Munters Systems and Engineered Products manufactures air intake cooling systems for gas turbines. Air cooling results in higher efficiency of the turbine, producing more energy per cubic metre of natural gas.
Evaporative cooling systems
Demand for Munters’ cooling systems is expected to increase in pace with rising energy prices and increased utilisation of gas as an energy source. Munters Systems and Engineered Products has a leading position in the global niche market and is a provider of products and services for evaporative cooling, with applications for gas turbines, power plants and diesel engines. Customers are primarily suppliers of gas turbines, such as General Electric and Siemens.
The technology of the core products involves the interchange of air and water. The principle challenges are the creation of symmetric structures to create a large contact area and the chemical design of contact media.
Pre-coolers for gas turbines and diesel engines
Munters Systems and Engineered Products handles the project business with pre-coolers for gas turbines and diesel engines, globally – from ex-works supply to turnkey installation, for new machines as well as for retrofits. Munters handles research and services for complete projects.
Structured-media evaporative cooling
The basic idea behind this Munters pre-cooler technology is the increase of the combustion air density by reduction of the combustion air temperature – through adiabatic cooling. The pre-cooler systems are equipped with high-efficiency cooling media available in either CELdek® or the non-flammable GLASdek®.
Design features include:
- Self-supporting or non-self-supporting stainless-steel frames for the pads and the mist eliminators
- Pads made of paper fibres (CELdek®) or glassfibre material (GLASdek® – not flammable)
- Water circulating system including stainless-steel piping, valves and water tank
- Sensors: thermometer probe in front of / behind the cooler, conductivity measurement and, if necessary, pH adjustment of the circulating water
- Biocide treatment
- Blow-down unit
- Automatic operation and remote start-up and shutdown
- Antifreeze
Benefits of pre-coolers
Using Munters pre-coolers offers many benefits. The first is increased power output. The water is evaporated to pure cold vapour by the Munters pre-cooler. This produces a cooling effect which provides an intake air at higher density. This allows the gas turbine to achieve increased power output (at least 5%-6%, and up to 60% in very hot or dry climates) and operating efficiency.
Munters pre-coolers also provide low investment and operational costs, offering very short pay-back periods of 12-24 months. For new installations Munters is able to offer the additional advantage of integration of the intake air filtration into the pre-cooler. This substantially reduces the investment cost of both air filters and coolers by supplying one combined housing.
Munters pre-coolers are simple to install, which makes them suitable for new plants as well as retrofits. Due to the pre-cooler’s positioning on the intake air system, noise reductions of between 2dB and 10dB are possible depending on the frequency band.
An additional benefit of the Munters pre-cooler is its air filtration ability. If installed prior to the first filter stage, it will remove approximately 90% of the particles normally removed by the first air filter stage. This significantly increases service life and therefore reduces the maintenance costs. This benefit is also extended to the fine filters, where the dust load is reduced by about 30%.
The standard pressure drop of a Munters pre-cooler is only 50Pa-100Pa, which is negligible when compared with the pressure drop of 250Pa-1,200Pa by standard air filters. The pre-cooler provides aerosol-free cooled air at a constant pressure drop throughout the year.
Typically Munters media is replaced in gas turbines after six to eight years or even thereafter.
Pre-cooling of air-cooled condensers and heat exchangers
Munters pre-coolers:
- Reduce energy consumption
- Increase cooling capacity
- Reduce required size of compressor
- Allow the air conditioner to run at maximum efficiency regardless of outside temperatures
Nearly all air conditioning units used in comfort and industrial plants today use air-cooled condensers to reject heat collected in the building. Ambient air is used to cool the hot coil or the condenser. The capacity of the unit thus varies with the temperature of that ambient air.
As outside temperatures rise, the capacity of an air-cooled air conditioner decreases. The result is a significant loss in effective heat transfer from the refrigerant to the outside air. This will cause higher kilowatt consumption and reduce cooling capacity. As a result, the air conditioner consumes more electricity and runs for longer time to achieve the same interior cooling requirements.
By installing a Munters pre-cooler in front of the condenser the incoming ambient air will never exceed 25°C.
Dehumidification to protects boilers and electronic equipment
High humidity causes condensation, corrosion and rust, which in a power plant, causes problems with gas turbines, boilers, pumps, switchgears and electronics operations.
The dry air created by Munters desiccant dehumidification systems ensures that the power plant and associated assets are protected from corrosion and kept perfectly preserved ready for quick start ups.
Munters Air Treatment systems assist in all stages of a power stations’ life cycle as follows
- Operational. Protection for spare rotors, switch rooms and bus bars
- Standby. As above including generators and turbines for quick start ups
- Mothballing. As above including deep state of preservation for total asset protection (including for temporary shut downs)
Plus, unlike other preservation techniques, dry air has no health and safety issues. Munters dry air method has been successfully implemented throughout the world for more than 60 years.
Contact your local Munters office for further information (see contact info on the tab: Regional Offices).
