HIGH DENSITY COMBINED CYCLE POWER PLANT PROCESS
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Abstract
A process for increasing the specific output of a combined cycle power plant and providing flexibility in the power plant rating, both without a commensurate increase in the plant heat rate, is disclosed. The present invention demonstrates that the process of upgrading thermal efficiencies of combined cycles can often be accomplished through the strategic use of additional fuel and/or heat input. In particular, gas turbines that exhaust into HRSGs, can be supplementally fired to obtain much higher steam turbine outputs and greater overall plant ratings, but without a penalty on efficiency. This method by and large defines a high efficiency combined cycle power plant that is predominantly a Rankine (bottoming) cycle. Exemplary embodiments of the present invention include a load driven by a topping cycle engine, powered by a topping cycle fluid which exhausts into a heat recovery device.
88 Citations
28 Claims
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1-15. -15. (canceled)
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16. A method of operating a combined cycle power plant comprising at least one gas turbine, at least one heat recovery steam generator associated with said gas turbine, and at least one steam turbine, said method comprising:
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operating said gas turbine to produce shaft work and exhaust gas;
passing said exhaust gas through said heat recovery steam generator;
adding supplemental heat to said heat recovery steam generator;
generating steam at predominantly a single pressure level at said heat recovery steam generator using heat from said exhaust gas and said supplemental heat;
passing said steam to said steam turbine;
operating said steam turbine to produce shaft work;
converting said steam to feedwater;
passing said feedwater to said heat recovery steam generator; and
controlling at least one of said supplemental heat added to said heat recovery steam generator and said flow of said feedwater through at least a portion of said heat recovery steam generator to maintain a balance between exhaust gas flow and feedwater flow, thereby controlling heat recovery in said heat recovery steam generator. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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Specification