1 Introduction, Gas Turbines, Applications, Types

Gas turbines are engines within which the chemical energy of the fuel is converted
either into mechanical energy in terms of shaft power or into kinetic energy. Gas
turbines that produce shaft power are power generation gas turbines. Gas turbines
that convert the fuel energy into kinetic energy are used for generation of thrust to
propel an aircraft. The conversion of fuel energy into shaft power or propulsive force,
requires interaction of several components of the engine, within each of them a chain
of energy conversion takes place.

Figure 1.1: Alstom heavy duty power generation gas turbine GT13E2 with gross
output of 202.7 MW and a combined cycle efficiency of 53.5%.

1.1 Power Generation Gas Turbines

Consider a power generation gas turbine shown in Figure 1.1. Air from the
environment enters the inlet nozzle, where its total pressure is partially converted into
kinetic energy. After passing through the inlet, air enters a multi-stage compressor,
where its total pressure continuously increases to reach the design pressure ratio at
the exit of the compressor. The increase of total pressure is accomplished by
supplying mechanical energy through the turbine. In this case, one is dealing with a
partial conversion of mechanical energy into potential energy. Based on the
compression pressure ratio, the working medium air leaves the compressor exit at a
relatively high total temperature and total pressure. It enters the combustion chamber,
where fuel is added. Within the combustion chamber an intensive combustion process
takes place, where the chemical energy of the fuel is converted into thermal energy.
The resulting combustion gas enters a multi-stage turbine, where its total energy is,

© Springer International Publishing AG 2018 1

M.T. Schobeiri, Gas Turbine Design, Components and System
Design Integration, DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-58378-5_1
2 1 Introduction, Gas Turbines, Applications, Types

to a great extent, converted into mechanical energy. The process of energy conversion
continues within the exit diffuser (not visible in Figure.1.1), where the kinetic energy
of the exiting gas is partially converted into potential energy. The energy conversion
process that takes place in individual components is always associated with certain
total pressure losses causing entropy increase that leads to efficiency decrease. The
energy conversion process discussed above is inherent to all power generation gas
turbine irrespective of their power size, types and configurations. Similar components
are found in Figure 1.2 and all power generation gas turbines .

Figure 1.2: A General Electric heavy duty gas turbine with its major
components.

The gas turbine configurations shown in Figure 1.1 and 1.2 are characterized by
having one multi-stage compressor, one multi-stage turbine and one shaft that caries
both compressor and turbine blades. The pressure increase inside the compressor is
established by several stages, each of which comprises a stator and a rotor blade row.
Total pressure increase is established by compressor rotor row only, while the stator
row increases static pressure thus reducing velocity. The stator also provides the
necessary flow deflection for the rotor row which receives mechanical energy input
from the turbine. Figure 1.3 shows a Siemens SGT5-4000F gas turbine with the
compressor and turbine stages. Its annular type combustion chamber has several fuel
injectors that are distributed equidistantly in circumferential direction. The annular
configuration of the combustion chamber serves a more uniform temperature