Thermally powered turbine inlet air chiller heater
View Patent ↗An addition to the air compressor of a combustion turbine system is disclosed, which chills the inlet air on warm days. The same equipment with minimal modification is used to prevent inlet air icing conditions on cold days. Referring to FIG. 1 , inlet air conditioner heat exchanger 3 supplies conditioned (chilled or heated) air to the combustion turbine, and heat recovery unit 1 supplies turbine exhaust heat to ammonia absorption refrigeration unit 2 . Control valves 5, 6, 7 , and 8 selectively supply either chilling refrigerant liquid or heating vapor from AARU 2 to conditioning heat exchanger coil 3.
1. A thermally-activated chilling/heating system for combustion turbine inlet air comprised of
a) An inlet air heat exchanger;
b) A heat recovery unit for transferring turbine waste heat to a thermally-activated chiller/heater;
c) A chilling fluid Control for selectively supplying chilling fluid from said chiller/heater to said heat exchanger during warm conditions; and
d) A heating fluid control for selectively supplying heating fluid from said chiller/heater to said heat exchanger during potential icing conditions.
2. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said chilling fluid control is a liquid refrigerant flow control valve, and said heating fluid control is a vapor flow control valve.
3. The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said thermally activated chiller/heater is an ammonia absorption refrigeration unit that is comprised of at least one absorber, and the chilling fluid is liquid ammonia refrigerant which evaporates in said heat exchanger, and the heating fluid is ammonia vapor which condenses in said heat exchanger.
4. The apparatus according to claim 3 additionally comprising a conduit for supplying aqueous ammonia solution to said heat recovery unit for desorption therein.
5. The apparatus according to claim 3 additionally comprised of a control valve for controllably removing condensed refrigerant from said heat exchanger in heating mode and supplying it to said absorber.