Gas Turbine Power Plant

Introduction:
Definition:
A generation station which employs Gas Turbine as the prime mover for
the generation of electrical energy is known as a gas turbine power plant.
A gas turbine, also called a combustion turbine, is a type of internal
combustion engine which burn the fuels such as natural gas, oil or pulverised
coal.
It has an upstream rotating compressor coupled to a downstream turbine, and
a combustion chamber in-between.
Gas turbine plants operate on the Brayton cycle.
They use a compressor to compress the inlet air upstream to 15 19 times
atmospheric pressure.
High pressure air from the compressor enters a combustion chamber where it
is mixed with fuel and ignited, increasing the temperature of the air to as
much as 1400 C.
The gas turbine combustion chamber is specially designed to produce the
minimum quantity of NOx. This NOx is produced at high temperature by a
reaction between oxygen and nitrogen in air, but this can be controlled by
controlling the combustion process; so that all the oxygen is used during
combustion, leaving none to react with nitrogen.
The hot air exiting the combustion chamber must have its temperature
carefully controlled so that it cannot damage the first stage of the turbine.
This high-temperature high-pressure gas enters a turbine, where it expands
down to the exhaust pressure, producing a shaft work output in the process.






The turbine shaft work is used to drive the compressor and other devices
such as an electric generator that may be coupled to the shaft.
The energy that is not used for shaft work comes out in the exhaust gases, so
these have either a high temperature or a high velocity.
Applications of Gas Turbines:
Gas turbines are used to drive pumps, compressors and high speed cars.
Gas turbines are used to power aircraft, trains, ships, electrical generators, or
even tanks.
Used in aircraft and ships for their propulsion. They are not suitable for
automobiles because of their very high speeds.
Power generation (used for peak load and as stand-by unit).
Note:
Gas turbines run at even higher temperatures than steam turbines, the
temperature may be as high as 1100 1260
0
C.
The thermal efficiency of gas turbine made of metal components does not
exceed 36%.
Advantages of Gas Turbine Power Plant:
It is simple in design as compared to steam power station since no boilers
and their auxiliaries are required.
It is much smaller in size as compared to steam power station of the same
capacity.
The initial and operating costs are much lower than the steam power plant.
It requires comparatively less water as no condenser is used.
The maintenance charges are quite small.
Gas turbines are much simpler in construction and operation than steam
turbines.
It can be started quickly from cold conditions.
Cheaper fuel such as kerosene, paraffin, benzene and powdered coal can be
used which are cheaper than petrol and diesel.
Disadvantages of Gas Turbine Power Plant:
There is a problem for starting the unit because before starting the turbine,
the compressor has to be operated for which power is required from some
external source.
The temperature of combustion chamber is quite high so that its life is
comparatively reduced.
The overall efficiency is low because the exhaust gases from the turbine
contain sufficient heat.
66% of the power developed is used to drive the compressor. Therefore the
gas turbine unit has a low thermal efficiency.
The running speed of gas turbine is in the range of (40,000 to 100,000 rpm)
and the operating temperature is as high as 1100 12600C. For this reason
special metals and alloys have to be used for the various parts of the turbine.
Applications of Gas Turbine Power Plant:
Peak load plants: Gas turbine plants are very suitable for use as peak load
plants because they can be started and loaded quickly.
Auxiliary power plant for thermal stations: Gas turbine plants of about 25
MW size are used in coal fired steam power plants for starting the auxiliaries
of the plant.




Classifications of Gas Turbine Power Plant:
Open Cycle Power Plant
Closed Cycle Power Plant
Combined Cycle Power Plant
Elements of the Gas Turbine Power Plant:
Starting motor: Gas turbines are not self starting. They require a starting motor
to first bring the turbine to the minimum speed called coming in speed, for this
purpose a starting motor is required.
Low pressure compressor (LPC): The purpose of the compressor is to compress
the air. Air from the atmosphere is drawn into the LPC and is compressed.
Intercooler: The air after compression in the LPC is hot. It is cooled by the
intercooler. The intercooler is circulated with cooling water.
High pressure compressor (HPC): The air from the intercooler enters the HPC
where it is further compressed to a high pressure. The compressed air passes
through a regenerator.
Regenerator (Heat exchanger): The air entering the combustion chamber(CC)
for combustion must be hot. The heat from the exhaust gases is picked up by the
compressed air entering the combustion chamber.
Combustion chamber:
The fuel (natural gas, pulverized coal, kerosene or gasoline) is injected into
the combustion chamber.
The fuel gets ignited because of the compressed air.
The fuel along with the compressed air is ignited sometimes with a spark
plug.
High pressure turbine (HPT):
In the beginning the starting motor runs the compressor shaft.
The hot gases (products of combustion) expand through the high pressure
turbine.
It is important to note that when the HPT shaft rotates it infact drives the
compressor shaft which is coupled to it. Now the HPT runs the compressor
and the starting motor is stopped.
Low pressure turbine (LPT):
The purpose of the LPT is to produce electric power.
The shaft of the LPT is directly coupled with the generator for producing
electricity.
The hot gases (products of combustion) after leaving the HPT are again sent
to a combustion chamber where it further undergoes combustion.
The exhaust gases after leaving the LPT passes through the regenerator
before being exhausted through the chimney into the atmosphere.
The heat from the hot gases is used to preheat the air entering the
combustion chamber. This preheating of the air improves the efficiency of
the combustion chamber.
Open Cycle Power Plant:
Definition: When the heat is given to the air by mixing and burning the fuel in
the air and the gases coming out of the turbine are exhausted to the atmosphere, the
cycle is known as open cycle power plant.
Working:
The compressor takes atmospheric air, compresses it to about 5 times the
atmospheric pressure and supplies the pressurised air to the combustion
chamber.
Fuel is injected into the combustion chamber and burnt in the stream of air
supplied by the compressor.
The combustion raises the temperature of air up to 1600 C and increases its
volume under constant pressure.

The hot gas at this high temp. cannot be allowed to enter the turbine directly
because of a possible damage to the turbine blades.
A part of the air from compressor is delivered directly to the turbine, ahead
of the hot gas from combustion chamber, so that the hot gas may be cooled
to a safe temperature of around 800 C.
The hot pressurised gas expands in the turbine, produces mechanical power
and turns the rotor of the turbine.
Both compressor and alternator are coupled to the turbine shaft.
Due to the high temperature products of combustion, the turbine output
exceeds the input to the compressor.
The turbine therefore drives the compressor and the surplus power drives the
alternator.
The products of combustion, after expansion through the turbine, are finally
exhausted to the atmosphere. The temperature at exhaust of the turbine is
around 500 C.
The gas turbine has to drive the compressor as well as generator.
Sometimes two turbines are used for this purpose. A high pressure turbine
drives the compressor and low pressure turbine drives the generator.
This arrangement has the advantage that the speed of the power turbine
(turbine coupled with the generator) can be kept constant at synchronous
speed while the speed of the turbine driving the compressor can be varied
depending on the required output.
Efficiency of Open cycle plant:
The efficiency of open cycle plant is rarely exceeds 20 %.
Because
1. About 65 % of the mechanical power developed in the turbine is used to
drive the compressor and the rest of the power is used to drive the generator.
2. The hot gas from the combustion chamber is cooled to a safe temperature
before admitting it to turbine also reduces the efficiency.
The efficiency of an open cycle power plant can be improved through a
combination of regeneration, inter-cooling and reheating.
Regeneration, Inter-cooling and Reheating:
Regeneration: It means transfer of heat energy from exhaust gases to the
compressed air flowing between the compressor and the combustion
chamber. Thus amount of heat loss through the exhaust gases is reduced.
Inter-cooling: It means removal of heat from compressed air between the
stages of compression. This requires the two compressor stages i.e. L.P. and
H.P. Inter-cooling reduces the internal consumption of power by the plant.
Usually water cooled surface coolers are used.
Reheating: It increases the temperature of partially expanded gas by
burning more fuel in it. This process requires a compounding of the turbine.
It is good for improving the efficiency of plants.



Description of the Open Cycle Power Plant layout:
The inter-cooler is added between the two stages of the compressor.
The pressurised gas, from the high pressure compressor passes through the
regenerator (Heat Exchanger) before being admitted to the combustion
chamber.
The partially expanded gases from the HP turbine pass through a Reheater
(second combustion chamber) before going to the LP turbine.
Both compressors and both turbines are mounted on a common shaft.
The alternator is coupled to the main shaft through gears to reduce the speed
to the synchronous speed of the generator.
This arrangement improves the efficiency of an open cycle plant around
30 %.

Closed Cycle Power Plant:

Description of the Closed Cycle Power Plant layout:
In an open cycle plant the fuel is mixed with air in the combustion chamber
and the heat rejection process occurs in the atmosphere as the turbine
exhaust is discharged into the atmosphere.
In closed cycle plant the fuel is not mixed with the working medium which
can be air or any other gas.
The heat rejection process occurs in heat exchanger or Recooler.
Thus the same working medium is circulated again and again through
compressor, heater, turbine and Recooler.
The function of the Recooler is similar to that of condenser in a steam plant.
Advantages of closed cycle plant:
A working medium having more desirable properties than air can be used.
These are hydrogen, argon, helium etc. This results in economy in plant size.
The risk of corrosion of turbine blades is absent since the turbine is free
from the problems of combustion.
The working medium is at high internal pressure which results in economy
in dimensions of turbines.
The rate of heat transmission is better.
In an open cycle plant the incoming air has to be filtered. This is evidently
eliminated in closed cycle plant.
Combined Cycle Power Plant:
It is generally used in combination with steam/thermal power plant during
peak load.
When the gas power plant is combined with thermal/steam power plant
efficiency of the plant is up to 60% - 70%.
Gas turbine draws clean air into through air filter from atmosphere, with the
help of a compressor.
During the compression pressure of the air is increased.
Compressed air is passed through to a combustion chamber along with fuel
(Natural gas).
The air fuel mixture is ignited at high pressure in the combustion chamber
and combustion takes place.
The generated hot gas of compression is passed through the gas turbine.
Hot gases expand, and the turbine blades are connected to the turbine shaft
are rotated.
The turbine shaft which is coupled to the shaft of the electrical generator at
the other end also rotates and drives the electrical generator.
A portion of the energy developed by the hot gases through the gas turbine is
used to run the compressor.
The residual hot gases from gas turbine are passed through a heat exchanger
(heat recovery steam generator).
The heat exchanger produces steam with high pressure with the help of a
steam boiler.
The steam is allowed to expand in the steam turbine.
When it passes through the turbine blades, the turbine shaft is rotated. The
shaft is coupled to the generator, which generates electricity.
Gas turbine and steam turbine combination enables increased power
generation.
The generated electricity from both gas and steam turbines is fed to the step
up transformer where its voltage is increased.
Then the electricity is conveyed through transmission lines for distribution.
The efficiency of this plant is about 60 70 %.
Advantages of Combined Gas Turbine Power Plant:
The efficiency of the combined cycle power plant is more than simple gas
based or steam based power plant. It is possible to achieve efficiency more
than 50 %.
The cooling water requirement of a combined cycle is much lower (40 to
50 %) than pure steam power plant having same output.
The combined system offers self sustaining feature. If unfortunately power
station is shut down due to fault, the gas turbine is always equipped with a
diesel engine to start from cold. The power required for running the
auxiliaries and diesel set for start-up is supplied from d.c. System of the
station.