Abstract: The thermodynamic performance of an open intercooled gas turbine power plant can be optimized by adjusting the mass flow rate (or the distribution of pressure losses along the flow path) and the intercooling pressure ratio. The power output has a maximum with respect to the fuel flow rate or any of the overall pressure drops and the intercooling pressure ratio, and the maximum power output has additional maximum with respect to the overall pressure ratio. The numerical example shows the effect of intercooler effectiveness on the cycle thermodynamic characteristics. When the optimization is performed subject to a fixed fuel flow rate, and the power plant size is constrained, the power output and the efficiency can be maximized again by properly allocating the fixed flow area among the compressor inlets and the turbine outlet.

Key words: Gas turbine, Intercooled cycle, Optimization, Pressure loss, beamforming, pressure contribution, sound source identification, spherical sensor arrays