than offset by the excessive compressor work induced by warm inlet temperatures, particularly during operation on hot summer days. Instead of seeking still higher turbine inlet temperatures by means of sophisticated blade cooling technology and high temperature-resistant blade materials, it is proposed to greatly increase the cycle net work and also improve thermal efficiency by decreasing the compressor work. This is obtained by using refrigerated inlet air and compressor intercooling to an extent which optimizes the refrigerated air inlet temperature and consequently the gas turbine compression ratio with respect to maximum specific net power. The cost effectiveness of this conceptual cycle, which also includes regeneration, has not been examined in this paper as it requires unusually high pressure ratio gas turbines and compressors, as well as high volumetric air flow rate and low temperature refrigeration equipment for which reliable cost data is not easily available.

Author(s):  
A. F. Carter

During a study of possible gas turbine cycles for a 2000-hp unit for tank propulsion, it has been established that the level of achievable specific fuel consumption (sfc) is principally determined by the combustor inlet temperature. If a regenerative cycle is selected, a particular value of combustor inlet temperature (and hence sfc) can be produced by an extremely large number of combinations of compressor pressure ratio, turbine inlet temperature, and heat exchanger effectiveness. This paper outlines the overall design considerations which led to the selection of a relatively low pressure ratio engine in which the turbine inlet temperature was sufficiently low that blade cooling was not necessary.


2012 ◽  
Vol 505 ◽  
pp. 539-543
Author(s):  
Kyoung Hoon Kim ◽  
Kyoung Jin Kim ◽  
Chul Ho Han

Since the gas turbine systems require active cooling to maintain high operating temperature while avoiding a reduction in the system operating life, turbine blade cooling is very important and essential but it may cause the performance losses in gas turbine. This paper deals with the comparative thermodynamic analysis of gas turbine system with and without regeneration by using the recently developed blade-cooling model when the turbine blades are cooled by the method of film cooling. Special attention is paid to investigating the effects of system parameters such as pressure ratio and turbine inlet temperature on the thermodynamic performance of the systems. In both systems the thermal efficiency increases with turbine inlet temperature, but its effect is less sensitive in simpler system


Author(s):  
T. S. Rähse ◽  
C. O. Paschereit ◽  
P. Stathopoulos ◽  
P. Berndt ◽  
R. Klein

With the ongoing stagnation of the progress towards higher efficiency gas turbines, alternative approaches in combustion receive more attention than ever before. Besides, increasing efficiency and reducing emissions at the same time has become a first priority of the industry in the last few decades. Constant volume combustion is considered a technology capable of achieving a significant increase in thermal efficiency when applied in gas turbines. In this work, models of gas turbine cycles with two different combustion methods, being a shockless explosion combustion and an isobaric homogeneous combustion, will be simulated and compared. A code based on the one dimensional Euler equations is utilized to calculate the exhaust gas outlet parameters of the shockless explosion combustion chamber, while taking into account all the gas dynamic phenomena in it. The efficiency of the turbine is computed by steady state operational maps. The simulations provide numerous detailed results with a focus on the dependency of the SEC cycle’s thermal efficiency to the compressor pressure ratio and the turbine inlet temperature. Evaluating the kinetic energy in the total enthalpy of the turbine inlet flow is also an essential investigation.


Author(s):  
Aaron R. Byerley ◽  
August J. Rolling

Since the 1950’s, the turbine inlet temperatures of gas turbine engines have been steadily increasing as engine designers have sought to increase engine thrust-to-weight and reduce fuel consumption. In turbojets and low-bypass turbofan engines, increasing the turbine inlet temperature boosts specific thrust, which in some cases can support supersonic flight without the use of an afterburner. In high-bypass gas turbine engines, increasing the turbine inlet temperature makes possible higher bypass ratios and overall pressure ratios, both of which reduce specific fuel consumption. Increased turbine inlet temperatures, without sacrificing blade life, have been made possible through advances in blade cooling effectiveness and high-temperature turbine blade materials. Investigating the impact of higher turbine inlet temperatures and the corresponding cooling air flow rates on specific thrust, specific fuel consumption, and engine development cost is the subject of this paper. A physics-based cooling effectiveness correlation is presented for linking turbine inlet temperature to cooling flow fraction. Two cases are considered: 1) a low-bypass, mixed-exhaust, non-afterburning turbofan engine intended to support supercruising at Mach 1.5 and 2) a high-bypass, unmixed-exhaust turbofan engine intended to support highly efficient, long range flight at Mach 0.8. For each of these two cases, both baseline and enhanced cooling effectiveness values as well as both baseline and elevated turbine blade material temperatures are considered. Comparing these cases will ensure that students taking courses in preliminary engine design understand why huge research investments continue to be made in turbine blade cooling and advanced, high-temperature turbine blade material development.


Author(s):  
M. F. Bardon ◽  
J. A. C. Fortin

This paper examines the possibility of injecting methanol into the compressor of a gas turbine, then dissociating it to carbon monoxide and hydrogen so as to cool the air and reduce the work of compression, while simultaneously increasing the fuel’s heating value. A theoretical analysis shows that there is a net reduction in compressor work resulting from this dissociative intercooling effect. Furthermore, by means of a computer cycle model, the effects of dissociation on efficiency and work per unit mass of airflow are predicted for both regenerated and unregenerated gas turbines. The effect on optimum pressure ratio is examined and practical difficulties likely to be encountered with such a system are discussed.


Author(s):  
Daniel E. Caguiat

The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division (NSWCCD) Gas Turbine Emerging Technologies Code 9334 was tasked by NSWCCD Shipboard Energy Office Code 859 to research and evaluate fouling resistant compressor coatings for Rolls Royce Allison 501-K Series gas turbines. The objective of these tests was to investigate the feasibility of reducing the rate of compressor fouling degradation and associated rate of specific fuel consumption (SFC) increase through the application of anti-fouling coatings. Code 9334 conducted a market investigation and selected coatings that best fit the test objective. The coatings selected were Sermalon for compressor stages 1 and 2 and Sermaflow S4000 for the remaining 12 compressor stages. Both coatings are manufactured by Sermatech International, are intended to substantially decrease blade surface roughness, have inert top layers, and contain an anti-corrosive aluminum-ceramic base coat. Sermalon contains a Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) topcoat, a substance similar to Teflon, for added fouling resistance. Tests were conducted at the Philadelphia Land Based Engineering Site (LBES). Testing was first performed on the existing LBES 501-K17 gas turbine, which had a non-coated compressor. The compressor was then replaced by a coated compressor and the test was repeated. The test plan consisted of injecting a known amount of salt solution into the gas turbine inlet while gathering compressor performance degradation and fuel economy data for 0, 500, 1000, and 1250 KW generator load levels. This method facilitated a direct comparison of compressor degradation trends for the coated and non-coated compressors operating with the same turbine section, thereby reducing the number of variables involved. The collected data for turbine inlet, temperature, compressor efficiency, and fuel consumption were plotted as a percentage of the baseline conditions for each compressor. The results of each plot show a decrease in the rates of compressor degradation and SFC increase for the coated compressor compared to the non-coated compressor. Overall test results show that it is feasible to utilize anti-fouling compressor coatings to reduce the rate of specific fuel consumption increase associated with compressor performance degradation.


Author(s):  
Akshay Khadse ◽  
Andres Curbelo ◽  
Ladislav Vesely ◽  
Jayanta S. Kapat

Abstract The first stage of turbine in a Brayton cycle faces the maximum temperature in the cycle. This maximum temperature may exceed creep temperature limit or even melting temperature of the blade material. Therefore, it becomes an absolute necessity to implement blade cooling to prevent them from structural damage. Turbine inlet temperatures for oxy-combustion supercritical CO2 (sCO2) are promised to reach blade material limit in near future foreseeing need of turbine blade cooling. Properties of sCO2 and the cycle parameters can make Reynolds number external to blade and external heat transfer coefficient to be significantly higher than those typically experience in regular gas turbines. This necessitates evaluation and rethinking of the internal cooling techniques to be adopted. The purpose of this paper is to investigate conjugate heat transfer effects within a first stage vane cascade of a sCO2 turbine. This study can help understand cooling requirements which include mass flow rate of leakage coolant sCO2 and geometry of cooling channels. Estimations can also be made if the cooling channels alone are enough for blade cooling or there is need for more cooling techniques such as film cooling, impingement cooling and trailing edge cooling. The conjugate heat transfer and aerodynamic analysis of a turbine cascade is carried out using STAR CCM+. The turbine inlet temperature of 1350K and 1775 K is considered for the study considering future potential needs. Thermo-physical properties of this mixture are given as input to the code in form of tables using REFPROP database. The blade material considered is Inconel 718.


Author(s):  
A. W. Reichert ◽  
M. Janssen

Siemens heavy duty Gas Turbines have been well known for their high power output combined with high efficiency and reliability for more than 3 decades. Offering state of the art technology at all times, the requirements concerning the cooling and sealing air system have increased with technological development over the years. In particular the increase of the turbine inlet temperature and reduced NOx requirements demand a highly efficient cooling and sealing air system. The new Vx4.3A family of Siemens gas turbines with ISO turbine inlet temperatures of 1190°C in the power range of 70 to 240 MW uses an effective film cooling technique for the turbine stages 1 and 2 to ensure the minimum cooling air requirement possible. In addition, the application of film cooling enables the cooling system to be simplified. For example, in the new gas turbine family no intercooler and no cooling air booster for the first turbine vane are needed. This paper deals with the internal air system of Siemens gas turbines which supplies cooling and sealing air. A general overview is given and some problems and their technical solutions are discussed. Furthermore a state of the art calculation system for the prediction of the thermodynamic states of the cooling and sealing air is introduced. The calculation system is based on the flow calculation package Flowmaster (Flowmaster International Ltd.), which has been modified for the requirements of the internal air system. The comparison of computational results with measurements give a good impression of the high accuracy of the calculation method used.


Author(s):  
Katsuyoshi Tada ◽  
Kei Inoue ◽  
Tomo Kawakami ◽  
Keijiro Saitoh ◽  
Satoshi Tanimura

Gas-turbine combined-cycle (GTCC) power generation is clean and efficient, and its demand will increase in the future from economic and social perspectives. Raising turbine inlet temperature is an effective way to increase combined cycle efficiency and contributes to global environmental conservation by reducing CO2 emissions and preventing global warming. However, increasing turbine inlet temperature can lead to the increase of NOx emissions, depletion of the ozone layer and generation of photochemical smog. To deal with this issue, MHPS (MITSUBISHI HITACHI POWER SYSTEMS) and MHI (MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES) have developed Dry Low NOx (DLN) combustion techniques for high temperature gas turbines. In addition, fuel flexibility is one of the most important features for DLN combustors to meet the requirement of the gas turbine market. MHPS and MHI have demonstrated DLN combustor fuel flexibility with natural gas (NG) fuels that have a large Wobbe Index variation, a Hydrogen-NG mixture, and crude oils.


Author(s):  
H. C. Eatock ◽  
M. D. Stoten

United Aircraft Corporation studied the potential costs of various possible gas turbine engines which might be used to reduce automobile exhaust emissions. As part of that study, United Aircraft of Canada undertook the preliminary design and performance analysis of high-pressure-ratio nonregenerated (simple cycle) gas turbine engines. For the first time, high levels of single-stage component efficiency are available extending from a pressure ratio less than 4 up to 10 or 12 to 1. As a result, the study showed that the simple-cycle engine may provide satisfactory running costs with significantly lower manufacturing costs and NOx emissions than a regenerated engine. In this paper some features of the preliminary design of both single-shaft and a free power turbine version of this engine are examined. The major component technology assumptions, in particular the high pressure ratio centrifugal compressor, employed for performance extrapolation are explained and compared with current technology. The potential low NOx emissions of the simple-cycle gas turbine compared to regenerative or recuperative gas turbines is discussed. Finally, some of the problems which might be encountered in using this totally different power plant for the conventional automobile are identified.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document