Supercharging system for gas turbines
AssigneeEnhanced Turbine Output Holding, LLC
InventorWilliam L. Kopko
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A supercharging system for gas turbine power plants. The system includes a supercharging fan and means for limiting turbine power output to prevent overload of the generator at lower ambient temperatures. Possible means for limiting power output include burner control, inlet temperature control, control of supercharging fan pressure, and other options. Supercharging fan pressure can be controlled by staging fans, variable-speed drives, variable-pitch blades, and other options. The invention permits the supercharging system to be retrofit on existing turbines without replacing the generator and associated auxiliary equipment. A novel high-pressure duct design (particularly for use between the supercharging fan and the gas turbine) is also disclosed.
Claims51
A supercharged, power-producing gas turbine system, said system comprising:
- a gas turbine subsystem and an electrical generator, said gas turbine subsystem comprising a compressor, a burner, and a gas turbine, wherein a gas turbine subsystem input airstream is compressed by said compressor, heated by said burner, and expanded through said turbine to cause said turbine to rotate, whereby said turbine drives said generator to generate electrical power;
- a supercharging subsystem comprising at least one supercharging fan which increases the pressure of said gas turbine subsystem input airstream, whereby power output of said turbine-and hence electrical output of said electrical generator may be increased;
- and
- a system controller;
- wherein, at summer-peaking conditions, the design pressure increase of said supercharging subsystem corresponds to an output of said turbine that approximately matches the rated unsupercharged output of said generator and said system controller monitors at least one system parameter and controls operation of at least one system component such that as ambient temperature decreases, turbine power output does not exceed a level corresponding to the maximum unsupercharged design output of said generator.
A supercharging subsystem for use in a supercharged, power-producing gas turbine system, said supercharged, power-producing gas turbine system comprising a gas turbine subsystem and an electrical generator, said gas turbine subsystem comprising a compressor, a burner, and a gas turbine, wherein a gas turbine subsystem input airstream is compressed by said compressor, heated by said burner, and expanded through said turbine to cause said turbine to rotate, whereby said turbine drives said generator to generate electrical power, said supercharging subsystem comprising:
- at least one supercharging fan which increases the pressure of said gas turbine subsystem input airstream, whereby power output of said turbine and hence electrical output of said electrical generator may be increased;
- and
- a system controller;
- wherein, at summer-pealing conditions, the design pressure increase of said supercharging subsystem corresponds to an output of said turbine that approximately matches the rated unsupercharged output of said generator and said system controller monitors at least one system parameter and controls operation of at least one system component such that as ambient temperature decreases, turbine power output, which otherwise would increase with decreasing ambient temperature, does not exceed a level corresponding to the maximum unsupercharged design output of said generator.
A method of operating a supercharged, power-producing gas turbine system including a generator sized to achieve a maximum rated power output at a maximum unsupercharged turbine output, said method comprising the steps of monitoring at least one system parameter and controlling operation of at least one system component such that as ambient temperature decreases, power output of said gas turbine system does not exceed said maximum rated power output of said generator.
A supercharged, power-producing gas turbine system, said system comprising:
- a gas turbine subsystem and an electrical generator, said gas turbine subsystem comprising a compressor, a burner, and a gas turbine, wherein a gas turbine subsystem input airstream is compressed by said compressor, heated by said burner, and expanded through said turbine to cause said turbine to rotate, whereby said turbine drives said generator to generate electrical power;
- a supercharging subsystem comprising at least one supercharging fan which increases the pressure of said gas turbine subsystem input airstream, whereby power output of said turbine and hence electrical output of said electrical generator may be increased;
- a system controller;
- wherein said system controller monitors at least one system parameter and controls operation of at least one system component such that as ambient temperature decreases, turbine power output, which otherwise would increase with decreasing ambient temperature, does not exceed maximum supercharged summer-peaking power output;
- and
- a duct for conveying a high-pressure airstream through said system, said duct comprising an interior conduit disposed within an exterior conduit, said interior conduit having a polygonal cross-section and said exterior conduit having an arcuate cross-section, said interior conduit and said exterior conduit defining a space therebetween and said interior conduit having a flow passage in a wall thereof to provide fluid communication and equalize pressure between the interior of said interior conduit and said space.
In a supercharged gas turbine power plant having a gas turbine power system including a compressor, a burner, and a gas turbine, wherein an inlet air stream fed to the system is compressed by the compressor, heated by the burner, and expanded through the turbine to cause the turbine to rotate, whereby the turbine drives an electrical generator to generate electrical power;
- and having a supercharging system for increasing the pressure of the inlet air stream fed to the compressor to provide a pressurized inlet air stream to the compressor, the improvement comprising:
- a duct having a round cross sectional area that provides a flow path between said supercharging system and said gas-turbine power system for said pressurized inlet air stream.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.