Patent ID: 7493768

Claim:
A method for increasing the efficiency of a gas turbine system, comprising: transferring heat energy from a waste gas of a gas turbine to a water-steam flow of a steam turbine; further transferring additional heat energy from the waste gas to a working medium of a thermodynamic circulation process, the working medium comprising two materials with non-isothermal evaporation and condensation properties, wherein the thermodynamic circulation process is a Kalina cycle, wherein the thermodynamic circulation process comprises the following steps: pressurizing the liquid working medium flow; separating the pressurized liquid working medium flow into a first partial flow and a second partial flow; partially vaporizing the first partial flow by transferring heat energy from the waste gas to the first partial flow; partially vaporizing the second partial flow by transferring heat energy from a partially condensed and expanded working medium flow; combining the partially vaporized first and second partial flows into a partially vaporized working medium flow; creating a gaseous working medium flow by vaporizing the partially vaporized working medium flow by transferring heat energy from the waste gas to the working medium flow; converting the thermal energy of the gaseous working medium flow into a useful form by expansion of the gaseous working medium flow in a turbine; further condensing the partially condensed, expanded working medium flow to form the liquid working medium flow.