Patent ID: 8033116

Claim:
A turbomachine comprising: a compressor portion generating a cooling airflow, the compressor portion including a plurality of compressor stages and a compressor discharge; a turbine portion operatively connected to the compressor portion, the turbine portion including a plurality of turbine stages; a conduit fluidly connecting at least one of the plurality of compressor stages with at least one of the plurality of turbine stages, the conduit delivering a portion of the cooling airflow from the compressor portion to the turbine portion; an injector port fluidly connected to the conduit; a steam generation system fluidly connected to the injector port and the compressor portion, the steam generation system delivering an amount of dry steam into the cooling airflow passing from the compressor portion to the turbine portion and an additional amount of dry steam into the compressor portion upstream from the compressor discharge, the amount of dry steam and additional amount of dry steam replacing a portion of the cooling air passing to the turbine portion thereby lowering an amount of work required by the compressor portion needed for supplying cooling air.