Chiller Condensate System
The present application provides a chiller condensate system. The chiller condensate system may include a chiller that produces a flow of condensate, a condensate drain system positioned about the chiller to collect the flow of condensate, and a heat exchanger in communication with the condensate drain system for the flow of condensate to flow therethrough.
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The present application relates generally to gas turbine engines and more particularly relates to a gas turbine engine with a chiller condensate system used for cooling purposes.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThe power output of a gas turbine engine is directly proportional to the inlet air mass flow rate. The inlet air mass depends upon the density of the inlet air and hence the temperature of the air. As such, known gas turbine engines may use a chiller system to lower the air temperature about the compressor inlet. By lowering the inlet air temperature, the density of the inlet air may be increased and the mass flow rate to the compressor may increase. The power output of the gas turbine engine thus increases due to the higher mass flow rate.
Chiller systems generally use a series of coils to cool the inlet air. Sensible heat transfer from the inlet air to the low temperature water circulating through the chiller coils cools the inlet air. During operation of the chiller, water tends to condense on the coils due to the cooling effect. The condensate is drained and collected so as to avoid carryover downstream and into the compressor. The condensate generally is discharged to the atmosphere or otherwise disposed. The temperature of the condensate may be around about fifty (50) to about sixty (60) degrees Fahrenheit (about ten (10) to about 15.6 degrees Celsius) although other temperatures may be used. If a typical chiller system is operating at full load, the volume of the condensate may be at about 75 gallons per minute (about 284 liters per minute). Other condensate volumes may be used.
There is therefore a desire to obtain useful work from this existing condensate flow. Specifically, the use of existing condensate may improve the overall efficiency of the gas turbine engine and related equipment while still providing adequate inlet air cooling.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present application thus provides a chiller condensate system. The chiller condensate system may include a chiller that produces a flow of condensate, a condensate drain system positioned about the chiller to collect the flow of condensate, and a heat exchanger in communication with the condensate drain system for the condensate to flow therethrough.
The present application thus provides a chiller condensate system. The chiller condensate system may include a chiller that produces a flow of condensate, a condensate drain system positioned about the chiller to collect the flow of condensate, and a nozzle in communication with the condensate drain system for the condensate to spray therethrough.
The present application further provides a cooling tower. The cooling tower may include a chiller condensate system with a nozzle to provide a spray of condensate and a closed cooling circuit. The spray of condensate may chill the closed cooling circuit.
These and other features and improvement of the present application will become apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art upon review of the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the several drawings and the appended claims.
Referring now to the drawings, in which like numerals refer to like elements throughout the several views,
The gas turbine engine 100 also may include a chiller system 150. The chiller system 150 may be positioned about the inlet of the compressor 110. As described above, the chiller system 150 chills an incoming airflow 160 to a desired temperature. Various types of chiller systems 150 are known.
Referring again to
The water tube bundle 510 may be cooled by an incoming airflow 540 drawn in by a number of fans 550 or other types of air movement devices positioned within the cooling tower 500. One or more nozzles 470 of the condensate spray system 460 may be positioned about the airflow 540 so as to provide the spray 480 to the airflow 540. Cooling the airflow 540 with the spray 480 of the condensate 210 may further cool the water tube bundle 510. As such, the overall operation of the heat exchanger 530 and the closed cooling circuit 520 may be improved.
The heat exchanger 530 of the closed cooling circuit 520 may be used to cool any type of further load 560 such as a fluid flow, a component, and the like. For example, the heat exchanger 530 may be a lube oil heat exchanger, a generator heat exchanger or cooler, a steam condenser, or any type of component for heat exchange therewith. Better cooling of the lube oil may increase the lube oil life and varnishing may be avoided. Likewise, additional cooling for the generator may raise the efficiency of the generator. Similarly, better cooling of the condenser may increase output due to better expansion of the steam. Other benefits of additional (and free) cooling may be found herein.
In summary, the condensate heat exchanger system 235 and/or the condensate spray system 460 of the chiller condensate system 230 thus may be used to cool any component within the gas turbine engine 100 as well as related components such as power plant air conditioning and other types of loads 245. Such cooling provided by otherwise discarded condensate thus serves to improve the overall efficiency of the gas turbine engine system 100.
It should be apparent that the foregoing relates only to certain embodiments of the present application and that numerous changes and modifications may be made herein by one of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the general spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the following claims and the equivalents thereof.
Claims
1. A chiller condensate system, comprising:
- a chiller;
- wherein the chiller produces a flow of condensate;
- a condensate drain system positioned about the chiller to collect the flow of condensate; and
- a heat exchanger in communication with the condensate drain system for the condensate to flow therethrough.
2. The chiller condensate system of claim 1, wherein the chiller comprises a plurality of coils.
3. The chiller condensate system of claim 1, wherein the condensate drain system comprises a plurality of coil drains and a condensate pipe.
4. The chiller condensate system of claim 1, further comprising a pump in communication with the condensate drain system.
5. The chiller condensate system of claim 1, further comprising a load in communication with the heat exchanger.
6. The chiller condensate system of claim 5, wherein the load comprises an air conditioning system.
7. The chiller condensate system of claim 5, wherein the load comprises a condenser.
8. The chiller condensate system of claim 5, wherein the load comprises a turbine compartment.
9. The chiller condensate system of claim 5, wherein the load comprises an exhaust frame and bearing system.
10. The chiller condensate system of claim 5, wherein the load comprises a nozzle cooling system.
11. The chiller condensate system of claim 5, wherein the heat exchanger comprises a spray nozzle.
12. The chiller condensate system of claim 11, wherein the load comprises a closed cooling circuit.
13. The chiller condensate system of claim 12, wherein the closed cooling circuit is in communication with a further load.
14. The chiller condensate system of claim 5, wherein the load comprises a flow of air.
15. The chiller condensate system of claim 5, wherein the load comprises a flow of steam.
16. The chiller condensate system of claim 5, wherein the load comprises a flow of fluid.
17. The chiller condensate system of claim 1, further comprising a moisturizer.
18. A chiller condensate system, comprising:
- a chiller;
- wherein the chiller produces a flow of condensate;
- a condensate drain system positioned about the chiller to collect the flow of condensate; and
- a nozzle in communication with the condensate drain system for the condensate to spray therethrough.
19. The chiller condensate system of claim 18, further comprising a load in communication with the nozzle.
20. A cooling tower, comprising:
- a chiller condensate system;
- wherein the chiller condensate system comprises a nozzle to provide a spray of condensate; and
- a closed cooling circuit;
- wherein the spray of condensate chills the closed cooling circuit.
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 24, 2010
Publication Date: Sep 29, 2011
Applicant: General Electric Company (Schnectady, NY)
Inventors: Rahul Chillar (Atlanta, GA), Julio Mestroni (Marietta, GA), Steven Hartman (Marietta, GA), Siddharth Upadhyay (Bangalore)
Application Number: 12/730,334
International Classification: F25D 21/14 (20060101); F28F 1/36 (20060101);