Triple Cycle Power Plant

• US 20080034727A1
• Filed: 05/19/2004
• Published: 02/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Fluor Technologies Corporation (Fluor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fluor Technologies Corporation (Fluor Corporation)
• Inventors: Sutikno, Tek
• Application Number:
  US11/569,042
• Publication Number:
  US 20080034727A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 60/39.182
• CPC Class Codes: F01K 23/105 Regulating means specially adapted therefor
• 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 7/143 before or between the compressor stages
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 20/16 Combined cycle power plant [CCPP], or combined cycle gas turbine [CCGT]

Abstract

Abstract: A refrigeration cycle is integrated into a combined cycle power plant to form a triple cycle power plant in which gas turbine generator inlet air is chilled and dehydrated to increase the mass flow of the inlet air, and in which duct firing in HRSG is increased in dependence of the increased mass flow. In further preferred integration aspects, the heat from the inlet chiller refrigerant is provided to the HRSG.

Claims

1. A triple cycle power plant comprising:

a refrigeration unit configured to cool an inlet air for a gas turbine generator in an amount effective to increase mass flow of the inlet air and to produce a heated refrigerant;

a heat recovery steam generator that receives heat from exhaust of the gas turbine generator, heat from a duct firing system, and optionally heat from the heated refrigerant, wherein the heat recovery steam generator produces steam for a steam turbine generator; and

a control circuit that is configured such that duct firing is a function of the increased mass flow of the inlet air.

2. The triple cycle power plant of claim 1 wherein the refrigeration unit comprises a vapor compression refrigeration unit.

3. The triple cycle power plant of claim 1 further comprising a moisture removal system that removes water from the inlet air.

4. The triple cycle power plant of claim 3 wherein refrigeration unit comprises a vapor compression refrigeration unit and wherein the moisture removal system comprises a triethylene glycol contractor.

5. The triple cycle power plant of claim 1 wherein the cooled inlet air has a temperature of less than 32°

F.

6. The triple cycle power plant of claim 1 wherein the cooled inlet air has a temperature of between about −

15°

F. to about −

5°

F.

7. The triple cycle power plant of claim 1 wherein the refrigeration unit is configured to increase mass flow of the inlet air at least 10% relative to a mass flow without refrigeration.

8. The triple cycle power plant of claim 1 wherein the refrigeration unit is configured to increase mass flow of the inlet air at least 15% relative to a mass flow without refrigeration.

9. The triple cycle power plant of claim 1 wherein the refrigeration unit comprises a first stage and a second stage, and wherein a moisture removal system that removes water from the inlet air is downstream of the first stage and upstream of the second stage.

10. The triple cycle power plant of claim 9 wherein the refrigeration unit is configured to increase mass flow of the inlet air at least 15% relative to a mass flow without refrigeration.

11. A method of operating a plant comprising the steps of:

cooling inlet air for a gas turbine generator to increase mass flow of the inlet air;

increasing duct firing in a heat recovery steam generator, wherein the increase in duct firing is a function of the increased mass flow of the inlet air; and

producing steam in a heat recovery steam generator that receives heat from an exhaust of the gas turbine generator.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein cooling is performed using a refrigerant to thereby produce a heated refrigerant.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the heat recovery steam generator further receives heat from the heated refrigerant.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the inlet air is cooled below a dew point and wherein a moisture removal system removes water from the cooled inlet air.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein cooling is performed using a vapor compression refrigeration unit, and wherein the moisture removal system comprises a triethylene glycol contactor.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein the inlet air is cooled to a temperature of less than 32°

F.

17. The method of claim 11 wherein the inlet air is cooled to a temperature of between about −

15°

F. to about −

5°

F.

18. The method of claim 11 wherein the inlet air is cooled to increase mass flow of the inlet air at least 10% relative to a mass flow without refrigeration.

19. The method of claim 11 wherein the inlet air is cooled to increase mass flow of the inlet air at least 15% relative to a rnass flow without refrigeration.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the inlet air is cooled in a refrigeration unit that has a first stage and a second stage, and wherein a moisture removal system that removes water from the inlet air is downstream of the first stage and upstream of the second stage.