MODULAR APPROACH TO ANALYSIS OF CHEMICALLY RECUPERATED GAS-TURBINE CYCLES

Current research programmes such as the CAGT programme investigate the opportunity for advanced power generation cycles based on state-of-th e-art aeroderivative gas turbine technology. Such cycles would be prim arily aimed at intermediate duty applications. Compared to industrial gas turbines, aeroderivatives offer high simple cycle efficiency, and the capability to start quickly and frequently without a significant m aintenance cost penalty. A key element for high system performance is the development of improved heat recovery systems, leading to advanced cycles such as the humid air turbine (HAT) cycle, the chemically recu perated gas turbine (CRGT) cycle and the Kalina combined cycle. When u sed in combination with advanced technologies and components, screenin g studies conducted by research programmes such as the CAGT programme predict that such advanced cycles could theoretically lead to net cycl e efficiencies exceeding 60%. In this paper, the authors present the a pplication of the modular approach to cycle simulation and performance predictions of CRGT cycles. The paper first presents the modular simu lation code concept and the main characteristics of CRGT cycles. The p aper next discusses the development of the methane-steam reformer unit model used for the simulations. The modular code is then used to comp ute performance characteristics of a simple CRGT cycle and a reheat CR GT cycle, both based on the General Electric LM6000 aeroderivative gas turbine. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.