Method of operating a combustion turbine power plant having compressed air storage
DCFirst Claim
1. A method of operating a combustion turbine power generation system and derivatives thereof comprising:
- providing at least one combustion turbine assembly including a compressor, an expansion turbine operatively associated with said compressor, a generator coupled with said expansion turbine;
a combustor feeding said expansion turbine;
flow path structure fluidly connecting an outlet of said compressor to an inlet of said combustor;
a compressed air storage;
a charging compressor for charging said air storage;
charging structure fluidly connecting an outlet of said charging compressor with an inlet to said air storage;
connection structure fluidly connecting an outlet of said air storage to an inlet of said combustor; and
valve structure associated with said connection structure and said charging structure to control flow through said connection structure and said charging structure, respectively,controlling said valve structure to selectively permit one of the following modes of operation;
a combustion turbine mode of operation wherein air compressed from said compressor moves through said flow path structure to said combustor feeding said expansion turbine such that said expansion turbine drives said generator,a compressed air augmentation mode of operation wherein compressed air from said air storage is supplied through said connection structure to said combustor in addition to compressed air passing through said flow path structure to said combustor, which increases mass flow of compressed air and gas to said expansion turbine, andan air storage charging mode of operation wherein compressed air from said charging compressor moves through said charging structure to charge said air storage.
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Abstract
A method is provided to ensure that a combustion turbine power generation system may operate at maximum allowable power at elevated ambient temperature and/or at low air density. The method includes providing at least one combustion turbine assembly including a compressor, an expansion turbine operatively associated with the compressor, an upgraded generator coupled with the expansion turbine; a combustor feeding the expansion turbine; flow path structure fluidly connecting an outlet of the compressor to an inlet of the combustor; a compressed air storage; a charging compressor for charging the air storage; charging structure fluidly connecting an outlet of the charging compressor with an inlet to the air storage; connection structure fluidly connecting an outlet of the air storage to an inlet of the combustor; and valve structure associated with the connection structure and the charging structure to control flow through the connection structure and the charging structure, respectively. The valve structure is controlled to selectively permit one of the following modes of operation: (1) a combustion turbine mode of operation wherein air compressed from the compressor moves through the flow path structure to the combustor feeding the expansion turbine such that the expansion turbine drives the generator, (2) a compressed air augmentation mode of operation wherein compressed air from the air storage is supplied through the connection structure to the combustor in addition to the compressed air passing through the flow path structure to the combustor, which increases mass flow of compressed air and gas to the expansion turbine and thus permits the upgraded generator to provide an increased power due to the additional compressed air suppled to the expansion turbine, and (3) an air storage charging mode of operation wherein compressed air from the charging compressor moves through the charging structure to charge the air storage.
168 Citations
27 Claims
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1. A method of operating a combustion turbine power generation system and derivatives thereof comprising:
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providing at least one combustion turbine assembly including a compressor, an expansion turbine operatively associated with said compressor, a generator coupled with said expansion turbine;
a combustor feeding said expansion turbine;
flow path structure fluidly connecting an outlet of said compressor to an inlet of said combustor;
a compressed air storage;
a charging compressor for charging said air storage;
charging structure fluidly connecting an outlet of said charging compressor with an inlet to said air storage;
connection structure fluidly connecting an outlet of said air storage to an inlet of said combustor; and
valve structure associated with said connection structure and said charging structure to control flow through said connection structure and said charging structure, respectively,controlling said valve structure to selectively permit one of the following modes of operation; a combustion turbine mode of operation wherein air compressed from said compressor moves through said flow path structure to said combustor feeding said expansion turbine such that said expansion turbine drives said generator, a compressed air augmentation mode of operation wherein compressed air from said air storage is supplied through said connection structure to said combustor in addition to compressed air passing through said flow path structure to said combustor, which increases mass flow of compressed air and gas to said expansion turbine, and an air storage charging mode of operation wherein compressed air from said charging compressor moves through said charging structure to charge said air storage. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of providing a combustion turbine derivative power plant integrated with compressed air storage, said power plant including a combustion turbine assembly having at least one compressor, at least one expansion turbine operatively associated with said at least one compressor, with at least one combustor feeding said at least one expansion turbine, and at least one electric generator coupled with said at least one expansion turbine, said at least one compressor communicating with an inlet to said at least one combustor via flow path structure,
the method including: -
providing for compressed air introduction upstream of said at least one combustor feeding said at least one expansion turbine; providing for compressed air extraction from a discharge of said at least one compressor; upgrading a capacity of the electric generator; providing a compressed air compression storage and retrieval system comprising; at least one boost compressor; at least one electric motor to drive the boost compressor; at least one intercooler feeding the boost compressor; an aftercooler downstream of said boost compressor; and a compressed air storage downstream of said aftercooler; integrating said combustion turbine assembly and said storage and retrieval system to provide various flow paths through the said power plant by providing; integrating structure permitting communication between an outlet of said combustion turbine assembly compressor, via an intercooler, to an inlet of said boost compressor; charging structure connecting an outlet of said boost compressor to an inlet of said aftercooler, and connecting an outlet of said aftercooler to said compressed air storage; connection structure permitting communication between an outlet of said air storage and an inlet to the combustor; and valving to selectively control flow through said charging structure, said connection structure, said integrating structure, and said flow path structure, the integration ensuring selective provision of three modes of operations;
a) a combustion turbine mode of operation, b) an air augmentation mode of operation, providing power higher than that provided by said combustion turbine mode of operation by directing complementary air flow from said compressed air storage to said at least one combustor feeding said at least one expansion turbine and c) an air storage charging mode of operation, wherein said air storage is charged with compressed air by said at least one compressor and said at least one boost compressor. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method of providing a combustion turbine derivative power plant including a combustion turbine assembly having at least one compressor, at least one expansion turbine operatively associated with said at least one compressor, with at least one combustor feeding said at least one expansion turbine, and an electric generator coupled with said at least one expansion turbine,
the method including: -
providing for compressed air introduction upstream of said at least one combustor feeding said at least one expansion turbine; upgrading a capacity of the electric generator; providing an additional compression and compressed air storage system comprising; a compressor structure; an electric motor to drive said compressor structure; an aftercooler downstream of said compressor structure; compressed air storage downstream of said aftercooler; integrating said combustion turbine assembly and said compression and compressed air storage system to provide various flow paths through the system with; charging structure permitting communication between an outlet of said compressor structure and an inlet to said aftercooler and from an outlet of said aftercooler to said compressed air storage, connection structure permitting communication between an outlet of said air storage and an inlet to said at least one combustor, valving to selectively control flow through said charging structure and said connection structure, the integration ensuring selective provision of three modes of operation;
a) a combustion turbine mode of operation, b) an air augmentation mode of operation providing a power higher than that provided by said combustion turbine mode of operation, by directing complementary compressed air flow from said compressed air storage to said at least one combustor feeding said at least one expansion turbine, and c) an air storage charging mode of operation, wherein the said air storage is charged with compressed air by said compressor structure. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification