Multistage Axial Compressor Water Injection for Power Enhancement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for enhancing gas turbine power through water injection in multistage axial compressors face limitations such as operational constraints due to environmental conditions, erosion, reduced surge limit margin, and cooling air supply issues, which affect efficiency and availability.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for injecting water at multiple points along the axial compressor, with controlled water mass flow modulation based on ambient conditions and operating parameters to evenly distribute load across compressor stages, using injection devices and a control system that considers evaporation effects and erosion rates.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If water injection is performed at a single point (inlet or interstage) to enhance power output, then power enhancement is achieved, but compressor stage loading becomes uneven leading to reduced surge limit margin and efficiency losses
Solution Approach 1:
The water injection system is segmented into multiple injection points distributed across different compressor stages. Each injection point receives a controlled portion of the total water mass flow, distributing the evaporation load across multiple stages rather than concentrating it at a single location. This segmentation prevents excessive loading of individual stages and maintains more uniform compressor operation, thereby preserving surge limit margin while achieving power enhancement.
Solution Approach 2:
The injection system applies local quality control by delivering different water mass flows to different compressor stages based on their specific loading characteristics and operational requirements. The control system adjusts the water distribution to create an evened-out loading pattern across stages, optimizing local conditions at each injection point to maintain overall compressor stability and efficiency.
2Power
If high water mass flow is injected to achieve power enhancement, then mass flow increase is achieved, but inlet blade rows suffer erosion and mechanical integrity is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The total water mass flow is segmented and distributed across multiple injection points located at different compressor stages. This prevents the concentration of high water mass flow at the inlet blade rows, thereby reducing erosion damage to these critical components while still achieving the desired power enhancement through cumulative evaporation effects across multiple stages.
Solution Approach 2:
Water is injected at multiple points along the compressor path, allowing preliminary evaporation to occur at upstream stages before the flow reaches downstream stages. This staged evaporation approach reduces the amount of liquid water that would otherwise impinge on and erode the inlet blade rows, protecting mechanical integrity while maintaining power enhancement benefits.
3Power
If water injection is performed to increase mass flow and power output, then power enhancement is achieved, but cooling air supply to turbine components is reduced affecting service life
Solution Approach 1:
The injection system dynamically adjusts water injection parameters (mass flow rate, distribution across stages) based on ambient conditions and operating parameters. This adaptive control optimizes the balance between power enhancement and cooling air supply, ensuring that turbine components receive adequate cooling under varying operational conditions while maintaining power output enhancement.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system monitors ambient conditions and operating parameters to regulate water injection rates and distribution. This feedback mechanism ensures that water injection is optimized for power enhancement while preventing excessive water mass flow that would compromise cooling air supply to turbine components, thereby protecting component service life.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enables adaptive load control, reduces erosion, maintains efficiency, and enhances power output while avoiding operational limits, improving system availability and power enhancement compared to traditional methods.
Implementation Method 1
The evaporation of water in the inlet upstream of the first blade row of the compressor, which saturates the air flow, leads to a lowering of the compressor inlet temperature on account of the latent evaporation heat.
Implementation Method 2
The evaporation of water in the inlet upstream of the first blade row of the compressor, which saturates the air flow, leads to a lowering of the compressor inlet temperature on account of the latent evaporation heat.
Implementation Method 3
The evaporation of water in the compressor creates a phenomenon which is referred to as 'wet compression'. The compression of the resulting 2-phase flow entails the transfer of heat from the gas phase to the liquid phase for the evaporation, which cannot be considered as an adiabatic process.
Implementation Method 4
The compression of the resulting 2-phase flow entails the transfer of heat from the gas phase to the liquid phase for the evaporation
Data Source
AI summary
A method is disclosed for injecting water into a multistage axial compressor of a gas turbine. With low equipment cost, a significant power enhancement can be achieved, even under changing boundary conditions, by water being injected at a plurality of points along the axial compressor, and by the injected water mass flow being controlled at the individual injection points in accordance with ambient conditions and operating parameters of the gas turbine in such a way that an evened-out loading in the individual stages of the axial compressor can be created.