Method for the operation of a compressor of a gas turbine with evaporative cooling of the compressor induction air

• US 7,428,819 B2
• Filed: 11/22/2006
• Issued: 09/30/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ansaldo Energia IP UK Limited (Ansaldo Energia SPA)
• Original Assignee: Alstom Technology Ltd. (Alstom SA)
• Inventors: Matz, Charles, Faehndrich, Christian, Cataldi, Giovanni
• Primary Examiner(s): KIM, TAE JUN
• Application Number:
  US11/562,482
• Publication Number:
  US 20070084212A1
• Time in Patent Office: 678 Days
• Field of Search: 607/75, 60/395.3, 607/28, 60/393
• US Class Current: 60/775
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/1435 by water injection

Abstract

In a method of operating a compressor of a gas turbine, where compressor air sucked in from the environment is cooled down by evaporation cooling before entering the compressor, before starting operation of the compressor, maximum possible temperature drops which could be achieved by evaporation cooling are determined dependent on different ambient conditions and/or are provided as a data set. These temperature drops are correlated with a compressor map containing maximum temperature distortions at different ambient conditions and different rotation frequencies of the compressor which have to be met in order to avoid pumping. The evaporation cooling is then only operated when current ambient condition result in a maximum possible temperature drop from which a predetermined fraction of between 50% and 100% does not exceed the maximum distortion which can be taken from the compressor map for these ambient conditions and the current rotation frequency of the compressor. Safe operation of the compressor can be achieved without the need or monitoring temperature distortions in the sucked in air stream.

Claims

1. A method for operation of a compressor of a gas turbine, in which compressor air inducted from the environment is cooled by means of evaporative cooling before entry into the compressor, the method comprising:

before putting the compressor into service, determining maximum possible temperature drops by evaporative cooling in dependence upon different environmental conditions, as a data record, or as both;

relating the temperature drops to a map of the compressor, from which map maximum temperature fluctuations can be gathered to be observed at different environmental conditions and different RPMs of the compressor to avoid surging; and

operating the evaporative cooling only when current environmental conditions produce a maximum possible temperature drop, of which a predetermined fractional part, between 50% and 100%, does not exceed the maximum temperature fluctuation gatherable from the map for these environmental conditions and for the current RPM of the compressor.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein operating the evaporative cooling is performed only if the current environmental conditions produce a maximum possible temperature drop, of which a fractional part of 80% does not exceed the maximum temperature fluctuation gatherable from the map for the current environmental conditions and the current RPM of the compressor.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

continuously measuring a temperature and relative humidity of the environment as environmental conditions during operation of the compressor; and

shutting down the evaporative cooling upon reaching environmental conditions at which the evaporative cooling is not operated.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

continuously measuring a pressure of an evaporative medium which is supplied for the evaporative cooling during operation of the compressor; and

shutting down the evaporative cooling when said pressure exceeds or falls below predetermined limiting values.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

continuously measuring a mass flow of an evaporative medium which is supplied for the evaporative cooling; and

shutting down the evaporative cooling upon a difference of more than 5% of a predetermined mass flow rated value.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein injection nozzles are provided for an evaporative medium inside a cross section of an air induction pipe of the compressor, and further comprising:

operating the evaporative cooling at least in part with said injection nozzles so that an evenly saturated flow of the inducted compressor air is achieved over the cross section.