Power generation system having compressor creating excess air flow and turbo-expander for cooling inlet air

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016273399-A1
Application number	US-201514662803-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 19, 2015
Priority date	Mar 19, 2015
Publication date	Sep 22, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A power generation system may include: a first gas turbine system including a first turbine component, a first integral compressor and a first combustor to which air from the first integral compressor and fuel are supplied. The first integral compressor has a flow capacity greater than an intake capacity of the first combustor and/or the first turbine component, creating an excess air flow. A second gas turbine system may include similar components to the first except but without excess capacity in its compressor. A turbo-expander may be operatively coupled to the second gas turbine system. Control valves may control flow of the excess air flow from the first gas turbine system to at least one of the second gas turbine system and the turbo-expander, and flow of a discharge of the turbo-expander to an inlet of at least one of the first integral compressor and the second compressor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A power generation system, comprising:
a first gas turbine system including a first turbine component, a first integral compressor and a first combustor to which air from the first integral compressor and fuel are supplied, the first combustor arranged to supply hot combustion gases to the first turbine component, and the first integral compressor having a flow capacity greater than an intake capacity of at least one of the first combustor and the first turbine component, creating an excess air flow; a second gas turbine system including a second turbine component, a second compressor and a second combustor to which air from the second compressor and fuel are supplied, the second combustor arranged to supply hot combustion gases to the second turbine component; a turbo-expander operatively coupled to the second gas turbine system; a first control valve system controlling flow of the excess air flow along an excess air flow path to at least one of the second gas turbine system and the turbo-expander; and a second control valve system controlling flow of a discharge of the turbo-expander to an inlet of at least one of the first integral compressor and the second compressor.

2 . The power generation system of claim 1 , wherein the excess air flow is supplied to a discharge of the second compressor by the first control valve system.

3 . The power generation system of claim 1 , wherein the excess air flow is supplied to the second combustor by the first control valve system.

4 . The power generation system of claim 1 , wherein the excess air flow is supplied to a turbine nozzle cooling inlet of the second turbine component by the first control valve system.

5 . The power generation system of claim 1 , wherein the first control valve system controls flow of the excess air flow to at least one of a discharge of the second compressor, the second combustor and a turbine nozzle cooling inlet of the second turbine component.

6 . The power generation system of claim 5 , wherein the first control valve system includes a first control valve controlling a first portion of the excess air flow to the discharge of the second compressor, a second control valve controlling a second portion of the excess air flow to the second combustor, and a third control valve controlling a third portion of the flow of the excess air flow to the turbine nozzle cooling inlets of the second turbine component.

7 . The power generation system of claim 6 , further comprising at least one sensor for measuring a flow rate of at least a portion of the excess air flow, each sensor operably coupled to the first control valve system.

8 . The power generation system of claim 1 , wherein an exhaust of each of the first turbine system and the second turbine system are supplied to at least one steam generator for powering a steam turbine system.

9 . The power generation system of claim 1 , wherein the second control valve system includes a first control valve controlling a first portion of the discharge of the turbo-expander to the inlet of the first integral compressor and a second control valve controlling a second portion of the discharge of the turbo-expander to the inlet of the second compressor.

10 . The power generation system of claim 1 , wherein the second gas turbine system further includes a rotating shaft coupling the second compressor, the second turbine component, a starter motor and the turbo-expander.

11 . The power generation system of claim 1 , wherein the first gas turbine system further includes a rotating shaft coupling the first integral compressor, the first turbine component, and a load commutated inverter (LCI) motor.

12 . The power generation system of claim 1 , wherein the discharge of the turbo-expander has a discharge temperature less than an inlet temperature of air entering the inlet of the first integral compressor and the inlet of the second compressor.

13 . A power generation system, comprising:
a first gas turbine system including a first turbine component, a first integral compressor and a first combustor to which air from the first integral compressor and fuel are supplied, the first combustor arranged to supply hot combustion gases to the first turbine component, and the first integral compressor having a flow capacity greater than an intake capacity of at least one of the first combustor and the first turbine component, creating an excess air flow; a second gas turbine system including a second turbine component, a second compressor and a second combustor to which air from the second compressor and fuel are supplied, the second combustor arranged to supply hot combustion gases to the second turbine component; a turbo-expander operatively coupled to the second gas turbine system; a first control valve system controlling flow of the excess air flow along an excess air flow path to at least one of the second gas turbine system and the turbo-expander; and a second control valve system controlling flow of a discharge of the turbo-expander to an inlet of at least one of the first integral compressor and the second compressor, wherein the second control valve system includes a first control valve controlling a first portion of the discharge of the turbo-expander to the inlet of the first integral compressor and a second control valve controlling a second portion of the discharge of the turbo-expander to the inlet of the second compressor, and wherein the discharge of the turbo-expander has a discharge temperature less than an inlet temperature of air entering the inlet of the first integral compressor and the inlet of the second compressor.

14 . The power generation system of claim 13 , wherein the first control valve system controls flow of the excess air flow to at least one of a discharge of the second compressor, the second combustor and a turbine nozzle cooling inlet of the second turbine component.

15 . The power generation system of claim 14 , wherein the first control valve system includes a first control valve controlling a first portion of the excess air flow to the discharge of the second compressor, a second control valve controlling a second portion of the excess air flow to the second combustor, and a third control valve controlling a third portion of the flow of the excess air flow to the turbine nozzle cooling inlets of the second turbine component.

16 . The power generation system of claim 13 , wherein an exhaust of each of the first turbine system and the second turbine system are supplied to at least one steam generator for powering a steam turbine system.

17 . The power generation system of claim 13 , wherein the second gas turbine system further includes a rotating shaft coupling the second compressor, the second turbine component, a starter motor and the turbo-expander.

18 . The power generation system of claim 13 , wherein the first gas turbine system further includes a rotating shaft coupling the first integral compressor, the first turbine component, and a load commutated inverter (LCI) motor.

19 . A method comprising:
extracting an excess air flow from a first integral compressor of a first gas turbine system including a first turbine component, the first integral compressor and a first combustor to which air from the first integral compressor and fuel are supplied, the first integral compressor having a flow capacity greater than an intake capacity of at least one of the first combustor and the first turbine component; directing the excess air flow along an excess air

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Ekanayake Sanji
• Freeman Thomas John
• Kim Kihyung
• Scipio Alston Ilford
• Tong Leslie Yung Min

Classifications

• F01K23/10 Primary

  with exhaust fluid of one cycle heating the fluid in another cycle (F01K17/025 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F02C3/04

  having a turbine driving a compressor (power transmission arrangements F02C7/36; control of working fluid flow F02C9/16) · CPC title

• F02C6/00 Primary

  Plural gas-turbine plants; Combinations of gas-turbine plants with other apparatus; Adaptations of gas-turbine plants for special use · CPC title

• F02C3/13 Primary

  having variable working fluid interconnections between turbines or compressors or stages of different rotors {(controlling flow ratio between different flows of multi-flow jet-propulsion plant, e.g. ducted fan F02K3/075)} · CPC title

• F02C6/08

  the gas being bled from the gas-turbine compressor · CPC title