Gas Turbine Compressor Intake with Common Control Element
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing combined cycle power plants with flue gas recirculation face challenges in controlling the inlet flow of fresh air and recirculated flue gas, particularly in large flow ducts, leading to difficult dynamic behavior and inaccurate flow measurements.
Innovation Solution
A combined cycle power plant design with a common control element for both fresh air and recirculated flue gas flows, using a concentric intake configuration and separate flow paths with a baffle plate to maintain a stable recirculation rate, and a heat recovery boiler arrangement with independent pressure drops to counteract deviations in recirculation rate.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If separate control elements are used for fresh air flow and recirculated flue gas flow, then control precision can be improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines separate control elements for fresh air flow and recirculated flue gas flow into a single common control element (throttle element or damper) located in the compressor intake. This merging reduces device complexity while maintaining control precision through the concentric intake configuration that allows both flows to be regulated by one element without significant cross-interference.
Solution Approach 2:
The common control element serves dual functionality by controlling both fresh air flow and recirculated flue gas flow simultaneously. This multi-functional element is positioned in the compressor intake where it can regulate the combined flow from both sectors, eliminating the need for separate control mechanisms.
2Quantity of substance
If large flow ducts are used for fresh air and recirculated flue gas, then flow capacity is improved, but flow measurement accuracy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the compressor intake into separate concentric sectors: an outer sector for fresh air intake and an inner sector for recirculated flue gas intake. This segmentation allows large flow capacity to be maintained while enabling more accurate flow measurement and control within each sector using a common control element.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple control elements interact in flow paths, then control flexibility is improved, but dynamic behavior becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple control elements into a single common control element positioned in the compressor intake. This eliminates complex interactions between multiple control elements while maintaining control flexibility through the concentric sector configuration that allows independent flow paths to be regulated by one element.
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 design enables precise control of the recirculated flue gas flow, maintaining a stable recirculation rate across the operating range, reducing NOx emissions, and optimizing the intake and stack system, while simplifying control elements and reducing the size of intake and filter components.
Implementation Method 1
independent pressure drops to counteract deviations in recirculation rate
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
Power plant (1) and method to operate such a power plant, the power plant comprising a gas turbine (2) and a heat recovery boiler arrangement (3). The gas turbine comprises a compressor inlet (18) with a fresh air intake sector (64) and an intake sector for recirculated flue gas. A common control element (37, 38) for the control of the fresh air (61) flow and of the recirculated flue gas (69) flow is arranged in the compressor (5) and/ or in the compressor intake (66).