Combined Cycle Inlet Air Cooling by Cold Thermal Storage: Aeroderivative vs. Heavy Duty GT Comparison

Author(s):  
G. Barigozzi ◽  
N. Palestra ◽  
A. Perdichizzi ◽  
G. Salvitti

An assessment of energetic performance achievable by GT inlet air cooling through cold thermal storage is presented. Results have been obtained by a numerical code specifically developed to model the whole system behavior all over a year. Some cases with hot climatic condition have been compared and discussed in order to enlighten performance differences due to GT characteristics and possible enhancement strategies for different configurations. An existing 127 MWe combined cycle power plant with a twin GT configuration was assumed as a reference case. Two heavy-duty units with different technology levels have been compared with an advanced aero-derivative model, in the range of 40 MW power output. Aero-derivative unit provided a much better performance than the more advanced heavy-duty model; this was strictly related to the higher sensitivity to inlet air temperature of the aero derivative unit. The comparison between the two heavy-duty GTs has clearly shown that a high specific power is needed to obtain cost-effective solutions for inlet air cooling systems. The analysis for the considered GT units was then extended also to a plant configuration including an inlet air supercharging system. The boost fan head has been selected in order to only compensate all inlet pressure losses, i.e. inlet duct, filters and air coils pressure drops.

Author(s):  
Nicola Palestra ◽  
Giovanna Barigozzi ◽  
Antonio Perdichizzi

The paper presents the results of an investigation on inlet air cooling systems based on cool thermal storage, applied to combined cycle power plants. Such systems provide a significant increase of electric energy production in the peak hours; the charge of the cool thermal storage is performed instead during the night time. The inlet air cooling system also allows the plant to reduce power output dependence on ambient conditions. A 127MW combined cycle power plant operating in the Italian scenario is the object of this investigation. Two different technologies for cool thermal storage have been considered: ice harvester and stratified chilled water. To evaluate the performance of the combined cycle under different operating conditions, inlet cooling systems have been simulated with an in-house developed computational code. An economical analysis has been then performed. Different plant location sites have been considered, with the purpose to weigh up the influence of climatic conditions. Finally, a parametric analysis has been carried out in order to investigate how a variation of the thermal storage size affects the combined cycle performances and the investment profitability. It was found that both cool thermal storage technologies considered perform similarly in terms of gross extra production of energy. Despite this, the ice harvester shows higher parasitic load due to chillers consumptions. Warmer climates of the plant site resulted in a greater increase in the amount of operational hours than power output augmentation; investment profitability is different as well. Results of parametric analysis showed how important the size of inlet cooling storage may be for economical results.


Author(s):  
Walter W. Shelton ◽  
Robin W. Ames ◽  
Richard A. Dennis ◽  
Charles W. White ◽  
John E. Plunkett ◽  
...  

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) provides a worldwide leadership role in the development of advanced fossil fuel-based energy conversion technologies, with a focus on electric power generation with carbon capture and storage (CCS). As part of DOE’s Office of Fossil Energy, the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) implements research, development, and demonstration (RD&D) programs that address the challenges of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. To meet these challenges, NETL evaluates advanced power cycles that will maximize system efficiency and performance, while minimizing CO2 emissions and the costs of CCS. NETL’s Hydrogen Turbine Program has sponsored numerous R&D projects in support of Advanced Hydrogen Turbines (AHT). Turbine systems and components targeted for development include combustor technology, materials research, enhanced cooling technology, coatings development, and more. The R&D builds on existing gas turbine technologies and is intended to develop and test the component technologies and subsystems needed to validate the ability to meet the Turbine Program goals. These technologies are key components of AHTs, which enable overall plant efficiency and cost of electricity (COE) improvements relative to an F-frame turbine-based Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) reference plant equipped with carbon capture (today’s state-of-the-art). This work has also provided the basis for estimating future IGCC plant performance based on a Transformational Hydrogen Turbine (THT) with a higher turbine inlet temperature, enhanced material capabilities, reduced air cooling and leakage, and higher pressure ratios than the AHT. IGCC cases from using system-level AHT and THT gas turbine models were developed for comparisons with an F-frame turbine-based IGCC reference case and for an IGCC pathway study. The IGCC pathway is presented in which the reference case (i.e. includes F-frame turbine) is sequentially-modified through the incorporation of advanced technologies. Advanced technologies are considered to be either 2nd Generation or Transformational, if they are anticipated to be ready for demonstration by 2025 and 2030, respectively. The current results included the THT, additional potential transformational technologies related to IGCC plant sections (e.g. air separation, gasification, gas cleanup, carbon capture, NOx reduction) are being considered by NETL and are topics for inclusion in future reports.


1983 ◽  
Vol 105 (4) ◽  
pp. 821-825 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Wolf ◽  
S. Moskowitz

Studies of combined cycle electic power plants have shown that increasing the firing temperature and pressure ratio of the gas turbine can substantially improve the specific power output of the gas turbine as well as the combined cycle plant efficiency. Clearly this is a direction in which we can proceed to conserve the world’s dwindling petroleum fuel supplies. Furthermore, tomorrow’s gas turbines must do more than operate at higher temperature; they will likely face an aggressive hot gas stream created by the combustion of heavier oils or coal-derived liquid or gaseous fuels. Extensive tests have been performed on two rotating turbine rigs, each with a transpiration air cooled turbine operating in the 2600 to 3000°F (1427 to 1649°C) temperature range at increasing levels of gas stream particulates and alkali metal salts to simulate operation on coal-derived fuel. Transpiration air cooling was shown to be effective in maintaining acceptable metal temperatures, and there was no evidence of corrosion, erosion, or deposition. The rate of transpiration skin cooling flow capacity exhibited a minor loss in the initial exposure to the particulate laden gas stream of less than 100 hours, but the flow reduction was commensurate with that produced by normal oxidation of the skin material at the operating temperatures of 1350°F (732°C). The data on skin permeability loss from both cascade and engine tests compared favorably with laboratory furnace oxidation skin specimens. To date, over 10,000 hr of furnace exposure has been conducted. Extrapolation of the data to 50,000 hr indicates the flow capacity loss would produce an acceptable 50°F (10°C) increase in skin operating temperature.


Author(s):  
Moritz Dorschel ◽  
Stefan aus der Wiesche

Inlet air filtration systems are essential components for any power plant based on gas turbines, because poor air quality can significantly impact the operation and performance of the gas turbine. But higher pressure losses due to the filtration system have a negative impact to the power plant performance. In this paper, the field experience with a typical inlet air filtration system for a modern 100MW (electric) combined cycle cogeneration power plant (called “HKW Hafen”, Muenster, Germany) is discussed. The long-term observations demonstrated clearly the importance of the filtration system. A poor filtration performance was found for the initial system, and a re-design was initiated. With regard to this task, the use of computer-aided engineering tools (CAE) has proven its reliability. This approach enables an efficient tool for searching customized solutions for a specific power plant with a high confidence level. It was found that frequently used guidelines and supplier information are not completely sufficient for precise cost saving calculations.


Author(s):  
Nicola Palestra ◽  
Giovanna Barigozzi ◽  
Antonio Perdichizzi

Investigation results of compressor inlet air boosting and cooling, applied to combined cycle power plants, are presented and discussed. Gas turbine performances may be reduced by site altitude and inlet losses due to air ducts and filters. Increasing inlet pressure by fans allows the restoring of gas turbine power output and efficiency at least to ISO reference conditions. Coupling such a system with inlet air cooling may completely suppress the temperature increase given by inlet air compression and the pressure losses through air coils as well; therefore, by this way, a further increase of electric energy production can be achieved. An in-house simulation code, developed for evaluating inlet air cooling system performance by cool thermal storage, has been adapted in order to also simulate off-design behaviour of boosting applied to combined cycle plants. A 127 MW reference power plant, operating in the Italian scenario, has been considered. Inlet pressure increase has been evaluated with and without inlet cooling, and in comparison with inlet cooling solution alone. Both thermodynamic and economical results have been analyzed. A parametric analysis on both system sizing parameters has been carried out. Best solution was found in coupling boosting to inlet cooling system through cool thermal storage; it produced an important increase in electric energy production. Location site influence on investment pay-back proved to be less important compared to the solution with inlet air cooling system alone.


Author(s):  
Nicola Palestra ◽  
Giovanna Barigozzi ◽  
Antonio Perdichizzi

The paper presents the results of an investigation on inlet air cooling systems based on cool thermal storage, applied to combined cycle power plants. Such systems provide a significant increase of electric energy production in the peak hours; the charge of the cool thermal storage is performed instead during night time. The inlet air cooling system also allows the plant to reduce power output dependence on ambient conditions. A 127 MW combined cycle power plant operating in the Italian scenario is the object of this investigation. Two different technologies for cool thermal storage have been considered: ice harvester and stratified chilled water. To evaluate the performance of the combined cycle under different operating conditions, inlet cooling systems have been simulated with an in-house developed computational code. An economical analysis has been then performed. Different plant location sites have been considered, with the purpose to weigh up the influence of climatic conditions. Finally, a parametric analysis has been carried out in order to investigate how a variation of the thermal storage size affects the combined cycle performances and the investment profitability. It was found that both considered cool thermal storage technologies perform similarly in terms of gross extra-production of energy. Despite to that, ice harvester shows higher parasitic load due to chillers consumptions. Warmer climates of plant site resulted to increase more the amount of operational hours than power output augmentation; investment profitability is different as well. Results of parametric analysis showed how important may be, for economical results, the size of inlet cooling storage.


2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew Detor ◽  
◽  
Richard DiDomizio ◽  
Don McAllister ◽  
Erica Sampson ◽  
...  

2015 ◽  
Vol 76 ◽  
pp. 449-461 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mehdi A. Ehyaei ◽  
Mojtaba Tahani ◽  
Pouria Ahmadi ◽  
Mohammad Esfandiari

Author(s):  
M. Bianchi ◽  
F. Melino ◽  
A. Peretto ◽  
P. R. Spina ◽  
S. Ingistov

In the last years, among all different gas turbine inlet air cooling techniques, an increasing attention to fogging approach is dedicated. The various fogging strategies seem to be a good solution to improve gas turbine or combined cycle produced power with low initial investment cost and less installation downtime. In particular, overspray fogging and interstage injection involve two-phase flow consideration and water evaporation during compression process (also known as wet compression). According to the Author’s knowledge, the field of wet compression is not completely studied and understood. In the present paper, all the principal aspects of wet compression and in particular the influence of injected water droplet diameter and surface temperature, and their effect on gas turbine performance and on the behavior of the axial compressor (change in axial compressor performance map due to the water injection, redistribution of stage load, etc.) are analyzed by using a calculation code, named IN.FO.G.T.E. (INterstage FOgging Gas Turbine Evaluation), developed and validated by the Authors.


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