Gas turbine engine

• US 8,166,747 B2
• Filed: 03/13/2007
• Issued: 05/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC (Rolls-Royce Holdings Plc)
• Original Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC (Rolls-Royce Holdings Plc)
• Inventors: Obana, Mitsuru, Fletcher, Paul, Rolt, Andrew M, Barkey, Christopher J B, Lindquist, Torbjorn O
• Primary Examiner(s): Rodriguez, William H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Choi, Young
• Application Number:
  US11/717,159
• Publication Number:
  US 20070214766A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,876 Days
• Field of Search: 60/395.5, 60/395.11, 60/391.82
• US Class Current: 60/39.511
• CPC Class Codes: F01K 13/025 Cooling the interior by injection during idling or stand-by
• CPC Class Codes: F01K 21/047 having at least one combustion gas turbine
• CPC Class Codes: F01K 9/04 with dump valves to by-pass stages
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 3/30 Adding water, steam or other fluids for influencing combustion, e.g. to obtain cleaner exhaust gases F02C7/141, F02C7/30, F01D21/00, F01K21/04, F23D11/10 take precedence
• 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: F05D 2260/85 Starting
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2270/082 with as little NOx as possible
• CPC Class Codes: F22B 1/1815 using the exhaust gases of gas-turbines
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 20/14 Combined heat and power generation [CHP]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 80/15 On-site combined power, heat or cool generation or distribution, e.g. combined heat and power [CHP] supply

Abstract

A steam injection gas turbine engine having a once-through steam generator (OTSG). A condenser is provided downstream of the OTSG to capture water and is protected from hot flue gasses during startup by a bypass circuit. Optionally, heating the exhaust downstream of the condenser using coolant taken from an intercooler provides plume suppression.

Claims

1. A gas turbine engine system comprising in operating series:

a compressor system for compressing a working fluid;

a combustor downstream of the compressor system;

a turbine system downstream of the combustor;

an exhaust flue;

vapour generating means downstream of the turbine having a first operating side for containment of the working fluid and a second operating side for containment of a liquid fluid to be vapourised in the vapour generating means by heat transfer with the working fluid, wherein the vapour generating means has a dry-run capability such that the turbine exhaust passes through the first operating side without a fluid to be vapourised passing through the second operating side;

a bypass damper downstream of the first operating side of the vapour generating means; and

a condenser for condensing condensable fluid from the working fluid, wherein the bypass damper is switchable between a first operating position, where the working fluid is directed to a bypass conduit which bypasses the condenser before joining the exhaust flue, and a second operating position where the working fluid passes through the condenser to the exhaust flue.

2. A gas turbine engine system according to claim 1, wherein the fluid to be vapourised is water.

3. A gas turbine engine system according to claim 1, wherein, in use, fluid vapourised in the fluid vapourising means is injected into the engine system at or upstream of the turbine system.

4. A gas turbine engine system according to claim 3, wherein, in use, fluid vapourised in the fluid vapourising means is injected into the engine system at the combustor.

5. A gas turbine engine system according to claim 1, wherein condensed condensable fluid is stored in a vessel.

6. A gas turbine engine system according to claim 5, wherein the condensed fluid stored in the vessel is pumped to the second operating side of the vapour generating means.

7. A gas turbine engine system according to claim 5, wherein the condensed fluid is water.

8. A gas turbine engine system according to claim 1, wherein the system further comprises a preliminary compressor system upstream of the compressor system and an intercooler downstream of the preliminary compressor system and upstream of the compressor system.

9. A gas turbine engine system according to claim 8, further comprising heating means downstream of the condenser, characterised in that, in use, the heating means provides heat to the working fluid from the cooling fluid containing heat absorbed in the intercooler.

10. A gas turbine engine system according to claim 9, wherein the cooling fluid is air and the heating means is a mixer for mixing the cooling fluid with the working fluid.

11. A gas turbine engine system according to claim 9, wherein the cooling fluid is water and the heating means is a heat exchanger.

12. A method of operating a gas turbine engine system comprising in operating series:

a compressor system for compressing a working fluid;

a combustor downstream of the compressor system;

a turbine system downstream of the combustor;

vapour generating means downstream of the turbine having a first operating side for containment of the working fluid and a second operating side for containment of a liquid fluid to be vapourised in the vapour generating means by heat transfer with the working fluid, wherein the vapour generating means has a dry-run capability such that the turbine exhaust passes through the first operating side without a fluid to be vapourised passing through the second operating side;

a bypass damper downstream of the first operating side of the vapour generating means; and

a condenser for condensing condensable fluid from the working fluid, wherein the bypass damper is switchable between a first operating position, where the working fluid is directed to a bypass conduit which bypasses the condenser before joining an exhaust flue from which the working fluid is exhausted from the gas turbine engine system, and a second operating position where the working fluid passes through the condenser to the exhaust flue, the method comprising;

supplying the liquid fluid to the vapour generator means;

supplying the working fluid to the vapour generator means; and

vaporizing the liquid fluid in the vapor generator means.