System for staged chilling of inlet air for gas turbines
DCFirst Claim
1. A method of chilling inlet air for a gas turbine power plant, compromise:
- (a) passing inlet air through an air chiller that includes an opening for receiving the inlet air and that is operable connected to a gas turbine power plant that includes at least one gas turbine, and at least one gas turbine inlet which receives the inlet air;
(b) passing liquid water through two or more sequentially positioned water chillers at a first flow rate to reduce the temperature of the liquid water, each water chiller including a conduit through which the liquid water is capable of passing;
(c) passing the liquid water having the first flow rate through the air chiller in an amount sufficient to lower the temperature of the inlet air;
(d) reducing the flow rate of the liquid water passing through the water chillers;
(e) passing the liquid water through the water chillers at a second flow rate to reduce the temperature of the liquid water, the second flow rate being lower than the flow rate; and
(f) passing the liquid water having the second flow rate through the air chiller in an amount sufficient to lower the temperature of the inlet air.
7 Assignments
Litigations
1 Petition
Accused Products
Abstract
A method for cooling inlet air to a gas turbine is provided. For example, a method is described including passing inlet air through a cooling coil that includes an opening for receiving the inlet air and that is operably connected to a gas turbine power plant. The gas turbine power plant may include at least one gas turbine, and at least one gas turbine inlet which receives the inlet air. The method may further include passing circulating water through a water chiller at a first flow rate to reduce the temperature of the circulating water, the water chiller including a conduit through which the circulating water is capable of passing and passing the circulating water having the first flow rate through the cooling coil in an amount sufficient to lower the temperature of the inlet air. Additionally, the method may include reducing the flow rate of the circulating water passing through the water chiller, passing the circulating water through a water chiller at a second flow rate to reduce the temperature of the circulating water, the second flow rate being lower than the first flow rate, and passing the circulating water having the second flow rate through the cooling coil in an amount sufficient to lower the temperature of the inlet air.
70 Citations
27 Claims
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1. A method of chilling inlet air for a gas turbine power plant, compromise:
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(a) passing inlet air through an air chiller that includes an opening for receiving the inlet air and that is operable connected to a gas turbine power plant that includes at least one gas turbine, and at least one gas turbine inlet which receives the inlet air;
(b) passing liquid water through two or more sequentially positioned water chillers at a first flow rate to reduce the temperature of the liquid water, each water chiller including a conduit through which the liquid water is capable of passing;
(c) passing the liquid water having the first flow rate through the air chiller in an amount sufficient to lower the temperature of the inlet air;
(d) reducing the flow rate of the liquid water passing through the water chillers;
(e) passing the liquid water through the water chillers at a second flow rate to reduce the temperature of the liquid water, the second flow rate being lower than the flow rate; and
(f) passing the liquid water having the second flow rate through the air chiller in an amount sufficient to lower the temperature of the inlet air. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of chilling inlet air for a gas turbine power plant, comprising:
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(a) passing inlet air through an air chiller coil that includes an opening for receiving the inlet air and that is operably connected to a gas turbine power plant that includes at least one gas turbine, and at least one gas turbine inlet which receives the inlet air;
(b) passing liquid water through two or more sequentially positioned water chillers at a first flow rate to reduce the temperature of the liquid water, each water chiller including a conduit through which the liquid water is capable of passing;
(c) passing the liquid water having the first flow rate through the air chiller in an amount sufficient to lower the temperature of the inlet air;
(d) reducing the flow rate of the liquid water passing through the water chillers;
(e) passing the liquid water through the water chillers at a second flow rate to reduce the temperture of the liquid water, the second flow rate being lower than the first flow rate; and
(f) passing the liquid water having the second flow rate through the air chiller in an amount sufficient to lower the temperature of the inlet air, (g) wherein the method additionally comprises adding an additive to the liquid water in an amount sufficient to depress the freezing point of the liquid water. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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21. A method of chilling inlet air for a gas turbine power plant, comprising:
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(a) passing inlet air through an air chiller coil that includes an opening for receiving the inlet air and that is operably connected to a gas turbine power plant that includes at least one gas turbine, and at least one gas turbine inlet which receives the inlet air;
(b) passing liquid water through two or more sequentially positioned water chillers at a first flow rate to reduce the temperature of the liquid water, each water chiller including a conduit through which the liquid water is capable of passing;
(c) passing the liquid water having the first flow rate through the air chiller in an amount sufficient to lower the temperature of the inlet air;
(d) reduced the flow rate of the liquid water passing through the water chillers;
(e) passing the liquid water through the water chillers at a second flow rate to reduce the temperature of the liquid water, the second flow rate being lower than the first flow rate; and
(f) passing the liquid water having the second flow rate through the air chiller in an amount sufficient to lower the temperature of the inlet air, (g) wherein the method additionally comprises adding salt additive to the liquid water in an amount sufficient to depress the freezing point of the liquid water.
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22. A method of chilling inlet for a gas turbine power plant, comprising:
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(a) passing inlet air through an air chiller that includes an opening for receiving the inlet air and that is operably connected to a gas turbine power plant that includes at least one gas turbine, and at least one gas turbine inlet which receives the inlet air;
(b) passing liquid water through two or more sequentially positioned water chillers at a first flow rate to reduce the temperature of the liquid water, each water chiller including a conduit through which the liquid water is capable of passing;
(c) passing the liquid water having the first flow rate through the air chiller in an amount sufficient to lower the temperature of the inlet air;
(d) reducing the flow rate of the liquid water passing through the water chillers;
(e) passing the liquid water through the water chillers at a second flow rate to reduce the temperature of the liquid water, the second flow rate being lower than the first flow rate; and
(f) passing the liquid water having the second flow rate through the air chiller in an amount sufficient to lower the temperature of the inlet air, (g) wherein the method additionally comprises determining a set point that depends on or reflects a temperature difference or enthalpy difference, and reducing the flow rate of the liquid water passing through the water chillers when the condition is met.
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23. A method of chilling inlet air for a gas turbine power plant, comprising:
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(a) passing inlet air through an air chiller that includes an opening for receiving the inlet air and that is operably connected to a gas turbine power plant that includes at least one gas turbine, and at least one gas turbine inlet which receives the inlet air;
(b) passing liquid water through two or more sequentially positioned water chillers at a first flow rate to reduce the temperature of the liquid water, each water chiller including a conduit through which the liquid water is capable of passing;
(c) passing the liquid water having the first flow rate through the air chiller in an amount sufficient to lower the temperature of the inlet air;
(d) reducing the flow rate of the liquid water passing through the water chillers;
(e) passing the liquid water through the water chillers at a second flow rate to reduce the temperature of the liquid water, the second flow rate being lower than the first flow rate; and
(f) passing the liquid water having the second flow rate through the air chiller in an amount sufficient to lower the temperature of the inlet air, (g) wherein the method additionally comprises determining a leaving chilled water temperature set point and increasing the setpoint at reduced off-design ambient temperatures to maintain the desire air temperature off the coil until the temperature difference between the circulating water entering the cooling coil and the circulating water leaving the cooling reaches a minimum set point and reducing the flow rate of the circulating water passing through the water chiller and reducing the leaving chilled water temperature setpoint to maintain the desired air temperature off the coil.
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24. A method of chilling inlet air for a gas turbine power plant, comprising:
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(a) passing inlet air through an air chiller that includes an opening for receiving the inlet air and that is operably connected to a gas turbine power plant that includes at least one gas turbine, and at least one gas turbine inlet which receives the inlet air;
(b) passing liquid water through two or more sequentially positioned water chillers at a first flow rate to reduce the temperature of the liquid water, each water chiller including a conduit through which the liquid water is capable of passing;
(c) passing the liquid water having the first flow rate through the air chiller in an amount sufficient to lower the temperature of the inlet air;
(d) reducing the flow rate of the liquid water passing through the water chillers;
(e) passing the liquid water through the water chillers at a second flow rate to reduce the temperature of the liquid water, the second flow rate being lower than the first flow rate; and
(f) passing the liquid water having the second flow rate through the air chiller in an amount sufficient to lower the temperature of the inlet air, (g) wherein the method additionally comprises providing a first temperature sensor to contact the inlet air entering the air chiller and a second temperature sensor to contact the inlet air leaving the air chiller.
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25. A method of chilling inlet air for a gas turbine power plant, comprising:
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(a) passing inlet air through an air chiller that includes an opening for receiving the inlet air and that is operably connected to a gas turbine power plant that includes at least one gas turbine, and at least one gas turbine inlet which receives the inlet air;
(b) passing liquid water through two or more sequentially positioned water chillers at a first flow rate to reduce the temperature of the liquid water, each water chiller including a conduit through which the liquid water is capable of passing;
(c) passing the liquid water having the first flow rate through the air chiller in an amount sufficient to lower the temperature of the inlet air;
(d) reducing the flow rate of the liquid water passing through the water chillers;
(e) passing the liquid water through the water chillers at a second flow rate to reduce the temperature of the liquid water, the second flow rate being lower than the first flow rate; and
(f) passing the liquid water having the second flow rate through the air chiller in an amount sufficient to lower the temperature of the inlet air, (g) wherein the method additionally comprises providing a temperature sensor contacting the inlet air leaving the air chiller and lowering the temperature of the liquid water responsive to an increase in the inlet air temperature.
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26. A method of chilling inlet air for a gas turbine power plant, comprising:
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(a) passing inlet air through an air chiller that includes an opening for receiving the inlet air and that is operably connected to a gas turbine power plant that includes at least one gas turbine, and at least one gas turbine inlet which receives the inlet air;
(b) passing liquid water through two or more sequentially positioned water chillers at a first flow rate to reduce the temperature of the liquid water, each water chiller including a conduit through which the liquid water is capable of passing;
(c) passing the liquid water having the first flow rate through the air chiller in an amount sufficient to lower the temperature of the inlet air;
(d) reducing the flow rate of the liquid water passing through the water chillers;
(e) passing the liquid water through the water chillers at a second flow rate to reduce the temperature of the liquid water, the second flow rate being lower than the first flow rate; and
(f) passing the liquid water having the second flow rate through the air chiller in an amount sufficient to lower the temperature of the inlet air, (g) wherein the method additionally comprises providing a wet bulb temperature sensor to monitor the air wet bulb temperature of inlet air entering the air chiller.
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27. A method of chilling inlet air for a gas turbine power plant, comprising:
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(a) passing inlet air through an air chiller that includes an opening for receiving the inlet air and that is operably connected to a gas turbine power plant that includes at least one gas turbine, and at least one gas turbine inlet which receives the inlet air;
(b) passing liquid water through two or more sequentially positioned water chillers at a first flow rate to reduce the temperature of the liquid water, each water chiller including a conduit through which the liquid water is capable of passing;
(c) passing the liquid water having the first flow rate through the air chiller in an amount sufficient to lower the temperature of the inlet air;
(d) reducing the flow rate of the liquid water passing through the water chillers;
(e) passing the liquid water through the water chillers at a second flow rate to reduce the temperature of the liquid water, the second flow rate being lower than the first flow rate; and
(f) passing the liquid water having the second flow rate through the air chiller in an amount sufficient to lower the temperature of the inlet air, (g) wherein the method additionally comprises providing a temperature sensor to contact the inlet air leaving the air chiller and to monitor an inlet air temperature and providing a control system to lower the circulating water flowrate in response to a decrease in the temperature difference between the liquid water entering the air chiller and the liquid water leaving the air chiller.
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Specification