System and Method to Integrate Condensed Water with Improved Cooler Performance

Abstract

A method and system for cooling a process fluid is disclosed. An inlet air stream of a turbine is cooled with an inlet air cooling system. Moisture contained in the cooled inlet air stream is condensed and separated from the cooled inlet air stream to produce a water stream in an open-loop circuit. The water stream is sprayed into an air cooler air stream. The combined air cooler air stream and sprayed water stream is directed through an air cooler. Heat is exchanged between the process fluid and the combined air cooler air stream and sprayed water stream to thereby condense, chill, or sub-cool the process fluid.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for cooling a process fluid, comprising:
 cooling an inlet air stream of a turbine with an inlet air cooling system;   condensing moisture contained in the cooled inlet air stream;   separating the moisture from the cooled inlet air stream to produce a water stream in an open-loop circuit;   spraying the water stream into an air cooler air stream;   directing the combined air cooler air stream and sprayed water stream through an air cooler; and   exchanging heat between the process fluid and the combined air cooler air stream and sprayed water stream to thereby condense, chill, or sub-cool the process fluid.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the air cooler includes a tube bundle, and wherein the step of exchanging heat comprises:
 passing the process fluid through the tube bundle; and   directing the combined air cooler air stream and sprayed water stream over or across the tube bundle.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein directing the combined air cooler air stream and the sprayed water stream is accomplished using a fan. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein a flow rate or velocity of the air cooler air stream is adjusted using one or more of a fan speed control, a fan blade pitch control, and a damper adjustment. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the air cooler air stream flow rate or velocity is adjusted based on at least one of: relative humidity of the air cooler air stream, flow rate of the sprayed water stream, ambient temperature, barometric pressure, psychometric air data, ambient relative humidity, air stream temperature, and temperature of the sprayed water stream. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein separating the moisture is accomplished by a separating device selected from an inertial separator, a vane separator, a plenum, and a coalescer. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising at least partially filtering the inlet air stream before cooling the inlet air stream. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the process stream is a hydrocarbon process stream requiring heat rejection. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the process stream is a process stream in one of a pharmaceutical manufacturing process, a power generation process, and a chemical manufacturing process. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the inlet air stream, the turbine, and the inlet air cooling system are a first inlet air stream, a first turbine, and a first inlet air cooling system, respectively, the method further comprising:
 cooling a second inlet air stream of a second turbine with a second inlet air cooling system;   condensing moisture contained in the second cooled inlet air stream;   separating the moisture from the second cooled inlet air stream; and   directing the water into the water stream.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein cooling the inlet air stream of the turbine with the inlet air cooling system comprises chilling the inlet air stream from about a dry bulb temperature of the inlet air stream to a temperature below a wet bulb temperature of the inlet air stream. 
     
     
         12 . A system for cooling a process fluid in a hydrocarbon process processing natural gas to produce liquefied natural gas, the system comprising:
 a gas turbine;   a chiller located at an inlet of the gas turbine, the chiller configured to chill an inlet air stream from about its dry bulb temperature to a temperature below its wet bulb temperature;   a separator located downstream of the chiller and configured to separate water in the chilled inlet air stream and produce a water stream in an open-loop circuit; and   a wet air fin cooler that combines the water stream with an air cooler air stream to condense, chill, or sub-cool the process fluid passing through the wet air fin cooler.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the wet air fin cooler comprises:
 a tube bundle through which the process fluid passes;   a spray header configured to spray the water stream into the air cooler air stream; and   a fan that forces the air stream and sprayed water stream over or across the tube bundle.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , further comprising a fan controller that controls at least one of a speed of the fan, a pitch of a blade of the fan, and a damper associated with the fan. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the separator is one of an inertial separator, a vane separator, a plenum, and a coalescer. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 12 , further comprising a filter arranged to at least partially filter the inlet air stream before the inlet air stream is chilled by the chiller. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the filter comprises a moisture barrier. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the gas turbine, the chiller, the inlet air stream, and the separator are a first gas turbine, a first chiller, a first inlet air stream, and a first separator, and further comprising:
 a second gas turbine;   a second chiller located at an inlet of the second gas turbine, the second cooler configured to chill a second inlet air stream from about its dry bulb temperature to a temperature below its wet bulb temperature; and   a second separator located downstream of the second chiller and configured to separate water in the chilled second inlet air stream and deliver the separated water into the water stream.   
     
     
         19 . A method for cooling a process fluid, comprising:
 cooling an inlet air stream of a process component with an inlet air cooling system;   condensing moisture contained in the cooled inlet air stream;   separating the moisture from the cooled inlet air stream to produce water stream in an open-loop circuit;   spraying the water stream into an air cooler air stream;   directing the combined air cooler air stream and sprayed water stream through an air cooler; and   exchanging heat between the process fluid and the combined air cooler air stream and sprayed water stream to thereby condense, chill, or sub-cool the process fluid.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the air cooler includes a tube bundle, and wherein the step of exchanging heat comprises:
 passing the process fluid through the tube bundle; and   directing the combined air cooler air stream and sprayed water stream over or across the tube bundle.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein directing the combined air cooler air stream and the sprayed water stream is accomplished using a fan. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein a flow rate or velocity of the air cooler air stream is adjusted using one or more of a fan speed control, a fan blade pitch control, and a damper adjustment. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the air cooler air stream flow rate or velocity is adjusted based on at least one of: relative humidity of the air cooler air stream, flow rate of the sprayed water stream, ambient temperature, barometric pressure, psychometric air data, ambient relative humidity, air stream temperature, and temperature of the sprayed water stream. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein separating the moisture is accomplished by a separating device selected from an inertial separator, a vane separator, a plenum, and a coalescer. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising at least partially filtering the inlet air stream before cooling the inlet air stream. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein cooling the inlet air stream of the process component with the inlet air cooling system comprises chilling the inlet air stream from about a dry bulb temperature of the inlet air stream to a temperature below a wet bulb temperature of the inlet air stream.