Turbine Inlet Cooling: A promising option for increasing Thailand’s electrical capacity

Chris Greacenchris@palangthai.org

March 2007

Inlet cooling for existing turbines• The laws of thermodynamics dictate that Thailand’s

combined cycle natural gas power plants lose capacity when the weather is hot.

• Inlet air cooling is a promising solution.• Well-established technology more than 100 power

plants in hot climates • Increases capacity and efficiency.• Inlet air cooling program for 13 EGAT power plants

would contribute an overall 1140 MW of capacity– without having to fight with villagers to build new power plants.– Installation in months, not years– more cost-effective than building new power plants.

Turbine Inlet Air Cooling fundamentals

• Turbine power output decreases with increasing inlet air temperature

– Power proportional to air inlet mass flow rate– Combustion turbines admit constant volumetric

flow rate– High temperatures mass flow rate decreases

• Worse heat rate with increasing inlet temperatures

– Compressor less efficient

Greatest generation capacity loss coincides with peak demand

Source: www.turbineinletcooling.org

To address this…

• EGAT derates its power plants• For example a power plant that would

produce 793 MW at 16 deg C is considered a “700 MW” plant (34 deg C)

Thailand has considerable “hidden capacity”, if only the air going into the

power plants were cooler.

Turbine Inlet Cooling (TIC) overcomes the “hot weather/low output” flaw by

cooling ambient air as it enters turbine

Source: www.tas.com

38°C15°C 27°C4°C

Thailand’s peak is highest in hot weather (air conditioning)

Benefits of inlet air cooling

• increased power output• reduced capital cost per

unit of power plant output capacity

• increased fuel efficiency• improved predictability of

power output by eliminating the weather variable

Hundreds of Examples

• Database of over 100 inlet cooling installations. www.turbineinletcooling.org

• hot weather power enhancement of up to 60%(average 31%)

• Installations began in 1970s

• Locations:– USA, Australia, Malaysia,

Brazil, Mexico, Saudi Arabia,Portugal, India, Ecuador, Bolivia, Colombia, Iraq, NicaraguaThailand

EGAT turbine inlet cooling plan:Absorption chillers fired by new CHP

No. Power plant

CHP

MW 34°C MW 16.5°CRecovery

MWUnits Capacity Cooling

1 South Bangkok #1 2x4.5 9 MW 6,200 T 315 357 42

2 Nam Phong #1 2x4.5 9 MW 6,200 T 370 419 49

3 Nam Phong #2 2x4.5 9 MW 6,200 T 366 415 49

4 South Bangkok #2 4x4.5 18 MW 12,400 T 618 700 82

5 Wang Noi #1 4x4.5 18 MW 12,400 T 652 739 87

6 Wang Noi #2 4x4.5 18 MW 12,400 T 652 739 87

7 Wang Noi #3 4x4.5 18 MW 12,400 T 723 819 96

8 Bang Pakong #3 2x4.5 9 MW 6,200 T 328 372 44

9 Bang Pakong #4 2x4.5 9 MW 6,200 T 328 372 44

10 Cha Na 4x4.5 18 MW 12,400 T 700 793 93

11 South Bangkok #3 4x4.5 18 MW 12,400 T 700 793 93

12 Bang Pakong #5 4x4.5 18 MW 12,400 T 700 793 93

13 North Bangkok 4x4.5 18 MW 12,400 T 700 793 93

Total 42x4.5 189 MW 952

CostsInlet cooling incremental costs New CCGT in Thailand

16.5 million baht/MW (EGAT proposed)7.6 million baht/MW (PJM, USA): http://pjm.com/documents/ferc/documents/2005/20050831-er05-___-part-5.pdf

17.8 million baht/MW

Inlet air cooling

http://www.upcomillas.es/catedras/crm/descargas/2005-2006/Gas%20tubine%20Power%20Enhancement.pdf