The compressor section of a gas turbine ingests a constant volume of air regardless of the ambient air temperature. The air temperature and its corresponding air density entering the compressor has a direct affect upon turbine power output.  If the air density is increased, which is accomplished by lowering air temperature, the compressor has less work to perform allowing the gas turbine to increase its output.Typically a 1° F temperature increase will result in a 0.5% decrease in power.  In hot climates, this reduced power output will be significant and therefore, costly. In addition to increased power output, air cooling allows the turbine to operate with a higher efficiency thereby lowering fuel costs.  

One of the most common means of inlet air cooling is by the use of an evaporative cooler.In low humidity climates, this is a very effective, low cost solution to boost gas turbine output. More details on gas turbine cooling and AAF’s cooling capabilities can be found in our Gas Turbine Inlet Cooling brochure.