Inlet conditioning systems and methods for turbomachine

Abstract

To provide methods and systems for operating a turbomachine.SOLUTION: A method of operating a turbomachine includes: producing an estimate of a power gain resulting from operation of an inlet conditioning system of the turbomachine using a statistical model; and producing an estimate of an economic benefit resulting from operation of the inlet conditioning system of the turbomachine using an economic model. The method further includes activating the inlet conditioning system of the turbomachine based on the estimate of the economic benefit.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The subject matter disclosed herein relates generally to turbomachines, and more particularly to methods and systems for operating turbomachines. [Background technology]

[0002] Turbomachines, such as gas turbines, aero-derivatives, and the like, generally include, in serial-flow order, a compressor, a combustion section, and a turbine. In certain configurations, the turbomachine includes an inlet system positioned upstream of the inlet to the compressor. The inlet system generally includes various filters, cooling coils, water separators, and / or other devices that can be used to purify, modify, or condition the temperature and / or humidity of the air or other working fluid entering the turbomachine.

[0003] For example, the cooling coil of the inlet system may be or may include an evaporative cooling coil that uses water. Operation of the inlet system may incur additional costs, such as the cost of water used in the evaporative cooling coil, fuel costs, and / or other costs. In some cases, operating the inlet system above a certain level (e.g., cooling, filtering, and / or drying the air beyond a certain level) may incur more additional costs than desired given the increased power output provided by such adjustment. For example, the price per unit of power (e.g., kilowatts) for the additional power output may not be high enough to offset the cost of operating the inlet system (or operating above a certain level), depending on various factors such as the market rate for generated power, ambient conditions (e.g., temperature and / or humidity), and other factors.

[0004] Therefore, improved inlet systems for turbomachines and improved methods of operating such systems would be useful. In particular, systems and methods that optimize the operation of inlet systems to maximize economic benefit are desired in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Aspects and advantages of the systems and methods according to the present disclosure will be set forth in part in the description that follows, or may be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the techniques.

[0006] According to one embodiment, a method of operating a turbomachine is provided, the method including generating an estimate of a power gain resulting from operation of an inlet conditioning system of the turbomachine using a statistical model and generating an estimate of an economic benefit resulting from operation of the inlet conditioning system of the turbomachine using an economic model, the method further including operating the inlet conditioning system of the turbomachine based on the estimate of the economic benefit.

[0007] According to another embodiment, a turbomachine is provided. The turbomachine includes an inlet conditioning system and a controller in operative communication with the inlet conditioning system. The controller is configured to generate an estimate of a power gain resulting from operation of the turbomachine inlet conditioning system using a statistical model and to generate an estimate of an economic profit resulting from operation of the turbomachine inlet conditioning system using an economic model. The controller is further configured to operate the turbomachine inlet conditioning system based on the estimate of the economic profit.

[0008] These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present systems and methods will become better understood with reference to the following description and appended claims. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the present technology and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the technology.

[0009] A full and enabling disclosure of the present systems and methods, including the best mode of making and using the same, directed to one of ordinary skill in the art, is set forth in this specification, which makes reference to the accompanying figures. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of an exemplary turbomachine that may incorporate various embodiments of the present technique; [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of the turbomachine shown in FIG. 1 including an exemplary embodiment of an inlet conditioning system according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an inlet tuning optimization system according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of inlet coordination optimization logic according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 5] FIG. 1 is a flowchart diagram of an exemplary method of operating a turbomachine in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] Reference will now be made in detail to the present system and method embodiments, one or more examples of which are illustrated in the drawings. Each example is provided by way of explanation of the present technology, not as a limitation of the technology. Indeed, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that modifications and variations can be made in the present technology without departing from the scope or spirit of the claimed technology. For example, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment can be used in another embodiment to yield still a further embodiment. Accordingly, the present disclosure is intended to cover such modifications and variations as come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

[0012] The word "exemplary" is used herein to mean "serving as an example, instance, or illustration." Any embodiment described herein as "exemplary" is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments. Additionally, unless otherwise specified, all embodiments described herein are to be considered exemplary.

[0013] The detailed description uses numerical and letter designations to refer to features in the drawings. Like or similar designations in the drawings and description are used to refer to like or similar parts of the technology. As used herein, the terms "first," "second," and "third" can be used interchangeably to distinguish one component from another and are not intended to denote the location or importance of the individual components.

[0014] The term "fluid" can be a gas or a liquid. The term "fluid communication" means that a fluid is capable of making a connection between designated areas.

[0015] As used herein, the terms "upstream" (or "forward") and "downstream" (or "aft") refer to relative directions with respect to fluid flow in a fluid pathway. For example, "upstream" refers to the direction from which fluid flows, and "downstream" refers to the direction from which fluid flows. However, as used herein, the terms "upstream" and "downstream" can also refer to electrical flow. The term "radially" refers to relative directions that are substantially perpendicular to the axial centerline of a particular component, the term "axially" refers to relative directions that are substantially parallel to and / or coaxially aligned with the axial centerline of a particular component, and the term "circumferentially" refers to relative directions that extend around the axial centerline of a particular component.

[0016] Approximate terms such as "approximately," "about," "generally," and "substantially" are not intended to be limited to the exact value stated. In at least some cases, approximating language can correspond to the precision of an instrument for measuring a value or the precision of a method or machine for constructing or manufacturing a component and / or system. In at least some cases, approximating language can correspond to the precision of an instrument for measuring a value or the precision of a method or machine for constructing or manufacturing a component and / or system. For example, approximating language can refer to within a margin of 1, 2, 4, 5, 10, 15, or 20% of an individual value, a range of values, and / or any of the endpoints defining the range of values. When used in the context of angles or directions, such terms include a range of plus or minus 10 degrees of the stated angle or direction. For example, "generally vertical" includes directions within 10 degrees of vertical in any direction, e.g., clockwise or counterclockwise.

[0017] Terms such as "coupled," "fixed," and "attached," unless otherwise stated herein, refer to both direct coupling, fixing, or attachment, and indirect coupling, fixing, or attachment via one or more intermediate components or features. As used herein, the terms "comprises," "comprising," "includes," "including," "has," and "having," or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion. For example, a process, method, article, or apparatus that includes a list of features is not necessarily limited to only those features and may include other features not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. Furthermore, unless expressly stated to the contrary, "or" refers to an inclusive or, not an exclusive or. For example, condition A or B can be satisfied by any one of the following: A is true (or present) and B is false (or absent), A is false (or absent) and B is true (or present), and both A and B are true (or present).

[0018] Here, and throughout the specification and claims, range limitations are combinable and interchangeable, and unless the context and language dictate otherwise, such ranges are specified and include all subranges subsumed therein. For example, all ranges disclosed herein are inclusive of the endpoints, and the endpoints are independently combinable with each other.

[0019] Each example is provided to explain the present technology, but not to limit it. Indeed, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that modifications and variations can be made in the present disclosure without departing from the scope or spirit of the disclosure. For example, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment may be used on another embodiment to yield yet a further embodiment. Accordingly, the present technology is intended to cover such modifications and variations within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents. Although the exemplary embodiments are generally described in the context of an air supply and conditioning system for a land-based power generation gas turbine for purposes of illustration, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that embodiments of the present technology may be applied to any inlet system for any type of turbomachine, and are not limited to land-based power generation gas turbines unless specifically recited in the claims.

[0020] Referring now to the drawings, wherein like numerals indicate like elements throughout the views, Figure 1 illustrates a functional block diagram of an exemplary turbomachine, which in the illustrated exemplary embodiment is a gas turbine 10 that may incorporate various embodiments of the present technique. As shown, the gas turbine 10 includes an inlet system 12 that may generally include a series of filters, cooling coils, water separators, and / or other devices that clean or condition the flow of air or air stream 14 or other working fluid entering the gas turbine 10. The air 14 flows from the inlet system 12 to a compressor section where a compressor 16 progressively imparts kinetic energy to the air 14 to generate compressed air 18.

[0021] The compressed air 18 is mixed with fuel 20 from a fuel supply system 22 to form a combustible mixture in one or more combustors 24. The combustible mixture is combusted to generate high-temperature, high-pressure, and high-velocity combustion gases 26. The combustion gases 26 flow through a turbine 28 in a turbine section to generate work. For example, the turbine 28 may be connected to a shaft 30 so that rotation of the turbine 28 drives the compressor 16 to generate the compressed air 18. Alternatively or additionally, the shaft 30 may connect the turbine 28 to a generator (not shown) for generating electricity. Exhaust gases 32 from the turbine 28 flow through an exhaust section 34 that connects the turbine 28 to an exhaust stack 36 downstream of the turbine 28. The exhaust section 34 may include, for example, a heat recovery steam generator (not shown) to clean and extract additional heat from the exhaust gases 32 before they are released to the environment.

[0022] In at least some embodiments, the turbomachine, e.g., gas turbine 10, may further include, or be in operative communication with, a processing device or controller 100, which may be generally configured to facilitate operation of the turbomachine. In this regard, the controller 100 may communicate with various user input devices, sensors, and other control elements of the gas turbine 10, thereby enabling the controller 100 to receive control inputs from the user input devices or otherwise regulate operation of the gas turbine 10. For example, signals generated by the controller 100 may operate the gas turbine 10, including any or all system components, subsystems, or interconnected devices, in response to the position of the user input devices and other control commands. The user input devices, sensors, and other components of the gas turbine 10 may communicate with the controller 100 via, for example, one or more signal lines or a shared communication bus. In this manner, input / output (“I / O”) signals may be routed between the controller 100 and the various operating components of the gas turbine 10.

[0023] As used herein, terms such as “processing device,” “computing device,” and “controller” may generally refer to any suitable processing device, such as a general-purpose or special-purpose microprocessor, microcontroller, integrated circuit, application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), digital signal processor (DSP), field-programmable gate array (FPGA), logic device, one or more central processing units (CPUs), graphics processing units (GPUs), other processing units that perform specialized calculations, semiconductor devices, etc. Additionally, these “controllers” are not necessarily limited to a single element but may include any suitable number, type, and configuration of processing devices integrated in any suitable manner to facilitate operation of the turbomachine. Alternatively, the controller 100 may be constructed without a microprocessor, e.g., using a combination of discrete analog and / or digital logic circuits (e.g., switches, amplifiers, integrators, comparators, flip-flops, AND / OR gates, etc.) to implement control functions instead of relying on software.

[0024] The controller 100 may include or be associated with one or more memory elements or non-transitory computer-readable storage media, such as RAM, ROM, EEPROM, EPROM, flash memory devices, magnetic disks, or other suitable memory devices (including combinations thereof). These memory devices may be separate components from the processor or may be incorporated within the processor. Additionally, these memory devices may store information and / or data accessible by one or more processors, including instructions that may be executed by the one or more processors. It should be understood that the instructions may be software written in any suitable programming language or may be implemented in hardware. Additionally or alternatively, the instructions may be executed logically and / or virtually using separate threads on one or more processors.

[0025] For example, the controller 100 may be operable to execute programming instructions or microcontrol code associated with the operating cycle of the gas turbine 10. In this regard, instructions may be software or any set of instructions that, when executed by a processing device, cause the processing device to perform an operation, such as running one or more software applications, displaying a user interface, receiving user input, processing user input, etc. Additionally, it should be noted that the controller 100 disclosed herein may be capable of, and operable to, perform any method, method step, or portion of a method disclosed herein. For example, in some embodiments, the methods disclosed herein may be embodied in programming instructions stored in memory and executed by the controller 100.

[0026] The memory device may also store data that can be retrieved, manipulated, created, or stored by one or more processors or portions of the controller 100. The data may include, for example, data to facilitate implementation of the methods described herein. The data may be stored locally (e.g., on the controller 100) in one or more databases and / or may be partitioned so that the data is stored in multiple locations. Additionally or alternatively, the one or more databases may be connected to the controller 100 via any suitable network, such as a high-bandwidth local area network (LAN) or wide area network (WAN). In this regard, for example, the controller 100 may further include a communication module or interface that may be used to communicate with one or more other components of the gas turbine 10, the controller 100, an external controller, or any other suitable device, for example, over any suitable communication line or network and using any suitable communication protocol. The communication interface may include any suitable component for interfacing with one or more networks, including, for example, a transmitter, a receiver, a port, a controller, an antenna, or other suitable component.

[0027] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of an inlet system 12 for a turbomachine, such as the example gas turbine 10 of FIG. 1. The inlet system 12 generally provides an air supply and conditioning system for the turbomachine and is sometimes referred to as an inlet conditioning system. As shown in FIG. 2, the inlet system 12 includes an inlet section 38 that may include one or more weather hoods or louvers 40. The inlet section 38 provides a flow path for the air 14 to enter a transition duct 42 from the ambient environment. The inlet duct 44 is configured to receive and route the air 14 to an inlet plenum 46.

[0028] The inlet duct 44 can include multiple sections that may have different orientations and geometric configurations. For example, the first duct portion 48 is shown as having a relatively horizontal orientation before passing through an elbow 50 into the second duct portion 52, which has a relatively vertical orientation. Various other components may be disposed within either the first duct portion 48 or the second duct portion 52. Such components may include a silencer 54 and / or an inlet bleed heat device 56. The inlet plenum 46 can be configured to provide a relatively turbulence-free region for the immediate admission of the air 14 into the compressor 16. In various embodiments, the inlet system can include at least one, and typically multiple, filters 58 (shown in dotted lines) within the transition duct 42.

[0029] The evaporative cooling unit 60 may be provided in the inlet system 12, for example, adjacent to or adjacent to the one or more filters 58. For example, the evaporative cooling unit 60 may be positioned immediately upstream of the one or more filters 58 such that the evaporative cooling unit 60 can be fastened (e.g., bolted) to the upstream side of the filter housing. The evaporative cooling unit 60 may be useful (e.g., providing increased power output and a net economic benefit) when the ambient temperature is relatively high and / or the ambient humidity is relatively low, as described in further detail below. Operating the evaporative cooling unit 60 increases the relative humidity compared to the ambient air and reduces the intake air temperature. The evaporative cooling unit 60 may include one or more banks of an evaporative cooling medium, such as, for example, a corrugated layer of fibrous material. An evaporative cooling fluid, such as water, may be supplied to the evaporative cooling unit 60 via, for example, a pump 62. The evaporative cooling fluid, e.g., water, may flow downwardly through the evaporative cooling medium, for example, under the influence of gravity. The inlet system may further include a piping loop (not specifically shown) whereby evaporative cooling fluid, e.g., water, is circulated back to the pump for continued operation of the evaporative cooling unit 60 while the pump 62 remains operating.

[0030] FIG. 3 illustrates a schematic diagram of an inlet tuning optimization system 300. The inlet tuning optimization system 300 illustrated in FIG. 3 can be used with various turbomachines, such as the exemplary gas turbine 10 described above. The inlet tuning optimization system 300 can include, for example, an engine database 302 that can be implemented in a controller of the turbomachine (such as, for example, the controller 100 described above). The engine database 302 can be constructed using sensor data, such as real-time or periodically refreshed sensor data, and predicted or estimated data. For example, the engine database 302 can include current ambient conditions 304, such as data from in-situ ambient sensors, which can include ambient temperature and humidity sensors and corresponding data generated from such sensors. The engine database 302 can further include predicted, e.g., forecasted, data 306, which can represent expected ambient conditions, e.g., temperature and humidity. Also, by way of example, the turbomachine, e.g., the gas turbine 10, can be provided with one or more sensors 308. The engine database 302 can further include data from one or more of such engine sensors 308. For example, data from engine sensors 308 may include temperature, humidity, and / or air pressure data from within gas turbine 10, such as within one or more various sections or stages of gas turbine 10. As described further below, data collected by engine sensors 308 may include pressure and / or temperature data from one or more stages of compressor 16 of gas turbine 10.

[0031] The engine database 302 can be used to predict or estimate future performance of the gas turbine 10. For example, the information in the engine database 302 can be input into an engine estimation model, which can generate predicted power without inlet conditioning 310 and predicted power with inlet conditioning 312. These predicted powers 310 and 312 can then be input into a statistical model, for example, as shown at 316 in FIG. 3, to estimate the power gain that will result from operating the inlet conditioning system (e.g., the inlet conditioning system 12 shown in FIG. 2 and described above, e.g., the evaporative cooling unit 60 thereof). In some embodiments, a statistical model, for example, a Bayesian model, a frequency model, maximum likelihood estimation, machine learning, or any other suitable statistical model, can be used.

[0032] An economic model may also be used to estimate the economic benefit of the estimated power gain, as shown at 316 in FIG. 3 . For example, the economic model may also receive one or more cost data inputs 314. Such cost data inputs 314 may be or include fuel costs, water costs, and / or grid costs (e.g., grid pricing information, e.g., prevailing or forecasted rates per kilowatt). The system 300 shown in FIG. 3 may generate an output 318. The output 318 may be or include an estimated benefit (e.g., a net economic benefit based on increased power generation as a result of operating the inlet system 12, considering the prevailing rate of power as supplied to the grid compared to associated costs, e.g., fuel and water costs incurred while operating the inlet system 12). For example, if the ambient humidity (current and / or forecasted) is relatively low and / or the ambient temperature (current and / or forecasted) is relatively high, operating the inlet system 12, and particularly its evaporative cooling unit 60, is likely to result in a sufficient power gain to be economically beneficial. As another example, if the general rate of power is relatively low (such as during periods of low demand) and / or the cost of fuel or water (or both) is high, this reduces the economic benefit of such power gain and therefore makes it less likely that operation of inlet system 12 will provide a net economic benefit. The predicted benefit in output 318 may include a confidence interval, for example, providing a percentage range of accuracy of plus or minus 10% (or other suitable percentage) of the predicted economic benefit.

[0033] The output 318, e.g., the estimated economic benefit and associated probability, may be provided in a user notification. In response to such notification, a turbomachine user or operator may choose to manually activate or deactivate the inlet system 12 (or otherwise adjust the operation of the inlet system 12), for example, by entering appropriate commands into the controller 100 via one or more user input devices (e.g., physical input devices such as switches or dials, and / or virtual input devices such as icons or sliders presented on an interactive computer display that can be interacted with using a computer mouse, keyboard, touch screen interface, or other similar user input device).

[0034] Referring now to FIG. 4 , in some embodiments, the inlet conditioning system of a turbomachine, e.g., a gas turbine 10, can be automatically controlled, such as by generating or issuing commands 430 using exemplary inlet conditioning operation logic 400 shown in FIG. 4 . The commands 430 can be implemented by the controller 100 without user input, and the commands 430 can define an inlet conditioning regulation, e.g., proportional or on / off. Accordingly, the inlet system 12, e.g., its evaporative cooling unit 60, can be adjusted (e.g., operating at a proportional level, e.g., a percentage of cooling capacity, or high / medium / low cooling, etc.), activated, or deactivated by the controller 100 in response to the commands 430. More generally, the inlet system 12 can be activated, deactivated, turned on, or off automatically (e.g., by the controller 100 or other similar control device without user input) based on and in response to the commands 430 output by the inlet conditioning operation logic 400. For example, the commands 430 can include one or more temperature thresholds or temperature setpoints at which the evaporative cooling unit is activated or adjusted. Also, by way of example, the evaporative cooling unit may be activated or regulated by turning on a water pump, e.g., pump 62, and / or regulating the speed of pump 62 (in embodiments in which the pump is a variable speed pump).

[0035] Inlet trim operation logic 400 may receive one or more data inputs, and based on such data, inlet trim operation logic 400 may determine inlet trim adjustment commands 430. For example, inlet trim operation logic 400 may analyze sensor readings (e.g., ambient condition sensors and / or engine sensors as described above with reference to FIG. 3 ) in a live mode and may determine turbomachine operating conditions based on recommendations from a statistical model (e.g., a Bayesian model as described above) to generate output including commands 430 (e.g., commands 430 may be based at least in part on predicted power gains from the statistical model).

[0036] Inputs to inlet regulation operation logic 400 may include a current ambient temperature 402 and a current ambient humidity 404. Such current ambient conditions may be measured, for example, by ambient sensors at the inlet of the turbomachine, similar to the data for ambient conditions 304 described above with reference to FIG. 3. Inputs to inlet regulation operation logic 400 may also include an air inlet temperature 406 (which may be measured, for example, after the chiller downstream of evaporative cooling unit 60, such as in transition duct 42 or inlet duct 44) and a barometric pressure 408, such as ambient barometric pressure. Similar to ambient temperature and humidity 402 and 404, air inlet temperature 406 and barometric pressure 408 may be measured by sensors in the inlet system of the turbomachine.

[0037] Inputs to inlet regulation operation logic 400 may further include engine conditions from one or more engine sensors, such as engine sensors 308 ( FIG. 3 ), such as, for example, pressure and temperature within the turbomachine. For example, inputs to inlet regulation operation logic 400 may include a compressor pressure, such as pressure 410 at the discharge of compression stage X, where stage “X” may be any suitable stage of compressor 16, such as the last stage, an intermediate stage, or the first stage of compressor 16. Inputs to inlet regulation operation logic 400 may further include a compressor temperature, such as temperature 412 at the discharge of compression stage X.

[0038] Various inputs to the inlet adjustment operation logic 400 can be used to inform one or more decision functions. For example, the inlet adjustment operation logic 400 can include one or more decision functions that inform the commands 430 output from the inlet adjustment operation logic 400. For example, the inlet adjustment operation logic 400 can include decision functions to avoid one or more undesirable conditions, such as icing, performing inlet adjustment without power gain, condensation on an air filter (e.g., which can allow fouling to be ingested and thus promote performance loss), etc. In other words, the inlet adjustment operation logic 400, and the decision functions incorporated therein, can be provided to optimize maximum power output and corresponding economic gain. In particular, the inlet adjustment operation logic 400 can include a decision function 414 that determines the presence (or extent) of icing conditions, which can be a binary decision (yes or no) of whether icing conditions exist or a weighted prediction, such as a percentage of the likelihood of icing conditions. The inlet conditioning operation logic 400 may further include a decision function 416 that determines whether there is no power gain from operating the inlet conditioning system due to current ambient conditions (e.g., if the current ambient air is relatively cool and / or humid). The inlet conditioning operation logic 400 may also include a decision function 418 that determines whether condensation will occur in an air filter (e.g., filter 58) due to current ambient conditions. Additionally, the inlet conditioning operation logic 400 may include a decision function 420 that determines whether conditions within the turbomachine, e.g., an engine such as gas turbine 10, cause the turbomachine to be unable or unable to manage mass flow without bleed air (e.g., without inlet bleed air heating, as commonly understood by those skilled in the art).

[0039] In some embodiments, inlet adjustment operation logic 400 can take into account the psychrometric chart of the evaporative cooling unit. For example, inlet adjustment operation logic 400 can compare the current inlet temperature (e.g., downstream of the evaporative cooling unit, as described above) to a theoretical inlet temperature when the evaporative cooling unit is turned on. The theoretical inlet temperature can be predicted based on the psychrometric chart, for example, by referencing the current ambient humidity and the current ambient temperature to look up the theoretical inlet temperature on the psychrometric chart of the evaporative cooling unit. Comparing the current inlet temperature to the theoretical inlet temperature can include determining a mathematical difference between the current inlet temperature and the theoretical inlet temperature, such as subtracting the theoretical inlet temperature from the current inlet temperature. In such embodiments, the evaporative cooling unit can operate based on the comparison of the current inlet temperature to the theoretical inlet temperature. For example, if the mathematical difference between the current inlet temperature and the theoretical inlet temperature is greater than a predetermined threshold, the evaporative cooling unit can be turned on, and if the mathematical difference between the current inlet temperature and the theoretical inlet temperature is equal to or less than the predetermined threshold, the evaporative cooling unit can be turned off. The predetermined threshold may be between about three degrees Fahrenheit (3°F) and about ten degrees Fahrenheit (10°F), for example, about 5°F.

[0040] The inlet regulation operation logic 400 can also monitor the inlet temperature to ensure that the inlet temperature remains above the freezing limit, e.g., the freezing limit may be at least a safety factor above the freezing point of water (e.g., the freezing limit may be greater than the freezing point of water). For example, the freezing limit may be at least about 10 degrees above the freezing point of water, e.g., the freezing limit may be about 42 degrees Fahrenheit (42°F). In a further example, the freezing limit may be between about 40°F and about 55°F, e.g., between about 45°F and about 50°F, e.g., the freezing limit may be about 40°F, about 45°F, or other similar temperature values. In such embodiments, the inlet regulation operation logic 400 can compare the current inlet temperature to the freezing limit and / or compare the theoretical inlet temperature to the freezing limit. For example, in some embodiments, the evaporative cooling unit can be activated if the current inlet temperature is greater than the freezing limit, if the theoretical inlet temperature is greater than the freezing limit, and / or if the mathematical difference between the current inlet temperature and the theoretical inlet temperature is greater than a predetermined threshold. In some embodiments, the evaporative cooling unit may be activated only when all three conditions are present, or when at least one of the current inlet temperature and the theoretical inlet temperature is above the freezing limit and the mathematical difference between the current inlet temperature and the theoretical inlet temperature is greater than a predetermined threshold (e.g., command 430 output from inlet adjustment operation logic 400 may be a command to start or turn on the evaporative cooling unit), or the evaporative cooling unit may be activated in response to various other combinations of such conditions.

[0041] 5, embodiments of the present disclosure also include methods of operating a turbomachine, such as the exemplary method 500 shown in FIGURE 5. Such methods may be used to operate any suitable turbomachine, such as, but not limited to, the exemplary gas turbine 10 described above.

[0042] 5, a method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include generating 510 an estimate of a power gain resulting from operation of an inlet conditioning system of a turbomachine. The estimate of the power gain may be generated using a statistical model, such as a Bayesian model or other similar statistical models described above.

[0043] For example, method 500 may also include sensing current ambient conditions using sensors in an inlet section of the turbomachine and predicting future ambient conditions. In such an embodiment, the power gain estimate may be based on the current ambient conditions and the future ambient conditions. In such an embodiment, the current ambient conditions may include a current ambient temperature, a current ambient humidity, and a current air pressure, and the future ambient conditions may include a future ambient temperature, a future ambient humidity, and a future air pressure.

[0044] Also, by way of example, method 500 may further include generating an estimate of an inlet temperature at an inlet section of the turbomachine resulting from operation of an evaporative cooler (e.g., evaporative cooling unit 60) of the inlet conditioning system. In such an embodiment, the estimate of a power gain resulting from operation of the inlet conditioning system may be based on the estimate of the inlet temperature. Such an embodiment may also include comparing the estimate of the inlet temperature to a temperature threshold, such as the freezing limit described above. In such an embodiment, operating the inlet conditioning system of the turbomachine may include operating the evaporative cooler, and the evaporative cooler may be operated based on the estimate of the inlet temperature being greater than the temperature threshold.

[0045] Also, as shown in FIG. 5 , in some embodiments, the method 500 may include generating (520) an estimate of economic benefit resulting from operation of the inlet conditioning system of the turbomachine. For example, the estimate of economic benefit may be generated using an economic model. In some embodiments, the estimate of economic benefit generated using the economic model may be based on an estimate of power gain generated by a statistical model. For example, the total economic benefit resulting from operation of the inlet conditioning system may be estimated by multiplying the estimated power gain by a prevailing rate of power supplied to the grid (e.g., currency units per kilowatt, e.g., dollars per kW, or other local currency depending on where the turbomachine is located). In some embodiments, the estimate of economic benefit generated using the economic model may be based on fuel costs, water costs, and power grid pricing. For example, the net economic benefit resulting from operation of the inlet conditioning system may be estimated or determined by subtracting the increased fuel and water costs resulting from operation of the inlet conditioning system from the total economic benefit resulting from operation of the inlet conditioning system (the total economic benefit may be determined or estimated with reference to power grid pricing).

[0046] 5, the method 500 may include operating (530) an inlet conditioning system of the turbomachine based on the estimated economic benefit. In various embodiments, the inlet conditioning system may be operated manually (e.g., in response to operator input) or automatically (e.g., without operator input, such as based solely on the estimated economic benefit). For example, in some embodiments, the method 500 may also include providing an operator notification of the estimate of the economic benefit resulting from operation of the turbomachine inlet conditioning system and receiving operator input after providing the operator notification. In such embodiments, operating the turbomachine inlet conditioning system based on the estimated economic benefit may be further responsive to the operator input.

[0047] This written description uses examples to disclose the invention, including the best mode, and to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, including making and using any device or system and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they include structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements that have no substantial differences from the literal language of the claims.

[0048] Further aspects of the invention are provided by the subject matter of the following clauses.

[0049] 1. A method of operating a turbomachine, the method comprising: using a statistical model to generate an estimate of a power gain resulting from operation of an inlet conditioning system of the turbomachine; using an economic model to generate an estimate of an economic benefit resulting from operation of the inlet conditioning system of the turbomachine; and operating the inlet conditioning system of the turbomachine based on the estimate of the economic benefit.

[0050] 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the estimate of the economic profit generated using the economic model is based on the estimate of the power gain generated by the statistical model.

[0051] 10. The method according to one or more of these clauses, wherein the estimate of the economic benefit generated using the economic model is based on fuel costs, water costs, and power grid pricing.

[0052] 10. The method according to one or more of these clauses, wherein the statistical model is a Bayesian model or a frequency model.

[0053] 10. The method of claim 1, further comprising sensing current ambient conditions using a sensor in an inlet section of the turbomachine and predicting future ambient conditions, wherein the estimate of the power gain is based on the current ambient conditions and the future ambient conditions.

[0054] 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the current ambient conditions include a current ambient temperature, a current ambient humidity, and a current barometric pressure, and the future ambient conditions include a future ambient temperature, a future ambient humidity, and a future barometric pressure.

[0055] 10. The method of claim 9, further comprising sensing a pressure and a temperature within the turbomachine using one or more sensors in a compressor section of the turbomachine, wherein the estimate of the power gain is based on the sensed pressure and temperature.

[0056] 11. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating an estimate of an inlet temperature at an inlet section of the turbomachine resulting from operation of an evaporative cooler of the inlet conditioning system, wherein the estimate of the power gain resulting from operation of the inlet conditioning system is based on the estimate of the inlet temperature.

[0057] The method of any one or more of these clauses, further comprising comparing the estimated value of the inlet temperature to a temperature threshold, wherein operating the inlet conditioning system of the turbomachine comprises operating the evaporative cooler, and wherein operating the evaporative cooler is based on the estimated value of the inlet temperature being greater than the temperature threshold.

[0058] The method of one or more of these clauses, further comprising providing an operator notification of the estimate of the economic benefit resulting from operation of the inlet conditioning system of the turbomachine, and receiving operator input after providing the operator notification, wherein operating the inlet conditioning system of the turbomachine based on the estimate of the economic benefit is further responsive to the operator input.

[0059] Further aspects of the invention are provided by the subject matter of the following clauses.

[0060] 1. A turbomachine comprising: an inlet conditioning system; and a controller in operative communication with the inlet conditioning system, the controller configured to: use a statistical model to generate an estimate of a power gain resulting from operation of the inlet conditioning system of the turbomachine; use an economic model to generate an estimate of an economic profit resulting from operation of the inlet conditioning system of the turbomachine; and operate the inlet conditioning system of the turbomachine based on the estimate of the economic profit.

[0061] 10. The system of claim 9, wherein the estimate of the economic profit generated using the economic model is based on the estimate of the power gain generated by the statistical model.

[0062] The system of one or more of these clauses, wherein the estimate of the economic benefit generated using the economic model is based on fuel costs, water costs, and power grid pricing.

[0063] The system of one or more of these clauses, wherein the statistical model is a Bayesian model or a frequency model.

[0064] 11. The system of claim 10, further comprising a sensor in an inlet section of the turbomachine, wherein the controller is further configured to sense current ambient conditions using the sensor in the inlet section of the turbomachine and further configured to predict future ambient conditions, and wherein the estimate of the power gain is based on the current ambient conditions and the future ambient conditions.

[0065] 11. The system of claim 10, wherein the current ambient conditions include a current ambient temperature, a current ambient humidity, and a current barometric pressure, and the future ambient conditions include a future ambient temperature, a future ambient humidity, and a future barometric pressure.

[0066] 10. The system of claim 1, further comprising one or more sensors in a compressor section of the turbomachine, wherein the controller is further configured to sense a pressure and a temperature within the turbomachine using the one or more sensors in the compressor section of the turbomachine, and wherein the estimate of the power gain is based on the sensed pressure and temperature.

[0067] The system of any one or more of these clauses, wherein the inlet conditioning system includes an evaporative cooler, and the controller is further configured to generate an estimate of an inlet temperature at an inlet section of the turbomachine resulting from operation of the evaporative cooler of the inlet conditioning system, and the estimate of the power gain resulting from operation of the inlet conditioning system is based on the estimate of the inlet temperature.

[0068] The system of any one or more of these clauses, wherein the controller is further configured to compare the estimated value of the inlet temperature to a temperature threshold, and wherein operating the inlet conditioning system of the turbomachine includes operating the evaporative cooler, and wherein operating the evaporative cooler is based on the estimated value of the inlet temperature being greater than the temperature threshold.

[0069] The system of any one or more of these clauses, wherein the controller is further configured to provide an operator notification of the estimated value of the economic benefit resulting from operation of the inlet conditioning system of the turbomachine and to receive operator input after providing the operator notification, and wherein operating the inlet conditioning system of the turbomachine based on the estimated value of the economic benefit is further responsive to the operator input. [Explanation of symbols]

[0070] 10 Gas Turbines / Turbomachinery 12 Inlet Adjustment System 14 Air / Airflow 16 Compressor 18 Compressed Air 20 fuel 22 Fuel supply system 24 Combustor 26 Combustion Gas 28 Turbine 30 shaft 32 Exhaust gas 34 Exhaust section 36 Exhaust stack 38 Entrance section 40 Weatherproof hood / louver 42 Transition Duct 44 Inlet duct 46 Entrance Plenum 48 First duct section 50 Elbow 52 Second duct section 54 silencer 56 Inlet extraction heat device 58 filters 60 Evaporative Cooling Unit 62 Pump 100 Controllers 300 Inlet Adjustment Optimization System 302 Engine Database 304 Current Ambient Conditions 306 Expected Data 308 Engine Sensor 310 Predictive Power 312 Predictive Power 314 Cost Data Entry 316 Estimating power gains using statistical models and profits using economic models 318 Output 400 Inlet adjustment operation logic 402 Current ambient temperature 404 Current ambient humidity 406 Air inlet temperature 408 atmospheres 410 Pressure at the discharge of compression stage X 412 Temperature at the discharge of compression stage X 414 Icing condition determination function 416 Judgment Function 418 Judgment Function 420 Judgment Function 430 Command 500 ways 510 steps 520 steps 530 steps

Claims

1. A method (500) of operating a turbomachine (10), comprising: generating (510) an estimate of a power gain resulting from operation of an inlet conditioning system (12) of the turbomachine (10) using a statistical model; generating (520) an estimate of economic benefit resulting from operation of the inlet conditioning system (12) of the turbomachine (10) using an economic model; operating (530) the inlet conditioning system (12) of the turbomachine (10) based on the estimate of the economic benefit; The method (500) includes:

2. The estimate of the economic profit generated using the economic model is the estimates of power gain, fuel costs, water costs, and power grid pricing generated by the statistical model The method (500) of claim 1, based on at least one of:

3. The method (500) of any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein the statistical model is a Bayesian model or a frequency model.

4. 4. The method of claim 1, further comprising sensing current ambient conditions using a sensor in an inlet section of the turbomachine and predicting future ambient conditions, wherein the estimate of the power gain is based on the current ambient conditions and the future ambient conditions.

5. 5. The method of claim 4, wherein the current ambient conditions include a current ambient temperature, a current ambient humidity, and a current barometric pressure, and the future ambient conditions include a future ambient temperature, a future ambient humidity, and a future barometric pressure.

6. 5. The method of claim 1, further comprising sensing a pressure and a temperature within the turbomachine using one or more sensors in a compressor section of the turbomachine, and wherein the estimate of the power gain is based on the sensed pressure and temperature.

7. 7. The method (500) of any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising generating an estimate of an inlet temperature at an inlet section of the turbomachine (10) resulting from operation of an evaporative cooler of the inlet conditioning system (12), wherein the estimate of the power gain resulting from operation of the inlet conditioning system (12) is based on the estimate of the inlet temperature.

8. 8. The method of claim 7, further comprising comparing the estimated value of the inlet temperature to a temperature threshold, and wherein operating the inlet conditioning system of the turbomachine comprises operating the evaporative cooler, and operating the evaporative cooler is based on the estimated value of the inlet temperature being greater than the temperature threshold.

9. 9. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing an operator notification of the estimated value of the economic benefit resulting from operation of the inlet conditioning system of the turbomachine and receiving operator input after providing the operator notification, wherein operating the inlet conditioning system of the turbomachine based on the estimated value of the economic benefit is further responsive to the operator input.

10. A turbomachine (10), comprising: an inlet regulation system (12); a controller (100) in operative communication with the inlet conditioning system (12), generating an estimate of a power gain resulting from operation of the inlet conditioning system (12) of the turbomachine (10) using a statistical model; using an economic model to generate an estimate of economic benefit resulting from operation of the inlet conditioning system (12) of the turbomachine (10); activating the inlet conditioning system (12) of the turbomachine (10) based on the estimate of the economic benefit; A controller (100) configured as follows: A turbomachine (10) comprising:

11. The estimate of the economic profit generated using the economic model is: the estimates of power gain, fuel costs, water costs, and power grid pricing generated by the statistical model The turbomachine (10) of claim 10, based on at least one of:

12. The turbomachine (10) of any one of claims 10 to 11, wherein the statistical model is a Bayesian model or a frequency model.

13. 13. The turbomachine (10) of any one of claims 10 to 12, further comprising a sensor (308) in an inlet section of the turbomachine (10), wherein the controller (100) is further configured to sense current ambient conditions (304) using the sensor (308) in the inlet section of the turbomachine (10) and further configured to predict future ambient conditions, and wherein the estimate of the power gain is based on the current ambient conditions (304) and the future ambient conditions.

14. 13. The turbomachine (10) of any one of claims 9 to 12, further comprising one or more sensors (308) in a compressor section of the turbomachine (10), wherein the controller (100) is further configured to sense a pressure and a temperature within the turbomachine (10) using the one or more sensors (308) in the compressor section of the turbomachine (10), and wherein the estimate of the power gain is based on the sensed pressure and temperature.

15. 15. The turbomachine of claim 10, wherein the inlet conditioning system includes an evaporative cooler, and the controller is further configured to generate an estimate of an inlet temperature at an inlet section of the turbomachine resulting from operation of the evaporative cooler of the inlet conditioning system, and wherein the estimate of the power gain resulting from operation of the inlet conditioning system is based on the estimate of the inlet temperature.

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