Water spray cooling of gas turbine cycles

Abstract

Aerodervative gas turbines intercooled by water spray injection systems have recently entered service. A calculation framework is presented which permits the effect of water spray injection for both intercooling and inlet chilling to be evaluated and compared with conventional cooling techniques for a range of cycles. The calculations are based on representative performance maps for compressors and turbines, focusing upon the actual performance benefits that can be realized from existing turbomachinery. The principal conclusions are that spray intercooling can give a greater power boost than conventional intercooling for a given compressor operating envelope spray inlet chilling can give performance benefits comparable with absorption chilling and intercooling is more attractive at ambient temperatures below 15°C, whereas inlet chilling is preferable at higher temperatures.