The Impact of Atmospheric Conditions on Gas Turbine Performance

1990 ◽  
Vol 112 (4) ◽  
pp. 590-596 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. A. El Hadik

In a hot summer climate, as in Kuwait and other Arabian Gulf countries, the performance of a gas turbine deteriorates drastically during the high-temperature hours (up to 60°C in Kuwait). Power demand is the highest at these times. This necessitates an increase in installed gas turbine capacities to balance this deterioration. Gas turbines users are becoming aware of this problem as they depend more on gas turbines to satisfy their power needs and process heat for desalination due to the recent technical and economical development of gas turbines. This paper is devoted to studying the impact of atmospheric conditions, such as ambient temperature, pressure, and relative humidity on gas turbine performance. The reason for considering air pressures different from standard atmospheric pressure at the compressor inlet is the variation of this pressure with altitude. The results of this study can be generalized to include the cases of flights at high altitudes. A fully interactive computer program based on the derived governing equations is developed. The effects of typical variations of atmospheric conditions on power output and efficiency are considered. These include ambient temperature (range from −20 to 60°C), altitude (range from zero to 2000 m above sea level), and relative humidity (range from zero to 100 percent). The thermal efficiency and specific net work of a gas turbine were calculated at different values of maximum turbine inlet temperature (TIT) and variable environmental conditions. The value of TIT is a design factor that depends on the material specifications and the fuel/air ratio. Typical operating values of TIT in modern gas turbines were chosen for this study: 1000, 1200, 1400, and 1600 K. Both partial and full loads were considered in the analysis. Finally the calculated results were compared with actual gas turbine data supplied by manufacturers.

Author(s):  
Maryam Besharati-Givi ◽  
Xianchang Li

Gas turbines play an important role in power generation, and it is therefore desired to operate gas turbines with high efficiency and power output. One of the most influential parameters on the performance of a gas turbine is the ambient condition. It is known that inlet cooling can improve the gas turbine performance, especially when the ambient temperature is high. This study examines the effect of inlet cooling with different operating parameters such as compressor inlet temperature, turbine inlet temperature, air fuel ratio, and pressure ratio. Furthermore, the coefficient of performance (COP) of the cooling system is considered a function of the ambient temperature. Aspen Plus software is used to simulate the system under a steady-flow condition. The results indicate that the cooling of the compressor inlet air can substantially improve the power output as well as the overall efficiency of system. More importantly, there exists an optimal temperature at which the inlet cooling should be operated to achieve the highest efficiency.


Author(s):  
V. C. Tendon ◽  
A. Zabrodsky

Development and operation of larger size gas turbines have demonstrated that higher turbine inlet temperature can be sustained due to advancement in material and cooling technology. After a feasibility study it was determined that modern available technology can be applied to existing previous generation of machines. These programs are identified as “The Performance Upgrade of Gas Turbine”. Amongst the significant benefits that can be realized by retrofitting state of art parts in existing machines are higher power and more durable parts. This paper discusses various programs that are currently offered and implementation technique of upgrading the machines. A recent example is also presented. These unique programs are particularly attractive at the time of overall life consumption of the initial set of hot parts. At that point in an operating gas turbine it will be beneficial to retrofit the latest configuration parts to realize the performance improvements.


Author(s):  
Raik C. Orbay ◽  
Magnus Genrup ◽  
Pontus Eriksson ◽  
Jens Klingmann

When low calorific value gases are fired, the performance and stability of gas turbines may deteriorate due to a large amount of inertballast and changes in working fluid properties. Since it is rather rare to have custom-built gas turbines for low lower heating value (LHV) operation, the engine will be forced to operate outside its design envelope. This, in turn, poses limitations to usable fuel choices. Typical restraints are decrease in Wobbe index and surge and flutter margins for turbomachinery. In this study, an advanced performance deck has been used to quantify the impact of firing low-LHV gases in a generic-type recuperated as well as unrecuperated gas turbine. A single-shaft gas turbine characterized by a compressor and an expander map is considered. Emphasis has been put on predicting the off-design behavior. The combustor is discussed and related to previous experiments that include investigation of flammability limits, Wobbe index, flame position, etc. The computations show that at constant turbine inlet temperature, the shaft power and the pressure ratio will increase; however, the surge margin will decrease. Possible design changes in the component level are also discussed. Aerodynamic issues (and necessary modifications) that can pose severe limitations on the gas turbine compressor and turbine sections are discussed. Typical methods for axial turbine capacity adjustment are presented and discussed.


2014 ◽  
Vol 136 (10) ◽  
Author(s):  
Uyioghosa Igie ◽  
Pericles Pilidis ◽  
Dimitrios Fouflias ◽  
Kenneth Ramsden ◽  
Panagiotis Laskaridis

Industrial gas turbines are susceptible to compressor fouling, which is the deposition and accretion of airborne particles or contaminants on the compressor blades. This paper demonstrates the blade aerodynamic effects of fouling through experimental compressor cascade tests and the accompanied engine performance degradation using turbomatch, an in-house gas turbine performance software. Similarly, on-line compressor washing is implemented taking into account typical operating conditions comparable with industry high pressure washing. The fouling study shows the changes in the individual stage maps of the compressor in this condition, the impact of degradation during part-load, influence of control variables, and the identification of key parameters to ascertain fouling levels. Applying demineralized water for 10 min, with a liquid-to-air ratio of 0.2%, the aerodynamic performance of the blade is shown to improve, however most of the cleaning effect occurred in the first 5 min. The most effectively washed part of the blade was the pressure side, in which most of the particles deposited during the accelerated fouling. The simulation of fouled and washed engine conditions indicates 30% recovery of the lost power due to washing.


Author(s):  
Maryam Besharati-Givi ◽  
Xianchang Li

The increase of power need raises the awareness of producing energy more efficiently. Gas turbine has been one of the important workhorses for power generation. The effects of parameters in design and operation on the power output and efficiency have been extensively studied. It is well-known that the gas turbine inlet temperature (TIT) needs to be high for high efficiency as well as power production. However, there are some material restrictions with high-temperature gas especially for the first row of blades. As a result blade cooling is needed to help balance between the high TIT and the material limitations. The increase of TIT is also limited by restriction of emissions. While the blade cooling can allow a higher TIT and better turbine performance, there is also a penalty since the compressed air used for cooling is removed from the combustion process. Therefore, an optimal cooling flow may exist for the overall efficiency and net power output. In this paper the relationship between the TIT and amount of cooling air is studied. The TIT increase due to blade cooling is considered as a function of cooling air flow as well as cooling effectiveness. In another word, the increase of the TIT is limited while the cooling air can be increased continuously. Based on the relationship proposed the impact of blade cooling on the gas turbine performance is investigated. Compared to the simple cycle case without cooling, the blade cooling can increase the efficiency from 28.8 to 34.0% and the net power from 105 to 208 MW. Cases with different operation conditions such as pressure ratios as well as design aspects with regeneration are considered. Aspen plus software is used to simulate the cycles.


2018 ◽  
Vol 20 ◽  
pp. 78-85 ◽  
Author(s):  
Iacopo Rossi ◽  
Alberto Traverso

In the panorama of gas turbines for energy production, a great relevance is given to performance impact of the ambient conditions. Under the influence of ambient temperature, humidity and other factors, the engine performance is subject to consistent variations. This is true for large power plants as well as small engines. In Combined Cycle configuration, variation in performance are mitigated by the HRSG and the bottoming steam cycle. In a small scale system, such as a micro gas turbine, the influence on the electric and thermal power productions is strong as well, and is not mitigated by a bottoming cycle. This work focuses on the Turbec T100 micro gas turbine and its performance through a series of operations with different ambient temperatures. The goal is to characterize the engine performance deriving simple correlations for the influence of ambient temperature on performance, at different electrical loads. The newly obtained experimental data are compared with previous performance curves on a modified machine, to capture the differences due to hardware degradation in time. An active management of the compressor inlet temperature may be developed in the future, basing on the analysis reported here.


Author(s):  
Konstantinos G. Kyprianidis ◽  
Vishal Sethi ◽  
Stephen O. T. Ogaji ◽  
Pericles Pilidis ◽  
Riti Singh ◽  
...  

In this two-part publication, various aspects of thermo-fluid modelling for gas turbines are described and their impact on performance calculations and emissions predictions at aircraft system level is assessed. Accurate and reliable fluid modelling is essential for any gas turbine performance simulation software as it provides a robust foundation for building advanced multi-disciplinary modelling capabilities. Caloric properties for generic and semi-generic gas turbine performance simulation codes can be calculated at various levels of fidelity; selection of the fidelity level is dependent upon the objectives of the simulation and execution time constraints. However, rigorous fluid modelling may not necessarily improve performance simulation accuracy unless all modelling assumptions and sources of uncertainty are aligned to the same level. Certain modelling aspects such as the introduction of chemical kinetics, and dissociation effects, may reduce computational speed and this is of significant importance for radical space exploration and novel propulsion cycle assessment. This paper describes and compares fluid models, based on different levels of fidelity, which have been developed for an industry standard gas turbine performance simulation code and an environmental assessment tool for novel propulsion cycles. The latter comprises the following modules: engine performance, aircraft performance, emissions prediction, and environmental impact. The work presented aims to fill the current literature gap by: (i) investigating the common assumptions made in thermo-fluid modelling for gas turbines and their effect on caloric properties and (ii) assessing the impact of uncertainties on performance calculations and emissions predictions at aircraft system level. In Part I of this two-part publication, a comprehensive analysis of thermo-fluid modelling for gas turbines is presented and the fluid models developed are discussed in detail. Common technical models, used for calculating caloric properties, are compared while typical assumptions made in fluid modelling, and the uncertainties induced, are examined. Several analyses, which demonstrate the effects of composition, temperature and pressure on caloric properties of working mediums for gas turbines, are presented. The working mediums examined include dry air and combustion products for various fuels and H/C ratios. The errors induced by ignoring dissociation effects are also discussed.


Author(s):  
S. M. Camporeale ◽  
B. Fortunato

A modeling study has been carried out in order to determine the behavior of evaporative industrial gas turbines power plants at part-load and for varying ambient temperature. On-design and off-design performance have been analyzed by means of a computational program developed for the analysis of advanced cycles. In order to verify the mathematical model and to evaluate the characteristics of up-to-date gas turbine technology, an industrial engine, presently available on the market, has been simulated. A double-shaft gas turbine for power generation has been considered. On-design performance and ratings vs. ambient temperature have been evaluated, with good accordance. It is assumed that, in order to realize a Recuperated Water Injected (RWI) cycle, the industrial gas turbine could be modified, maintaining substantially unchanged the compression system and modifying the turbine blades. The thermodynamic analysis of the cycle has been carried out in order to determine efficiency and power output as a function of the amount of water addition. The RWI cycle gas turbine has been designed and the characteristic maps of the two new turbines have been evaluated. The regulation is performed by means of the simultaneous manipulation of fuel flow rate, water rate, and position of the free turbine nozzle guide vanes (NGV). The regulation criteria, the interaction among the input variables, the safety of the operations (max. turbine inlet temperature, surge limits) and the optimization of the part-load efficiency, are examined and discussed. Ratings as a function of the ambient temperature are examined. The possibility to manipulate the water rate and the position of the NGV in order to provide high efficiency and power output, even on hot days, has been examined. The paper shows that maintaining constant the temperature at the power turbine exit, ratings decrease of 17% in power and 5% in efficiency.


Author(s):  
Raik C. Orbay ◽  
Magnus Genrup ◽  
Pontus Eriksson ◽  
Jens Klingmann

When low calorific value gases are fired, the performance and stability of gas turbines may deteriorate due to a large amount of inert ballast and changes in working fluid properties. Since it is rather rare to have custom-built gas turbines for low Lower Heating Value (LHV) operation, the engine will be forced to operate outside its design envelope. This, in turn, poses limitations to usable fuel choices. Typical restraints are decrease in Wobbe-index and surge- and flutter-margins for turbomachinery. In this study, an advanced performance deck has been used to quantify the impact of firing low-LHV gases in a generic type gas turbine. A single-shaft gas turbine characterized by a compressor and an expander map is considered. Emphasis has been put on predicting the off-design behavior. The combustor is discussed and related to previous experiments which include investigation of flammability limits, Wobbe-index, flame position, etc. The computations show that at constant turbine inlet temperature (TIT), the shaft power and the pressure ratio will increase, however the surge margin will decrease. Possible design changes in the component level are also discussed. Aerodynamic issues (and necessary modifications) that can pose severe limitations on the gas turbine compressor- and turbine sections are discussed. Typical methods for axial turbine capacity adjustment are presented and discussed.


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