Gas Turbine Inlet Air Cooling: A Method for Improving Performance of CCHP System

摘要

The performance of gas turbine CCHP system is strictly dependent upon the exterior and internal operational conditions, especially environmental air temperature and partial load ratio (PLR) of gas turbine. In our study, the performance of a Solar Titan 130 gas turbine CCHP system was investigated when air temperature and PLR changes, and a series of performance equations and curves were derived according to data supplied by the manufacturer. Inlet air cooling technology is usually adopted in order to enhance inlet air mass flow rate, therefore, power production capacity and efficiency, when temperature increases in the summer season. Six various inlet air cooling technologies were stated, comparison and analysis were also conducted between these technologies. Based on all-year weather data in Guang Zhou, a simple technical and economical analysis was made when inlet air cooling technology was introduced to a Solar Titan 130 gas turbine CCHP system, where waste heat produced by gas turbine was used to drive a absorption chiller which in turn cooled the inlet air of gas turbine. Results indicate that the suggested inlet air cooling system can bring considerable economic benefits, and the simple investment payback period is only one year.