Patent · US Expired

Method and apparatus for fuel gas moisturization and heating

US6389794B2 · kind B2 · utility

22Cited by
9References
24Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 10, 2001
Grant dateMay 21, 2002
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 10, 2021

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY02E20/16
  • WIPO fieldEngines, pumps, turbines
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

Fuel gas is saturated with water heated with a heat recovery steam generator heat source. The heat source is preferably a water heating section downstream of the lower pressure evaporator to provide better temperature matching between the hot and cold heat exchange streams in that portion of the heat recovery steam generator. The increased gas mass flow due to the addition of moisture results in increased power output from the gas and steam turbines. Fuel gas saturation is followed by superheating the fuel, preferably with bottom cycle heat sources, resulting in a larger thermal efficiency gain compared to current fuel heating methods. There is a gain in power output compared to no fuel heating, even when heating the fuel to above the LP steam temperature.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.