Title: Performance enhancement of GT-ST power plant with inlet air cooling using lithium bromide/water vapour absorption refrigeration system

Authors: T. Srinivas; D. Vignesh

Addresses: Energy Division, School of Mechanical and Building Sciences, VIT University, Vellore – 632014, India. ' Energy and Environmental Engineering Division, School of Mechanical and Building Sciences, VIT University, Vellore – 632014, India

Abstract: Performance improvement techniques in power generation systems especially in gas turbine-steam turbine (GT-ST) combined cycle (CC) power plants by compressor inlet air cooling prove to be much improvising. In this work, the performance enhancement of CC power plant by inlet air cooling method using lithium bromide-water (LiBr/H₂O) absorption refrigeration system powered by waste heat from heat recovery steam generator (HRSG) have been evaluated and analysed. The results show that CC output always increases but its efficiency increases at certain conditions with incorporating vapour absorption refrigeration (VAR) to CC plant. Coefficient of performance (COP) values of the single effect VAR system is around 0.9 for LiBr/H₂O system. A low concentration for weak solution and a high concentration for strong solution have been recommended to get the maximum benefit. The simulated results of plant are validated by considering a case study of existed power plant located at Cochin, Kerala, India and found a close matching.

Keywords: combined cycle; cooling; heat recovery; waste heat; thermodynamics; steam generators; GT-ST power plants; gas turbines; steam turbines; inlet air cooling; lithium bromide; water vapour; vapour absorption refrigeration; power generation; India.

DOI: 10.1504/IJETP.2012.046016

International Journal of Energy Technology and Policy, 2012 Vol.8 No.1, pp.94 - 107

Received: 23 Jun 2011
Accepted: 17 Dec 2011
Published online: 27 Aug 2014 *

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