No replies to this topic

[Zauberberg]

Good evening to forum members,

I am looking for some guidelines on expanding gas turbine power output. Any useful information is appreciated, especially if it comes based on first-hand experience(s).

Since the turbine inlet temperature is a limiting factor in all gas turbines, there are several systems developed long time ago with the purpose to lower the air inlet temperature: evaporative coolers, fogger systems, inlet air chillers, and so-called "wet compression" (injection of water mist into axial compressor suction).

The plant where I am based is area of high humidity (>95%) where evaporative cooling simply doesn't work. Budgetary proposal for air chilling system is one with the sky-high cost, so it has been eliminated after cost-benefit analysis. The only thing which remains is wet compression, but I've heard from Mechanical guys this system is as bad as it is cheap - it usually ends up with rotor damage. That's at least what these guys are saying, I don't have any experience with wet compression systems.

I was also thinking about the possibility of replacing the existing turbines with aero-derivative type of turbines (higher efficiency), but these machines we have here are so big (hundreds of megawatts) that I doubt this can be a good solution for boosting power output to refrigerant compressors.

Any hints on this topic?