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Gas Turbine
Notes
Prepared by:
Mahmoud Elsayed El naggar
Nubaria Power Station Middle Delta Electricity Production Company
Ministry of Electricity & Energy Egypt
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Mahmoud Elnaggar
Acknowledgement
This work is dedicated to all my friends and colleagues in Dubai Electricity and Water
Authority in all plants in Jebel Ali power station complex.
Special thanks to Eng. Ahmed Saeed Negm for his great effort in writing and incredible
assistance during this material preparation.
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Gas Turbine
The gas turbine is a rotary engine, and it's used in many applications like:
Power generation
Aviation
Transportation
Driving pumps and compressors for petrochemicals
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Working principle
Imagine that you are holding a small fan (like that one in child toys) and
blowing air towards its blades, what will happen?
The fan will rotate with a determined speed and torque proportional to the
amount and velocity of the blown air so, if we have another device stronger
than our lungs blowing air towards the fan, more power (torque\speed) will be
generated or in the other hand we can drive a larger fan.
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When the compressor discharge air flows over the turbine blades another
energy conversion process will take place converting the 9 power units 9 in air
into mechanical energy on the turbine rotor, but the turbine section also has its
own energy conversion efficiency so, we can say that the 9 power units of the
air will be converted to 8 power units.
Now the turbine is giving power less than that one required driving the
compressor so, we can conclude that the turbine engine is useless, but wait.
We can solve this problem, how?? If the losses during energy conversion in the
compressor section compensated by the same device and the compressor
discharge air energy level increased, the turbine will work and give net useful
work after giving the compressor the required power.
What about heating up the discharge air? By this way the air energy
level will increase due to the additional thermal energy, now the air is
pressurized and hot. The most efficient way to heat up the air is to add fuel and
burn it inside the air stream (direct heat exchange) so, the combustion chamber
will be added between the compressor and the turbine to manage the heat
addition process, after heat addition we can say the amount of power units in
the air will increase from 9 units to be 19.
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The commonly used type is the axial compressor especially in large frames,
because its efficiency in large turbines is high, in the other hand the centrifugal
type shows more efficiency in the small applications like vehicles'
turbochargers.
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Working principle
When the compressor rotor starts rotation the blades draw air from
atmosphere according to their aerodynamic shape (airfoil), and then push the
air giving it kinetic energy, this energy source is the compressor driver
(turbine), after that the high velocity air enters the stationary row, the passage
between every two neighboring blades takes the shape of a diffuser and
according to the continuity equation and Bernoulli's principle, if the air entered
a diffuser with high velocity and low static pressure it will exist at low velocity
and high static pressure (kinetic energy compressed to potential energy), now
air pressure increased by a series of energy conversions (mechanical to kinetic
to potential) this is the single stage compressor.
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But the single stage pressure ratio is limited and very low to drive a
turbine wheel so, to increase the pressure ratio of the compressor (discharge
pressure divided by suction pressure) multi-stages in series should be added so
that the pressure of the first stage will increase through the second one and so
on until the air exists the last stage of the compressor at the desired high
pressure ratio, it should be noticed that the multi-stage in series only increase
the pressure and the flow is kept constant like electrical batteries as voltage
increase and the current is constant.
The stationary blades also help in directing air with a suitable angle to
the next rotating row of the moving blades to introduce air to the first stage of
compressor.
The compressor is equipped with a row of stationary blades its name is
the inlet guide vanes or ''IGV'', these blades have the property that they can
rotate around their axis to reduce or increase the cross-sectioned area between
every two adjacent blades to control air mass flow rates to the compressor, this
IGV is controlled by either electrical motor or hydraulic actuator, also the
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Compressor Surge
When the compressor downstream pressure become higher than the
compressor designed discharge pressure, or the system downstream
compressor is stronger than the ability of the compressor to give air flow the
pressurized air downstream compressor will go back towards compressor
suction side then the pressure downstream compressor will fall due to air
relieving from both sides (combustor side and compressor side), this pressure
degradation will enable the compressor to push the air against the downstream
side again (recovery), after that the pressure downstream will start to increase
again up to a value higher than the compressor pressure ratio forcing the air to
flow back again, this flow reversal and forwarding is called ''Compressor
Surge''.
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Compressor Stall:
In normal operation condition the compressor delivers the design mass
flow rate (at max IGV and ISO conditions) and pressure ratio, if anything
happened during operation affecting the compressor discharge pressure (like
turbine overloading or excessive fuel injection) it will lead to discharge
pressure rise and decreasing the compressor flow rate (decelerating the flow)
so, the inlet flow velocity will be deformed in direction causing air separation
from the blade surface along with air wakes, this will force the air to stop
moving forward along the compressor at this particular point, and instead of
moving forward the air will rotate in vortices, this condition is called ''Stall''
and the air vortex is called '' Stall Cell'', this stall cell will induce local pressure
rise before its location causing the coming flow to divert in both sides instead
of going forward (chocking), when the coming air diverts in both sides it will
affect the inlet velocity vectors of the neighboring blades leading to stall at the
next blade in rotation and stabilizing the other side blade, when the stall cell
build up at that blade it will cause the same action (stabilizing the affected old
blade, and affecting the next blade inducing a new stall cell to build up) and so
on, this action\mechanism will lead to stall cell rotational action around the
blades disc in the compressor rotation plan, but counter to the compressor's
direction of rotation at a speed ranges from (20-80 %) of compressor rotational
speed, this condition is called ''Rotating Stall'', if the speed or rotating stall
approached the blades natural frequency it will lead to blade resonance due to
vortex shedding repetition causing blade and compressor catastrophic failure,
this condition is called ''flattering Stall''
Direction of rotation
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A start-up Problem
At startup condition the compressor rotational speed as well as inlet air
velocity, inlet air velocity is directly proportional to compressor speed so that
increasing compressor speed increases inlet air velocity and maintaining the air
velocity that's relative to the blade geometry, but at the same time increasing
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compressor speed increases the discharge pressure as well due to air partial
accumulation and combustion back pressure so, the increased pressure at
compressor discharge will lead to both air flow rate and air inlet velocity
decrease, the situation now is that air inlet velocity is increasing with
compressor speed and decrease again with the same reason due to pressure rise
so, the final result is that the air relative velocity direction will deform and the
air will enter the compressor blades at positive incidence, this incidence will
increase gradually until a specified speed of rotation, at this speed air
separation due to critical angle of attack will take place causing stall and then
surge.
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Blow-off system
SGT5-4000F (V94.3A) gas turbine contains 3 blow off lines (sometimes
4), 2 lines are extracting air from the compressor's 5 th stage and the 3rd line is
extracting or actually bleeding air from the 9th stage (the 4th line is connected to
the 13th stage), all these valves are pneumatically operated and always in open
condition during gas turbine shutdown times, during startup these valves are
kept open up to a specified speed range so that at 40 r.p.s the 9 th stage valve
starts to close slowly then at 49 r.p.s the 5th stage second valve closes followed
by the first one within 5 sec. this is the NG startup sequence.
During fuel oil startup the closing sequence will be as follows:
After 47.5 r.p.s by 60 sec. the first valve of the 5 th stage starts to close followed
by the 2nd one within 10 sec. followed by the 9th stage valve within 10 more
seconds, during normal operation all blow off valves should be closed and they
open only and the condition of gas turbine trip and opens immediately, if GT
startup finished and turbine speed exceeded 47.5 r.p.s by 100 sec. and any blow
off valves still open the GT will shut down, all blow off valves can't control
manually except at a speed lower than 4 r.p.s, if the blow off system is closed
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at the standstill condition it will open automatically if the rotor speed exceeded
4 r.p.s within 20 sec.
Compressor washing
The drawn air by GT compressor is full of fine dust and small particles,
although it's cleaned by filtered system the air goes inside the compressor with
some amount of small particles which deposit on the compressor blades, if the
compressor not properly washed the fouled blades will deteriorate the
compressor efficiency dramatically so, gas turbines are equipped with
compressor washing systems consist simply of detergent\water mixing tank,
pump and piping system for online and offline washing, the two cases of
compressor wash are:
Online (hot) washing during normal operation.
Offline (cold) washing during turning gear and SFC operation.
The washing solution is discharged by the pumps towards the compressor inlet
through the appropriate line (hot\cold) via water sprays to atomize the cleaning
solution to protect the compressor blades from pitting.
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Fuel oil false start drain line should be changed over from tank to sump
(the 3 way valve)
Switch the burner ignition transformers off from PCC.
Prepare the compressor washing skid as in hot washings.
Start washing procedure with 150 litre solution on turning gear mode.
After finishing, the SFC should be started in compressor wash mode,
when rotor speed reaches about 10 r.p.s start washing again with the
remaining 450 litre of washing solution, the washing procedure will
continue until rotor speed reaches 13 r.p.s the SFC will shut down
automatically during washing then the same steps of washing should be
carried out again for rinsing, during start-up drying of the GT will take
place due to HRSG purge and speed increase.
Note:
The compressor shouldnt be washed after GT shutdown directly, at least after
6 hrs. to reach the cold condition first then compressor can be washed (thermal
stress protection), the compressor shouldnt be washed as well at ambient
temperature less than 8 oC to prevent icing protecting the compressor blades
from pitting, and after washing all drains should be closed.
Compressor Measurements
Compressor inlet temperature (used in OTC calculations)
Compressor outlet temperature (compressor efficiency prediction)
Compressor suction and discharge pressure (used in compressor pressure
ratio calculations)
Differential pressure at compressor suction bellmouth to predict surge as
mentioned before
IGV position measurements
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Turbine
The turbine is the converter of the hot gas energy into mechanical energy on
the shaft, the turbine are divided into two types:
1. Axial type
2. Radial type
The commonly used one is the axial type like in power generation and oil and
gas industry
The radial type is used in the small applications like vehicle turbo chargers
Turbine components
The simple form of turbine is one fixed blade row (nozzles) followed by
one moving blade row
The fixed row acts as a nozzle set the converts the hot gases energy into kinetic
energy by expanding and accelerating gases after that the high K.E gases enter
the turbine moving blades row and drive it by one of two techniques:
1. Impulse
2. Reaction
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Impulse turbines
The impulse turbine contain moving blades in a bucket shape and the
passage between every 2 adjacent blades takes the shape of crescent with
constant spacing so that the pressure is kept constant through the blades
passage (no pressure drop in the impulse blades) but the hot gases velocity will
drop due to energy conversion in the rotor, so the hot gases are expanded only
in the fixed blades row but no expansion in the rotor.
Reaction turbines
This type of turbines depends on a nozzle shape moving blades (the
passage between blades looks like a nozzle) so the gases will expand first in the
fixed blades then it will drive the moving blades by impulse effect and just
before it exist the blades passage (nozzle) its velocity will increase due to
narrow passage at trailing age so that a reaction will take place enhancing the
hot gases force against the moving blades increasing the torque of rotation, so
every reaction blade is an impulse blade but not vice versa.
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The4th stage moving blades are cooled at its roots only by the air of
compressor's 10th stage that is used in the 3rd stage moving blades
cooling.
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If the result is higher than 2 alarm will be announced [GV2 cooling air pressure
low]
If higher than 3 so [GV2 cooling air pressure too low] will be announced and
GT will shutdown
If the result is lower than -3 [GV2 cooling air pressure high] will be announced
If valves openings differ by 5% [diff < max] will be announced
The same actions will be taken also in GV3 but the equation will be (0.4
(GV2P/CDP)) * 100
If GT is starting-up and the signal of valves opening have come but the valves
did not open by 100% within 60 sec. the GT will shut down
The cooling valves could be closed manually only at speed lower than 4 r.p.s
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Turbine rotor
The turbine rotor is the shaft, discs and moving blades together, and it has
three design or shapes
1. (Monoblock) this design combines multi-stages in one block instead of
separate discs
3. (center tie rod) this design depends on one long rod all discs have rods in
its centers and are mounted on that rod one after one then spacer
between the last disc of the compressor and the first disc of turbine will
be added to make a space for combustor, and at the end of the rod some
locking nut is used to complete the assembly, hirth coupling/serrations is
used to prevent relative motion between discs
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Turbine rotor is held by two journal bearings at its ends (compressor side and
turbine side) and prevented from axial motion by a thrust bearing combined
with that journal bearing at compressor side
These bearings are lubricated by a separate lubrication system. Journal
bearings are actually oil film bearings and rolling element bearings, the used
type here is the oil film type and it has many types and designs depend on the
load of the rotor and its speed.
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Protections
The protections that are concerned with rotor and casing are vibration
[for both] and speed [for rotor only]
The rotor vibration is measured relative to bearings and its unit is m (0.001
mm) the measuring device is proximity probes, if the vibration level reached
195 m at generator bearings only during HRSG purge or compressor wash
then GT shutdown, and that is because the speed at these conditions
approaches the critical speed of generator rotor only.
If the value is just 125 m alarm is announced another device is used along
with proximity probe it is key phasor or ''one pulse per revolution device'' its
function is to make a reference for vibration analyst to know the position of
vibration peaks and for rotor balancing.
For casing vibration, velocity meters are used to measure the casing vibration
in mm/s units.
If the value reached 9.3 mm/s alarm will announced if 14.7mm/s GT trip.
Bearing Protection
The bearing is protected from high temperature due to oil starvation or
oil pressure drop, if the bearing metal temperature reached 110 oC an alarm
will be announced, if reached 120 oC GT trip.
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Combustion chamber
It is that place inside which fuel is burned after mixing with air to release high
thermal energy inside compressor discharge air to increase its energy before
entering the turbine stages.
The fuel is injected into the combustion chamber via fuel burners and tis mixed
with air by a certain ratio (fuel to air ratio) to ensure complete combustion
without too much excess air the flame is started by a separate ignition system
(electrical) and then it continue by itself .
Cannular type
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Annular type
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Combustion theory
Consider a combustion system burns NG (CH4), so to get a flame air
should be available along with heat, so that the heat ignites air/fuel mixture to
make a flame. The process has the rule that the air/fuel ratio should be certain
value (the stoichiometric value) this value is the theoretical value for complete
combustion at high flame temperature. If air/fuel ratio is lower than the
theoretical value the combustion air and the flame temperature will be too high
as well so that NOx will increase due to high combustion temperature and in
the other hand if the air/fuel ratio is too high the flame will blow-out due to
cooling and if the flame stabilized the combustion will be incomplete also due
to low flame temperature and it will lead to carbon monoxide increase.
There are two types of flames:
1- Diffusion flame.
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2- Premix flame
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Diffusion flame is produced when the fuel comes out the burner and starts
to mix with air freely by the difference of concentration between air and fuel,
this process is called diffusion because the air/fuel is diffused inside each other,
when the diffusion process reaches some value of air/fuel ratio (lower than the
theoretical one) the flame starts but earlier than required so that the combustion
will be incomplete and its temperature will be too high providing a good
environment for NOx production, so the problem is that the flame starts earlier
than required then the solution will be:
Mixing the air with the fuel at the required air/fuel ratio before entering the
combustion zone so that the mixture will burn directly without diffusion delay
and at the same time it will burn completely with moderate flame temperature
and flame length, this flame is called ''Premix'' to decrease NOx production
more. The premix combustion is provided with additional amount of air
(excess air) this excess air enters the combustion reaction as air and exits as air
as well but the difference is that the air enters cold and exists hot due to
combustion, so it takes some heat from the combustion such heat rejection
inside excess air leads to flame temperature lowering and so NOx production
will be lower than diffusion flame condition.
The premix flame has a serious disadvantage which is the instability
The flame stabilities are two categories:
1- Static
2- Dynamic
The static stability of the flame is its ability to stay on without quenching the
premix flame is weak due to lean combustion, so it could easily extinguished
and move away from its attach point at combustion zone.
The dynamic stability of the flame is its ability to overcome extinguishing and
reigniting near lean blow-out limit (LBO) or to stay stable at fuel flow or air
flow oscillation (combustion dynamic or humming)
To increase the stability of premix flame some additional amount of fuel is
added and burned by the diffusion mechanism (more stable flame), so this
small diffusion flame stabilizes the main premix flame statically and
dynamically and this flame is called ''pilot flame''.
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Due to burning fuel by two types of combustion (diffusion as pilot and premix
as main flame), so the burner name will be hybrid burner.
Using premix mode in combustion reduces NOx emission from 300 ppm in
diffusion to 25 ppm in hybrid operator.
Flame problems
Flame off
It happens when the speed off flame propagation is lower than that of the
incoming air/fuel mixture so that the incoming mixture purges the flame
from its attaching point away and cut the continuous combustion process
extinguishing the flame.
The flame is observed inside V94.3A annular combustor by two flame
detectors (left and right) both are observing 11 burner together from the 24
burners the signals from these flame detector is conducted to two processing
units because the setting of flame intensity of NG differs from that of fuel
oil, at start up condition the GT will trip after opening NG ESV if the flame
signal did not come during 12 sec, if the GT is in normal operation and no
flame signal came from both detectors, the GT will trip, if only one detector
, so just alarm will be announced.
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Flash back
It happens when the speed of flame propagation is higher than that of the
incoming air/fuel mixture so that the flame will move back until it hits the
burner body increasing its temperature, sometimes flash back destroys the
burner body due to high flame temperatures.
The gas turbine designer takes in his account that the main fuel of GT is
NG, so he designs the compressor exit velocity to match the NG flame
velocity to provide flame stability but sometimes GT operators need to start
and operate GT with liquid fuels at emergency conditions. The liquid fuel
flame velocity depends on the hydrogen content in the fuel, increasing the
hydrogen content increase the flame velocity increase as well.
Due to high hydrogen content of the liquid fuel is higher than it in NG, so
the flame velocity is matched with that of NG flame, so during operation
with liquid fuel care should be taken from the flash back.
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2- Passive measures
The passive measures are working properly at certain loads (base load) and
conditions but at other conditions they are useless such measure are like
modifications of burner design, flame velocity, equivalence ratio, fuel
composition and/or Helmholtz resonators.
The active measures are working and covering the entire load range along with
start-up condition, such measures observes the combustion condition by
monitoring systems and take the appropriate action immediately to suppress the
compressor dynamics.
Siemens is using its own invention AIC (active instability control) system, this
system monitors the humming inside the C.C. and then modulates the pilot gas
fuel flow rate by giving it the oscillatory behavior of the humming wave but at
different phase angle so that the induced humming wave by the fuel
modulation cancels that original humming wave of the flame.
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Annular plenum
Rotating
oscillation damper
1
Rotating
oscillation damper
3
Rotating
oscillation damper
2
Eng.M.Elnaggar
For burners 7, 10, 15 they are fitted with Piezo pressure transducer to measure sound
pressure fluctuations (Humming), the humming values of burners 7, 10, 15 equals that
of burners 19, 22, 3 which are in the opposite direction to them, but the values are
inverted.
For burners from 1 to 20 they are fitted with CBO (Cylindrical Burner Outlet) to help
for humming suppression.
The burners 21, 22, 23, 24 are without CBO, this helps too for humming suppression.
The rotating oscillation dampers are welded to the outer casing on which the diffusion
burners are installed, and they help for damping the rotating sound waves.
The distance between every tow neighboring dampers must not be equal for best work
thus: the distance between damper 1, 2 clockwise is 3.5 m and 2, 3 is 3 m and 3, 1 is 5.5
m the whole circumference of the ring is 12 m.
The circumference of the premix burners' holder is 10 m.
The premix burner inlet provided with a metallic grid to break the large eddies in the
combustion air flow to the premix burner.
Without CBO
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With CBO
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Turbine supports
The turbine body is supported at compressor end by (I) beam structure
holding the turbine casing at the bottom of compressor bearing, the other side
(turbine) support is two steel legs holding the turbine bearing side from both
sides.
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