Impact of Inlet Fogging on the Performance of Steam Injected Cooled Gas Turbine Based Combined Cycle Power Plant

Abstract

Gas/steam combined cycle power plants are extensively used for power generation across the world. Today’s power plant operators are persistently requesting enhancement in performance. As a result, the rigour of thermodynamic design and optimization has grown tremendously. To enhance the gas turbine thermal efficiency and specific power output, the research and development work has centered on improving firing temperature, cycle pressure ratio, adopting improved component design, cooling and combustion technologies, and advanced materials and employing integrated system (e.g. combined cycles, intercooling, recuperation, reheat, chemical recuperation). In this paper a study is conducted for combining three systems namely inlet fogging, steam injection in combustor, and film cooling of gas turbine blade for performance enhancement of gas/steam combined cycle power plant. The evaluation of the integrated effect of inlet fogging, steam injection and film cooling on the gas turbine cycle performance is undertaken here. Study involves thermodynamic modeling of gas/steam combined cycle system based on the first law of thermodynamics. The results obtained based on modeling have been presented and analyzed through graphical depiction of variations in efficiency, specific work output, cycle pressure ratio, inlet air temperature & density variation, turbine inlet temperature, specific fuel consumption etc.