Method and apparatus for achieving power augmentation in gas turbines via wet compression

A wet compression power augmentation method for adding nebulized water to a gas turbine, said gas turbine having a housing and a compressor, said compressor having a compressor inlet, comprising:

• nebulizing water in said compressor inlet;
• and
• adding water to modify said nebulized water in a plurality of nebulized water mass flow increments such that operationally-induced thermal stresses within said gas turbine due to the ingestion and evaporation in whole or in part of said
• nebulized water are sufficiently minimized to preserve structural integrity in said gas turbine.

A wet compression power augmentation apparatus for adding a mass flow of nebulized water to a gas turbine, said gas turbine having a housing and a compressor and said compressor having a compressor inlet, comprising:

• means for nebulizing water positioned essentially in said compressor inlet;
• means for detecting deformation in said housing;
• and
• means for providing a sufficient amount of water to said nebulizing water means so that, in continuous operation, an inlet air stream having entrained liquid water particles may be provided to said compressor inlet and the work of compression lessened thereby through latent heat intercooling in the compressor.

A wet compression power augmentation apparatus for adding a mass flow of nebulized water to a gas turbine, said gas turbine having a housing and a compressor and said compressor having a compressor inlet, comprising:

• an inlet air duct attached to said compressor in fluid communication with said compressor inlet, said inlet air duct having a lower surface;
• means for nebulizing water positioned in said inlet air duct with sufficient separation from said axial compressor inlet such that, in operation, any portion of said means for nebulizing water which breaks away from said means for nebulizing water will be gravitationally pulled to said lower surface before said portion is conveyed into said compressor by forces derived from pressure and flow attributes within said inlet air duct;
• and
• means for providing a sufficient amount of water to said nebulizing water means so that, in continuous operation, an inlet air stream having entrained liquid water particles may be provided to said compressor inlet and the work of compression lessened thereby through latent heat intercooling in the compressor.

A wet compression power augmentation apparatus for adding a mass flow of nebulized water to a gas turbine, said gas turbine having a housing, a turbine section having a plurality of fluid cooled rotor blades, and a compressor, and said compressor having a compressor inlet, comprising:

• means for monitoring the temperature profile of each of said fluid cooled rotor blades;
• means for nebulizing water positioned essentially in said compressor inlet;
• means for providing a sufficient amount of water to said nebulizing water means so that, in continuous operation, an inlet air stream having entrained liquid water particles may be provided to said compressor inlet and the work of compression lessened thereby through latent heat intercooling in the compressor;
• and
• means for detecting deformation in said housing associated with the ingestion of said entrained liquid water particles into the compressor.

A wet compression power augmentation apparatus for adding a mass flow of nebulized water to a gas turbine, said gas turbine having a housing, a turbine section having a plurality of fluid cooled rotor blades and a compressor having a compressor inlet, with the gas turbine being attached to an inlet duct which is in fluid communication with the compressor inlet, said power augmentation apparatus comprising:

• means for monitoring the temperature profile of each of said fluid cooled rotor blades;
• means for nebulizing water positioned essentially in said compressor inlet;
• means for providing a sufficient amount of water to said nebulizing water means so that, in continuous operation, an inlet air stream having entrained liquid water particles may be provided to said compressor inlet and the work of compression lessened thereby through latent heat intercooling in the compressor;
• and
• a viewport in said inlet duct positioned near said compressor inlet so that icing from the addition of the nebulized water can be monitored.

A wet compression power augmentation apparatus for adding a mass flow of nebulized water to a gas turbine, said gas turbine having a housing, a turbine section having a plurality of fluid cooled rotor blades, and a compressor, and said compressor having a compressor inlet, comprising:

• means for monitoring the temperature profile of each of said fluid cooled rotor blades;
• means for nebulizing water positioned essentially in said compressor inlet;
• means for providing a sufficient amount of water to said nebulizing water means so that, in continuous operation, an inlet air stream having entrained liquid water particles may be provided to said compressor inlet and the work of compression lessened thereby through latent heat intercooling in the compressor;
• and
• means for adding steam in said compressor inlet.

A wet compression power augmentation apparatus for adding a mass flow of nebulized water to a gas turbine, said gas turbine having a housing, a turbine section having a plurality of fluid cooled rotor blades, and a compressor, and said compressor having a compressor inlet, comprising:

• means for monitoring the temperature profile of each of said fluid cooled rotor blades;
• means for nebulizing water positioned essentially in said compressor inlet, with said means being suited for delivering a mass flow of nebulized water to the compressor inlet in a plurality of nebulized water mass flow increments so that operationally-induced thermal stresses within said gas turbine due to the use of said mass flow of nebulized water are sufficiently minimized to preserve the structural integrity of the gas turbine, and wherein at least one increment of the plurality of nebulized water mass flow increments is provided by means of a nozzle whose throughput corresponds to the increment;
• and
• means for providing a sufficient amount of water to said nebulizing water means so that, in continuous operation, an inlet air stream having entrained liquid water particles may be provided to said compressor inlet and the work of compression lessened thereby through latent heat intercooling in the compressor.

A wet compression power augmentation apparatus for adding a mass flow of nebulized water to a gas turbine, said gas turbine having a housing and a compressor and said compressor having a compressor inlet, comprising:

• means for providing nebulized water to said compressor inlet in the form of a plurality of nebulized water mass flow increments;
• means for providing a sufficient amount of water to said nebulizing water means so that an inlet air stream having entrained liquid water particles may be provided to the compressor inlet in the operation of the turbine and the work of compression lessened thereby through latent heat intercooling in the compressor;
• and
• means for detecting deformation in the turbine's housing.

A wet compression power augmentation apparatus for adding a mass flow of nebulized water to a gas turbine, said gas turbine having a housing and a compressor and said compressor having a compressor inlet, comprising:

• means for providing nebulized water to said compressor inlet in the form of a plurality of nebulized water mass flow increments;
• means for providing a sufficient amount of water to said nebulizing water means so that an inlet air stream having entrained liquid water particles may be provided to the compressor inlet in the operation of the turbine and the work of compression lessened thereby through latent heat intercooling in the compressor;
• and
• means for adding steam in the compressor inlet.

A wet compression power augmentation method for achieving an increase in power production from a gas turbine, said gas turbine having a housing and a compressor with a compressor inlet, comprising:

• providing an amount of nebulized water to said compressor inlet so that at least a portion of this water is ingested by and evaporated in the compressor, and thereby provides a degree of latent heat intercooling to said compressor;
• incrementally modifying the mass flow of nebulized water provided to said compressor inlet;
• and
• detecting deformation in said housing as the mass flow is so modified.