GAS TURBINE INLET AIR COOLING
Fog Cooling Concepts
Air humidity increases as dry bulb temperature decreases. Cooler air has a greater density and consequently provides higher mass flow rates and pressure ratios. Increasing air mass flow to compressor can increase gas turbine power output and improve thermal efficiency.
Fog evaporative cooling of gas turbine inlet air is the most direct, energy efficient and cost-effective method of increasing power output of gas turbines at elevated temperatures. The power output of a gas turbine increases, within limits*, in inverse proportion to the temperature of the inlet air.
*Note: this method of cooling air is limited by air wet bulb temperature.
Therefore, installing quality fog nozzles at air intake entrance and spraying fog in extra-fine droplets will depress ambient temperature quickly while it increases inlet air density to improve the gas turbine output to fulfill extra power demand, especially in hot and dry climates.
