JEST-M, Vol.

1, Issue 2, 2012

Thermodynamic performance analysis of a

combined cycle system with wet compression
1

Shweta Agrawal1 , S K Maharana2, K S Badarinarayan3

PG Student, Thermal Power Engineering, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering
2
Professor and Head, Dept. of Aeronautical Engineering
3
Professor, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering and Principal
MVJ College of Engineering, Bangalore, Karnataka, India

Abstract-- Thermodynamic model of wet compression in a

combined cycle system is established in this paper. The objective of
this paper is to improve the performance of combined cycle system
by injecting suitable quantity of water into the compressor. A
Microsoft excel based tool is developed to do the thermodynamic
sensitivity analysis for the system. The results show that the
pressure ratio, water injection quantity, ambient temperature etc
strongly influence the overall performance.

limited by the ability of air to absorb water. After that air

water mixture is compressed into the compressor. Now the
compressed air is sent to the combustor where there is addition
of fuel takes place. Due to combustion, hot gases generated
into the combustor runs the gas turbine. In HRSG the
incoming feed water is converted into steam by absorbing heat
from the exhaust gas that steam runs the steam turbine.

Keywords: combined cycle system, wet compression, gas turbine

I. INTRODUCTION
Combined cycle power plants have both gas and steam
turbines based on more than one thermodynamic cycle
Brayton (gas) and Rankine (steam). The gas turbine cycle in a
combined cycle power plant, first produces power and the
waste heat from the exhaust gas is used to make steam to
generate additional power through a steam turbine, which
enhances the efficiency of electricity generation. Compare to
other power plants the advantages of combined cycle plant are
high flexibility, quick part-load starting, suitability for both
base-load and cyclic operation, and a high efficiency over a
wide range of loads. In this paper the objective is to improve
the net work done and efficiency of the combined cycle
system by wet compression. Wet compression is a process in
which water droplets are injected into the compressor inlet air
and allowed to be carried into the compressor. As the water
droplets evaporate in the front stages of the compressor, it
reduces the air temperature and therefore reduces the amount
of compressor work [1].
II. SYSTEM ANALYSIS
A. Overview
The schematic diagram of combined cycle system with wet
compression is shown in Figure 1.
First, in the wet compression system air is cooled by
introducing water into the air in the form of fine water droplets
(spray form). The reduction in the air temperature is

B. Assumptions
The following assumptions are made to simplify the
calculations however they can be refined to reach more real
solutions. The main assumptions are

Natural gas is used as a fuel (CV=43000 KJ/Kg K)

Working fluid is assumed to be air as an ideal gas
Air water mixture flow rate at inlet is taken 1Kg/s
Water amount is between 0-27% of air mass flow
Water and air inlet temperature and pressure is
atmospheric (298 K, 1atm)
Compression and expansion processes in
compressor and turbine are assumed to be adiabatic
considering compressor and turbine efficiency
varying with pressure ratio [4]. The efficiency of
steam turbine assumed as 82%
Combustion chamber pressure loss is negligible
Steam injection temperature 700 K and pressure 40
bar
Pressure ratio 10 bar where ever applicable
Fuel injection rate 3% of air mass flow rate
Feed water temperature in HRSG is taken as 300 K
at condenser pressure of 0.04 bar
Pump work is neglected during performance
calculations

C. Thermodynamic calculations
The performance analysis of combined cycle system is
based on Steady Flow Energy Equation (SFEE).

Shweta Agrawal, S K Maharana, K S Badarinarayan

JEST-M, Vol.1, Issue 2, 2012

thermodynamic behavior among its subsystem and establishes

the mathematical relationship to arrive on various performance
or cycle parameters like max cycle temperature, net work,
efficiency etc. The different combinations of water injection,
pressure ratio, compressor inlet temperature, combustor exit
temperature and several such parameters are considered as
variable. Some of the important observations are highlighted
in this paper and detailed as below.
Figure 2 shows effect of water injection on compressor
work at different pressure ratio. By increasing the pressure
ratio compressor work is also increasing. Also by increasing
the water injection into the compressor at constant pressure
ratio, the compressor work is reducing. In this paper our aim is
to reduce compressor work so that net work output will
increase. With the help of graph it can be seen that compressor
work is maximum at zero water injection, if the water
injection exceeds 0.24 Kg/s we will get negative compressor
work. From the references [1] [6] [10] and [18] the
recommended water injection quantity is 1-3%.
Figure 1 Combine cycle system

Process 1-2 (Adiabatic compression)

Compressor work
WC = m*Cpc* (T2-T1)/ c
Process 2-3 (Constant pressure heat addition)
Energy equation
(m+f)*Cpp*T3 = f*CV + mCpc* T2
Process 3-4and a-b (Adiabatic expansion)
Work done by the Turbine,
WGT = (m+f)*Cpp* (T3-T4)* GT
WST = y*(ha-hb)* ST
Process 4-5- (Constant pressure heat rejection in
HRSG)
Energy equation(m+f)*Cpp*(T4-T5) =y*(ha-hd)
Overall Performance
Net work, Wnet = WGT - Wc + WST
Thermal Efficiency:
th = Wnet / Q1, Heat addition, Q1= f* CV
Specific fuel consumption (sfc) = 3600*f/Wnet
Heat rate = 3600/ th
III. RESULTS & DISCUSSIONS
Performance analysis of a combined cycle system links the

Figure 3 shows effect of water injection on combustor exit

temperature at different fuel injection flow rate. Turbine inlet
temperature increases when fuel injection increases but it
decreases with the increase in water injection. When fuel
addition is more, more heat is generated into the combustion
chamber; this heat raises the temperature of gas which comes
out of the combustor.
Figure 4 shows effect of pressure ratio on gas turbine work
at different fuel injection. With the increase in pressure ratio
turbine work is also increasing. It has been also seen that with
the increase in fuel injection into the combustor at constant
pressure ratio the work done by the turbine has improved.
From the figure, the work done by the turbine is highest at
maximum pressure ratio and maximum fuel injection
Figure 5 shows effect of steam turbine efficiency on steam
turbine work at different steam injection. With the increase in
steam turbine efficiency turbine work is also increasing. It has
been also seen that with the increase in steam injection into the
turbine, work done by the turbine has improved. From the
figure, the work done by the turbine is highest at maximum
turbine efficiency and maximum steam injection.
Figure 6 shows effect of steam injection on net work output
at different water injection. Net work done is continuously
increasing with the increase in water and steam injection, the
relationship is linear. Work done is highest at highest steam
injection and highest water injection.
Figure 7 shows effect of pressure ratio on thermal efficiency
with different water injection and constant steam injection of
20% of air mass flow rate. Thermal efficiency increases with

Shweta Agrawal, S K Maharana, K S Badarinarayan

JEST-M, Vol.1, Issue 2, 2012

3
the increase in pressure ratio and by increasing the water
injection into the compressor at constant steam injection.
Thermal efficiency is highest at maximum pressure ratio and
maximum water injection.

when there is slight increase in fuel injection. Also when fuel

injection value crosses 0.025 Kg/s there is not much
improvement in heat rate value.
IV. CONCLUSION

Figure 8 shows the effect of compressor inlet temperature

on specific fuel consumption at different fuel injection. In case
of combined cycle it can be seen that specific fuel
consumption increase is very less with the increase in inlet
temperature it means that the effect of inlet temperature
increase is very less but sfc improves with the increase in fuel
consumption.

The system formulation and computer implementation

described in the preceding section repertoire the performance
calculations of the combined cycle system. This section
summarizes the sensitivity of performance parameters of the
major modules of combined cycle system. A design
methodology has been developed for parametric study and
performance evaluation of a combined cycle system which
shows that pressure ratio, inlet air temperature, water injection
etc played a very vital role on overall performance of gas
turbine system. MS excel based tool is developed to carry out
the sensitivity studies of performance parameters.

Figure 9 shows the effect of compressor inlet temperature

on heat rate at different fuel injection. In case of combined
cycle it can be seen from the figure that when the value of fuel
injection is minimum i.e. 0.01 Kg/s the heat rate is minimum
and suddenly there is much improvement in heat rate value
V. APPENDIX
The appendix provides the performance charts of
cogeneration system with wet compression and steam
injection.

x = 0 kg/s

Compressor work, WC
(KW)

500

x = 0.03
kg/s
x = 0.06
kg/s
x = 0.09
kg/s

400
300
200
100
0

-100

10

15

Pressure ratio, rp

Turbine inlet
temperature, T3(K)

Figure 2 Effect of water injection on compressor work at different pressure ratio

3000

x = 0 kg/s

2500

x = 0.03 kg/s

2000

x = 0.06 kg/s

1500

x = 0.09 kg/s

1000

x = 0.12 kg/s

500

x = 0.15 kg/s

0
0.000

x = 0.18 kg/s

0.020

0.040

Fuel injection, f (Kg/s)

0.060

x = 0.21 kg/s
x = 0.24 kg/s

Shweta Agrawal, S K Maharana, K S Badarinarayan

JEST-M, Vol.1, Issue 2, 2012

Figure 3 Effect of fuel injection on turbine inlet temperature at different water injection

f = 0.01 kg/s

1200

f = 0.015 kg/s

1000

f = 0.02 kg/s

800

f = 0.025 kg/s

Gas turbine work, WGT

(KW)

1400

f = 0.03 kg/s

600

f = 0.035 kg/s

400

f = 0.04 kg/s

200
5

11

13

15

Pressure ratio, rp

f = 0.045 kg/s
f = 0.05 kg/s

Figure 4 Effect of pressure ratio on turbine work at different fuel injection

Steam Turbine Work, WST

(KW)

600
y = 0 kg/s

500

y = 0.05 kg/s

400

y = 0.1 kg/s

300

y = 0.15 kg/s

200

y = 0.2 kg/s

100

y = 0.25 kg/s
y = 0.3 kg/s

0
0.750.770.790.810.830.850.870.890.910.93

Steam Turbine efficiency, ST

y = 0.35 kg/s
y = 0.4 kg/s

Figure 5 Effect of steam turbine efficiency on steam turbine work at different steam injection

Net Work Wnet (KW)

1000

x = 0 kg/s

900

x = 0.03 kg/s

800

x = 0.06 kg/s

700

x = 0.09 kg/s

600

x = 0.12 kg/s

500

x = 0.15 kg/s

400

x = 0.18 kg/s

300

x = 0.21 kg/s

0 0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2 0.25 0.3 0.35 0.4 0.45

Steam injection, y (Kg/s)

x = 0.24 kg/s
x = 0.27 kg/s

Figure 6 Effect of steam injection on net work output at different water injection

Shweta Agrawal, S K Maharana, K S Badarinarayan

JEST-M, Vol.1, Issue 2, 2012

Overall efficiency, th

0.6
x=0
kg/s
x = 0.03
kg/s
x = 0.06
kg/s
x = 0.09
kg/s
x = 0.12
kg/s
x = 0.15
kg/s

0.55
0.5
0.45
0.4
0.35
0.3
5

11

13

15

Pressure ratio, rp
Figure 7 Effect of pressure ratio on thermal efficiency with different water injection

Specific fuel consumption, sfc

(Kg/KWh)

0.22
f = 0.01 kg/s

0.2

f = 0.015 kg/s
f = 0.02 kg/s

0.18

f = 0.025 kg/s

0.16

f = 0.03 kg/s
f = 0.035 kg/s

0.14

f = 0.04 kg/s

0.12

f = 0.045 kg/s

0.1

f = 0.05 kg/s

260

270

280

290

300

310

320

330 f = 0.055 kg/s

Compressure inlet temperature, T1 (K)

Figure 8 Effect of compressor inlet temperature on sfc at different fuel injection

9000

Heat rate (KJ/kW-h)

f = 0.01
kg/s
f = 0.015
kg/s
f = 0.02
kg/s
f = 0.025
kg/s
f = 0.03
kg/s
f = 0.035
kg/s
f = 0.04
kg/s

8000

7000

6000

5000
260

270

280

290

300

310

320

330

Compressure inlet temperature, T1 (K)

Figure 9 Effect of compressor inlet temperature on heat rate at different fuel injection

Shweta Agrawal, S K Maharana, K S Badarinarayan

JEST-M, Vol.1, Issue 2, 2012

[2]

Acknowledgment
Authors would like to thank MVJ College of Engineering
for providing the opportunity to carry out the paper work and
assisting to avail required support.

[3]

[4]

NOMENCLATURE
c = Thermal efficiency of compressor
GT = Thermal efficiency of turbine

[5]

ST = Thermal efficiency of turbine

[6]

th = Overall thermal efficiency of cycle

[7]

Cpc = Specific heat of mixture (KJ/Kg K)

Cps = Specific heat of steam (KJ/Kg K)
Cpp = Specific heat of products of combustion (KJ/Kg K)

[8]

[9]

CVf = Calorific value of fuel (KJ/Kg)

f = Mass flow rate of fuel supplied (kg/s)
hs = Enthalpy of steam (KJ/Kg)
hw = Enthalpy of water (KJ/Kg)
m = Mass flow rate of mixture (air + water) (Kg/s)
Q1 = Heat addition (KW)
T1 =Compressor inlet temperature (K)
T2 = Compressor exit temperature (K)
T3 = Combustor exit temperature (K)
T4 = Turbine exit temperature (K)

[10]

[11]
[12]

[13]
[14]

[15]

T6 = Feed water inlet temperature in (K)

T5 = HRSG exit temperature (K)

[16]

T7 = Steam injection temperature (K)

WC = Compressor work (KW)

[17]

WGT= Gas turbine work (KW)

Wnet = Net work done (KW)

[18]

WST= Gas turbine work (KW)

x = Mass flow rate of water injection (Kg/s)

[19]

y = Mass flow rate of steam injection (kg/s)

[20]

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Shweta Agrawal, S K Maharana, K S Badarinarayan