Patent ID: 7093450

Claim:
A method of operating a compressor of a gas turbine comprising: compressing a gaseous medium in a first compressor stage of the gas turbine to create a partially compressed medium; cooling the partially compressed medium in an intermediate cooler, wherein at least about 25% of total cooling power occurs through uptake of sensible heat; further compressing the partially compressed medium in a second compressor stage of the gas turbine downstream of the intermediate cooler; wherein an atomized liquid medium is sprayed into the partially compressed medium in the intermediate cooler so that a two-phase flow develops therein including a liquid phase and a gaseous phase, the partially compressed medium being cooled by heat transfer from the partially compressed medium to the liquid medium and the liquid medium being separated before entering the second compressor stage; and wherein contact area developed directly by the two-phase flow provides substantially all of the cooling of the partially compressed medium in the intermediate cooler.