Enhancing Gas Turbine Efficiency Through Air Intake Cooling: A Case Study For Iraq’s Hot Climate

Abstract

Gas turbines are essential in Iraq’s power generation system due to their quick response time and favorable power-to-weight characteristics. However, their efficiency and output significantly decline in high-temperature environments typical of Iraqi summers. This study evaluates the performance enhancement of gas turbines through different inlet air cooling techniques—specifically evaporative cooling, fogging, and mechanical chilling—under Baghdad’s climatic conditions. A MATLAB-based thermodynamic model of the Brayton cycle was used, incorporating hourly summer climate data. The evaluation focused on performance indicators such as power output, heat rate, thermal efficiency, water use, and auxiliary energy consumption. Results highlight that fogging offers the greatest power increase relative to water used, while chillers provide steady performance across variable humidity levels, though at the cost of higher energy use. Evaporative cooling was found to be the most economical solution in Baghdad's dry conditions. The study concludes that a hybrid system combining evaporative and fogging cooling provides a well-balanced approach in terms of efficiency and resource consumption. Recommendations are offered to support sustainable gas turbine operation in hot, arid regions like Iraq.