Gas Turbine Performance

• Factors affecting performance

– Ambient conditions
– Humidity/Altitude
– Fuel
• Performance Calculations
• Performance Monitoring

For Training Purposes Only 1

Ambient Conditions

For Training Purposes Only 2

Humidity

For Training Purposes Only 3

Altitude

For Training Purposes Only 4

 Inlet and Exhaust Losses
• Inlet Air Filtration, silencing, evaporative
coolers add to pressure losses
• An HRSG or similar heat recovery
device would cause pressure losses in
the system
• The effects of pressure losses above
would be unique to each system design

For Training Purposes Only 5

 Fuels

% Design Output

For Training Purposes Only 6

 LHV Fuel Considerations
• Increased turbine mass flow drives up
compressor pressure ratio, eventually
encroaching on compressor surge limit.
• The higher turbine power may exceed
fault torque limits. In many cases, a
larger generator may be needed.
• High Fuel Volumes increases fuel piping
and valve sizes.

For Training Purposes Only 7

 Performance Monitoring
• Install Instrumentation or alternatively
use station instruments
• Allow Turbine Operation to stabilise at
Base Load for 1 Hour
• Take performance measurements at
prescribed intervals usually every 3
mins
• Do performance calculations
For Training Purposes Only 8
Example of Performance Data

For Training Purposes Only 9

 ISO Turbine Ratings
• ISO Rating are calculated at
– 59 Deg F (16 Deg C) Ambient Temperature
– Sea Level i.e. Ambient Pressure 14.7 psia
– 60% Relative Humidity
• Pre 1970’s NEMA Rating were calculated at
– 80 Deg F (27 Deg C) Ambient Temperature
– 1000ft/300m Altitude
• To convert NEMA to ISO multiply by 1.12

For Training Purposes Only 10

Performance Instrumentation

FILTER COMPRESSOR
HOUSE

For Training Purposes Only 11

 Performance Calculations
• Heat Consumption
• Heat Rate
• Calculating Factors
• Power Output

For Training Purposes Only 12

 Heat Consumption

Qr = Vf * Qlo
Heat Consumption Volumetric Flow Lower Calorific
Rate of Fuel Value of Fuel

For Training Purposes Only 13

 Heat Rate

Qpn = Qr / Pn
Heat Rate Heat Consumption Net Power Output

For Training Purposes Only 14

 Net Power Output

Pn = Pact - Paux
Net Power Actual Power Auxiliary Power
Output Output Consumption

For Training Purposes Only 15

 Corrected Power Output
Ambient Humidity
Factor

Pc = Pn * 1/Atf * 1/Apf *1/ Ahf

Corrected Net Power Output Ambient Ambient Pressure
Net Power Temperature Factor Factor

For Training Purposes Only 16

Ambient Temperature Correction

For Training Purposes Only 17

 Corrected Heat Rate
Ambient Humidity
Factor

Qc = Qpn * 1/Atf * 1/Apf * 1/Ahf

Corrected Heat Rate Ambient Ambient Pressure
Heat Rate Temperature Factor Factor

For Training Purposes Only 18

 Efficiency

E = Pn / Qr
Efficiency Net Power Output Heat Consumption

For Training Purposes Only 19

GE Frame 5 Power
Calculations

For Training Purposes Only 20