GAS TURBINE POWER PLANT Aim: - To study the gas turbine power plant.

(A) INTRODUCTION:A gas turbine is a rotary machine, similar in principle to a steam turbine. It consists of three main components, a compressor, a combustion chamber (combustor) and a turbine. The air after being, compressed into the compressor, is heated either by directly burning fuel in it or by burning fuel externally in a heat exchanger. The heated air with or without products of combustion is expanded in a turbine resulting in work output, a substantial part about two thirds of which is used to drive the compressor. Rest, about one thirds, is available as useful work output. The gas turbine is the most direct in converting heat into usable mechanical energy, i.e. the rotary motion. The steam turbine introduces an intermediate fluid (steam), so the products of combustion (from the chemical reaction) do not act directly on the mechanism creating motion. Piston engines initially convert heat into linear motion which must be transmitted through a crankshaft to produce usable shaft power. But, the gas turbine, in its simplest form, converts thermal energy into shaft power with no intermediate heat or mechanical redirection. (B) ESSENTIAL GAS TURBINE COMPONENTS:(i) Compressor: The key to successful gas turbine operation is an efficient compressor. All compressors in gas turbine applications are of axial flow or centrifugal flow or a combination of these two flows. In the centrifugal flow compressor the air is imparted a high velocity and pressure rise by a row of moving blades, i.e. impeller. The increase in kinetic energy is converted into further pressure rise by a diffuser. Single stage centrifugal compressors are capable of producing pressure ratio of about 4:1. But, they have large frontal area. Multi-stage centrifugal compressors are capable of producing pressure ratio of about 14-16 with 15400 m3/min. flow rate. Due to high frontal area and less engine length, these types of compressors are utilized in small industrial gas turbine power plants. Centrifugal compressors are capable to give high efficiency of compression with large mass flow rate range and have little effect on efficiency of dust particles in the working medium, i.e. air. In the axial flow compressor, blades on the rotor have aerofoil shapes to provide optimum air flow transmission. Moving blades draw in entering air, speed it up and force it into following stationary vanes. These are shaped to form diffusers; those convert the kinetic energy of moving air to static pressure. For one stage of axial flow compressor, pressure ratio up to 2:1 is obtained and for multistage of axial flow compressor, 10 kg/cm2 pressure with 150 3000 m3/min. or more mass flow rate. Axial flow compressors have small frontal area and large air handling capacities, but due to this type of compressor, engine length increases but frontal area reduces compare to centrifugal compressors. Axial flow compressors are able to give nearly constant mass flow rate with large pressure ratio range. But they have short operating range for maximum efficiency. For this reason and due to aerofoil blades, they are utilized in aviation field and large capacity power plants.

bdrl

The mixed flow compressors combine the advantages of both centrifugal and axial flow compressors. Proper type of compressor is selected considering capacity of unit, dust particles in the working medium (air), engine size, pressure ratio, cost, etc. (ii) Combustion Chamber (Combustor) For efficient combustion, the combustor or combustion chamber must assure low pressure loss, minimum carbon formation, proper mixing of fuel and air (i.e. proper turbulence), positive ignition under all atmospheric conditions, flame stability, with uniform outlet temperature and high combustion efficiency. A wide number of configurations are used for combustion chamber depending upon the gas turbine engine and its applications to meet the specific requirements. The three main types are (a) Tubular or Can Type (b) Annular Type and (c) Tubo-Annular or Can-Annular Type For all these, the design is such that less than a third of the total volume of air entering the combustor is permitted to mix with the fuel, the reminder is used for cooling. The ratio of total air to fuel varies among engine types form 40 to 80 parts of air by weight to one of fuel. (iii) Turbine:This component is an energy converter, transferring energy of high temperature, high pressure gases into shaft output. Gas turbines follow impulse and reaction designs, terms, which describe the blading arrangement. The distinction depends upon how the pressure drop at each stage is divided. If the entire drop takes place across the fixed blades and none across the moving blades, it is an impulse stage. If the drop takes place in the moving blades, as well as in the fixed blades, it is reaction stage. The gas turbine must work with high inlet temperature. Manufacturers continuously strive to build turbine that can be accommodate higher temperature either through new designs or through new blade materials. (C) IMPROVEMENTS IN SIMPLE GAS TURBINE CYCLE:The efficiency and the specific work output of the simple gas turbine cycle are quite low. Therefore, following modifications are necessary in three main processes of the cycle, i.e. compression, heat supply and expansion. (i) Regenerative Gas Turbine Cycle: The regenerative cycle was designed to make use of exhaust heat. The regenerator receives hot turbine exhaust gases at A and rejects at B. Compressed air passes through the unit in a counter-flow direction and picks up heat from the turbine exhaust gases, then the heated air leaves the regenerator at C and passes into the combustor. Hotter air in the combustor needs less fuel to reach maximum temperature before flowing into the turbine. Thus, thermal efficiency can be improved, generally exceeding 30% against drawback of pressure losses in regenerator. (ii) Gas turbine cycle with intercooling: Intercooling is used for decreasing the work done on the compressor. The total compression is divided into a number of stages and the working fluid is withdrawn and cooled between stages as shown in the figure.

bdrl

Intercooling gives more net work per kilogram of working fluid, allowing a smaller turbine plant for the same output. (iii) Gas turbine cycle with reheating:Another method of increasing the net work-output of the cycle is to use reheating to increase turbine work. The total expansion is divided into a number of stages and the working fluid is withdrawn and reheated in separate combustion chamber between stages as shown in the figure. Reheating gives more net work per kilogram of working fluid with little increase in the plant size. (D) CLOSED CYCLE GAS TURBINE:In the closed cycle gas turbine, the air (working gas) is heated in an air heater by burning fuel externally. The hot air expands in the turbine and then cooled in a precooler and supplied back to the compressor. The same working fluid circulates over and again in the system. Due to closed cycle gas turbine, possibility of using high pressure throughout the cycle and gases other than air having more desirable thermal properties is increased. Besides the advantages of the smaller plant and efficient control, the closed cycle also avoids erosion of the turbine blades and other detrimental effects due to the products of combustion. (E) AUXILIARY SYSTEMS OF GAS TURBINE PLANT:Following auxiliary systems are utilized for better performance and safety of the gas turbine plant. (i) Starting System:Gas turbine is not self-starting prime mover. Diesel engine or electrical motor is utilized to start the gas turbine up to 25% speed of its normal running speed. After achieving stable flame condition in combustion chamber at this speed, the speed of the gas turbine starts to increase and at the 30% of its normal speed starting equipment becomes separate from gas turbine shaft by clutch mechanism. During warming up time of 2-3 minutes at this speed all the systems of the plant are checked and after satisfactory result fuel flow rate is increased gradually to achieve normal running speed. (ii) Barring Gear System:To avoid thermal stresses, at the time of cold starting and stopping conditions, gas turbine plant is kept in running condition at the speed of 2-4 rpm by barring gear system. During this running condition lubrication process is achieved by auxiliary lubricating pump. (iii) Lubrication System:Generally, white metal bearings are used in gas turbine. So, pressurized lubricating oil is provided to these bearings by lubrication system to produce hydrodynamic wedge shape film lubrication (or hydraulic lift). This system is consists of main lubrication pump, auxiliary lubrication pump, oil filter, oil cooler, solenoid valve, oil reservoir, etc. (iv) Air Filter System:In open cycle gas turbine huge quantity of air from atmosphere is sucked by compressor. To reduce erosion and others detrimental effects by dust particles, fiber particles, etc. air filtering system is provided at the inlet of compressor. (v) Silencer System:-

bdrl

Due to continuous flow of huge quantity of air in the gas turbine, continuously sharp noise is produced. To reduce this noise pollution, silencer system is provided. Generally, air filtering system works as silencer system at inlet. But, due to high pressure loss, this system is adopted in rare cases, where the gas turbine plants are near to populated area. (vi) Protective System:To avoid break down and other losses due to abnormal conditions, protective system is used in the gas turbine plants. Low lubricating oil pressure at the time of starting, failure of fuel ignition, failure in achieving normal running speed are common abnormal conditions during starting the plants. While over-speed, high turbine inlet temperature, low lubricating oil pressure, high bearing temperature, etc. are common abnormal conditions during running condition of the plant. (vii) Fuel Supply System:According to types of fuel, air fuel ratio, design of combustion system, turbine inlet temperature requirement, unit capacity, etc. suitable fuel supply system is adopted in the gas turbine power plant. This system supplies fuel to the combustion system as per load condition. (viii) Governing System:To achieve constant turbine speed, governing system is used. This system controls the fuel and air flow rate and maintain constant turbine speed. This system is designed considering types of fuel, variation in load, sensibility, speed of response, etc. (F) GAS TURBINE FEATURES:Some of he main features of the gas turbine are listed below. (i) Flexibility of Arrangement:Because of the different processes of the cycle take place in separate components, a very great variety of arrangements of a given plant is possible. (ii) Low Weight and Volume:Certain cycles may be chosen, which give an extremely compact plant with a high power / weight ratio. So, gas turbine power plant is more popular in aviation field. (iii) Reduced Vibration:Since the major moving parts are rotary, there is a minimum of vibration and unbalance ness. (iv) Easy Starting:Due to very low compression ratio existing during the starting, starting effort is low compare to other prime movers. (v) Clean Exhaust:The turbine exhausts, due to high combustion efficiency and lack of flame chilling; can meet these demands readily at even present stage of development. (vi) Cooling and Heating Aspects:No cooling water is required to cool the engine because this function is done by excessive air flow of the cycle itself. Only lubricating oil requires cooling system. On the other hand gas turbine can easily starts during cold climates with the help of heaters in short time. (vii) Multi Fuel Ability:-

bdrl

Gas turbine can run on any fuel ranging from heavy oils to aviation fuels including paraffin and diesels. Open cycle gas turbine can run with liquid and gaseous fuel and closed cycle gas turbine can run with liquid, gaseous and even solid fuels. (viii) Relative Lower Efficiency Then Comparable Prime Movers:Diesels and Petrol engines are usually more efficiency than gas turbine in the lower output range. A closed cycle gas turbine with all modifications can compete with all prime movers at the risk of complexity. (ix) Initial Cost:The cost of manufacturing gas turbine plant, at present, is higher due to use of high heat resistant materials and special manufacturing processes used for turbine blades. (G) GAS TURBINE APPLICATION:Gas turbines, in size from 50 HP to 50000HP, have wide applications in various fields today. Following broad areas of usage indicate the gas turbines versatility and suggest its wide ranging potential as an efficient power source. 1. Electric power generation 2. Pipe line transmission of crude oil 3. Process operation in various chemicals and petrochemical industries. 4. Marine application 5. Military vehicles 6. Rail road locomotives 7. Aviation 8. Blast furnace use.

bdrl