Patent ID: 6820430
Filing Date: 2004-11-23
Classification: F02C,Y02T

Abstract:
In a gas turbine having a multistage compressor compressing a flow of air, the compressor having an inlet, the flow of air being directed to the compressor inlet by a duct, a method of increasing power output from the gas turbine by both evaporative cooling of the air prior to compression and intercooling of the air during compression, comprising the steps of:a) introducing a first stream of water droplets into the flow of air at a first location in the duct, the first location being sufficiently far upstream of the compressor inlet such that at least a portion of the water droplets in the first stream of water droplets evaporate before reaching the compressor inlet, whereby the air flowing through the duct is cooled and humidified prior to reaching the compressor inlet by evaporation of the first stream of water droplets; and b) introducing a second stream of water droplets into the flow of cooled and humidified air prior to compression thereof at a second location downstream from the first location, the second location being sufficiently proximate to the compressor inlet so that at least a major portion of the water droplets in the second stream of water droplets do not evaporate before reaching the compressor inlet, whereby the air being compressed in the compressor is intercooled by evaporation of droplets from the second stream of water droplets during compression thereof.