7EA Users Group
Problem-solving focus of most
presentations, interactive
‘hot-topic’ discussions
Las Vegas has some com-
pelling qualities as a meet-
ing location: plenty of hotel
rooms, quality restaurants,
and direct flights to most
US locations. However, it
also has many distractions.
One might expect these
distractions to adversely
impact attendance at a seri-
ous technical meeting as
they do the availability of
Ulozas Beatty
knowledgeable booth personnel at
large trade shows. But that certainly
was not the case at the 7EA Users
Group’s annual meeting in early
November at the Riviera Hotel.
Each day Chairman Mike Hoy
(mdhoy@tva.gov), manager of techni-
cal support for TVA’s combustion tur-
bines and distributed resources group,
called the meeting to order all seats
were occupied. More than 80 users
attended; 59 companies exhibited at
the vendor fair after the first day’s
sessions concluded. Vendor personnel
were invited to participate in the con-
ference program on the second day.
To receive information
on the 2006 7EA Users
conference. . . .
. . . .as it becomes available, con-
tact Wickey Elmo today (wickel-
mo@goosecreeksys.com, 704-753-
5377). Goose Creek Systems Inc,
Indian Trail, NC, has been selected
by the 7EA Users Group Steering
Committee to administer the 2006
meeting.
 COMBINED CYCLE JOURNAL, Fourth Quarter 2005
There was plenty to
learn from 10 formal
presentations cover-
ing user experience
and problem-solving,
vendor solutions, and
technology innovation.
Sandwiched between
the formal presenta-
tions were 11 so-called
“hot-topic” discussions
that invited partici-
Hoy
Edmondson Davies
pation of all user attendees. Group
meals, a stage show, and trip to
Hoover Dam rounded out the pro-
gram and allowed a more relaxed
environment for follow-on discus-
sions. The 2005 annual meeting
was managed by Lockwood Greene,
Charlotte, NC, under the direction of
Doug Vandergriff.
Hoy’s first meeting as chairman of
the 7EA Users was big success judging
from the paucity of empty seats during
the day and the engaging conversa-
tion during the discussion periods. He
replaced Paul Bruning as chairman
early this year. Recall that Bruning
(pbruning@calpine.com), who man-
ages the Sumas plant in Washington
state for third-party operator, Calpine
Corp, chaired the group’s meetings for
the previous three years. He remains
on the steering committee.
Other members of the steering
committee are:
n Dave Ulozas (dwuloza@nppd.
com), plant manager, Nebraska
Public Power District.
n Paul Beatty (pabeatty@duke-
energy.com), O&M superinten-
dent for Duke Energy’s Lincoln,
Mill Creek, and Buzzard Roost
peaking stations.
n Kris Edmondson (kris.edmond-
son@pgnmail.com), Progress
Energy Florida Inc.
n George Davies (gadavies@tid.org),
manager, CT department, Tur-
lock Irrigation District.
n Lane Watson (lane.watson@
fmglobal.com), engineer, chemical
operations, FM Global.
The 7EA Users serves owner/
operators of the more
than 1000 7B, 7E,
and 7EA gas turbines
(GTs) worldwide—or
about one-third of GE
Energy’s (Atlanta)
frame fleet. Since its
inception 10 years
ago, the user group
has grown to over 300
individuals who rep-
Watson resent more than 100
companies. An active
e-mail forum is extremely useful for
sharing common problems/solutions.
However, there is no substitute for
a face-to-face meeting that promotes
open discussion among participants.
Keep in mind as you read through
this section that the information pro-
vided is merely “the tip of the iceberg”
in terms of content delivered. The
editors have focused on meeting high-
lights to manage the overall length of
the 7EA conference report. To extract
maximum value from any user con-
ference, you must attend in person.
User experience
and problem-
solving
Internal misalignment
probable source of
bearing problems
The technical portion of the meeting
began immediately after the morn-
ing coffee break on the first day with
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7EA Users Group
1. Rail wear on turbine third-stage
buckets is one indicator of possible
internal misalignment
3. Rubbing of compressor-blade
tips against the casing in the area of
rows five to 10 is yet another sign of
possible internal misalignment of the
7EA machine
a session on bearing problems of con-
cern to at least several users. Dis-
cussion focused on a control group
of 7EA GTs that had the following
experience with No. 1 bearings over
the last five years:
n Increasing temperature of bear-
ing metal.
n High bearing-metal tempera-
tures.
n Bearings replaced on three GTs.
Internal misalignment of the rotor
was suspect as the primary source of
the No. 1 bearing problem, for the
following reasons:
1. Bearing-wear patterns and
seal-clearance data were indicative
of misalignment.
2. N o . 1 b e a r i n g s e x h i b i t e d
increasing temperature trends on
nearly 70% of the units surveyed.
3. Specified angularity checks are
not conducted at the factory. Factory
clearance data on the control group
indicated that a majority were out
of spec.
4. Rail rubs (Fig 1) and honey-
comb-seal wear (Fig 2) often were
observed on turbine third-stage
buckets; tip rubs on compressor
blades in stages five through 10 (Fig
3).
Specific details on three individu-
al machines were offered by attend-
ees to provide insights necessary for
problem evaluation and the formula-
tion of a solution:
 COMBINED CYCLE JOURNAL, Fourth Quarter 2005
2. Internal misalignment also is con-
ducive to honeycomb seal wear
4. Lower bearing half shows consid-
erable damage after only 1407 hours
of fired operation
Machine 1. Bearing metal tem-
perature (BMT) was 275F on restart
following a unit trip at 99 MW
caused by fuel interruption. Less
than a week later, temperature
reached 300F on another restart, but
settled at 165F during steady-state
operation. Operations personnel
carefully tracked BMT for the next
three months; an outage was taken
after bearing temperature spiked
above the 265F limit specified by the
OEM. The machine was opened and
plant personnel found the No. 1 bear-
ing damaged (Fig 4). The bearing
failed with only 1407 fired hours on
the machine.
A root-cause analysis (RCA) was
performed by the OEM. The com-
pany checked external alignment
data, analyzed bearing babbitt mate-
rial, and conducted a metallographic
examination. Regarding alignment
(turbine to accessory gear), horizon-
tal readings were 7 mils out of spec;
face readings were 1.5 mils out of
spec in the horizontal plane. Find-
ings were dramatically different on
the generator end of the machine,
with vertical alignment 50 mils out
of spec, horizontal 8 mils; face read-
ings were closed 4 mils at the bot-
tom.
Chemical analysis of the upper
bearing half, which was in good
condition, indicated a high content
of lead—at least 50% higher than
the specification called for. Lead
decreases the melting point of bab-
bitt. While the average lead content
was in spec for the damaged lower
half (some sections were high, others
low), copper content was high by at
least 25%. Copper, which raises the
melting point of babbitt, was particu-
larly visible along the grain boundar-
ies of some cracks.
Metallographic examination
showed good bonding of babbitt
material. But it also revealed that
babbitt formed to the contour of the
backing-materials arrangement,
indicating that it was under high
stress.
Conclusions of the RCA were that
No. 1 bearing failure was a result of
(1) reduced fatigue strength of the
babbitt material because of the high
lead content (even though the dam-
aged bottom half was high in copper)
and (2) possible internal misalign-
ment. The OEM recommended that
bearings be checked if their tempera-
tures exceed 230F.
At another 7EA in the control
group, operators noted that the
temperature of the No. 1 bearing
was trending upward over a period of
weeks and the machine was removed
from service for inspection after only
1884 fired hours. As for the previous
case, damage was found on the lower
half of this bearing while the upper
half remained in good condition.
Data gathered on this machine
indicated that on the accessory-gear
end, horizontal alignment was 34
mils out of spec, with face readings
1 mil out in the horizontal plane; on
the generator end, vertical readings
were 55 mils out of spec, horizontal
20 mils, and the face closed 2 mils at
the bottom.
Babbitt analysis showed high lev-
els of copper, lead, and iron in the
top half of the bearing; copper at the
high end of the spec limit (possibly
slightly higher according to one test)
and lead double the spec limit in the
lower half. High concentrations of
lead were found in babbitt cracks
as well as in areas surrounding the
cracks. Lead precipitated along the
grain boundaries. Metallographic
inspection revealed cracks in the
babbitt approximately four-thou-
sandths of an inch below the surface;
bonding was satisfactory.
Investigators offered the following
conclusions after careful analysis:
n External misalignment was not
considered a contributor to bear-
ing failure, even though the gen-
erator was sitting lower than the
GT. Reason: Such a condition
would have increased the load on
the No. 3 bearing and reduced the
7EA Users Group
load on the No. 1 bearing.
n Internal misalignment was a pos-
sible cause of the bearing failure.
n Oil condition was satisfactory and
bearing surfaces exhibited no for-
eign-object wear.
n Analysis of subsurface cracks
revealed lead content that exceed-
ed 45% in some areas. Lead par-
ticles were observed surrounding
the cracks.
The OEM was said to have recom-
mended that bearing temperatures
be monitored closely with an alarm if
the babbitt reaches 240F. Shutdown
was recommended at 250F; bearing
replacement if the babbitt hits 265F.
Operators responsible for
a third 7EA in the control group
observed a step change in bearing
temperature from 185F to 230F
during one run and the unit was
removed from service for inspec-
tion. Visual examination after 2177
fired hours of operation revealed no
physical damage to either bear-
ing half, but wear at bottom dead
center indicated a low-speed
wear condition.
This unit had only slight
horizontal misalignment on the
accessory-gear end—nothing
significant enough to explain the
temperature step change. Bab-
bitt analysis revealed a metal
chemistry consistent with ASME
B23 Type 3 babbitt, which is
harder and more wear resis-
tant than the Type 2 material
specified. The wear pattern was
indicative of low-speed (turning
gear/ratchet) operation.
Another important observation:
spalling and subsurface cracking
with iron contamination. Possible
cause of this condition is lubricat-
ing-oil film loss during turning gear/
ratchet operation, allowing the shaft
to directly contact babbitt material.
Keep in mind that iron does alter the
babbitt material and cause prema-
ture spalling and cracking. However,
the degree of spalling and cracking
present for this machine was not suf-
ficient to have caused the dramatic
temperature step change observed,
investigators said.
Investigators concluded that the
temperature step change recorded
was caused by either (1) internal
misalignment or (2) the thermo-
couple short identified during labo-
ratory examination. Regarding the
second possible cause, operators
questioned why both thermocouples
were reading temperatures over
225F. Possibly, the shorted ther-
mocouple was damaged in bearing
removal or shipment.
Another conclusion was that
 COMBINED CYCLE JOURNAL, Fourth Quarter 2005
the jerky operation of the ratchet
installed on this unit is conducive to
low-speed wear. Owner halved ratch-
et use to 30 minutes every 24 hours
the unit is idle to minimize its impact
on bearing wear. Voith Turbo Inc,
York, Pa, which supplies ratchets
told the editors of the COMBINED
CYCLE Journal that ratchets should
provide smooth shaft rotation. If this
is not the case, adjustment and/or
maintenance is necessary.
Profiling a 100,000-hr
outage
Many large frame machines are
approaching 100,000 hours of service
and there is widespread interest in
the experience of owner/operators
that have conducted their second
“major” inspection/overhaul, which
usually is done at about the 96,000-
hr mark.
5. Gas-turbine rotor is lifted out of
the casing for inspection and refur-
bishment
Obvious questions about machine
reliability arise at this point, with
O&M personnel wondering about the
long-term health of specific parts and
of materials in general.
Perhaps there’s something com-
pelling about the number 100. The
human body, if it survives, is pretty
well worn out after a century of ser-
vice. The reliability of an automobile
on long trips typically is debated
at 100,000 miles, etc. Is 100,000
Bruning Keck
hours of GT operation a threshold of
concern? Should it be?
Certainly, there are “hard” hours
(cycling service) and “easy” hours
(baseload operation) for GTs just as
autos have their hard (city) and easy
(highway) miles. Most well-engi-
neered vehicles should get around
200,000 miles today with normal
maintenance. Why shouldn’t GTs
run for 200-, 300-, or 400-thousand
hours when operated on gas and
maintained properly?
Bruning, the former chairman
of the 7EA Users Group is proactive
when it comes to sharing GT O&M
experience. “We all learn from each
other,” he says, “and all benefit from
open collaboration.” Having com-
pleted in June the second major at
Sumas, the Washington-state plant
he manages, Bruning was primed for
a speaking engagement at the Las
Vegas meeting. He was accompanied
by Operations Supervisor Stu Keck.
Sumas is a gas-only, 135-MW,
1 × 1 combined cycle owned by
National Energy Systems Co
(NESCO), Kirkland, Wash, and
operated by Calpine Corp, San
Jose, Calif. It supplies base-
load power under a long-term
purchase agreement to Puget
Energy Inc (PSE); process steam
to SOCCO Forest Products. The
plant operates under an LTSA/
CSA (long-term service agree-
ment/continuing service agree-
ment) with GE Energy, Atlanta,
for “major” parts, technical assis-
tance, and outage labor.
The scope of work and sched-
ule for a Sumas major are dictated
by the GT’s maintenance cycle. It
requires rotor removal and inspec-
tion every six years, based on unit
operating time and starting fre-
quency. Primary goal of the outage
was to complete the work required
in a manner that supports anoth-
er six years of reliable, base-load
operation. A four-week outage was
planned, Bruning said.
He credited Keck and Mainte-
nance Supervisor Rob Bertschinger
with having done most of the plan-
ning. They relied on an MS Project
database to communicate schedul-
ing, procurement, and manpower
requirements. This electronic tool
summarizes outage results and
includes a record of pictures taken
and provides a basis for planning
future outages. The combined cycle
returned to service within 28 days.
The preliminaries. Immedi-
ately prior to the outage, contractors
were mobilized and briefed on site
safety requirements. GE assisted
with generator testing at this time.
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7EA Users Group
It is required every five years by the the OEM’s onsite inspection of com- good condition and required only
Western Electricity Coordinating ponents and repair work. minor weld repairs. Diaphragm spill
Council (WECC)—a part of the North Cracks were found in the inlet ple- strips were not reconditioned in
American Electric Reliability Coun- num’s bird screen and it was replaced spite of minor wear indications, but
cil. The first evening after shutdown with one fabricated of a more suit- the rotor packing was replaced to
was spent preparing components able material. Brush seals between reduce steam leakage. The MSV was
for safe disassembly and inspection. stationary and rotating components inspected and its stroke checked. The
The auxiliary boiler was put in control valves had no mechani-
service to support SOCCO and cal problems, but a hydraulic
a temporary diesel generator actuator leaked following the
started to supply power during overhaul and was replaced by
the outage. the OEM during a planned fol-
The gas turbine deter- low-up outage in August.
mined the critical path for Journal and thrust bearings
the outage. Work included were inspected and repaired
removal of the rotor (Fig 5) as needed. The generator was
and replacement of turbine realigned to the turbine. Control
first- and second-stage nozzles, systems and supervisory instru-
buckets, and shroud blocks mentation was repaired and
with new parts to improve upgraded. Lube and hydraulic
reliability and efficiency. The oil was replaced on both the GT
second-stage nozzles were and ST.
provided with the OEM’s new 6. Compressor section in almost-new condition is Both generators were
inner-diameter brush seals, reinstalled scheduled for maintenance
which also contributed to the along with their respective
efficiency increase. Note that the also were replaced to improve effi- turbines. The GT generator had its
seals force combustion gases that ciency. Bearings, bearing seals, and rotating field replaced with a rebuilt
previously bypassed the second stage instrumentation were inspected and rotor supplied by GE . This was
to flow through the nozzles, boosting repaired or replaced as necessary. planned because the original part
output. Turbine components gener- Accessory-gearbox bearings and showed indications of misaligned
ally were found in “as expected” con- hydraulic pump were changed out; field end windings under its retain-
dition, according to Bruning, and the other oil pumps, coolers, filters were ing rings (Fig 8).
machine was reassembled with no cleaned and inspected. A TIL had suggested careful
known problems. Combustion system components inspection of the rotating field
The compressor section (Fig 6) were replaced new or repaired (Fig because, in some generators, the
exhibited problems both expected 7). Excessive wear of flow-sleeve adhesive used under the retaining
and unexpected. The IGV (inlet stops, which contributed to problems rings did not set up properly and the
guide vane) blades and 17th-stage with some other combustion system windings moved. Such a condition
rotating blades were changed as sug- components, were replaced with new gets worse over time, according to
gested in one of the OEM’s technical parts. Bruning, and that coil-to-coil and/or
information letters (TILs). Integrity The steam turbine’s (ST) steam coil-to-frame shorts are a possibility
of the complete compressor rotor was path—through the stop valve (MSV), at some point. Machines that cycled
verified by NDE (nondestructive control valves, and shell—was disas- frequently were most likely to have
examination). Radial cracks found in sembled, inspected, and repaired as this problem.
first-stage blades were repaired and necessary. This was only the second The Sumas staff considered
other minor damage was blended. time since initial startup in 1993 replacement of the rotating field
Some of the 16th-stage stator blades that these components had been appropriate during a major because
were damaged during reinstallation inspected. of the relatively long outage. The GE
and were replaced. Bruning said that rotor blades exchange program (Figs 9, 10) was
Bruning said he was pleased with and stationary diaphragms were in viewed positively by Bruning and

7. Transition pieces are reinstalled as reassembly nears 8. Rotating field for the GT generator is eased out of the
completion machine
 COMBINED CYCLE JOURNAL, Fourth Quarter 2005
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ond major because routine cleaning,

his colleagues for several reasons,
including:
n Refurbishment included a high-
speed balance and tight qual-
ity control characteristic of the
OEM’s work.
n Less risk than hiring a third-
party contractor to fix your rotor
because you’re really not sure of
what’s wrong with it when the
10 COMBINED CYCLE JOURNAL, Fourth Quarter 2005
rotor is removed from the genera-
tor and you don’t know how long
repairs will take.
The rotor in the ST generator was
not removed for inspection because it
had shown no evidence of problems
since last removed in 1999.
HRSG and SCR. Little work
was conducted on the heat-recovery
steam generator (HRSG) in the sec-
inspection, and repairs had been con-
ducted during the last annual out-
age. The largest task in the HRSG
area was replacement of the catalyst
for the selective catalytic reduction
(SCR) system responsible for NOx
control. Also accomplished was modi-
fication of the flow pattern for the
ammonia (catalyst) injection grid to
enable more efficient reagent use.
Steam side of the HRSG was
found in good condition; no degra-
dation was identified. The gas path
exhibited minor cracks, insulation
gaps in some areas, and tube fouling.
These conditions all were corrected.
The SCR catalyst was replaced
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with one requiring less ammonia, allow parallel generator operation Activities in the circulating water
having a lower pressure drop, and through transformers serving both system focused on inspection of fans,
less likely to cause downstream foul- the GT and ST. The interconnecting gearboxes, and system piping. A vari-
ing. Repairs were made to the ammo- cables required for the reactor were able-frequency drive for one of the
nia storage tank as well. installed during the outage. fans was replaced. Cooling-tower fill
High-voltage electrical sys- Valves, instruments, and con- had been replaced during a previous
tem. Bruning said that preventive trols. Independent outside contrac- outage and the basin cleaned. The
maintenance of high-voltage (HV) tors played a major role in the inspec- main condenser and heat exchangers
electrical gear was conducted dur- tion and adjusting of valves and for both lube-oil and generator cool-
ing the outage and the 13.8-kV bus I&C components. A specialty valve ing were inspected and cleaned.
enclosure was replaced because it contractor inspected internally and Pumps and motors. Critical
showed signs of overheating. Clean- adjusted most major valves, extensive pumps and motors—including those
ing and inspection of transformers, instrumentation checks were con- for the circ-water and lube-oil sys-
insulators, breakers, backup battery ducted by another service firm with tems—were cleaned and inspected.
systems, and protective relays was plant staff assisting. Maintenance Most large motors were removed to a
routine, he continued; no problems and modifications to the plant distrib- GE shop for this work.
were identified. uted control system (DCS) and the The rewards and pitfalls of
The electrical scope of work was Mark V turbine/generator controls restart. Bruning rated the major a
expanded when problems were found were performed by GE and a Port- success in terms of personnel safety
with the interconnecting cable and land-based engineering firm. and post-outage operations. There
bus. Specifically, cable connections Valves, pressure regulators, and were no reportable injuries and no
had been overheated and a section filters for the gas supply line were lost time. All components inspected
of bus between the GT generator cleaned and inspected as well. Fil- either were found in good condition
and its accessory compartment was ters were found in good condition or repaired to a condition that would
misaligned. The misalignment was and line pigging was not considered allow them to operate reliability
corrected. necessary for at least another year. at least until the next scheduled
However, only temporary repairs Makeup and circ water. The maintenance outage. Cleaning of,
were made to the cable insulation makeup water treatment system and repairs on, the GT produced
and plans prepared for thorough was overhauled and reverse-osmosis immediate results: Plant output
testing after the major was com- membranes replaced. Results of this increased by more than 2% follow-
pleted. Bruning and his staff also work were particularly rewarding, ing restart.
decided to postpone fixing problems according to Bruning. Water quality But as everyone who has par-
with cable supports in the tray to a and system reliability were improved ticipated in a major outage knows,
latter date. Finally, a reactor was and the system is now easier to oper- it takes some tuning and follow-
ordered for future installation to ate and maintain. on work to get the plant operating
COMBINED CYCLE JOURNAL, Fourth Quarter 2005 11
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exactly the way you want it to. At
Sumas, the plant was ready for
restart 26 days after the outage
started, but a few of the seemingly
inevitable glitches required correc-
tion and delayed synchronization by
a day. For example:
n A faulty solenoid on a compres-
sor bleed valve stuck in the closed
position, causing the compressor
to surge before it reached full
speed. When full speed finally
was achieved, air leakage from
the wrapper joints and bearing
drain flange was excessive.
n ST vibration levels were higher
than normal on restart. This was
attributed to the tight clearances
associated with new packing.
Vibration persisted on restarts for
the next month, but disappeared
after that.
n ST output was less than expected.
The shortfall was traced to valve
problems attributed to age, duty,
and contractor errors. High- and
low-pressure steam dump, steam-
seal dump, and steam-letdown
valves all were leaking. A plan
was developed to correct problems
during planned “clean-up” out-
ages in July and August. Bruning
and his staff also agreed to hire
another specialty valve contrac-
tor to measure leakage remaining
12 COMBINED CYCLE JOURNAL, Fourth Quarter 2005
after field fixes were complete to
guide work necessary in future
outages and to minimize plant
thermal-efficiency losses.
n An alignment problem with the
breaker for the GT generator was
identified on restart and correct-
ed.
n NOx distribution across the stack
revealed that adjustments made
to the SCR’s ammonia injection
grid required some correction.
This has since been done and the
system is working as planned.
n One circ-pump motor failed on
restart. It was removed and sent
out for rewind.
n The starting motor for the GT
developed signs of bearing wear.
This was corrected during the
August follow-on outage.
End notes. Valve repairs made
after the major outage increased ST
output a small amount over the pre-
outage capability. Remaining areas
of concern are the reliability of the
HV cable between the generators
and transformers, installation of the
reactor, and losses through turbine
control valves. Valve recondition-
ing will be a focus of the plant staff,
Bruning said in wrapping up, to
assure maximum electrical and ther-
mal output at the highest efficiency
possible.
Find any chunks of
green plastic material in
your turbine oil?
Hard to believe that some owner/
operators do not participate in one
or more of the user groups serving
the GT-based generation sector. The
networking is invaluable, akin to
free consulting from experts. Con-
sider the following question posted
to the 7EA Users Group online bul-
letin board last May by one plant
manager:
While performing a routine main
lube-oil filter change, we were unable
to completely pump down the filter
housing. The unit was not operating
at the time and the transfer valve
was cycled one time to see if the
valve would seat off. Leakage into
the housing was too great to open
the filter. After the transfer valve
was cycled, chunks of plastic-type
material started coming through the
drain on the inlet side of the filter
housing. The material apparently is
from the transfer-valve sealing shoe.
It appears that the material has
chemically degraded to the point that
its mechanical properties have been
compromised.
I am very concerned that the shoes
also have degraded on the down-
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stream side of the filter. The unit
was installed in 2001 and all oil
tests have been good. Has anyone else
experienced this problem?
Two replies were posted to the
bulletin board less than three hours.
Would anyone other than a plant col-
league have responded so quickly?
Reply 1: We have experienced
the same problem on one
of our units. We noticed
a high differential across
our filters and were going
to do a filter change-out.
When we got started, we
noticed that we were get-
ting flow through both of
our filters. We were able to
drain about 100 gallons of
oil, which was enough to
Myers
open one of the filter hous-
ings. We are due for a combustor can
inspection this fall and are going to
pull the transfer valve as well. We
think that it is sealing-shoe mate-
rial. This unit also was installed in
2001.
Reply 2: Our company has four
7EAs that were installed between
2002 and 2004. The transfer valves
for the lube-oil coolers and filters
have the same GE part number that
you have. Our original problem was
the inability to isolate a lube-oil
cooler for inspection. The original
COMBINED CYCLE JOURNAL, Fourth Quarter 2005 13
valve seals were urethane and they
have been changed to a Viton mate-
rial and are performing well: No
deterioration noted upon inspection
of the shoe that had been in ser-
vice the longest. The urethane seals
swelled, cracked, and eventually
large chunks came off the valve seat.
On one unit, we had to contract with
a borescope retrieval com-
pany to locate and remove
the chunks from the piping
downstream of the filter dis-
charge transfer valve.
The dialog continued from
when the question was first
asked publicly in May 2005
until an outreach session,
moderated by Pat Myers, the
plant manager at Reliant
Energy’s Ceredo Generating
Station, was conducted at the Las
Vegas meeting. By the time Myers
convened the session, much had
been accomplished by users work-
ing collaboratively, including the
following:
n The transfer-valve manufacturer
and the GT OEM were contacted
in May; both said they were
unaware of the problem.
n The two vendors were sent failed
shoes and samples of lube oil for
analysis and RCA.
After the user network identified
several more failures, GE was asked
to issue a TIL. No TIL had been
released by the time the 7EA Users
Group met in Las Vegas; however,
the OEM recommended that the
shoes be replaced with ones made
of Viton A. Note that the issue is a
generic one, also impacting machines
made by Siemens Power Genera-
tion Inc, Orlando, as well as other
OEMs.
Information gathered by 7EA
users revealed that every plant
reporting failures had lube-oil
transfer valves with shoes made
of polyurethane (Figs 11, 12); also
that hundreds of units were at risk.
Initially, the problem was thought
to be limited to GTs installed in
2000 or later, but problems have
been reported on 1999 machines as
well. The response from the plant
community on this issue has been
significant.
Symptoms. Representatives of
plants impacted by the issue reported
that the first indication of a problem
usually was that the filter housing
could not be completely drained dur-
ing a routine filter-element change-
out. Another indicator: A visible oil
stream impinging on the bulls-eye
sight glasses installed in both the
online and offline filter housing. In
most cases, the transfer valve was
7EA Users Group
Shoe
Shoe
11. Shoe locations are identified in simplified sketch
of a transfer valve
Material recovered
from screen serving
No. 1 bearing
13. Pieces of polyurethane were
collected in the screen protecting the
No. 1 bearing on one machine
cycled to see if it would seat. After
cycling, chunks of green plastic-type
material flowed through the drain on
the filter housings.
Once the 7EA users began col-
laborating, other interesting facts
came into light:
n Some users had “quietly” replaced
their shoes with another material
thinking that the original mate-
rial may have been overheated
during oil flushing of the system.
n Others had noticed the symptoms
of deterioration, but were not sure
of the cause.
n The OEM had replaced transfer-
valve shoes on some machines
under warranty as early as Sep-
tember 2004.
There was much discussion of
polyurethane shoe deterioration dur-
ing the annual meeting. Plant man-
agers were very concerned about the
possibility of damage resulting from
the restriction or interruption of oil
flow to bearings, servos, valve actua-
tors, etc, caused by pieces of entrained
shoe material (Figs 13, 14).
Root-cause theories abound,
14 COMBINED CYCLE JOURNAL, Fourth Quarter 2005
Port
12. Deterioration of
polyurethane shoe
material illustrates that
this valve has lost its
ability to prevent fluid
Port
flow between online
and offline filter com-
partments
14. Where has all the seat material
gone? Answer is obvious: every-
where. At left are particles found in
the main tank, in the center is debris
from the generator tank, at right are
large chunks removed from the lube-
oil filter
but unanimity had not been achieved
prior to the Las Vegas session. Here
are the thoughts of some experts:
n Glycol contamination of the oil
caused a chemical reaction with
the polyurethane.
n Oil temperature exceeded the
material’s thermal rating (200F
for polyurethane, 350F for Viton
A, the recommended replace-
ment)
n Lube oil was chemically incom-
patible with polyurethane.
n Glue/epoxy used in manufactur-
ing filter elements reacted with
the oil.
n Transfer valve was installed prior
to chemical cleaning of the system
at the factory.
n Chemicals from pipe fabrication
weren’t completely flushed from
the system.
Formal research suggested that
the valve shoes most likely failed
because of “stress overload.” Mate-
rial analysis revealed both thermal
degradation (discoloration) and
chemical incompatibility (volume
swell). These mechanisms acting in
concert would accelerate failure by
breaking down the polymer chains
that give the material its strength.
RCA aside, the bottom line is
that the 7EA users collectively have
identified what appears to be a very
practical and immediate solution to
the shoe deterioration problem.
First recommendation is that if
you find shoe seal material in your
transfer valves, do not switch the
valve position until you inspect the
transfer valve. Next, completely
flush the lube/hydraulic oil system
as you would a new installation—
this to ensure that hideout loca-
tions are swept clean and all debris
is removed. Finally, replace the
degraded shoes with ones of Viton
A. In fact, it probably is appropriate
to switch to Viton A as soon
as convenient. Replacement
shoes only cost about $300
each.
Shoe removal and replace-
ment is a relatively easy task.
Here are the simple steps:
n Remove plugs at the lube
oil pumps.
n Pump oil from filter com-
partments into the main
sump.
n Remove the valve from its
body.
n Replace “O” rings.
n Install new shoes.
n Reinstall valve.
Locking in rocking
vanes, blades
It wasn’t long ago that Rodger Ander-
son and his colleagues at DRS-Power
Technology Inc (PTI), Schenectady,
NY, revealed to 7EA owner/operators
(and later to 7FA users) a cost-effec-
tive method for solving the “loose
blade” problem adversely impacting
the operation of many compressors in
the 7EA fleet. Anderson (randerson@
drs-pt.com, 978-353-5318) specifi-
cally addressed the use of PTI’s “fix”
(patent pending) to fifth-stage stator
vanes at the 2004 annual meeting.
At that time the solution had been
applied to a dozen machines; now
the total exceeds 20. Plus, nearly
half a dozen 7FAs have applied the
technique—successfully, according
to Anderson.
Of particular interest at the
2005 meeting was a short report by
Heather Regnier, PE, a GT engineer
in TransAlta’s technical services
group, Calgary, Alta, on the success-
ful implementation of the PTI solu- migrate 1/8 in. or more into the flow sioned in 1999 and had accumulated
tion by qualified personnel employed stream, which can initiate a flow about 48,000 hours of operation. Both
by the energy company. disturbance that produces a strong operate base-load on natural gas
But before summariz- once-per-revolution stimu- without steam or water injection.
ing Regnier’s presentation, lus at the tips of down- Turbine inlet temperature at the two
here’s some background for stream rotor blades. plants is 2035F.
those unfamiliar with PTI’s In the extreme, when Inspection revealed evidence of
pinning technique. Ander- sufficient wear occurs at the classic Stage 5 vane rock (dam-
son offers this explanation shim tabs—often referred age to both the slot and vane plat-
for why vanes may rock over to as “ears”—because of forms) and shim migration. Trans-
time: blade movement and the Alta considered the PTI fix as well
n During operation, indi- sharp corners in the casing as the OEM’s patch-ring repair to
vidual vanes are loaded groove, shims can release eliminate rocking—both viable solu-
by pressure forces and Anderson into the flow stream. Result tions. Pinning was selected for two
react against the case. is downstream foreign- reasons: It could be accomplished
n Loading is dynamic, as object damage (FOD). within the time allocated for the out-
pressure fluctuates about The PTI solution recently age and it was about one-quarter the
the mean. implemented by TransAlta cost of the patch-ring repair. Trans-
n When the machine is involved machining holes Alta implemented the fix itself with
shut down, the load is partway into the base of long-distance direction by PTI—the
removed. each vane (Fig 15). Holes first end user to so.
n Loading/unloading/fluc- were drilled on the two sides The TransAlta inspection team
tuation result in relative of the base perpendicular to also found damage on the back end
motion. the direction of air flow such of one compressor.
n The sliding and ham- that PTI’s engineered spring Specifically, there was a crack
mering that result from Regnier dowel pin could be inserted completely though the shroud (Fig
motion wear the vane into adjacent blades pre- 16) on the first row of exit guide
base and casing groove. venting their movement. Of course, vanes (EGV)—the row closest to the
Wear and blade motion allow any shims were drilled so they too are rotor. The complete row of vanes was
shims installed between adjacent retained by the dowel. replaced. In addition, a vane in the
vanes to work their way into the Regnier reported that in Septem- second row of EGVs was found dis-
flow path—even in the lower half of ber and October of 2005 TransAlta placed (Figs 17, 18). Investigators
the compressor. Performance suffers completed majors on two 7EA units concluded that it had been “rocked”
as the shims protrude into the flow (one in Alberta, the other in Sas- out of position. The vane segment
path. Shims have been observed to katchewan) that had been commis- was replaced.
COMBINED CYCLE JOURNAL, Fourth Quarter 2005 15
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To add rigidity to vanes at the
back end of the compressor—row
17, and the two rows of exit guide
vanes—TransAlta selected the
OEM’s “set-screw mod.” It involves
15. Addition of pin retains both shim
and vane. Shim’s retaining ears are
maintained in mint condition because
vane movement is stopped
17, 18. Displaced blade in EGV2 was thought to have been “rocked” loose
16 COMBINED CYCLE JOURNAL, Fourth Quarter 2005
locking-in vanes by inserting a set
screw through the base ring and up
into the center of the each vane’s
base. Another part of the procedure
is to double stake and peen the vanes
16. Crack in EGV1 shroud extends
through weld
in each slot (R17, EGV1, and EGV2).
Olaf Barth, an engineer in
Dominion Resources Services Inc’s
combustion-turbine operation servic-
es unit, Glen Allen, Va, took a turn
at the podium to
address bucket
rock. He spoke
of severe bucket
rock on at least
one of Dominion’s
GTs equipped
with a turning
gear. It had oper-
ated for about
75,000 hours at a
slow roll (about 30
Barth rpm). Wear was
so significant that seal pins were lib-
erated. The question he posed to the
group: What do you fix, and how?
Barth said he knew of instances
where owner/operators replaced
wheels in an effort to eliminate the
problem. Also mentioned was switch-
ing from a conventional turning gear
that typically is operated continu-
ously to a ratchet. Some users have
done this modification to get to cur-
rent design.
He suggested as an interim fix
the metal spraying of bucket roots to
lock them into the wheel. But even-
tually, Barth continued, the wheel
must be fixed. Build-up on the wheel
of a very hard material is another
 7EA Users Group
possible alternative to replacement.
Barth said he and colleagues were
still trying to determine the root
cause of the specific condition. Indus-
try experience is that the softer (than
the buckets) wheels usually take
80%-90% of the wear; buckets the
remainder. However, data from this
recent case show the opposite! Conventional liquid
fuel check valve
19. Standard installation for a liq- 20. Example of coking in a ball-and-
Vendor solutions uid-fuel check valve shows close
proximity of valve to high-temperature
spring check valve that can cause
operational problems
surfaces
Improvements in fuel-
system valves the new valve.
McElrath said this performance
Schuyler McElrath of Jansen’s Air- shows that by eliminating coking,
craft Systems Controls Inc (JASC), the check valves seal properly and
Tempe, Ariz, was behind the podi- prevent evacuation of the liquid fuel
um at the 7EA meeting updating lines. The Valero retrofit proves the
the industry on user experience point conclusively, he suggested:
with the company’s water-cooled After running on gas for as long as 21. Coking is the primary cause of
liquid-fuel check valve, which has 22 consecutive days, Valero still was failures that occur when attempting to
gotten considerable attention of able to transfer to and start on liquid transfer from gas to oil
late. Cited advantage of this prod- fuel without a problem.
uct is its ability to operate reliably Next, he discussed the future
in dual-fuel service without the of actively cooled fuel controls, some-
coking that can cause spurious GT thing that had not been articulated
trips and other operational upsets. in a public forum before the Las
A good backgrounder on the valve is Vegas meeting. McElrath introduced
available in the 3Q/2005 issue of the the company’s so-called actively
COMBINED CYCLE Journal (p 27) cooled combining valve which replac-
as part of the magazine’s coverage es in a single housing purge-air, liq-
of the CTOTF (Combustion Turbine uid-fuel, and fuel distribution valves
Operations Task Force) meeting (Figs 23, 24).
(available at www.psimedia.info/ By eliminating coking and con-
ccjarchives.htm). tamination-related failures (an inte-
McElrath discussed the past, gral fuel strainer removes particu-
present, and future of lates that could cause seal 22. Production water-cooled liq-
fuel control, including failures), he claimed that uid-fuel check valve exhibits robust
a historical perspective the new valve would require design
on why liquid-fuel check service only during regularly
valves have failed and scheduled outages. Specifi- were replaced—regardless of the
how past deficiencies cally, valve maintenance usage frequency between intervals.
can be overcome through would be conducted when In wrapping-up, McElrath said
innovative design (Figs combustor-can end covers that both valves are easily installed
19-21). He then updated
the experience with the
water-cooled valve (Fig
22) at the Valero Energy McElrath
beta site described in the
article cited above. By the end of
October, the Delaware facility had
accumulated more than 8000 actual
operating hours on both gas and
liquid fuel—6500 gas and 1500 oil.
This represents more than 96,000
total hours without a failure of any
kind.
Based on the Valero experience,
McElrath said designers expect the
check valve to have a reliable life-
time of, perhaps, as long as 20 years.
He reported that there has been a
2500% improvement in Valero’s abil-
ity to transfer between gas and liq-
uid fuels and that all of the facility’s
turbine starts on liquid fuel have
23, 24. Combining valve easily bolts on to the engine
been successful since installation of
COMBINED CYCLE JOURNAL, Fourth Quarter 2005 17
7EA Users Group

OEM upgrades and mods for the 7E product line

Thermal-barrier Extendor™ Improved Improved seals Better materials,
GE Energy’s J R (Bob) Johnston, coating for combustion cooling in for first-stage second-stage
Atlanta, is a walking encyclope- combustion system first-stage shrouds nozzle Better
liners nozzle materials,
dia on performance and reliability Honeycomb third-stage
improvements for GE frames. The seal nozzle
25+ year GT veteran recently told the
editors of the COMBINED CYCLE
Journal that the manufacturer is
continually updating/upgrading/
uprating its designs and that tech-
nology advancements generally are
available for application on older
machines in various model series.
By way of example, he concen-
trated on the 7EA. The 7Es, John-
ston said, first shipped in 1977, but
design improvements have been Better
Brush seals Nimonic transition Third-stage
ongoing and the engine has a well- materials, Second-stage buckets with
(optional) pieces (TBC coated) first-stage buckets with
defined market niche. You may improved
improved cooling scalloped shrouds
bucket
hear most discussion of GE frames
revolving around the 7F model
continually upgraded to be at the redesign of this component ever. The
series, but the OEM expected to ship
leading edge of technology. This greater air flow associated with this
more 7Es in 2005 than 7Fs.
plant had already benefited from enhancement allows an increase in
So what does all this mean to
being the first to complete a 2055F output of up to 11% and an efficien-
owner/operators? Simply put, there
upgrade. Previously it had converted cy increase of up to 2.5% compared
are many avenues to capacity and
to DLN (dry low-NOx) combustors, to the early 1970s base design. The
efficiency improvements, if the mar-
switched to state-of-the-art gas con- OEM announced that this upgrade
ket you serve can support the invest-
trol valves, and completed several is available for quotation now, with
ment. Depending on the vintage of
other enhancements. deliveries beginning in spring 2007.
your MS7001E, an uprate to a firing
Early this year the facility became Johnston said that the compa-
temperature of 2055F could increase
the first to retrofit third-stage tur- ny’s track record in performance
output anywhere from about 5% to
bine buckets and nozzles, an aero- upgrades has been excellent. One
nearly 19% and reduce heat rate by
dynamic enhancement described metric he cites to support this claim:
up to 4.6% (figure).
by Johnston as being particularly GE has done more than 500 firing-
One of the first things you have
beneficial. The upgrade was made temperature uprates and met project
to consider with regard to an uprate
possible by internal collaboration targets more than 99% of the time.
is the capability of the generator and
between frame and aero designers, IGV (inlet guide vane) perfor-
electrical auxiliaries. GE is respected
who promised a 1% increase in out- mance improvements have also
for sizing its generators conserva-
put and a 1% decrease in heat rate been very popular, with 700 to
tively so uprates generally are pos-
at ISO conditions. The plant con- 800 units opting for this upgrade.
sible, but an engineering review is
firmed that these expectations had Extending the interval between
required. Analysis of the GT compo-
been achieved. combustor inspections is another
nents and accessories also is neces-
Compressor upgrades. John- way to reduce O&M costs. The
sary to determine their compatibility
ston also talked about the benefits company’s Extendor™ system
with the enhancement being consid-
of compressor upgrades. Approxi- for the combustion system (wear-
ered. And don’t forget to review your
mately 20% of the inlet air is lost to resistant coatings and materials,
duty cycle—annual service hours
the thermal cycle because of losses enhanced clearances, and mechani-
and starts. What upgrades make
associated with cooling hot-gas-path cal design improvements) was
most sense on a cost/benefit basis
parts and with excessive clearances implemented with this in mind.
for your business case?
between rotating and stationary How to get started. Generally
The optimum time to uprate or
components. Thus there are two speaking, the further away you are,
upgrade units generally is during a
main avenues available to get better the better things look. To get closer
major overhaul when new parts or
performance from the compressor: to what performance improvement
significant refurbishment of exist-
n Increase air flow. options might benefit your facility,
ing parts is already necessary. Most
n Reduce air-flow losses. access on the company’s website
users get started by selecting one or
In the late 1990s, GE invested GER-3571H, “Performance and Reli-
two upgrades that offer fastest pay-
heavily in reducing losses, and sig- ability Improvements for Heavy-Duty
back; then add other upgrade mod-
nificant savings were achieved. For Gas Turbines,” www.gepower.com/
ules later, when appropriate.
example, use of brush seals in place prod_serv/products/tech_docs /en/
The manager of one 7E-based
of labyrinth seals can boost output downloads/ger3571h.pdf. Although
cogeneration plant in California
by up to 1% and decrease heat rate the publication is several years
recently told the editors of the
by 0.5%. old, it is good for preliminary work.
COMBINED CYCLE Journal that he
More recently, the 7EA compres- Next step would be to access more
believed his facility could remain
sor has been redesigned for retrofit detailed and more current information
competitive, even in such a difficult
to existing units—the first major through your regular GE channels.
electricity market, if equipment was

18 COMBINED CYCLE JOURNAL, Fourth Quarter 2005


on dual-fuel frame machines,
regardless of make or model, where
water is available at between 40
and 80 psig (typical for GTs that
use cooling water systems for their
atomizing air and lube-oil heat
exchangers). Depending on the
machine’s rated output, anywhere
from 5 to 18 gpm of water would be
required.
Parker Hannifin Corp’s solu-
tion to problems experienced with
conventional OEM-supplied fuel-
system valves was different from
JASC’s. Mike Doutt (mdoutt@park-
er.com), senior product engineer
in the company’s Instrumentation
Products Div, Huntsville, Ala, fol-
lowed McElrath at the podium and
presented a new check-valve design
for liquid fuel, purge air, and water
injection.
Performance goals for Parker’s
new valve in liquid-fuel service (Fig
25) include the following: reliable
bubble-tight shutoff, resistance to
failure from coking effects, easily
replaceable seal parts, easy removal
of coke deposits.
The design of choice relies on a
floating ball valve and a
high-performance Teflon
seat with a spherical seal-
ing surface. Essentially, it
combines a ball valve and
a check valve, with the
self-centering floating ball
serving as the seal ele-
ment. According to Doutt,
the flexible seat adjusts
the seal area to backpres- Doutt
sure loading, thereby opti-
mizing sealing forces. Ball cage
misalignment, he said, does not
adversely impact the seal.
Doutt added that the application
temperatures and pressures in GT
fuel-system service are very compat-
ible with Parker’s new design: 300F
typical maximum temperature; 300
psig (max)/150 psig (typical) purge-
air pressure; 1125 psig (max)/500
psig (typical) liquid-fuel pressure.
Getting into more detail, Doutt
said that the advanced carbon-
graphite (for liquid fuel service)
and “hard” carbon-reinforced Teflon
copolymer seat materials were flexi-
ble and forgiving (the seat deforms to
perfectly match the ball’s spherical
surface), chemically inert, capable of
sustained 500F operation, and resis-
tant to coke buildup.
Doutt demonstrated the ease of
valve maintenance and repair. A
“five-minute job,” he said, one requir-
ing no special tools; easy clean-out of
any coke deposits that might form.
Demonstration valves have been
in liquid-fuel, purge-air, and water-
COMBINED CYCLE JOURNAL, Fourth Quarter 2005 19
7EA Users Group
25. Reliable, bubble-tight shutoff 26. One of a series of valves engi-
and resistance to failure from coking neered specifically for GE machines
effects are among the attributes of
Parker’s new valve for GT fuel sys-
tems
injection service for as long as two
years, mostly on peakers—includ-
ing GE 9E, 7FA, 7EA, and 7B (Fig
26) and some Siemens and Pratt &
Whitney models. Doutt added that
production valves now are available Straight pleats
for a wide range of machines.
QC check for inlet air
filters
Inlet air filters are up for dis-
cussion at almost every GT
user-group meeting because
compressor health and per-
formance depend on their Curled pleats
effectiveness. At the 7EA
annual meeting, Ron Troxell
(ron@uafilter.com), engineer-
ing manager, Greenlees Fil-
ter LLC, Forest Park, Ill, led
the discussion.
Troxell reviewed filtration
basics, manufacturing processes,
and the need for careful evaluation
Uneven pleats
of competing products before pur-
chasing replacement filters. Most of
this material had been covered pre-
viously in the COMBINED CYCLE
Journal (refer to “Selecting GT inlet
air systems for new, retrofit applica-
tions,” Spring 2004; “Life-cycle cost
analysis key to
identifying opti-
mum replacement Leaning pleats
filters,” Summer
2004; “Selecting
the proper inlet
air filter for your
GT,” 4Q/2005). To
access these arti-
cles, please visit
the CCJ online
Troxell
archives at www.
psimedia.info/ccjarchives.htm. Secondary pleats
But you learn something new
almost every time you revisit a sub- 27. Cut through a sample filter
ject—no matter how familiar you before making a purchasing decision
are with it. A practical takeaway to be sure the supplier is capable of
from Troxell’s presentation was a making the straight pleats needed to
series of sketches that can assist maximize filtration effectiveness
7EA Users Group
in evaluating the quality of filters
before making your next purchase
(Fig 27).
Troxell focused part of his presen-
tation on the impact pleat shape has
on performance. He said that while
good filter media obviously is very
important, poor pleating will negate
its effectiveness. Recall that most
filter manufacturers buy media from
a paper mill—usually
off the shelf. The large
suppliers, by contrast,
often have media made
to their specifications.
Media is sent through
a pleater that makes
pleats of nominal 2 in.
depth. Pleats must be
straight, as shown in the
top sketch in the figure, Pallos
or performance will suf-
fer. With curled pleats and leaning
pleats, only about 30% of the media is
used effectively; secondary pleats also
restrict flow through the filter. When
pleats are uneven, dust doesn’t even
get into the narrow pleats.
Troxell suggested that before mak-
ing a purchasing decision, you should
cut apart one or more sample filters
from each prospective vendor to visu-
ally inspect pleat configuration.
Third-party parts: Better
than the originals?
Buckets and vanes, like air filters and
other parts, wear over time and must
be refurbished or replaced. The for-
mer is preferred to the extent possible
because of the cost advantage it usu-
ally offers over replacement. Where
replacement parts are the economic
choice, owner/operators are finding
the marketplace for replacement
parts extremely competitive today.
Third-party suppliers often are capa-
ble of challenging the OEM’s relation-
ship with its customers by offering
upgraded designs at lower cost.
Kevin J Pallos, manager of opera-
tions for Pratt & Whitney Power
Systems Inc’s industrial GT parts
and services group, discussed his
company’s capabilities as an alter-
native to the OEM and, by example,
described its replacement first-stage
bucket for the 7EA.
Pallos began by reviewing P&W’s
processes for design, measurement,
parts validation, etc. He also dis-
cussed the proprietary materials and
coatings it can offer to improve the
durability of hot-gas-path compo-
nents while maintaining engine per-
formance on-spec. Field experience
of its new bucket design was covered
along with guarantees.
20 COMBINED CYCLE JOURNAL, Fourth Quarter 2005
A look ahead CO
Carbon monoxide, ppmv
Oxides of nitrogen, ppm
100 25
Temperature range
80 20
The plant managers who attend user- for low emissions
group meetings are focused on the 60 with the ALM
15
combustor
practical aspects of operating their 40 10
facilities efficiently, reliably, and
safely—after all, that’s what they’re 20 5
NOx
paid to do. But they’re also receptive 0
to receiving, on occasion, an objec- 2250 2600 2960 3320
Combustor exit temperature, F
tive viewpoint of the industry’s
direction and to learning of 28. Ultra-low NOx and CO emis-
new developments. It helps put sions characteristic of the trapped
things in perspective. vortex combustor will eliminate the
Consider DLN (dry, low need for post-combustion pollutant
NO x ) combustion. It repre- removal
sented a significant technologi-
cal leap forward, enabling GTs OEM’s combustor liner
to operate at the lowest NOx
emissions levels of any fired
generating resource. Today’s ALM liner and
transition piece
most advanced DLN systems
Transition
produce less than 5 ppm, without piece
post-combustion cleanup. How-
ever, depending on the location of Liner
your plant, that might not be good
enough. SCRs are one way to drive Igniter
NOx emissions to near zero. But is
there a better way to reduce even
further the formation of NOx in the
combustion chamber? 29. Conventional can and TVC com-
To look ahead, the 7EA steering bustors are compared for a 25-MW
committee invited a presentation by aero engine. The TVC has no pilot
Martin Kalin (mkalin@almturbine. nozzles, secondary-fuel nozzles, dilu-
com), CEO, ALM Turbine Inc, Wash- tion zone, or film cooling
ington, DC, on the trapped vortex
combustor (TVC) that his company costs. Note the much smaller size of
expects to soon commercialize. The the TVC compared to a conventional
original TVC concept was developed combustor. A TVC retrofit for a 7EA
by the air force. would be sized appropriately to
TVC promises to be a step ahead accommodate the engine.
of DLN. Kalin views it as a less com- Key to the TVC’s performance,
plex solution to high-efficiency/low- noted Kalin, is a combustor design
emissions combustion than that enables low-turbu-
DLN. Based on test-stand lence mixing, flame stabil-
data collected while burn- ity, and complete combus-
ing natural gas, he expects tion at 2200F in 2 millisec.
7EA (1) NOx levels of less Recall that conventional
than 2 ppm from no load to GT combustors typically
full load and (2) CO emis- operate above 3000F and
sions of from 0 to 5 ppm they require about three
from half load to full load times the residence time to
and from 7.5 to 12 ppm achieve complete fuel burn-
from 10% to 50% of the full- ing. Temperature of the
Kalin
load rating (Fig 28). The gases exiting the combustor
new combustor is multi-fuel capable never exceed 2280F for a TVC retro-
(liquid fuel, syngas, etc). fit of a 7EA, according to Kalin.
Kalin next pointed to the high To understand just how different
pressure-drop losses that charac- the TVC is from a DLN combustor,
terize the DLN, but not the TVC. consider these design characteris-
Benefit is an increase in turbine tics: It has no pilot nozzles, second-
efficiency that promises a 1.5% to ary fuel nozzles, dilution zone, or
2.5% reduction in fuel consump- film or back-side cooling.
tion. For a 7EA operating 8000 hr/yr As 2005 drew to a close, ALM was
on gas at $9/million Btu, the TVC in the process of testing a combustor
would reduce the annual fuel cost by that could be retrofitted into a 7EA.
about $1.5 million, Kalin continued. Kalin said the company was close to
The TVC also has fewer parts than identifying a beta test site and was
DLN (Fig 29), a feature conducive interested in identifying other test
to higher reliability and lower O&M partners. ccj