The idea of measuring the electrostatic charge associated with the debris contained in the exhaust gases of a gas turbine (sometimes named EDMS, Engine Debris Monitoring System, or EEMS, Electrostatic Engine Monitoring System) has been demonstrated by several authors as an interesting diagnostic tool for the early warning of possible internal distresses (rubs, coating wear, hot spots in combustors, improper combustion, etc.) especially for jet engines or aeroderivative gas turbines.
While potentially applicable to machines of larger size, the possibility of transferring this monitoring technology to heavy-duty gas turbines, which have exhaust ducts much bigger in size and different operating conditions, should be demonstrated.
The authors present a synthesis of their experience and of the most significant data collected during a demonstration program performed on behalf of ENEL, the main Italian electric utility. The purpose of this program was to test this concept in real operating conditions on large turbines, and hence to evaluate the influence of the operating conditions on the system response and to assess its sensitivity to possible distresses.
A good amount of testing has been performed, during this program, both on a full scale combustion rig, and on two machines rated at about 120 MW, during their normal and purposely perturbed operating conditions in a power plant.
The authors, on the basis of the encouraging results obtained to date, comment on the work still required to bring this technology to full maturity.
Design of Early Warning System Based on Wireless Sensor Network