Caldwell Energy Company
Maximizing Power Output with Cutting-Edge Turbine Inlet Cooling Technologies

Gas turbines stand as stalwart champions in power generation, ensuring efficient and dependable energy delivery. Unfortunately, the technology leads to an increase in ambient temperatures, resulting in a substantial dip in power output. The integration of diverse air-cooling methods within gas turbine-based power plants can cool down the intake air, increasing power generation efficiency and paving the way for more sustainable and reliable energy production. Caldwell Energy Company is at the forefront of this revolution with its extensive experience as a turnkey provider of all inlet cooling systems. Its proven installations on a spectrum of combustion turbines, including aero-derivative, mature industrial, and advanced turbines, make it a trusted partner in the industry.

“Our foremost technology is our fogging and wet compression systems applied to gas turbines for power augmentation. They enable the precise application of fog within gas turbines and also give us unparalleled control, preventing overspray and ensuring optimal performance,” says Donald Shepherd, president of Caldwell Energy.

The company specializes in conducting a comprehensive computational fluid dynamics program to assess the stability of engine performance in the presence of fog and cooling system optimization. Fog presents a unique challenge in turbine operation, as it can impact cooling efficiency and heat dissipation processes. By incorporating specified fog amounts into its designs and seamlessly integrating them with combustion turbine controls, Caldwell Energy ensures that cooling systems are robust and adaptable to varying environmental conditions.

It excels in delivering these systems for new and retrofit applications, having forged direct collaborations with major combustion turbine original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) like Pratt Whitney, GE, Siemens, and Mitsubishi. These clients regularly engage Caldwell Energy for its unique expertise, treating its systems as a ‘black box’ that effectively incorporates specified fog amounts into overall designs, integrating that with combustion turbine controls. The integration approach enables customers to align with grid load fluctuations. As power demand increases, clients have the capability to gradually optimize their gas turbines. In a scenario with a hundred-megawatt gas turbine plant, the system can provide an additional 25 percent power on a 95-degree day. Initially operating at a hundred megawatts, the gas turbine output can be incrementally raised to 125 percent using the system. This flexibility allows for increased output as the temperature rises, potentially resulting in the equivalent of adding another gas turbine if the system is implemented across all units on a site.

Emphasizing a commitment to customer satisfaction, Caldwell Energy acknowledges that certain projects may span two to three years for complete development. This extended timeframe is crucial for understanding the specific requirements of its clients, enabling necessary modifications to the system for alignment with their expectations and efficient grid integration.

The company places paramount importance on the quality of its systems, as evident by its ISO 9001:2015 certification. It employs a systematic approach to ensure customer preferences and alterations are meticulously documented through internal engineering change forms. Throughout the contractual process, it diligently monitors any requests for updated versions or alternative software. In addition, it conducts proactive follow-ups with customers post-service to guarantee satisfaction and offer additional support as needed, which often results in further engagement for aftermarket sales and service tasks. This commitment extends to servicing its equipment and competitors’ machinery housed within client facilities, encompassing upgrades and maintenance activities.

Our foremost technology is our fogging and wet compression systems applied to gas turbines for power augmentation. They enable the precise application of fog within gas turbines and also give us unparalleled control, preventing overspray and ensuring optimal performance

An illustrative success story of Caldwell Energy’s capabilities is the completion of a series of 52 units of gas turbines in Texas. Initially designed with a capacity of around 35 megawatts, the project delivered a remarkable achievement, providing the customer with an approximately 20 percent increase in power output per unit. This enhancement enabled the customer to have an outstanding boost in power for their operations. The company has received consistent customer feedback expressing a need for a product specifically designed for industrial power plant applications, ensuring continuous operation between major service interventions for extended periods.

In response to this feedback, Caldwell Energy has re-evaluated the components used, focusing on enhancing reliability and controllability. The standard offering has been updated to enable direct integration into gas turbine systems, addressing the preference of most customers who seek control through their gas turbine systems. Caldwell Energy has also incorporated design features that facilitate maintenance, allowing users to check various functions without introducing water into the gas turbine. Caldwell Energy has proactively addressed concerns related to winterization by implementing automatic winterization features into its systems. These features use weather data to determine the need for winterization and provide users with the necessary tools to carry out this process seamlessly, mitigating potential issues associated with water exposure during winter.

Its systems also showcase exceptional controllability, a feature that distinguishes it in the industry. As a relatively small company, Caldwell Energy enjoys the agility required to swiftly address diverse customer requirements, ensuring optimal satisfaction and performance. In addition, its commitment to maintaining extensive inventories of various components empowers it to meet and exceed customer delivery expectations, even amidst uncertainties in the supply chain. Through unwavering dedication to innovation and customer-centric practices, Caldwell Energy continues to set a standard of excellence in the field of power generation, fostering sustainable solutions and enduring partnerships for the future.