Improving Combined Cycle Part Load Performance by Using Exhaust Gas Recirculation Through an Ejector

Abstract

The gas turbine inlet air heating system has been used for improving the combined cycle heat rate at part load operation, which has a positive impact on the combined cycle profitability and fuel consumption. The paper objective was to introduce a new gas turbine inlet air heating system. The inlet air heating system studied in this paper was exhaust gas recirculation into inlet air compressor through an ejector. The ejector motive flow was defined as the compressor bleed air from the compressor discharge section while the ejector entrainment flow was defined as the recirculated exhaust gases from the gas turbine exhaust duct. This study was performed on generic gas turbine and combined cycle model. The selected combined cycle model was 1-on-1 (one gas turbine, one heat recovery steam generator and one steam turbine train). The heat recovery steam generator was a 3-pressure level with reheat. The combined cycle heat rate improvement at different ejector entrainment ratio varying from 0.5 to 5 with 0.5 intervals was studied. The selected ejector area ratio was set to 25 which together with the motive to suction pressure ratio gave an entrainment ratio of 2.5. The selected ejector entrainment ratio of 2.5 was aligned with the common practice design of the ejectors. The ejector motive flow was limited to 1% of compressor inlet air flow. Furthermore, the combined cycle heat rate improvement at different combined cycle loads were analysed. The analysis was performed on combined cycle loads from 90% to 40% load with a 10% interval and at the ambient temperatures 7°C, 15°C and 35°C. At the ambient temperatures 7°C, 15°C and 35°C, the combined cycle heat rate improvement was measured at loads below 80%. The combined cycle heat rate improvements proved greater at lower combined cycle loads and lower ambient temperatures. The combined cycle heat rate improvement was 0.67% at the ambient temperature 15°C and 60% combined cycle load. On the other hand, the combined cycle heat rate improvement was 1.4% at 40% combined cycle load and ambient temperature 7°C.