Solar Technical Training TURBINE ENGINE CENTAUR 40 (GSIPG) TURBINE ENGINE CENTAUR 40 (GS/PG) OBJECTIVES Upon completion of this lesson, the student will be able to: 1, State the purpose of the engine, 2, Describe the four steps, in sequence, of the Brayton cycle thermodynamic process, 3. Identify the engine main subassemblies, and state the funetion of each. 4, Identify the four engine support systems. 5. Deseribe the processes used in the turbine engine for rotor sealing, surge avoidance and turbine section cooling. OVERVIEW An industrial gas turbine is a heat engine that converts the chemical energy of fuel into mechanical energy using air as the medium of conversion. This resulting mechanical energy can be harnessed to drive many types of rotating equipment. The engine discussed in this workbook is used to drive an electrical generator, GAS TURBINE THEORY ‘The gas turbine can be described as a heat engine in which energy developed from gas expansion is converted into mechanical energy through the application of a thermodynamic process known as the simple Brayton Cyele (illustrated in Figure 2.1). 2100 ‘© 2008 Solar Turbines incorporated. All righ reserved. 24‘TURBINE ENGINE CENTAUR 40 (GS/PG) Solar Technical Training BRAYTON CYCLE The Brayton Cycle, as applied to the gas turbine engine, consists of the following four events: COMPRESSION- Atmospheric air is compressed. COMBUSTION-Fuel is added to the compressed air, and the mixture is ignited. EXPANSION-Heated gases expand through the turbine section and produce rotational torque. EXHAUST-Exhaust gases leave the expansion section and are discharged to atmosphere. ‘The Brayton Cycle taking place in the engine is a smooth continuous process. Compression, combustion, expansion, exhaust and the resulting production of rotating mechanical output power occurs simultaneously and continuously. comoression | Combustion | Expansion Exhaust | | t—-— | 2 =e || |_| rol a 7 | i FI if | -_ | | i~ | - | aie | compressor | combustor Tune | exhaust Outlet Figure 2.1 Brayton Cycle 22 ‘© 2008 Solar Turbines Incorporated. AI righs reserved. 2100Solar Technical Training TURBINE ENGINE CENTAUR 40 (GSIPG) COMBUSTION PRESSURE, EXHAUST, VOLUME “ COMBUSTION PRESSURE, TEMPERATURE © saosione Figure 2.2 Brayton Cycle Curves Compression Air is continuously drawn is ine through the air inlet where it is compressed by the cleven-stage axial-flow compressor, The compressed air flows into the combustion chamber wiere it is mixed with the injected fuel. NOTE The gas turbine only uses approximately one-fourth of the tofal air that it compresses for combustion, The remaining air is used to cool eritical hot section components, seal engine bearings and mix with the combustion gases that, together, pass through the turbine section in a high velocity stream to produce the rotational power. 2100 ‘© 2009 Solar Tubines Incorporated. All Fgh reserved 23‘TURBINE ENGINE CENTAUR 40 (GS/PG) Solar Technical Training COMPRESSION COMBUSTION _ EXPANSION, EXHAUST AR INLET TURBINE EXHAUST ROTATING PARTS mons Figure 2.3 Air Flow States of the Brayton Cycle Combustion Gas turbine combustion is a continuous, self sustaining process, but initial ignition is necessary during the engine starting sequence. A torch igniter protrudes into the combustion chamber, Ata specific point in the start sequence, when the fuel/air mixture has entered the combustion chamber, fuel is fed to the torch from a separate supply line. The fuel is immediately lit off by a spark plug, and the resulting high energy torch flame then ignites the fuel/air mixture in the combustion chamber, Combustion is then verified by the control system and the torch igniter is turned off. Combustion continuously sustained provided an adequate flow of the air/fuel mixture is maintained in the combustion chamber, Expansion “The hot gas generated in the combustion chamber expands rapidly and while its pressure remains relatively constant, the gas greatly increases in volume and flow velocity. An escape route is provided by the turbine section through which the gas expands, giving up much of its heat, velocity, and pressure energy to rotate the turbine rotor, Mechanical energy is thus produced by the force of the expanding gas on the turbine rotor blades as it passes through and exhausts to atmosphere, 2a ‘© 2008 Solar Tubines Incorporated. All igh reserved 2100Solar Technical Training ENGINE CONTROL TURBINE ENGINE CENTAUR 40 (GS/PG) Energy from the fuel las now been converted into mechanical power by the turbine rotor, which produces output torque on the rotor shaft, This mechanical power drives the generator through the reduction gear unit. It also drives the engine ‘compressor rotor on the same shaft so that the continuous compression, combustion, and exhaust cycle is maintained, NOTE At ated load and speed, approximately two-thirds of the energy delivered to the turbine section is used to drive the engine intemal compressor. Exhaust ‘The pressure of the expanding combustion gas reduces as it drives the turbine rotor and then exits to atmosphere through the exhaust system. Some installations pass the exhaust gas through waste heat recovery equipment to extract remaining usable thermal energy, SPEED AND LOAD CONTROL Since generator frequency is directly related to generator speed, it is critically important for the engine speed to be maintained at a constant level. This is achieved by close management of the fuel input to the engine. Load capability of the engine is also related to fuel input, Therefore the fuel management system plays an important role in maintaining engine speed at a constant value under all load conditions. Speed Control During start-up the engine speed is increased to the value that is consistent with the generator rated frequency, and then ‘maintained there by managing the fuel supply to the engine. Load cannot be applied until this speed is achieved, and the control system indicates that the engine is ready to accept load. When load is applied to the generator, fuel flow is automatically inereased at a sufficient rate to maintain the same engine speed and generator frequency. Conversely, when load is reduced the fuel management system reduces the fuel flow. This speed control concept can be easily understood if it is compared to person driving an automobile. At first the driver accelerates to reach a desired road speed. If the highway is 2100 ‘© 2008 Solar Turbines Incorporated. Al rights reserved 26TURBINE ENGINE CENTAUR 40 (GS/PG) Solar Technical Training perfectly level, he needs only to keep his foot on the gas pedal in a certain position to maintain a constant speed, If an uphill slope is encountered, adding “load” to the engine, the gas pedal must be pressed harder to maintain the same speed, and likewise it is eased off on a downhill slope. Load Control Fuel management is also used to prevent the engine temperature from exceeding a pre-set maximum value, to ensure long engine life, As load increases, fuel flow increases and engine temperature rises, while speed remains constant, However, there is an optimum TS temperature (see Note below) set-point that maximizes the engine's load capability without shortening its lifo, Ifthe engine is allowed to operate at temperatures beyond this point it would drastically reduce its life cycle. Operators should be aware that the turbine control system is set up (o initiate an engine shutdown if too much load is applied and engine temperature is allowed to approach the TS setpoint. The TS setpoint is a fixed value, but ambient temperature is obviously a variable, therefore the generator maximum load capability increases as ambient temperature decreases, and vice versa. NOTE ‘Temperatures at specific points in a turbine engine are labeled “T” followed by a number, (see diagram below). TS refers to the turbine exit temperature, measured at the third stage nozzle, The temperature at this point is the main control reference temperature. 26 2000 Solar Turbines Incorporated, AN rights reserved. 2100TURBINE ENGINE CENTAUR 40 (GSIPG) uer a exausT 250 10) PREESUREPSUY wer we ta we ue ona pons rose: Figure 2.4 Temperature Stations on a Typical Turbine Engine ENGINE SURGE CONTROL. During startup and shutdown the engine compressor forward stages will produce more compressed air than the aft compressor stages can handle. The excess compressed ait can build up at the final compression stages and, if severe enough, may flow backward through the compressor. This condition is known as compressor surge and can be harmful to an engine, Engine surge is avoided in two ways. Variable Guide Vanes at the inlet and first two stages of the compressor are designed to aerodynamically match the low pressure stages of the compressor with its high pressure stages, Since blade angle determines the compression characteristics for any given compression stage, the critical low pressure stages are adjusted to achieve balanced airflow and optimum compressor performance by changing the angle of the variable vanes during the engine start and shutdown sequences. Simultancously, during low engine speeds, the Bleed Air Valve diverts excess 7100) ‘© 2008 Solar Turbines Incorporated. AB rights reserved 27Pg air from the compressor discharge directly into the exhaust stream, bypassing the combustion chamber and turbine section, Both systems help to reduce the excess volume of air in the engine at these critical points and therefore prevent engine surge from occurring, The topic of Surge Avoidanc discussed in more detail later in this section. Roe BG ooTAn nears ee BRAYTON CYCLE APPLICATION COMPRESSOR OPERATION ‘Compressor blades and stator vanes are airfoil shaped in cross section, similar to an aircraft wing (Figure 2.5). As the compressor rotor spins, the airfoil action of the first stage blades pull air from the inlet throat of the air inlet assembly and accelerate it toward the first row of stator vanes. This action of moving an airfoil-shaped blade through air creates an effect that is similar to the “lift” effect on an aircraft wing that causes it to fly. ‘The same lift effect is created on the rotor blades, but because they are rotated away from the low pressure zones, the void created is filled by air coming off the preceding stage, inducing the air to move further into the compressor. Inlet guide vanes, at the entrance of the compressor, adjust the airflow to meet the leading edges of the first stage rotor blades at the correct angle for maximum efficiency. Kinetic energy is added to the air, due to its velocity, as it is accelerated into the compressor by the action of the turning rotor blades. In passing through the first rotor section, the airflow experiences a pressure increase by the diffusing effect of the stator that reduces its velocity, and by being forced into aan increasingly restricted airspace due to the conical shape of the compressor rotor. Each of the successive stages compresses the air received from the previous stage. As the ait flows through cach rotor section, its angle is readjusted by the next section of stator vanes, so that the airflow is once again set to the correct angle for the next rotor section. ‘Thus the airflow passes through the compressor in an overall linear or “axial” direction, and not in a “corkscrew” fashion, ‘After leaving the final compression stage, the air enters the compressor diffuser seetion where it slows its velocity and experiences one final pressure increase, This pressure is referred to as “Paq” (Pressure at the compressor discharge) and ig the highest pressure value of any location in the engine, 28 F Turbines Incorporated. Al ighs reserved, 2400Solar Technical Training Figure 2.5 Compressor Blades and Stators TURBINE ENGINE CENTAUR 40 (GS/PG) NOTE ‘The nominal compression ratio value is 9.9:1 is used in performance calculations. ROTORS COMBUSTOR OPERATION As the compressed air expands into the combustion chamber approximately one-fourth of the air is directed to the combustor dome, where it mixes with the injected fue! for the combustion process, The remaining volume of air, which bypasses the combustor dome, enters the inner and outer combustion liners farther downstream and is used to cool and position the flame cone, Following this, the air mixes with the flame created by the ignited fueV/air mixture so that the heat energy released from the burning fuel causes its temperature to increase steeply. This process creates a very hot mixture of rapidly expanding ‘gases that escapes the confinement of the combustion chamber by passing through the turbine section. TURBINE OPERATION ‘The turbine assembly operates in a reverse manner to the compressor assembly, extracting rotational energy from the hot ‘gas stream by converting it from pressure and temperature to rotational torque, 2100 ‘© 2008 Solar Turbines Incorporated, AN rights reserved 29‘TURSINE ENGINE CENTAUR 40 (GS/PG) Solar Technical Training In the turbine section, each rotor disk is preceded by a stationary nozzle section, so named because the shape of the spaces between adjacent airfoils creates the same effect as the nozzle on a garden hose (see Figure ). The expanding combusted air/fuel mixture, or gas, entering the nozzle section is accelerated by the restricting nozzle effect, and enters the next set of rotor blades at an increased velocity. ‘The force of this action is converted into a rotational torque by the reaction of the turbine rotor blades, as the gas passes through the rotor to the exhaust section. This generated torque is the force that turns the engine shaft and thus powers the driven equipment. ~ SS = A rosa Figure 2.6 Turbine Nozzle Effect NOZZLES ROTOR ROTOR ie woe y Gi r A eur 4, our ee oe vn Figure 2.7 Turbine Nozzle and Rotor Reaction 210 ‘© 2008 Solar Turbines Incorporaed. Al rights reserved. 2100Solar Technical Training TURBINE ENGINE CENTAUR 40 (GS/PG) EXHAUST OPERATION ‘The hot gases, having converted most of their thermal and Kinetic energy to mechanical energy, continue expanding through the exhaust diffuser and exhaust system, finally reducing to atmospheric pressure, Some thermal energy still remains in these gases, and at some installations, instead of exhausting the gases directly to atmosphere, the remaining energy is recovered by passing them through a waste heat recovery system. 2100 {© 2008 Solar Turbines Incorporated. Al ighis reserved it‘TURBINE ENGINE CENTAUR 40 (GS/PG) ‘Solar Technical Training ENGINE SUBASSEMBLIES AND COMPONENTS AIR INLET ‘IR INLET. oucr. REDUCTION GEAR UNIT TURBINE BEARING. ‘SUPPORT HOUSING ASSENBLY ‘COMPRESSOR BEARING - ‘SUPPORT HOUSING, VARIABLE GUIDE VANE ASSEMBLIES, eA DIFFUSER ASSEMBLY TURBINE ROTOR 4 ASSEMBLY EXHAUST COLLECTOR COMBUSTOR AND. GAS PRODUCER ‘TURBINE ASSEMBLY cms Figure 2.8 Engine Main Subassemblies ‘© 2008 Solar Tubinas Incorporated. Al righis reserved 2100