Prediction of Gas Turbine Performance Degradation Between Soakwashes in Natural Gas Compressor Stations

Author(s):  
R. Chatterjee ◽  
K. K. Botros ◽  
H. Golshan ◽  
D. Rogers ◽  
Z. Samoylove

Gas Turbine (GT), like other prime movers, undergoes wear and tear over time which results in performance drop as far as available power and efficiency is concerned. In addition to routine wear and tear, the engine also undergoes corrosion, fouling etc. due to the impurities it breathes in. It is standard procedure to ‘wash’ the engine from time to time to revive it. However, it is important to establish a correct schedule for the wash to ensure optimal maintenance procedure. This calls for accurate prediction of the performance degradation of the engine over time. In this paper, a methodology is presented to predict the performance degradation in a GE LM2500 Gas Turbine engine used at one of TransCanada’s pipeline system, Canada. Emphasis is laid on analyzing the degradation of the air compressor side of the engine since it is most prone to fouling and degradation. Although the results presented are for a specific engine type, the general framework of the model could be used for other engines as well to quantify degradation over time of other components within the GT engine. The present model combines Gas Path Analysis (GPA) to evaluate the thermodynamic parameters over the engine cycle followed by parameter estimation to filter the data of possible noise due to instrumentation errors. The model helps quantify the degradation in the engine performance over time and also indicates the effectiveness of each engine wash. The analysis will lead to better scheduling of the engine wash thereby optimizing operational costs as well as engine overhaul time.

Author(s):  
K. K. Botros ◽  
H. Golshan ◽  
D. Rogers

Gas Turbine (GT), like other prime movers, undergoes wear and tear over time which results in performance drop as far as available power and efficiency is concerned. In addition to routine wear and tear, the engine also undergoes corrosion, fouling etc. due to the impurities it breathes in. It is standard procedure to ‘wash’ the engine from time to time to revive it. However, it is important to establish a correct schedule for the wash to ensure optimal maintenance procedure. This calls for accurate prediction of the performance degradation of the engine over time. In this paper, a methodology is presented to predict the performance degradation in a GE LM2500+ Gas Turbine engine used at one of TransCanada’s pipeline system, Canada. Evaluation of various components of the GT gas path, in particular the air compressor side of the engine since it is most prone to fouling and degradation is presented and correlated to the frequency and span of offline engine washes. Other components, such as the high pressure turbine and the power turbine are also evaluated. Although the results presented are for a specific engine type, the general framework of the model could be used for other engines as well to quantify degradation over time of other components within the GT engine. This model combines Gas Path Analysis (GPA) to evaluate the thermodynamic parameters over the engine cycle followed by parameter estimation based on Error-in-Variable Model (EVM) to filter the data of possible noise due to instrumentation errors. The model helps quantify the degradation in the engine performance over time and also indicates the effectiveness of each engine wash. The analysis will lead to better scheduling of the engine wash thereby optimizing operational costs as well as engine overhaul time.


2015 ◽  
Vol 138 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
K. K. Botros ◽  
C. Hartloper ◽  
H. Golshan ◽  
D. Rogers

Gas turbines (GT), like other prime movers, experience wear and tear over time, resulting in decreases in available power and efficiency. Further decreases in power and efficiency can result from erosion and fouling caused by the airborne impurities the engine breathes in. To counteract these decreases in power and efficiency, it is a standard procedure to “wash” the engine from time to time. In compressor stations on gas transmission systems, engine washes are performed off-line and are scheduled in such intervals to optimize the maintenance procedure. This optimization requires accurate prediction of the performance degradation of the engine over time. A previous paper demonstrated a methodology for evaluating various components of the GT gas path, in particular, the air compressor side of the engine since it is most prone to fouling and degradation. This methodology combines gas path analysis (GPA) to evaluate the thermodynamic parameters over the engine cycle followed by parameter estimation based on the Bayesian error-in-variable model (EVM) to filter the data of possible noise due to measurement errors. The methodology quantifies the engine-performance degradation over time, and indicates the effectiveness of each engine wash. In the present paper, the methodology was extended to assess both recoverable and unrecoverable degradations of five GT engines employed on TransCanada's pipeline system in Canada. These engines are: three GE LM2500+, one RR RB211-24G, and one GE LM1600 GTs. Hourly data were collected over the past 4 years, and engine health parameters were extracted to delineate the respective engine degradations. The impacts of engine loading, site air quality conditions, and site elevation on engine-air-compressor isentropic efficiency are compared between the five engines.


Author(s):  
K. K. Botros ◽  
C. Hartloper ◽  
H. Golshan ◽  
D. Rogers

Gas Turbines (GT), like other prime movers, experience wear and tear over time, resulting in decreases in available power and efficiency. Further decreases in power and efficiency can result from erosion and fouling caused by the airborne impurities the engine breathes in. To counteract these decreases in power and efficiency, it is standard procedure to ‘wash’ the engine from time to time. In compressor stations on gas transmission systems, engine washes are performed off-line and are scheduled in such intervals to optimize the maintenance procedure. This optimization requires accurate prediction of the performance degradation of the engine over time. A previous paper demonstrated a methodology for evaluating various components of the GT gas path, in particular the air compressor side of the engine since it is most prone to fouling and degradation. This methodology combines Gas Path Analysis (GPA) to evaluate the thermodynamic parameters over the engine cycle followed by parameter estimation based on the Bayesian Error-in-Variable Model (EVM) to filter the data of possible noise due to measurement errors. The methodology quantifies the engine-performance degradation over time, and indicates the effectiveness of each engine wash. In the present paper, the methodology was extended to assess both recoverable and un-recoverable degradations of five gas turbine engines employed on TransCanada’s pipeline system in Canada. These engines are: three GE LM2500+, one RR RB211-24G, and one GE LM1600 gas turbines. Hourly data were collected over the past four years, and engine health parameters were extracted to delineate the respective engine degradations. The impacts of engine loading, site air quality conditions and site elevation on engine-air-compressor isentropic efficiency are compared between the five engines.


Author(s):  
Ugo Campora ◽  
Mauro Carretta ◽  
Carlo Cravero

A simulation of performance degradation for an aeronautical gas turbine engine (Honeywell T55 L712) is presented. The effects of turbine (low and high pressure stages) erosion on the engine performance have been investigated in some detail. The behavior of the engine has been simulated using a dynamic model implemented in Matlab-Simulink. Using a throughflow code the LPT and HPT have been simulated and their performance maps have been obtained with a high level of accuracy. In order to understand the effects of turbine erosion nine degradation levels have been introduced and the LPT and HPT performance have been computed using the abovementioned throughflow code. The degradation levels have been based on stator erosion effects (increase of throat section and blade thickness reduction) only according to the experimental evidence from the engine tests from Piaggio Aero Industries. The introduction of the modified turbine characteristics into the Matlab-Simulink model has allowed the degradation effects on the overall engine performance to be tested and discussed. Finally, using experimental data from the industrial maintenance database, the link of each level of degradation with the number of the engine operational time (hours) has been obtained.


Author(s):  
P. A. Phillips ◽  
Peter Spear

After briefly summarizing worldwide automotive gas turbine activity, the paper analyses the power plant requirements of a wide range of vehicle applications in order to formulate the design criteria for acceptable vehicle gas turbines. Ample data are available on the thermodynamic merits of various gas turbine cycles; however, the low cost of its piston engine competitor tends to eliminate all but the simplest cycles from vehicle gas turbine considerations. In order to improve the part load fuel economy, some complexity is inevitable, but this is limited to the addition of a glass ceramic regenerator in the 150 b.h.p. engine which is described in some detail. The alternative further complications necessary to achieve satisfactory vehicle response at various power/weight ratios are examined. Further improvement in engine performance will come by increasing the maximum cycle temperature. This can be achieved at lower cost by the extension of the use of ceramics. The paper is intended to stimulate the design application of the gas turbine engine.


Author(s):  
Peter D. Smout ◽  
Steven C. Cook

The determination of gas turbine engine performance relies heavily on intrusive rakes of pilot tubes and thermocouples for gas path pressure and temperature measurement. For over forty years, Kiel-shrouds mounted on the rake body leading edge have been used as the industry standard to de-sensitise the instrument to variations in flow incidence and velocity. This results in a complex rake design which is expensive to manufacture, susceptible to mechanical damage, and difficult to repair. This paper describes an exercise aimed at radically reducing rake manufacture and repair costs. A novel ’common cavity rake’ (CCR) design is presented where the pressure and/or temperature sensors are housed in a single slot let into the rake leading edge. Aerodynamic calibration data is included to show that the performance of the CCR design under uniform flow conditions and in an imposed total pressure gradient is equivalent to that of a conventional Kiel-shrouded rake.


Author(s):  
V. Pachidis ◽  
P. Pilidis ◽  
I. Li

The performance analysis of modern gas turbine engine systems has led industry to the development of sophisticated gas turbine performance simulation tools and the utilization of skilled operators who must possess the ability to balance environmental, performance and economic requirements. Academic institutions, in their training of potential gas turbine performance engineers have to be able to meet these new challenges, at least at a postgraduate level. This paper describes in detail the “Gas Turbine Performance Simulation” module of the “Thermal Power” MSc course at Cranfield University in the UK, and particularly its practical content. This covers a laboratory test of a small Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) gas turbine engine, the simulation of the ‘clean’ engine performance using a sophisticated gas turbine performance simulation tool, as well as the simulation of the degraded performance of the engine. Through this exercise students are expected to gain a basic understanding of compressor and turbine operation, gain experience in gas turbine engine testing and test data collection and assessment, develop a clear, analytical approach to gas turbine performance simulation issues, improve their technical communication skills and finally gain experience in writing a proper technical report.


Aerospace ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (5) ◽  
pp. 55 ◽  
Author(s):  
James Large ◽  
Apostolos Pesyridis

In this study, the on-going research into the improvement of micro-gas turbine propulsion system performance and the suitability for its application as propulsion systems for small tactical UAVs (<600 kg) is investigated. The study is focused around the concept of converting existing micro turbojet engines into turbofans with the use of a continuously variable gearbox, thus maintaining a single spool configuration and relative design simplicity. This is an effort to reduce the initial engine development cost, whilst improving the propulsive performance. The BMT 120 KS micro turbojet engine is selected for the performance evaluation of the conversion process using the gas turbine performance software GasTurb13. The preliminary design of a matched low-pressure compressor (LPC) for the proposed engine is then performed using meanline calculation methods. According to the analysis that is carried out, an improvement in the converted micro gas turbine engine performance, in terms of thrust and specific fuel consumption is achieved. Furthermore, with the introduction of a CVT gearbox, the fan speed operation may be adjusted independently of the core, allowing an increased thrust generation or better fuel consumption. This therefore enables a wider gamut of operating conditions and enhances the performance and scope of the tactical UAV.


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