The desire to maintain power plant profitability, combined with current market fuel gas pricing is forcing power generation companies to constantly look for ways to keep their industrial gas turbine units operating at the highest possible efficiency. Gas Turbines Operation requires the compression of very large quantities of air that is mixed with fuel, ignited and directed into a turbine to produce torque for purposes ranging from power generation to mechanical drive of pumping systems to thrust for air craft propulsion. The compression of the air for this process typically uses 60% of the required base energy. Therefore management of the compression process efficiency is very important to maintain overall cycle efficiency. Since fouling of turbine compressors is almost unavoidable, even with modern air filter treatment, and over time results in lower efficiency and output, compressor cleaning is required to maintain gas turbine efficiency.

Volume Subject Area:
Combined Cycle Power Plants
Topics:
Gas turbines, Water, Compression, Turbines, Compressors, Energy generation, Air filters, Cycles, Fuels, Gaseous fuels, Industrial gases, Mechanical drives, Power stations, Profitability, Propulsion, Thrust, Torque
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Copyright © 2008
 by ASME
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