Title: The impact of climate on the economics of combustion turbine inlet air cooling

Authors: D.R. Brown, S. Katipamula, J.H. Konynenbelt

Addresses: Pacific Northwest National Laboratories, PO Box 999, Richland, Battelle, PO Box 999, WA 99352, USA. ' Pacific Northwest National Laboratories, PO Box 999, Richland, Battelle, PO Box 999, WA 99352, USA. ' Pacific Northwest National Laboratories, PO Box 999, Richland, Battelle, PO Box 999, WA 99352, USA

Abstract: A recent study completed by the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory evaluated the economics of several alternative combustion turbine inlet air cooling (CTAC) systems applied to different types of power plants and various operating conditions. The principal parameters investigated were chiller type, storage type, inlet air temperature, combustion turbine application, power plant operating schedule, and climate. About 3500 combinations of these parameters were evaluated to determine the capital cost per incremental peak power output and the net present value of the investment. This paper summarizes the study, identifying the preferred inlet air cooling technologies for simple-cycle industrial turbine applications, with an emphasis on the affect of climate on CTAC technology selection and economics. Five cities representing distinct climates (Houston, Minneapolis, Nashville, Phoenix, and San Francisco) were evaluated, which should serve as reasonable proxies for much of the world as well as most of the United States.

Keywords: climate effects; combustion turbines; economics; gas turbines; inlet air cooling.

DOI: 10.1504/IJGEI.1997.063333

International Journal of Global Energy Issues, 1997 Vol.9 No.3, pp.171-182

Published online: 10 Jul 2014 *

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