Feasibility of Modifying Large Gas Turbines for Integration With External Heat Sources Free

This paper discusses the technical feasibility of modifying existing turbomachines for integration with external heat sources for electric power generation using renewable and/or alternate energy sources. One particular example is the use of a solar central receiver with a fossil combustor for hybrid solar thermal power conversion. The retrofit- and modification-of-turbomachinery approach would be applicable to both open- and closed-cycle operation with external heat sources. Therefore the open-cycle gas turbine modifications presented here are regarded as essential to closed-cycle applications as well. Four gas turbine models were selected as representative of the more attractive existing designs and sizes for solar thermal power applications, and the results of subsequent conceptual design modifications for near-term (20 to 50 MWe plant around 1990) and far-term (20 to 100 MWe plant after 1990) systems applications using turbine inlet temperatures of 840 C (1544 F) and 1100 C (2012 F), respectively, are presented.