Hydrogen-rich fuel, closed-loop cooled, and reheat enhanced gas turbine powerplants

Abstract

A gas turbine driven powerplant in which a mixture of steam and a combustible effluent, such as methane, is reformed or partially oxidized to produce a hydrogen-rich fuel which is used to fuel both the primary combustor and a reheat combustor positioned upstream of the final turbine stage, such as the power turbine. Reheat combustion is effected by injecting the hydrogen-rich fuel through the cooling orifices of the first turbine upstream of the final turbine stage and into the gas turbine flow path from the trailing edge of the stationary vanes and/or rotating blades, where the fuel auto ignites with complete combustion occurring at a nominal distance after injection into the air stream. Further, the hydrogen-rich fuel can be used as a coolant for the final turbine stage to allow higher reheat temperatures to be achieved. This reheat design, which will simultaneously provide turbine cooling and supply a reheat fuel that will auto-ignite and burn cleanly, provides the efficiency benefits of reheat without significant or costly redesign of the final turbine stage, and without adding new equipment.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.