Improvement of Air Intake Filter stages

used in GE Frame 6FA Gas Turbine

1
Background

 High velocity filtration system originally supplied with little attention on

real life efficiency/performance
 Capex was main driver

 Customer looking for a TCO approach considering:

 Lower initial and average pressure drop  Increase profitability
 Increased service life of filters  Increase uptime
 Reduction of fouling  Increase uptime
 Maximum availability / reliability  Increase turbine component life

2
Draw backs of current system

 Compact high velocity filter house  Very high system ∆P which is not

allowing to use final filter till recommended change out ∆P

 High initial and average filter ∆P  increased fuel consumption

 No actual pressure drop monitoring of each stages  Increased filter

consumption by not able to utiise filter stages effectively.

 Frequent compressor online washing  production losses

 Shorter life of filter stages  High annual consumable cost

3
Original set-up

High initial and

High system average pressure
pressure drop drop

Early Filter
Frequent online replacement before
washing due to reaching final
fouling recommended
Pressure drop

4
Solution

Coalescer Stage Pre Filter Stage H.E Filter Stage

OEM Supply
Amerkool M80 Amair Plast GT – G4 DuraVee XL-98 – F9
592X592X75 mm 592X592X96 mm 592X592X292 mm
IPD =70 Pa IPD =110 Pa IPD = 140 Pa
FPD =250 Pa FPD =250 Pa FPD =635 Pa
Area = 0.35m2 Area =2 m2
Area =18.2 m2
Disposable Disposable

5
AEROSOL Solution
Aero Hydro Pleat - G4 Aero Cell C -M6 Aero Cell VGT XXL –F9

592X592X96 mm 592X592X96 mm 592X592X430 mm

IPD =70 Pa IPD =100 Pa
IPD = 88 Pa
FPD =250 Pa FPD =450 Pa
FPD =635 Pa
Area =2m2 Area =10m2
Washable Air Cleanable Area =27m2
5
A Comparison - short term solution

Stage Our Model Advantages over OEM supply

33% more depth; Self supported synthetic media; pressure

drop will come back closer to IPD level after washing; more
Coalescer Aero Hydro Pleat -
no. of washing possibility; light weight; full utilization of
stage G4
media; coalescing combined with particulate filtration;
longer life; fully incinerable

Mini pleated synthetic media; higher filter class; 5 times

Pre-filter
Aero Cell C -M6 more media; will take care off from more dust loading on
stage
final stage; Air cleanable → longer life

33% more media; less pressure drop; good media backing;

H.E. Filtration Aero Cell VGT XXL -
Same Header thickness of 20mm- No leakage possibility due
Stage F9
to fitment on Grid; longer operational life

6
Solution Benefit – short term

Reduction in IPD by Effective utilisation

min. 50Pa of stages G4/M6/F9

Individual stage Enhanced filter

monitoring service life

7
A Comparison

Existing GT Air intake System Aerosol solution

System Initial Pressure drop ~650 Pa System Initial Pressure drop ~260 Pa
No provision of individual stage Individual stage pressure drop monitoring → Effective
pressure drop monitoring utilisation of each stage and enhance final filter life drastically.
Filter life EXTENDED SERVICE FILTER LIFE
Coalescer - 10 - 15 days; cleaned and
Coalescer 3 months; cleaned and used for 6 months
used for 3 months
Pre filter - 1 month; Cleaned and used
Prefilter M6 - 4.5 months; Cleaned and used for 9 months
for 3 months
Final filter 3 months HE Filter F9 - 6 months