GT2011-46809 INVESTIGATION OF COOLING EFFECTIVENESS OF GAS TURBINE INLET FOGGING LOCATION RELATIVE TO THE SILENCER

The output and efficiency of gas turbines are reduced significantly during the summer, especially in areas where the daytime temperature reaches as high as 50°C. Gas turbine inlet fogging and overspray has been considered a simple and cost-effective method to increase the power output. One of the most important issues related to inlet fogging is to determine the most effective location of the fogging device by determining (a) how many water droplets actually evaporate effectively to cool down the inlet air instead of colliding on the wall or coalescing and draining out (i.e. fogging efficiency), and (b) quantifying the amount of non-evaporated droplets that may reach the compressor bellmouth to ascertain the erosion risk for compressor airfoils if wet compression is to be avoided. When the silencer is installed, there is an additiona