The Gas Turbine has become a major source of generating electricity since 1939. It is one of the most popular power generating technologies in the world today. The technology behind a gas turbine operation is easy to understand.
The Benefits of a Gas Turbine System
A gas turbine is almost a ubiquitous feature in most industrial setups and other facilities requiring a reliable and versatile source of electricity. A gas turbine unit is advantageous because of the high power to weight ratio, flexibility in changing load condition, less space requirements, lower operational costs and higher operating speeds among others.
Major Problems with Gas Turbines
While it is considered the best source of electricity in any type of setting, a gas turbine also experiences its own share of problems. When a gas turbine malfunctions, bringing it back to life is costly and the outage can devastate your operations.
It is important for a plant operator to know what can go wrong in order to build a contingency plan and avoid expensive outages. Below are some of the problems:
- Corrosion: The turbine has metal components and any material that enters can lead to reaction and eventually corrosion. Corrosion is mostly caused by moisture and chemicals hence the need to ensure whatever goes into the piping and chamber system is clean. The system should also be cleaned regularly using de-mineralized water.
- Erosion and abrasion: Large particles blown into the compressor will lead to abrasion and with time the metal surface will be stripped away. The solution to this is by installation of a standard filter though even smaller particles and water can still lead to erosion over time. Erosion and fouling interferes with clearances and airflow and also affects blade profiles affecting output.
- Foreign object damage: Turbines in extreme environments are prone to extensive damage by foreign objects, for instance, a plane’s turbines can be ruined if a bird or any other object is sucked into the compressor. This leads to costly blade damage. To avert this, make sure you initiate proper maintenance of the system to repair any damage before it worsens.
- Gas turbine fatigue: As expected with any mechanical system, a gas turbine will eventually cave in due to increasing strain. Thermal fatigue can result from frequent cycling, corrosion, deposits in the system while combustion. Airflow and combustion problems also cause temperature differentials and excessive vibration. Fatigue leads to miniature cracks, which eventually cause blade failure.
They are many factors can make your gas turbines malfunctions, if you help for maintenance your gas turbines, our team are here to help you. All our engineers are offshore OPTIO and OLF certified. Contact us now!
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