Analysis of Inlet Evaporative Cooling For Gas Turbine Power Plant in Shiraz, Iran
Analysis of Inlet Evaporative Cooling For Gas Turbine Power Plant in Shiraz, Iran
ISME2021-IC1033
Analysis of inlet evaporative cooling for gas turbine power plant in Shiraz, Iran
A. Hozhabr1,2, K. Ghasemi2, M. Esmaeilipour2, R. Radi2, MH. Masoodi3
1
Mechanical Engineering, University of Kashan, Kashan, Iran; [email protected]
2
Fars Power Generation Management Company, Shiraz, Iran; [email protected]
3
Ph.D. Student, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Yazd University, Yazd, Iran
25 to 27 May, 2021
Climatic Conditions The energy efficiency of the gas turbine can be expressed
• Shiraz is a city in south-central Iran, located at as [5,11]:
29˚35ʹ30ʺ N, 52˚35ʹ1ʺ E, the summers are sweltering,
arid, and clear. It has an average altitude of 1585 m. 𝑊̇ 𝑛𝑒𝑡
ɳ= (4)
• Fars combined cycle power plant is on the 𝑚̇ 𝑓 (𝐿𝐻𝑉)
outskirts, located 35 km southeast of Shiraz, and is
situated 1530 m above sea level. where LHV is the natural gas lower heating value
Table 1 shows average monthly temperatures and supplied.
relative humidity in each location, over the year. It should
be noted that climatic information of Shiraz find out from Model Validation
Iran Meteorological Organization in a period of 60 years The present model of the gas turbine is validated by
[13], while power plant data are recorded on-site in the manufacturer data and results obtained from the
latest 5 years ago. performance test in a real cycle. Table 2, values of
performance parameters at ISO conditions (𝑇0 = 15°C,
Gas Turbine Model 𝑃0 = 101.325 kPa and RH = 60%) from manufacturer’s
In present study, the General Electric PG9171E gas technical data [15] and real Fars power plant data [16] are
turbine was used for evaluation. The performance compared with the results of modeling. The maximum
configuration is specific to Fars combined cycle power difference observed between the real data and the
plant and based on natural gas as fuel. Although this mathematical model is less than 3%. This error is usually
power plant is a combined cycle type, modeling is acceptable for engineering applications. Moreover,
assumed only for gas turbine and simple cycle. Figure 2 is provided for comparison with the results of
the present model and manufacturer data at variable
Energy and Mass Models temperatures. This agreement proves the reliability of the
For the energy analysis of gas turbine, the mass and present mathematical model.
energy balances are applied to each component of the
system. All gas turbine components and cooling system
are as a control volume at steady-state. Any changes in 1.25
Manufacturer Data [15]
kinetic and potential energies to be negligible. 1.20 Present work
Furthermore, adiabatic condition is a suitable assumption 1.15 Manufacturer Data [15]
Present work
Correction Factor
Table 2. Comparison of modeling with manufacturer data at ISO conditions and a real cycle.
Parameter ISO Conditions Real Cycle in Fars power plant
Manufacturer Data Analytical Model Error (%) Power Plant Data Analytical Model Error (%)
Mass flow rate of inlet air (kg/s) 402.78 404.61 0.45 Na 333.61 -
Compressor pressure ratio 12.3 12.3 0.00 Na 12.3 -
Output power (MW) 123.40 123.39 0.01 99.36 100.18 0.83
LHV Heat rate (kJ/kWh) 10660 10659 0.01 11202 10871 2.95
Turbine inlet temperature (°C) 1124 1123 0.09 Na 1122.7 -
Exhaust gas temperature (°C) 540 544 0.74 542.2 549.8 1.40
Exhaust gas flow rate (kg/s) 410.28 412.51 0.54 338.1 339.82 0.51
25 to 27 May, 2021
Evaporative cooling In Fars power plant, the inlet evaporative coolers
Evaporative cooling is based on a simple principle that as operate a maximum of ten hours a day, from June to
water evaporates, the latent heat of vaporization is August. Operating time is almost in second half of a day
absorbed from the water body and the surrounding air. As when the ambient temperature is increased. Table 3
a result, both the water and the air are cooled during the shows the values of dry-bulb temperature, wet-bulb
process. Thus, the air cooled enters compressor. To temperature and relative humidity for June, July and
evaluate the performance of the evaporative cooling August.
system, evaporative cooler effectiveness is calculated as
[8,11]: 110
34.05
𝑇𝑑𝑏,𝑖 − 𝑇𝑑𝑏,𝑜
𝜀= (5) 105
𝑇𝑑𝑏,𝑖 − 𝑇𝑤𝑏 33.65
Efficiency (%)
33.25
ambient air at the inlet and outlet of the evaporative
95
cooler, respectively. 𝑇𝑤𝑏 is wet-bulb temperature at the
inlet of the evaporative cooler. It should be note that wet- 90
32.85
where, 𝑉𝑎̇ and 𝑣𝑎 are volume flow rate of ambient air into
the compressor and specific volume of wetted air of dry
air, respectively. 𝜔 is specific humidity in kg/kg.
25 to 27 May, 2021
Figure 4 shows the variations of recorded and Table 4 shows the fuel and water mass flow rates for a
calculated values of the output power for July, with and gas turbine in Fars power plant, with and without inlet
without inlet evaporative cooler. The operating hours and evaporative cooler, from May to October. Results in this
output power in Fars power plant is shown as a red line. Table could be concluded that the inlet evaporative
Full time, on the other hand, can be viewed on blue dotted system increases fuel, thus leads to increase output power
line with the effectiveness of 90%. It is obvious that the of gas turbine. Furthermore, fuel consumption increases
green bars in Figure 4 indicate the potential of power by increasing the effectiveness parameter. It is important
generation, during a day. Figure 5 shows the average to be evaluated the economic aspect, hence to analyze
output power of each gas turbine throughout the year, for economic feasibility Table 5 presents the average values
Fars power plant. The net power generated with and of output power, energy efficiency and cost associated
without the evaporative cooler are predicted and with the fuel energy, from May to October. Results in
compared. The results in Figure 5 predict that using the Table 5 shows that CF is decreased by using inlet
evaporative cooler at least from May to September is evaporative cooler and, moreover by increasing
definitely useful, and in October is a good option. effectiveness the cost associated with the fuel energy
Therefore, the operating time of the evaporative coolers comes down. Therefore, it makes economical as well as
could be extended to six months. Note that the inlet engineering sense to use the evaporative cooler at least
cooling systems are limited by protection system to avoid for six months (from May to October) in Fars power
freezing. Thus, for the operation over six months, low plant.
temperatures are critical to calculate power generation.
Table 4. The fuel and water mass flow rates of gas turbine.
110 Months Inlet cooling Inlet cooling Inlet cooling
Inlet cooling full time (ℰ=90%)
Inlet cooling "off" “off” (ℰ = 60%) (ℰ = 90%)
105 Inlet cooling part time (ℰ=60%) 𝑚̇𝑓 𝑚̇𝑤 𝑚̇𝑓 𝑚̇𝑤 𝑚̇𝑓 𝑚̇𝑤
(kg/s) (kg/s) (kg/s) (kg/s) (kg/s) (kg/s)
Output Power (MW)
80 Conclusions
0 3 6 9 12 15 18 21 24 The effects of inlet air cooling system, especially
Time (Hour) evaporative cooling on the performance of gas turbines in
Figure 4. Variation of output power for July during a day. Fars power plant are investigated. Gas turbine’s output
power increases by using the evaporative cooler.
120
Moreover, use inlet evaporative cooling for gas turbine in
Inlet cooling "off" warm and dry months of year, can improve the efficiency.
115 Inlet cooling (ℰ=60%)
Inlet cooling (ℰ=90%) On the other hand, the effect of inlet air cooling system
110
strongly depends on effectiveness parameter. The results
Output Power (MW)
105
show that, the evaporative cooler in Fars power plant can
100
use from May to October and, on average, its increases
95
output power more than 10%. Since the effectiveness of
90
evaporative cooler in Fars power plant is less than 60%
85
and operating time limited to 10 hours in a day, it lost
80
significant amount of power generation. In fact, proposed
75 method predicts power augmentation more than 8% in
70 half a year. It means that Fars power plant can generate
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
electrical energy by six units about 206000 MWh more
Month
than what it is now. Finally, the distribution and amount
Figure 5. Monthly average net power throughout the year. of water in evaporative coolers could be improved to
increase effectiveness parameter.
Table 5. The average output power, efficiency and cost associated with the fuel energy from May to October.
Months Inlet cooling “off” Inlet cooling (ℰ = 60%) Inlet cooling (ℰ = 90%)
𝑊̇𝑛𝑒𝑡 ɳ CF 𝑊̇𝑛𝑒𝑡 ɳ CF 𝑊̇𝑛𝑒𝑡 ɳ CF
(MW) (%) (US$/kWh) (MW) (%) (US$/kWh) (MW) (%) (US$/kWh)
May 95.21 33.16 0.1055 100.47 33.53 0.1044 103.05 33.69 0.1039
Jun 91.34 32.86 0.1065 98.86 33.42 0.1047 102.57 33.66 0.1040
Jul 90.05 32.74 0.1069 97.71 33.32 0.1050 101.52 33.58 0.1042
Aug 91.07 32.84 0.1066 98.59 33.39 0.1048 102.30 33.64 0.1040
Sep 93.19 33.01 0.1060 99.76 33.48 0.1045 103.00 33.69 0.1039
Oct 97.35 33.33 0.1050 102.14 33.65 0.1040 104.48 33.79 0.1036
25 to 27 May, 2021
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