Inlet air cooling solution for gas turbines

Johnson Controls, a global multi-industrial company, has launched YCP-2020, said to be the first containerized Gas Turbine Inlet Air Cooling (GTIAC) mechanical based solution in the market. This new product offering expands the current portfolio of GTIAC solutions.

The 8,000 kW_ththt rated YCP-2020 is a containerized system comprising York chillers, chilled and condenser water pumps, electrical starters and Metasys control system. Its compact, modular design is likely to minimize site space requirements, allow flexibility in layout configuration, and reduce shipping and logistics costs, which could address critical challenges for existing and new build power plants.

The installed gas turbine power plant capacity is forecast to grow at an average Compound Annual Growth Rate of 7.5 percent across Asia. GTIAC solutions are said to enhance power output by up to 30 percent and efficiency by up to 4 percent. Mechanical based GTIAC solutions are said to be more dependable than wet evaporative or fogging based ones. Fogging-based approach has limited effectiveness in higher humidity conditions and cannot maintain fixed inlet temperature. These systems also require a continuous supply of de-mineralized water, and care is needed to avoid corrosion.

Richard Buckley, director of industrial refrigeration, Johnson Controls Asia, said this containerized architecture evolved as a result of extensive market research and stakeholder engagement. “Having a pre-built, self-contained system, pre-commissioned and tested in a controlled factory environment is valuable to our customers. This is an important addition to our existing portfolio of GTIAC solutions.”