Gas Turbine Introduction

Led by :
Damian Haworth


Invensys Triconex Singapore

Training Course Agenda
1. What Is A Gas Turbine?
2. Gas Turbine Main Components
3. Gas Turbine Auxiliary Equipment
4. Control System Requirements
5. Discussion and Q & A Session
What Is A Gas Turbine?
Machinery used to convert fuel gas energy into useful
electrical or mechanical work
Mechanical drives include compressors, pumps, fans
Electrical drives comprise generators connected to various
systems such as utilities, local isolated plant
Fuel typically divided into two types:
1. Gas Fuel (Natural Gas)
2. Liquid Fuel (Distillate, Heavy Fuel Oil)

Gas Turbines
Can be split into two main areas,
Industrial
Single Shaft
Two Shaft
Tend to be larger, less efficient but less maintenance-
intensive. More robust.
Aero-derivatives
Multi-shaft (up to three)
Typically very high speed
Highly efficient
High maintenance

Differences Between Turbine Types
Single-Shaft Heavy-Duty
Typically used for generator applications, fixed speed
Two-Shaft Heavy-Duty
Variable speed HP and LP shafts, used for both mechanical
drives and electrical drives
Aero-derivative
Based on aircraft engine technology, highly efficient but
typically less robust than Industrial turbines. Variety of shaft
configurations (some have 3 shafts!). May incorporate multiple
variable stator vanes for increased efficiency over a wide speed
range. Used for both mechanical and electrical applications.
GE90 Aircraft Engine
ABB GT10 Gas Turbine
GE 9001H Gas Turbine
Single Shaft Gas Turbine
Main Turbine Components
Inlet Air Ducting and Filtering
Provides clean, filtered and possibly heated or cooled air into the
compressor inlet stage
Compressor Section
Provides high pressure air into combustion zone for both
combustion and cooling
Combustion Zone
Contains fuel nozzles and can/transition piece for directing hot
gases at high velocity into turbine section
Higher temperature units have Thermal Barrier Coating (TBC) on
combustion components to limit stresses
Main Turbine Components, contd.
Turbine Section
Converts high pressure, high velocity combustion gases into
mechanical work to rotate turbine compressor and provide
mechanical / electrical load
Higher temperature 1
st
and 2
nd
stage nozzles and turbine blades
may be TBC coated to reduce thermal stress
Exhaust Section
Directs hot exhaust gases, typically 450 ~ 600C either to
atmosphere for simple cycle turbines, or through a HRSG for
combined cycle / cogeneration units
Section components are protected from excessive temperatures by
Exhaust Temperature control algorithm

Turbine Axial Compressor
This section takes the fresh air drawn in through the turbine
inlet, and compresses it for injection into the combustion
section, where it is mixed with the fuel at the correct ratio for
efficient combustion. The majority of this air is actually used
for cooling, only a small fraction is used for combustion.
Combustion Chamber
This section injects the fuel (gas or liquid) at the rate
determined by the Control System, mixes it with the air from
the compressor, and passes the resultant combustion gas
(approx. 1200 degC) into the turbine section, where it is
converted into mechanical work.
Nozzles and Turbine Stages
This section takes the high pressure, high temperature
gases produced within the combustion section, and extracts
the energy contained within the gas, converting it into
mechanical work which drives the turbine compressor and
produces work output.
This output is converted into energy in the form of the
mechanical driving of a pump, or into electrical energy via
a generator.
These sections of the turbine are often coated in TBC
(Thermal Barrier Coating) in order to protect the metal
components from overtemperature.
Nozzles and Turbine Stages
Brayton Cycle
This describes the chemical-mechanical energy conversion
carried out by a gas turbine.
The chemical energy in the fuel is converted into mechanical
work by the compressor/combustion/turbine sections
Industrial Single Shaft GT
Two Shaft Gas Turbine
Fuel Control Valve
Trip Valve
Combustor
Compressor
Gas Generator Turbine
Basket
Power Turbine
Aeroderivative Gas Gen Rotor
Aero-Derivative Turbine
Combustor
Fuel Nozzle
Liner Transition Duct Housing
Fuel
Combustion Air
Combustor Basket / Fuel Nozzle
Typical Gas Turbine Start-Up Profile
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
33:12.889 34:39.289 36:05.689 37:32.089 38:58.489 40:24.889 41:51.289
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
tT_XD_1
tT_XD_3
tT_XD_4
tT_XD_5
tT_XD_6
tT_XD_7
tT_XD_8
tT_XD_9
tT_XD_10
tT_XD_12
tT_XDT_1
tT_XDT_2
Spread
rSPEED
Gas Turbine Sub-Components
Control Elements
Fuel Valves
Modulate fuel flow to turbine fuel nozzles to control
required parameter, eg acceleration, speed, load,
temperature, etc.
Variable Turbine Nozzles
Not the same as fuel nozzles. These nozzles act to re-
direct first stage turbine exhaust gas onto second and
third stage nozzles to change power distribution
between the turbine stages. Typically utilised on two-
shaft mechanical drive turbines
Control Elements, contd.
Inlet Guide Vanes
Used to control mass air flow into the turbine to prevent
surge during part-speed or startup conditions
Can be two-position (open-closed) or modulating
(servo-actuator)
Modulating controls provide efficient part-speed
operation, and can be used to maximise exhaust
temperatures for combined cycle and cogen
applications

Control Elements, contd.
Bleed Valves
Used to maintain the turbine compressor in a safe
operating region during part-speed or startup operating
conditions
Fixed stage axial compressors are designed to run at
rated speed, and can easily surge during part-speed
operation if the bleed valves are not operated
Control Inputs
Speed: Magnetic Pickups
Passive
Active
Provide speed feedback to the control system for startup, speed
control and on-line control
Exhaust Temperature thermocouples
Provide control and protection for the turbine to prevent the turbine
internals from being too stressed and possible failing
Compressor Discharge Pressure and Temperature
Used typically to calculate the operating condition of the turbine,
and to provide a reference for the exhaust temp control limit
Main Gas Turbine Control Features
Startup Control
(Cranking, Purging, Firing, Accelerating)
Speed Control
Auto / Manual Synchronising
Initial Loading
Loaded, On-Line operation
(Droop / Isochronous)
Temperature Control
What Is A Governor?
A device to provide accurate speed control for rotating
machinery
Older governors utilized rotating fly-balls with manual
adjustments for frequency control
Digital governors utilize electrical speed feedback devices
such as magnetic speed pickups
The actual speed is compared to a speed setpoint to
provide tight speed control
Once synchronized, a digital governor will provide
accurate speed / load control over the full range of turbine
operations
Startup Control
Main Features:
1. Bringing the machine to a minimum firing speed
2. Purging the compressor / turbine / exhaust plenum to ensure no
fuel (liquid or gas) remains from the previous shutdown
3. Injecting minimum fuel and igniting (Firing). Flame is self-
preserving from this point onwards. Possibly utilize specific
ignition fuel (eg Propane bottles) if primary fuel is difficult to
light (eg some liquids)
4. Fuel limiting to prevent excessive internal turbine temperatures
(Warming up)
5. Bringing turbine to minimum operating speed in preparation for
synchronizing (connecting to the grid)
Speed Control
Main Features:
1. Run turbine shafts (HP and LP) such that minimum
operating speed is maintained when off-line
2. Adjust turbine speed to match system frequency for
Automatic Synchronisation
3. Speed adjustment for Overspeed Test utility
On-Line Control
Control split into three main types:
1. Droop
2. Isochronous
3. MW PID Control


Droop Control
Most common mode of on-line control for Industrial Gas Turbines
when paralleled with a utility
Provides assistance to grid in the event of upset conditions that cause
the system frequency to either increase or decrease (droop)
Digital governors provide easily adjustable droop regulation
Typical droop regulation is 4 ~ 6 %
For a 4% droop regulated system, a decrease in system frequency of
4% will cause the governor to increase load by 100%
The operator typically adjusts the droop speed setpoint to adjust the
steady state load on the turbine, or adjusts a load setpoint, and the
governor automatically adjusts the speed setpoint to attain the desired
load
Droop Control (contd.)
With similar machines paralleled, each unit will adjust its load in an
amount proportional to its rated load in the event of a system
frequency disturbance.
Eg Consider 2 machines with 4% droop regulation, one rated at
100MW (GT1), the other at 20MW (GT2)
Steady state conditions (Governor free operation):
GT1 = 50MW, GT2 = 10MW
System upset causes system frequency to fall by 1%
GT1 loads to 75MW, GT2 to 15MW, ie 25% of rated load
As the system frequency is restored to 50Hz by the grid operators,
each machine returns to its original load
Droop Control Philosophy
50 HZ
Speed
Setpoint
Adjust
Load
(based on Valve position)
Isochronous Control
This mode means Constant Speed
In this mode, the governor will attempt to keep the turbine frequency at
the speed setpoint (typically Synchronous Speed)
Except in special circumstances, it is not possible to run more than one
machine in Isochronous when paralleled, otherwise one machine will
pick up all the load, while the other unloads completely
This mode is normally used by Isolated machines in order to keep a
plant frequency steady.
Load changes do not result in frequency changes, other than the
transient speed changes when the load is picked up / dropped off
The isochronous controller will adjust the governor output to return the
system frequency to the frequency setpoint
Isochronous Control Philosophy
50 HZ
Speed
Setpoint
Adjust
Load
Megawatt PID Control
Provides megawatt control utilizing standard Proportional - Integral
Derivative control blocks
Adjusts the governor output until the desired turbine load is achieved
Does not respond to system frequency changes
Normally not suitable for utility-connected turbines due to regulatory
requirements for droop response
Typically used for isolated plants, where specific turbines are desired
to run at a particular load, and other machines respond in either droop
or isochronous in order to maintain system frequency and provide
transient response in the case of system upsets
Auxiliary Systems
Lubrication oil
Control oil
Cooling Air
Cooling Water
Sealing Air
Fuel (Gas and Liquid)
NOx abatement (Water, Steam or Dry Low NOx
technologies)
Water Wash
Fire and Gas Detection
Auxiliary Systems (contd.)
Inlet air filtering
Inlet air cooling (refrigerant, evaporative cooling)
Inlet air heating (NOx mode transfer setpoint, anti-icing)
Generator cooling (air, hydrogen, water)
Starting means (electric, diesel, VFD)

Turbine Instrumentation
Magnetic Pickups
Typically at least duplicated on
even simplex controllers
Usually triplicated, sometimes
6 are present, 3 for control and
3 for over-speed protection
Magnetic speed-wheel needs
to be added to the turbine shaft
in the case of mechanical
governor retrofits (replacing
mechanical linkages)
Can be active or passive
Also used on liquid fuel flow
dividers to measure fuel flow
LVDT - Linear Variable Differential Transformer
Supply position feedback
indication for modulating
controllers (gas valves, IGVs
etc.)
Very often not used on older
turbines, signal out often
assumed to place the valve in
the correct position
Useful for precise position
control, and tracking alarms
and shutdowns

Switches
Can be used to alarm and trip the turbine in the event of a
measured parameter exceeding allowable limits
Critical examples are low lube oil pressure, high lube oil
temperature, low control oil pressure
Critical switches are typically triplicated in critical turbo-
machinery applications, non-critical usually simplex
Modern retrofits often replace old switches with more
reliable transmitters, improving reliability and parameter
monitoring
Transmitters
Provide accurate feedback on a multitude of turbine
parameters (pressure, temperature, level, etc.)
Modern transmitters are more reliable than switches,
having a lower PFD
Multiple transmitters (2oo3) provide ideal replacements for
unreliable existing simplex instrumentation
Safety Inputs
Speed pickups
Automatically trip the turbine on over-speed conditions
May be wired to a dedicated over-speed device, subject to end-user
and regulatory requirements and standards
Flame Detectors
Provide loss of flame indication, prevent explosive atmospheres
from forming from excessive unburnt fuel in the turbine
Overspeed Mechanical Bolt
Typically used as a backup device in the event of a Primary
(Electric) over-speed trip failure to operate
Safety Inputs (contd.)
Vibration Probes
Used to prevent turbine damage from misalignment, imbalance,
etc.
Can be Seismic (magnitude only, little or no diagnostic value) or
Proximity (typically installed in 90 degree-apart pairs, provide
excellent diagnostic analysis when coupled with powerful
software, eg Bently System 1)
Oil Pressure
Prevents bearing and journal damage from lack of lubrication
Exhaust Temperature Thermocouples
Thermocouples used to provide over-temperature and temperature
spread protection

Safety Functions and Consequences
Overspeed (HP or LP shaft) Potential Catastrophic Destruction of
Turbine
Flame Failure Detection Explosion Risk, Severe Damage to Rotor
and Stationary components
Loss of Lube Oil Pressure Damaged Bearings and Rotor Journal
High Lube Oil Temperature Loss of oil film in journal bearings,
reduced lubrication. Potentially severe bearing / journal damage
Exhaust Overtemperature Stress on Hot Gas Path Components and
potential shortened life cycle. In severe cases, immediate loss of
turbine blades and extensive turbine damage
Safety Functions (contd.)
Exhaust Temperature Spread Hot / Cold Spots in
combustion area, Hot Gas Path component damage
Vibration High Potentially catastrophic turbine damage
Fire Detection Caused by gas leaks, liquid spills, etc.
Potentially catastrophic damage to turbine and auxiliary
equipment
Safety Elements
Trip Valve
Immediately shuts off the fuel flow in the event of ANY trip
situation arising
Fuel Control Valve
Shuts immediately on any trip condition, typically not gas tight,
designed primarily for accurate fuel flow modulation into the
turbine
Vent Valve
Bleeds off trapped gas in between the stop and control valves in a
trip or shutdown condition
Prevents gas from leaking through control valve into the turbine
prior to the next turbine start