Combined power generation and desalinization apparatus and related method

Generation of electrical power and simultaneous conversion of salt water to fresh water include supplying exhaust gases from a gas turbine to a boiler, and employing a closed thermal-transfer fluid circuit between the boiler and a desalinization plant to recirculate thermal transfer fluid between a heat exchanger in the boiler and a heat exchanger in the desalinization plant where the fluid passes in heat exchange relationship with the seawater. Generation of electrical power and simultaneous conversion of salt water to fresh water include supplying exhaust gases from a gas turbine (12) used to generate electrical power to a boiler (22) located downstream of the gas turbine and upstream of a gas-turbine exhaust gas stack (16); and employing a closed thermal-transfer fluid circuit between the boiler and a desalinization plant (28) for recirculating thermal transfer fluid between a first heat exchanger (24) in the boiler and a second heat exchanger (34) in the desalinization plant where the thermal transfer fluid passes in heat exchange relationship with the seawater to heat the seawater as a first step in a distillation process. An independent claim is also included for a combined gas turbine power-generating plant and seawater desalinization plant comprising a gas turbine for generating electrical power and producing exhaust gases for release to atmosphere, a desalinization plant for removing salt from water, and a closed thermal fluid circuit arranged between an exhaust gas duct (14) of the gas turbine and desalinization plant. The thermal fluid circuit includes a first heat exchanger arranged to heat a thermal transfer fluid with heat from the gas turbine exhaust gases and to supply heated thermal transfer fluid to the desalinization plant for heat exchange with the seawater.