ABSTRACT
In the next several decades natural gas and syngas-fired combined cycle plants will make up as much as 20% of the new electric generating plant additions. Power plants utilizing techniques such as the atmospheric fluidized bed combustion systems, advanced pressurized fluidized bed combustion systems, integrated gasification-combined-cycle systems (reference Case Study #1), and integrated gasification-fuel cell combined-cycle systems will make up the new generation of gas turbine applications. Advances achieved in aircraft engine technology (such as; airfoil loading, single crystal airfoils, and thermal barrier coatings) are being transferred to the industrial gas turbine. Improvement in power output and efficiency rests primarily on increases in turbine inlet temperature. While increased power (in excess of 200+ megawatts) will be provided without increasing the size of the gas turbine unit, the balance of plant equipment (such as; pre- and inter-coolers, regenerators, combined cycles, gasifiers, etc.) will increase the overhaul size of the facility.
