The Gas Turbine-Air-Cleaner Dilemma

The person confronted with the selection of a gas-turbine air cleaner is faced with a dilemma because the data available to guide his selection are inconsistent and not complete. The need for air cleaners has been established. The level of air-cleaner efficiency required to protect the gas turbine from the effects of dust ingestion has not. This paper reviews the data available and relates it to Donaldson Company experience. Air-cleaner specifications and how they are influenced by gas-turbine needs and experience are discussed. Today’s gas-turbine air cleaners and what they will do are reviewed. The paper concludes that it is essential to determine the level of air-cleaner protection required by the various gas turbines and suggests programs to determine it through laboratory and field tests. Further work in air-cleaner and gas-turbine design is suggested to obtain an optimum gas-turbine air cleaner and to obtain long-life gas turbines.