An aircraft comprising a turbine engine, an atomizer, a reservoir, a conduit connecting the reservoir to the atomizer, and a unit for controlling the flow of liquid in the atomizer. The turbine engine, the atomizer, the reservoir, the conduit and the control unit are fixed to the aircraft. This allows cleaning in flight of at least some parts of the turbine engine.

Embodiments of the disclosure can include systems and methods for variable water injection flow control. For example, an operator of a gas turbine system may be enabled to adjust a water injection flow rate (and/or an inlet guide vein (IGV) and/or a firing temperature) of the gas turbine system to optimize performance during current conditions. In one embodiment, a provided method can include: receiving a water injection flow reference comprising one or more conditions of the gas turbine system; receiving water injection flow data from a sensor monitoring the gas turbine system; calculating a water injection flow rate value that characterizes one or more conditions based at least in part on the water injection flow reference and the water injection flow data; and adjusting a water injection flow rate of the gas turbine system to the calculated water injection flow rate value.

Thermal energy storage and heat exchanger, distinctive in that it comprises: a number of hardened concrete thermal energy storage elements; a housing, into which said elements have been arranged; an active heat transfer and storage medium in the volume between said elements and said housing, in the form of either: a stagnant liquid or phase change material, or a dynamic fluid arranged to flow in the volume between said elements and said housing; at least one means for delivery of thermal energy to the thermal energy storage; at least one means for taking out thermal energy from the thermal energy storage; and thermal insulation.

A system for a gas turbine includes a control system comprising a processor. The processor is configured to receive a signal indicating spray intercooling fluid demand of the gas turbine. The processor is configured to determine a rate of change of the spray intercooling fluid demand. The processor is configured to control flow of a nitrogen oxide (NO.sub.X) minimization fluid that reduces NO.sub.X emissions from the gas turbine based at least in part on the rate of change of the spray intercooling fluid demand.

A method and apparatus for the operation of a gas turbine unit with an evaporative intake air cooling system in the intake air pathway, wherein the return water flow of the evaporative intake air cooling system is used for the cooling of components of the gas turbine unit and/or of a generator coupled to the gas turbine unit and/or of another element coupled to the gas turbine unit, and a gas turbine unit adapted to be operated using this method.

A system for increasing useful energy output includes a source of hot combustion gas, such as from a gas turbine engine, and an apparatus that is disposed downstream of and receives the hot combustion gas and acts thereon to optimize electricity/thrust energy output of the system. The apparatus includes a housing that is coupled to the source and receives the hot combustion gas and also includes a rotatable shaft centrally disposed within the housing. A rotatable fluid moving device is coupled to the rotatable shaft and is configured such that the rotatable fluid moving device moves the hot combustion gas into a shape within the housing such that useful energy output/thrust is increased. Optionally, the system includes a spray nozzle that discharges water droplets upstream of the rotatable fluid moving device in a high temperature environment such that the action of the rotatable fluid moving device generates water vapor (steam) having a particular profile (e.g., annular shaped).

A gas turbine engine comprising a housing coupled to an upstream source of hot gas and superheated water droplets, the housing having a centerline, an annular bay section positioned radially away from the centerline and protruding in an upstream direction, a rotatable shaft positioned along the centerline, a fluid mover coupled to the rotating shaft and positioned to receive the hot gas and superheated water droplets from the upstream source and to move the hot gas and superheated water droplets radially toward the annular bay section of the housing, a separator plate that is fixedly coupled to the housing; and an extractive turbine assembly positioned downstream from the separator plate and the annular bay section. The superheated water droplets mix thoroughly with the hot gas inside the annular bay section causing the water droplets to covert to steam, and the steam flows to the extractive turbine, increasing an efficiency of turbine rotation.

Various embodiments include a system having: at least one computing device configured to tune a set of gas turbines (GTs) by performing actions including: commanding each GT in the set of GTs to a base load level, based upon a measured ambient condition for each GT; commanding each GT in the set of GTs to adjust a respective output to match a nominal mega-watt power output value, and subsequently measuring an actual fuel flow value and an actual emissions value for each GT; adjusting at least one of a fuel flow or a water flow for each GT to an adjusted water/fuel ratio in response to the actual emissions value deviating from an emissions level associated with the base load level, while maintaining the respective adjusted output; and adjusting an operating condition of each GT in the set of GTs based upon a difference between the respective measured actual fuel flow value and a nominal fuel flow value at the ambient condition, while maintaining the adjusted water/fuel ratio.

The invention relates generally to gas turbine engines used for electrical power generation. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention provide systems and ways for improving the life and reducing start-up time necessary for bringing gas turbine engines online and up to full power.

A combustor having a plurality of nozzles (main nozzles) to supply fuel disposed, includes a water supplier that is connected to all or part of the plurality of nozzles to supply water to each of fuel pipes, wherein the water supplier varies a supply amount of water for each of the nozzles to which the water is supplied.