Gas Turbine Power Augmentation: TIAC Technology

It isn’t news that climate change is already affecting every country on the planet. The Middle East region, in particular, is suffering from “ longer droughts, hotter heatwaves and more frequent dust storms” according to a recent article by The Economist. This can affect everything from the scarcity of water to the air conditioning requirements. Beyond this, the high temperatures effects also the electricity production. Operators and owners of power plants and facilities that use gas turbines need to be aware of the adverse effects that increased temperatures can cause for every turbine and the solutions available to combat these effects. 

Solar Map of MENA Region

Figure 1: Solar Map of Middle East & North Africa

Risks to Gas Turbines in High Temperatures

No matter what make or model of gas turbine a power plant may use, all turbines are designed for certain conditions, 15 degrees Celsius. Temperatures higher than this negatively affects the heat rate and power output of the turbine. Now that hotter weather is becoming more and more commonplace across the globe, and is not limited to just the summer months, this is a problem that requires urgent attention. Moreover, the summer months, which correspond with the highest demand for cooling, bring about energy efficiency issues associated with peak power demand. Turbine Inlet Air Cooling (TIAC) positively influences gas turbine power output by cooling the air that enters the turbine. See a demonstration of this process in our new, 3-minute Turbine Inlet Air Cooling video. What’s clear is that no matter what season you’re in, your turbine will work more effectively after installing a TIAC system. Moreover, ARANER always conducts a thorough analysis of each plant and project to determine the viability of our tailor-made solutions. 

ARANER Turbine Inlet Air Cooling TIAC System

Figure 2: ARANER TIAC system

The Importance of a Thermal Energy Storage Tank

When implementing a TIAC system, chilled water is also required. In line with this, ARANER has a come up with a unique solution called TESTIAC, which is a combination of Thermal Energy Storage (TES) and Turbine Inlet Air Cooling. The chilled water required for the TIAC system comes from a TES Tank, which produces chilled water during the night-time when demand is low. The chilled water is then used during the peak hours of the day, causing an increase in energy efficiency for the plant. If you’d like more information, the TES Tank system is another element that is fully explained in the TIAC eBook.

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Types of Heat Rejection for Turbine Inlet Air Cooling

As evidenced by its name, chillers are also involved in the process of generating chilled water for the TES Tank. As stated by Newton, “for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction”; following this logic, we understand that by having absorbed heat from the warm water during the chilling process, we now need to get rid of it. There are different methods for chillers to reject the absorbed heat: Seawater Cooling, Cooling Towers, or Air Condensers. For energy savings, Seawater Cooled chillers are the most efficient method.

Conclusion

Turbine Inlet Air Cooling technology, and its counterpart TESTIAC, are extremely beneficial for gas turbine power plants operating in regions with hot temperatures such as the Middle East. Combining TIAC technology with a Thermal Energy Storage (TES) Tank can also result in higher power augmentation by solving peak power issues. As mentioned before, ARANER makes sure our customized solutions are the very best option for your unique project by conducting a thorough analysis of your power plant or facility. To discuss this further, get in touch with us! If you’d like to witness the TIAC and TES Tank systems in action, watch ARANER’s Turbine Inlet Air Cooling video. In this 3-minute video, we break down the TIAC and TES technologies in a comprehensive, yet an easy-to-understand explanation and demonstration. To watch the video now, simply fill out the form below.

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