System and method for gas turbine part load efficiency improvement
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsRahul Chillar, Vijay Nenmeni, Julio Enrique Mestroni, Jianmin Zhang, James Patrick Tomey
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Abstract
In one embodiment of the present disclosure, a gas turbine system for part load efficiency improvement is described. The system includes a gas turbine having a compressor which receives inlet-air. An evaporative cooler system using heated fluid heats the inlet-air before the inlet-air flows to the compressor. Heating the inlet-air reduces an output of the gas turbine and extends the turndown range.
Claims20
A gas turbine system for part load efficiency improvement comprising:
- a gas turbine comprising a compressor, which receives inlet-air;
- and
- an evaporative cooler system, the evaporative cooler system being configured to heat the inlet-air using heated fluid before the inlet-air flows to the compressor, wherein heating the inlet-air reduces an output of the gas turbine and extends the turndown range.
A method of controlling a gas turbine system operation for part load efficiency improvement, the method comprising:
- utilizing an evaporative cooler system to heat inlet-air using heated fluid before the inlet-air flows to a gas turbine compressor;
- feeding the gas turbine compressor the heated inlet-air;
- and
- wherein the heated inlet-air reduces an output of the gas turbine and extends the turndown range.
The method of claim 13, wherein an extended turndown range comprises from about 5% to about 40% of the maximum rated load of the turbo machine.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.