Quantification and Measurement of Heavy-Duty Gas Turbine Combustion Emissions During Startup and Shutdown Operations
Quantification and measurement of startup and shutdown (SU/SD) emissions for heavy-duty combustion gas turbines, along with many associated significant issues, are examined in this paper. Included are the regulatory drivers that have prompted increased requests to Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) from gas turbine operators, now required to account for SU/SD emissions in their power plant air permit applications. Also discussed are the complex array of influence parameters for the most popular gas turbine combustors relative to power plant installation and operability characteristics. These issues are presented along with additional background to support a recommended total mass of pollutant per SU/SD event criteria. The complexity of the Continuous Emissions Monitoring Systems (CEMS) equipment used to accurately measure transient emissions is also examined. This assessment of CEMS is designed to help gas turbine users and regulators understand the basic difficulties and complications in formulating which—if any—SU/SD emissions compliance criteria should be included in air permits.