Gas Turbine Expander Recuperation Efficiency
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional power plants face challenges in reducing complexity and costs while maintaining efficiency, especially with the decline of conventional power plants due to increased renewable energy production, and existing gas engine power plants have high investment costs and lower efficiency.
Innovation Solution
The extended gas turbine process incorporates a first expander in the compressor air line between the heat exchanger and combustion chamber, with a freely designed upstream compressor to achieve maximum recuperation and efficiency by preheating compressed air with exhaust gases before combustion, and utilizing a drive shaft for coupling with the compressor, along with additional heat exchangers for improved heat utilization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a simple gas turbine process without steam circuit is used to reduce plant complexity, then device complexity is reduced, but process efficiency deteriorates drastically
Solution Approach 1:
The invention converts the harmful waste heat from exhaust gases into a beneficial resource by using it to preheat compressed air in a heat exchanger before combustion. This recuperation process transforms energy that would otherwise be lost into useful thermal energy, significantly improving process efficiency while maintaining the simplicity of a dry gas turbine system without steam circuits.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the temperature parameter of the compressed air by preheating it in the heat exchanger using exhaust gas heat. This parameter change allows the compressed air to enter the combustion chamber at a higher temperature, reducing the additional fuel energy required and thereby improving overall process efficiency while keeping the plant structure simple.
2Device complexity
If GuD plants omit the steam turbine part to reduce complexity, then device complexity is reduced, but process efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of omitting the steam turbine part as in conventional GuD plants, this invention converts the harmful waste heat from exhaust gases into a beneficial preheating source for the compressed air. This approach achieves similar efficiency improvements without the complexity of a steam circuit, effectively replacing the steam turbine function with a more compact heat exchanger-based recuperation system.
3Speed
If gas engine power plants are used to ensure quick-start capability, then quick-start capability is improved, but investment costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention creates a multi-functional system that combines the quick-start capability of gas engines with the efficiency of GuD plants. By using a dry gas turbine system with heat recuperation, the plant achieves fast start-up times similar to gas engines while avoiding their high investment costs, effectively making the system adaptable to multiple market requirements.
4Loss of energy
If heat recuperation is maximized by preheating compressed air, then process efficiency is improved, but air temperature before combustion may exceed maximum permissible values
Solution Approach 1:
The invention dynamically balances the heat recuperation process to optimize efficiency while respecting temperature constraints. By carefully controlling the heat exchange between exhaust gases and compressed air, the system achieves maximum possible preheating without exceeding the maximum permissible combustion chamber inlet temperature, thus resolving the contradiction between efficiency improvement and temperature limitation.
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 results in a 1.5% increase in process efficiency and 4-7% maximum power output compared to the extended gas turbine process, with flexible adaptation to existing gas turbine product series and moderate additional costs, while maintaining operating flexibility.
Implementation Method 1
a first heat exchanger (7) which is connected into the compressor air line (5) and into an exhaust line (6) which branches from the turbine (4)
Implementation Method 2
a first expander (8) is arranged in the compressor air line (5) between the first heat exchanger (7) and the combustion chamber (3)
Implementation Method 3
a compressor (2), a combustion chamber (3) and a turbine (4)
Data Source
AI summary
A power plant including a compressor, a combustion chamber and a turbine, and a compressor air line, which connects the compressor to the combustion chamber, a first heat exchanger connected into the compressor air line and into an exhaust line branching off the turbine. A first expander is arranged between the first heat exchanger and the combustion chamber in the compressor air line, and the first expander and the compressor are arranged on a common shaft.