Thermal energy storage has been proposed as a viable cost-effective capacity enhancement method when applied to cool inlet air for combustion turbines. Emphasis has been placed on the use of ice-only thermal energy storage systems for inlet air cooling. The efficacy and cost-effectiveness of ice storage compared with chilled water storage, hybrid (ice-chilled water) storage, and evaporative cooling are explored. Detailed mechanistic models of a combustion gas turbine, ice harvester, chiller, and associated storage components are developed and calibrated using manufacturer's data. The performance of different systems with a series of four power plant load profiles is determined by simulation. Appropriate storage systems are sized to provide inlet air cooling for a combustion turbine dispatched to meet the load profiles. Capacity enhancement costs are determined for chilled water storage, ice storage, and the hybrid storage systems providing inlet air cooling for the combustion turbine.

KEYWORDS: year 1995, calculating, hybrid, combustion, turbines, chilled water supply, energy storage, ice storage, comparing, costs, economics, evaporative cooling, gas turbines, ice makers, chillers, components, performance, inlets, air, cooling