The THM series of industrial gas turbines covers a power range of 6 to 12.5 MW and has been improved and uprated over many years. The majority of turbines installed are still in commercial operation and they are mainly used for compressor drives but also find generator applications.
In recent years the constraints of emission legislations for new and existing gas turbines has made a development programme for a dry low emission (DLE) combustion system essential. The combustion system apart from meeting latest emission targets of 75 mg/mN3 NOx and 100 mg/mN3 CO must be suitable for both, new and retrofit engine options and therefore compact for standard enclosure installation. In addition the design should be simple and robust with the same accessibility as the existing standard combustion system.
The paper describes the design and development steps to provide a prototype lean premixed DLE combustion system. The basic approach for a simple lean premixed design together with aero-thermodynamic sizing for pressure loss, flow proportions, stability and cooling is described. The initial efforts were directed to a system for the 11 MW THM 1304-11AP machine, with combustor atmospheric testing to verify design parameters and operating limits.
The development was continued by subsequent high pressure testing of the prototype, starting with suitable units in the MAN engine test facility, omitting any high pressure rig tests. Field tests were carried out on a compressor drive application on a gas pumping station to prove long term durability. Adaptations of the design are now engine-tested for other THM models, even recuperated ones. Also, the combustor technology and methods developed here provide the basis for the combustors on the new MAN MGT 6100 and 6200 engines [1].
