Apparatus and process of retrofitting a combined cycle power plant

• US 10,641,177 B2
• Filed: 03/23/2016
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2015
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Florida Turbine Technologies, Inc. (Kratos Defense & Security Solutions Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Florida Turbine Technologies, Inc. (Kratos Defense & Security Solutions Incorporated)
• Inventors: Brostmeyer, Joseph D., Jones, Russell B., Cejka, Justin T., Orosa, John A., Ryznic, John E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sutherland, Steven M
• Application Number:
  US15/549,050
• Publication Number:
  US 20180066586A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,504 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 25/08 Cooling of machines or engines in general F01P; Heating; Heat-insulation of blade-carrying members, of blades F01D5/00
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 25/12 Cooling
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 9/041 using blades F01D5/148 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F01K 23/10 with exhaust fluid of one cycle heating the fluid in another cycle F01K17/025 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 3/06 the compressor comprising only axial stages F02C3/10 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 3/13 having variable working fluid interconnections between turbines or compressors or stages of different rotors controlling flow ratio between different flows of multi-flow jet-propulsion plant, e.g. ducted fan F02K3/075
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 6/08 the gas being bled from the gas-turbine compressor
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 6/18 using the waste heat of gas-turbine plants outside the plants themselves, e.g. gas-turbine power heat plants using waste heat as source of energy for refrigeration plants F25B27/02; using the waste heat of a gasturbine for steam generation or in a steam cycle see F01K23/10
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/185 Cooling means for reducing the temperature of the cooling air or gas
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2220/32 in gas turbines
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2220/76 an electrical generator
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2230/80 Repairing, retrofitting or upgrading methods
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2260/211 by intercooling, e.g. during a compression cycle
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 20/16 Combined cycle power plant [CCPP], or combined cycle gas turbine [CCGT]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/60 Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft

Abstract

A process for retrofitting an electric power plant that uses two 60 Hertz large frame heavy duty industrial gas turbine engines to drive electric generators and produce electricity, where each of the two industrial engines can produce up to 350 MW of output power. The process replaces the two 350 MW industrial engines with one twin spool industrial gas turbine engine that is capable of producing at least 700 MW of output power. Thus, two prior art industrial engines can be replaced with one industrial engine that can produce power equal to the two prior art industrial engines.

Claims

1. A process for retrofitting a combined cycle electric power plant, the combined cycle electric power plant having a first large frame heavy duty industrial gas turbine engine driving a first electric generator and a second large frame heavy duty industrial gas turbine engine driving a second electric generator, the combined cycle electric power plant also having a heat recovery steam generator with a third electric generator, the process comprising the steps of:

removing the first large frame heavy duty industrial gas turbine engine from the combined cycle electric power plant;

removing the second large frame heavy duty industrial gas turbine engine from the combined cycle electric power plant;

installing a third large frame heavy duty industrial gas turbine engine in the combined cycle electric power plant to replace the first and second large frame heavy duty industrial gas turbine engines, the third large frame heavy duty industrial gas turbine engine having;

a high spool with a high pressure compressor driven by a high pressure gas turbine and a combustor; and

a low spool with a low pressure compressor and a low pressure turbine, the low spool being rotatable and not within the high spool; and

a power output of the third large frame heavy duty industrial gas turbine engine being greater than or equal to a combined power output of the first and second large frame heavy duty industrial gas turbine engines, and a turbine exhaust temperature of the third large frame heavy duty industrial gas turbine engine being substantially the same as a turbine exhaust temperature of each of the first and second large frame heavy duty industrial gas turbine engines such that the heat recovery steam generator does not require modification.

2. The process for retrofitting a combined cycle electric power plant of claim 1, wherein:

the combined cycle electric power plant is a 60 Hertz power plant; and

the third large frame heavy duty industrial gas turbine engine has a power output of at least 500 MW.

3. The process for retrofitting a combined cycle electric power plant of claim 1, wherein:

the combined cycle electric power plant is a 50 Hertz power plant; and

the third large frame heavy duty industrial gas turbine engine has a power output of at least 750 MW.

4. The process for retrofitting a combined cycle electric power plant of claim 1, wherein:

the first and second large frame heavy duty industrial gas turbine engines each have a power output of less than 350 MW for a 60 Hertz power plant.

5. The process for retrofitting a combined cycle electric power plant of claim 1, wherein:

the first and second large frame heavy duty industrial gas turbine engines each have a power output of less than 500 MW for a 50 Hertz power plant.

6. The process for retrofitting a combined cycle electric power plant of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

removing the first and second electric generators; and

installing a fourth electric generator driven by the third large frame heavy duty industrial gas turbine engine.

7. The process for retrofitting a combined cycle electric power plant of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second large frame heavy duty industrial gas turbine engines is one of a 60 hertz system and a 50 hertz system, and:

the first large frame heavy duty industrial gas turbine engines has a power output of at least 250 MW when the first large frame heavy duty industrial gas turbine engine is a 60 hertz system and has a power output of at least 375 MW when the first large frame heavy duty industrial gas turbine engine is a 50 hertz system; and

the second large frame heavy duty industrial gas turbine engines has a power output of at least 250 MW when the second large frame heavy duty industrial gas turbine engine is a 60 hertz system and has a power output of at least 375 MW when the second large frame heavy duty industrial gas turbine engine is a 50 hertz system.