Mobile gas turbine engine and generator assembly

• US 20060254281A1
• Filed: 05/16/2005
• Published: 11/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Joshi, Narendra Digamber, Badeer, Gilbert Henry
• Granted Patent: US 7,690,202 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 60/772
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 6/203 the vehicles being waterborne vessels
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/143 before or between the compressor stages
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/16 characterised by cooling medium
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2240/931 which is a vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2220/76 an electrical generator
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/60 Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft

Abstract

A method for supplying power to a remote load includes coupling a gas turbine engine to a vessel that is not used to provide propulsion for the vessel, coupling a generator to the gas turbine engine, coupling an intercooler system downstream from a first compressor such that compressed air discharged from the first compressor is channeled therethrough, the intercooler system includes an intercooler and a first heat exchanger, channeling a first working fluid through the intercooler to facilitate reducing an operating temperature of air discharged from the intercooler to a second compressor, channeling a second working fluid flowing through the first heat exchanger to extract energy from the first working fluid to facilitate reducing an operating temperature of the first working fluid, and operating the gas turbine engine and generator to supply power to a load that is located remotely from the vessel.

Claims

1. A method for supplying power to a remote load, said method comprising:

coupling a gas turbine engine to a vessel that is not used to provide propulsion for the vessel, wherein the gas turbine includes a first compressor, a second compressor downstream from the first compressor, and a turbine coupled in flow communication with the second compressor;

coupling a generator to the gas turbine engine;

coupling an intercooler system downstream from the first compressor such that compressed air discharged from the first compressor is channeled therethrough, the intercooler system includes an intercooler and a first heat exchanger;

channeling a first working fluid through the intercooler to facilitate reducing an operating temperature of air discharged from the intercooler to the second compressor;

channeling a second working fluid flowing through the first heat exchanger to extract energy from the first working fluid to facilitate reducing an operating temperature of the first working fluid; and

operating the gas turbine engine and generator to supply power to a load that is located remotely from the vessel.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein channeling a second working fluid flowing through the first heat exchanger further comprises channeling raw water through the first heat exchanger to extract energy from the first working fluid.

3. A method in accordance with claim 2 wherein channeling a second working fluid flowing through the first heat exchanger further comprises channeling at least one of saltwater and freshwater through the first heat exchanger to facilitate reducing an operating temperature of the first working fluid.

4. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the intercooler system further includes a control system that is configured to control the operation of a first pump, a second pump, and a third pump, said method further comprising operating the intercooler system such that only two of the first, second, and third pumps are operable at any time during normal operation.

5. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the intercooler system further includes a control system that is configured to receive a signal representative of a temperature drop across each of the first, second, and third heat exchangers, said method further comprising controlling the operation of the first, second, and third heat exchangers based on the received temperature signal.

6. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the intercooler system further includes a control system that is configured to receive a signal representative of a flow rate across each of the first, second, and third heat exchangers, said method further comprising controlling the operation of the first, second, and third heat exchangers based on the received flow rate signal.

7. A gas turbine generator assembly that is configured to operate within a marine environment comprising:

a gas turbine engine comprising a first compressor, a second compressor downstream from said first compressor, and a turbine coupled in flow communication with said second compressor, said gas turbine engine coupled to a vessel, wherein said gas turbine is not used to provide propulsion for the vessel;

a generator coupled to said gas turbine engine; and

an intercooler system comprising an intercooler and a first heat exchanger, said intercooler coupled downstream from said first compressor such that compressed air discharged from said first compressor is channeled therethrough, said intercooler operable with a first working fluid flowing therethrough that facilitates reducing an operating temperature of air discharged from said intercooler to said second compressor, said first heat exchanger operable with a second working fluid flowing therethrough, said first heat exchanger configured to extract energy from the first working fluid to facilitate reducing an operating temperature of the first working fluid.

8. A gas turbine generator assembly in accordance with claim 7 wherein the second working fluid is raw water.

9. A gas turbine generator assembly in accordance with claim 7 wherein the raw water is at least one of saltwater and freshwater.

10. A gas turbine generator assembly in accordance with claim 7 wherein said intercooler system further comprises:

a first raw water pump operably coupled to said first heat exchanger;

a second raw water pump operably coupled to a second heat exchanger; and

a third raw water pump operably coupled to a third heat exchanger, said first, second, and third pumps are each configured to channel the second working fluid to a respective one of said first, second, and third heat exchangers.

11. A gas turbine generator assembly in accordance with claim 10 further comprising:

a first strainer operably coupled to an inlet of said first pump;

a second strainer operably coupled to an inlet of said second pump; and

a third strainer operably coupled to an inlet of said third pump.

12. A gas turbine generator assembly in accordance with claim 10 further comprising a control system configured to control operation of said first, second, and third raw water pumps such that only two of said first, second, and third raw water pumps are operable at any time during normal operation.

13. A gas turbine generator assembly in accordance with claim 12 wherein said control system is further configured to:

receive a signal representative of a temperature drop across each of said first, second, and third heat exchangers; and

control the operation of said first, second, and third heat exchangers based on the received temperature signal.

14. A gas turbine generator assembly in accordance with claim 12 wherein said control system is further configured to:

receive a signal representative of a second working fluid flow rate through said first, second, and third heat exchangers; and

control the operation of said first, second, and third heat exchangers based on the received fluid flow rate signal.

15. A vessel that is configured to operate within a marine environment comprising:

a first gas turbine engine comprising a first compressor, a second compressor downstream from said first compressor, and a turbine coupled in flow communication with said second compressor, said first gas turbine engine coupled to said vessel, wherein said first gas turbine is not used to provide propulsion for said vessel;

a second gas turbine engine comprising a first compressor, a second compressor downstream from said first compressor, and a turbine coupled in flow communication with said second compressor, said second gas turbine engine coupled to said vessel, wherein said gas turbine is not used to provide propulsion for said vessel;

a first generator coupled to said first gas turbine engine;

a second generator coupled to said second gas turbine engine; and

an intercooler system comprising an intercooler and a first heat exchanger, said intercooler coupled downstream from said first gas turbine first compressor and said second gas turbine first compressor such that compressed air discharged from said first gas turbine first compressor and said second gas turbine first compressor is channeled therethrough, said intercooler operable with a first working fluid flowing therethrough that facilitates reducing an operating temperature of air discharged from said intercooler to said first gas turbine second compressor and said second gas turbine second compressor, said first heat exchanger operable with a second working fluid flowing therethrough, said first heat exchanger configured to extract energy from the first working fluid to facilitate reducing an operating temperature of the first working fluid.

16. A vessel in accordance with claim 15 wherein said second working fluid is raw water.

17. A vessel in accordance with claim 16 wherein the raw water is at least one of saltwater and freshwater.

18. A vessel in accordance with claim 15 wherein said intercooler system further comprises:

a first pump operably coupled to said first heat exchanger;

a first strainer operably coupled to an inlet of said first pump;

a second pump operably coupled to a second heat exchanger; and

a second strainer operably coupled to an inlet of said second pump;

a third pump operably coupled to a third heat exchanger, said first, second, and third pumps are each configured to channel the second working fluid to a respective one of said first, second, and third heat exchangers; and

a third strainer operably coupled to an inlet of said third pump.

19. A vessel in accordance with claim 18 further comprising a control system configured to control operation of said first, second, and third pumps such that only two of said first, second, and third pumps are operable at any time during normal operation.

20. A vessel in accordance with claim 18 wherein said control system is further configured to:

receive a signal representative of a temperature drop across each of said first, second, and third heat exchangers;

receive a signal representative of a second working fluid flow rate through said first, second, and third heat exchangers; and

control the operation of said first, second, and third heat exchangers based on the received temperature and flow rate signals.