Polar Works-Inlet Cooling Technology Overview-The Polar Works Approach

The Polar Works Approach

Polar Works' new desiccant-based technology brings the elements of the North Pole (cold and dry) to a gas turbine. By offering a dry technology, with relative humidity less than 65%, the Polar Works IAC System prevents icing in the inlet duct and the turbine bell-mouth. Other existing cooling technologies result in air humidity near 100%, which limits air temperatures to above 40°F (4.4°C), and in many cases to above 50°F (10°C).

More Power, All Year

The Polar Works IAC System can achieve air temperatures well below freezing. This not only increases the amount of power available on a hot summer day, but it also dramatically extends the operating season of the system. A typical inlet air cooling system is turned off at least half of the year, and the remaining time it often operates at less than half load. This translates into a system capacity factor of less than 25% overall. In contrast, the Polar Works IAC System exceeds an annual average capacity factor of 50%, with the potential to exceed capacity factors of 75%. For base-loaded plants, this means more kW-hours dropping to the bottom line, with each new kW-hour coming in at a lower Heat Rate. For Merchant plants, this means a better Economic Dispatch Order and the ability to forgo duct-firing.

Conquers Hazy, Hot & Humid

The Polar Works IAC System is ideally suited for plants in warm, humid environments, such as the southeastern United States, and most of Asia and South America. In fact, each Polar Works IAC System is designed for the ASHRAE 0.4% operating points for both maximum dry bulb temperature and maximum humidity. The first step in the Polar Works IAC System is to dry the inlet air, thereby removing the variability of moisture load from the refrigeration system. This can reduce the load on the refrigeration system by more than two-thirds, and hence can reduce the size of the refrigeration system by nearly as much.

Polar Works' Success is About Spark Spread

The Polar Works IAC System is about Spark Spread. It's a very simple and effective focus. Here's why:

The owners of very large chiller plants in commercial and institutional settings have known for years that the biggest challenge is not the heat, it's the humidity! A high latent load, as demonstrated by high amounts of water condensation on cooling coils, drives up the size and operating costs of refrigeration systems. Most large chiller plants have switched to alternative cooling technologies such as absorption chillers, engine-driven compressors, and desiccant dehumidification systems. By doing so, these owners have taken advantage of the low price of natural gas and thermal energy in the summer months, while reducing their demand for electricity.

This same strategy works for gas turbine owners. By dramatically reducing the parasitic electric loads as compared to a typical motor-driven vapor compression system, the Polar Works IAC System leaves more electrical energy remaining for sale. This is critical in regions of the country that have already transitioned to a competitive market, where summer spot electrical prices consistently reach $100 per MW-hour.

The economics of the Polar Works system are based on low summer fuel costs and high summer electricity prices. Polar Works surpasses traditional refrigeration systems by using a minimum of electricity to operate its system. This leaves more electricity available for sale at these high, hot weather prices. This is what Spark Spread is about, and it's where we excel.