Considering the increasing interest on the reduction of pollutant emissions, ENEL Produzione is pursuing the integration of an innovative hydrogen-fed gas turbine cycle into the existing coal-fired power station in Fusina (VE). The purpose is to develop and demonstrate the first hydrogen-coal combined cycle in the world. The University of Genoa is collaborating on this project with ENEL regarding the study of the gas turbine blade cooling. An original flexible computational tool, proprietary to DIMSET, for the complete analysis (convective and film) of high-temperature gas-turbine stages was adapted to the specific geometry of Nuovo Pignone GE10 gas turbine. The model evaluates the mainstream gas flow conditions and the velocity at the mean stage diameter in a series of computational sections in the axial direction of the expander. The impact of hydrogen and steam on the thermal exchange with turbine blades have been evaluated. This work described the phenomena undergoing in the cooled expansion of steam rich mixtures, showing, in general, an increase in blade temperature due to the variation in steam content and velocity of the mainstream as far as hydrogen and steam are employed to replace natural gas fuel.
