Multiloop gas turbine system and method of operation thereof

A power generation system, comprising:

• a first compressor, a second compressor and a third compressor;
• a first regenerator, a second regenerator and a third regenerator;
• a first combustion unit, a second combustion unit and a third combustion unit;
• and
• a first turbine, a second turbine and a third turbine;
• the first compressor being in operative communication with the first regenerator to provide to the first regenerator compressed gas from the first compressor;
• the first regenerator being in operative communication with the first combustion unit to provide to the first combustion unit heated gas from the first regenerator;
• the first combustion unit being in operative communication with the first turbine to provide to the first turbine exhaust gas from the first combustion unit;
• the second compressor being in operative communication with the second regenerator to provide to the second regenerator compressed gas from the second compressor;
• the second regenerator being in operative communication with the second combustion unit to provide to the second combustion unit heated gas from the second regenerator;
• the second combustion unit being in operative communication with the second turbine to provide to the second turbine exhaust gas from the second combustion unit;
• the third compressor being in operative communication with the third regenerator to provide to the third regenerator compressed gas from the third compressor;
• the third regenerator being in operative communication with the third combustion unit to provide to the third combustion unit heated gas from the third regenerator;
• the third combustion unit being in operative communication with the third turbine to provide to the third turbine exhaust gas from the third combustion unit;
• the first turbine being in operative communication with the second combustion unit to provide the second combustion unit with expanded gas from the first turbine;
• the second turbine being in operative communication with the third combustion unit to provide the third combustion unit with expanded gas from the second turbine;
• and
• the third turbine being in parallel operative communication with the first regenerator, the second regenerator and the third regenerator such that the expanded gas from the third turbine is split into a first portion, a second portion and a third portion, the first portion being provided to the first regenerator, the second portion being provided to the second regenerator and the third portion being provided to the third regenerator.

A power generation system, comprising:

• a plurality of functional units, the number of the plurality of functional units being equal to n, and n being an integer greater than 1;
• each of the plurality of functional units comprising:
• a compressor,
• a regenerator,
• a combustion unit and a turbine;
• the compressor being in operative communication with the regenerator to provide to the regenerator compressed gas from the compressor;
• the regenerator being in operative communication with the combustion unit to provide to the combustion unit heated gas from the regenerator;
• the combustion unit being in operative communication with the turbine to provide to the turbine exhaust gas from the combustion unit;
• wherein, for each of the functional units other than the nth functional unit, the turbine is in operative communication with the combustion unit of a successive functional unit to provide the combustion unit of the successive functional unit with expanded gas from the turbine;
• and wherein, for the nth functional unit, the turbine is in parallel operative communication with the regenerator of each preceding functional unit such that expanded gas from the turbine of the nth functional unit is split into n portions, each regenerator of the plurality of functional units being provided with one portion of the n portions of the expanded gas from the turbine of the nth functional unit.

A power generation method, comprising:

• directing compressed gas from a first compressor to a first regenerator;
• directing heated gas from the first regenerator to a first combustion unit;
• directing exhaust gas from the first combustion unit to a first turbine;
• directing compressed gas from a second compressor to a second regenerator;
• directing heated gas from the second regenerator to a second combustion unit;
• directing exhaust gas from the second combustion unit to a second turbine;
• directing expanded gas from the first turbine to the second combustion unit;
• and
• directing expanded gas from the second turbine to the first regenerator and the second regenerator in parallel such that the expanded gas from the second turbine is split into a first portion and a second portion, the first portion being routed to the first regenerator and the second portion being routed to the second regenerator.

A power generation method, comprising:

• directing compressed gas from a first compressor to a first regenerator;
• directing heated gas from the first regenerator to a first combustion unit;
• directing exhaust gas from the first combustion unit to a first turbine;
• directing compressed gas from a second compressor to a second regenerator;
• directing heated gas from the second regenerator to a second combustion unit;
• directing exhaust gas from the second combustion unit to a second turbine;
• directing compressed gas from a third compressor to a third regenerator;
• directing heated gas from the third regenerator to a third combustion unit;
• directing exhaust gas from the third combustion unit to a third turbine;
• directing expanded gas from the first turbine to the second combustion unit;
• directing expanded gas from the second turbine to the third combustion unit;
• and
• directing expanded gas from the third turbine to the first regenerator, the second regenerator and the third regenerator in parallel such that the expanded gas from the third turbine is split into a first portion, a second portion, and a third portion, the first portion is routed to the first regenerator, the second portion is routed to the second regenerator, and the third portion is routed to the third regenerator.

A power generation method, comprising:

• providing a plurality of functional units, wherein each of the plurality of functional units comprises a compressor, a regenerator, a combustion unit and a turbine, wherein the number of the plurality of functional units is equal to n, and wherein n is an integer greater than 1;
• directing, for each of the functional units, compressed gas from the compressor to the regenerator;
• directing, for each of the functional units, heated gas from the regenerator to the combustion unit;
• directing, for each of the functional units, exhaust gas from the combustion unit to the turbine;
• directing, for each of the functional units other than the nth functional unit, expanded gas from the turbine to the combustion unit of a successive functional unit to provide the combustion unit of the successive functional unit with the expanded gas from the turbine;
• and
• directing, for the nth functional unit, expanded gas from the turbine to the regenerator of each preceding functional unit, in parallel, to provide to the regenerator of each preceding functional unit expanded gas from the turbine of the nth functional unit, wherein the expanded gas from the turbine of the nth functional unit is split into n portions, each regenerator of the plurality of functional units being provided with one portion of the n portions of the expanded gas from the turbine of the nth functional unit.