System and method for augmenting gas turbine power output
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsMark Stewart Schroder, Thomas Edward Wickert, Mark Allan Hadley
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system for augmenting gas turbine power output includes a compressed air supply, and a compressed air storage plenum in fluid communication with the compressed air supply. The compressed air storage plenum is configured to store a compressed air from the compressed air supply for later use. The system further includes an inlet plenum sealingly coupled to an inlet of the gas turbine. The inlet plenum is in fluid communication with the compressed air storage plenum so as to route the compressed air from the compressed air storage plenum into the inlet of the compressor during augmented operation of the gas turbine.
Claims18
A system for enhancing performance of a gas turbine, the system comprising:
- a. a compressed air supply comprising a compressor of the gas turbine;
- b. a compressed air storage plenum in fluid communication with the compressed air supply, the compressed air storage plenum being configured to store a compressed air from the compressed air supply;
- c. an inlet plenum sealingly coupled to an inlet of the compressor, the inlet plenum being in fluid communication with the compressed air storage plenum and the inlet of the compressor, wherein the inlet plenum is pressurized with the compressed air from the compressed air storage plenum during augmented mode of operation of the gas turbine;
- and
- d. a bleed air flow path that extends between one of a to or an exhaust gas section of the gas turbine and the compressed air storage plenum, wherein the bleed air flow path provides for fluid communication between the turbine or the exhaust gas section and the compressed air storage plenum.
A gas turbine, comprising:
- a. an inlet plenum, a compressor downstream from the inlet plenum, a combustor downstream from the compressor, a turbine downstream from the combustor and an exhaust gas section downstream from the turbine, the compressor having an extraction port;
- b. a compressed air storage plenum in fluid communication with the compressor;
- c. an inlet pressurization flow path that provides for fluid communication between the compressed air storage plenum and the inlet plenum, wherein the inlet plenum is pressurized with compressed air from the compressed air storage plenum during augmentation mode of operation of the gas turbine;
- d. a first bleed air flow path defined between the compressor and the inlet plenum, wherein the bleed air flow path provides for fluid communication between the compressor and the inlet plenum;
- and
- e. a secondary bleed air flow path fluidly connected to the gas turbine at a location downstream from the compressor, wherein the secondary bleed air flow path provides for fluid communication into the compressed air storage plenum.
A method for operating a gas turbine, comprising
- a. compressing air within a compressor of the gas turbine to provide a flow of compressed air through the gas turbine;
- b. routing the compressed air from the vas turbine at a location that is defined downstream from the compressor via one or more bleed air flow paths that provide for fluid communication between the gas turbine and a compressed air storage plenum during a pressurization mode of operation of the gas turbine;
- c. routing the compressed air from the compressed air storage plenum to an inlet plenum disposed upstream from an inlet to the compressor;
- d. sealing one or more openings of the inlet plenum;
- e. pressurizing the inlet plenum with the compressed air from the compressed air storage plenum;
- and
- f. routing the compressed air from the pressurized inlet plenum into the inlet of the compressor during an augmentation mode of operation of the gas turbine.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.