Introducing an optimum gas turbine inlet temperature (TIT) based on a 4E analysis: a case study of northeastern Iran

Determining the maximum temperature of gas turbine is one of the challenges in energy conversion to achieve the suitable performance of gas turbine systems. For this purpose, based on the energy, exergy, environmental, and economic (4E) analyses, the effects of changing turbine inlet temperature (TIT) on a gas turbine power plant in northeastern Iran were studied. The results showed that increasing TIT enhanced net power and efficiency, so that increasing TIT about 10 K enhanced net power by 1.7%. Of course, on the other side, higher TIT increases the NOx emissions and the cost of materials and alloys. Therefore, the results indicated that higher TIT may not be necessarily more suitable. To find an optimal temperature, a price objective function was introduced in which the costs of power generation, net power, efficiency, and environmental taxes were effective. Finally, for the investigated power plant, the optimum TIT of 1328 K was introduced in which the cost of power generation could be minimized by about 0.115 $/kWh. Graphic abstract