REDUCTION IN GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS IN THE POWER INDUSTRY USING COMPRESSED AIR POWER ENHANCEMENT TECHNOLOGY IN GAS TURBINES

Environmental and supply considerations are playing a pivotal key in the economics and operation rationale behind power generation. A once fossil-fuel dependent industry is embracing renewable sources, albeit slowed by technical and economic challenges. With gas turbines comprising a large part of the world's electric generation pool, increasing the power output of the existing combined cycle plants and avoiding the use of less efficient peakers has the potential of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Performance simulations show that compressed air injection can increase the power output of 2x1 combined cycle "F" class plants above 40 MW, equivalent to the typical output of simple cycle peaking units. Resultant total power output can be maintained while reducing pollutants, infrastructure resources, and capital cost compared to peaking plants.