Gas turbine systems are widely used in

onsite power installations for industrial

plants, commercial office buildings,
hospitals, shopping centers, high-rise
apartments, and other distributed-energy
applications.

The onsite gas turbines used can range in

size from 30 kilowatts on up to 20
megawatts. Gas turbines in the 30- to 500-
kilowatt range are generally referred to as
microturbines; those in the 500-kilowatt to
20-megawatt range are known as industrial
gas turbines.

This article, the first of two, deals with

onsite gas turbine operations and
maintenance, and focuses on the issues
encountered with these industrial turbines.
The second article will deal with the
operations and maintenance (O&M) of
microturbine systems.

To bring you the most current and

authoritative information on gas turbine
operations and maintenance,
DISTRIBUTED ENERGY interviewed a
leading expert on gas turbines, Nick Pozzi,
manager of customer service for the Gas
Turbine Division of Kawasaki Gas
Turbines—Americas in Grand Rapids, MI.

In the following interview, we

systematically walk through all the major
components of a typical onsite gas turbine system in the 1.5-
megawatt class (although the insights here are relevant to all
sizes of gas turbines), including these:

 Air intake
 The compressor
 The combustor
 The turbine
 Air emissions
 The gearbox
 The electric generator
 Preventative and predictive maintenance
 Who should perform the maintenance (in-house
versus outside experts)

DE: Are there any significant differences between a steam

turbine and a gas turbine?
Pozzi: Yes indeed! It is true that there are strong similarities
between a steam turbine and a gas turbine. The steam turbine
uses steam to create motion in the turbine and the gas turbine
uses a hot gas. Both use the energy of these fluids to turn a
generator, which makes electricity. A gas turbine operates at a
much higher temperature than a steam turbine (typically, at
2,000 degrees Fahrenheit versus 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit for
a steam turbine).

Accordingly, a gas turbine must be designed to withstand

these much higher temperatures. The components of the gas
turbine (rotor, blades, vanes, etc.) are fabricated from much
more expensive metal alloys—e.g., inconel. Further, the
exhaust of a gas turbine can be used to make steam. And,
when channeled into a steam turbine-generator, that steam can
be used to make more electricity; or it could be used to
operate a chiller to make cold water or cold air for air-
conditioning a facility.

Because of the need to use these special metal alloys, a gas

turbine is considerably more expensive than a steam turbine.
A 1.5-megawatt gas turbine can cost in the neighborhood of
$1.2 million—versus $750,000 for a comparable steam
turbine.

DE: I noticed that your gas turbine system has a filtering unit
on the air intake. Why is it necessary to filter air entering the
turbine system?
Pozzi: The air has particles in it that are potentially damaging
to the gas turbine system. Without an effective air-filtering
system, these particles over time would reduce the turbine
efficiency. Poor air filtration could cause what we call FOD—
foreign object damage. Someone could also inadvertently drop
a nut or bolt into the air intake duct, which could then damage
compressor or turbine blades. As a specific example, we know of a case where snow found
its way into the air intake and subsequently turned to ice. Some ice chunks were then drawn
into the engine, caused vibrations, and, two weeks later, a turbine blade loosened up,
requiring that the entire gas turbine be shut down for repair.

DE: Specifically, what particles are in the air that could potentially damage the
compressor-turbine system?
Pozzi: There are many particles in ambient air, but most important are airborne salt
(sodium chloride) particles, especially for sites along the coast. Such salt particles can be
very damaging to a turbine. Salt is, of course, very corrosive to metals. But beyond that, it
leads to a buildup of dirt on compressor and turbine blades. Once salt particles attach
themselves to turbine blades, they apparently attract other particles—dirt. The net result
can be a loss in the turbine's power output of up to 15%.

DE: How do you

actually filter the
air?
Pozzi: We draw
intake air from
the ambient
through a special
filter called a
HEPA filter, not
unlike the filters
used in vacuum
cleaners. It is most important to use this generic type of filter, as it removes 99.87% of the
particles in the air. In sum, the HEPA filter keeps the turbine cleaner, resulting in higher
power output.

DE: What if the operator of a turbine system has been negligent and has not done a very
good job of filtering intake air? What to do then?
Pozzi: The solution is to water wash the engine periodically. Some operators do this once a
month. This water wash is done with the turbine running. As an alternative, the turbine can
be washed by the so-called cold-wash method, done at low revolutions per minute (rpm)
when the turbine is at purge speed (30% of speed). A purge is required on all turbines to
remove any potentially explosive vapors.

The point is that, with good intake-

air filtration using the HEPA filters,
there is no need to wash the
compressor-turbine system as often
as before. The turbine system stays
cleaner for a longer time, thereby
avoiding a degradation of
performance.

DE: What do you mean by "purging"

the turbine system? Why is it done
and how?
Pozzi: Consider that the turbine
system has been off. And now you wish to turn it back on again. There could be explosive
unburned fuel vapors still lurking inside the turbine system—in the compressor, combustor,
turbine, waste-heat recovery system, etc.

To guard against the danger of explosion, it is standard practice to first purge the turbine
system of these potentially explosive vapors. But one needs to purge safely. And this
means one must proceed without activating the igniters (spark plugs) in the combustor (i.e.,
the turbine's combustion chamber), for the sparks could trigger an explosion. The control
system does this automatically during a normal startup.

The starter motor (hydraulic or VFD) is used to rotate the turbine at 6,600 rpm, turning the
turbine at about 30% of its usual rpm, enough to make possible the drawing in of fresh
ambient air, which will then quickly displace (or purge) any potentially explosive gases or
liquids from the system. That done, it is then safe to fire up the igniters, thereby setting the
turbine into operation.

Incidentally, in carrying out this operation, it is important not only to purge the turbine, but
also the waste heat recovery boiler. One does not want dangerous unburned fuel vapors
lingering in the waste-heat recovery boiler. The Kawasaki 5-megawatt turbine system has a
diverter downstream from the point where hot exhaust gases emerge from the turbine. This
allows the hot turbine gases to either be sent out the stack or through the waste-heat
recovery boiler.

By law, the operator must first purge the turbine with a minimum of six air changes before
firing up the turbine.

DE: So filtering intake air then is very important? And it will greatly extend the life of a
gas turbine system?
Pozzi: Yes! Changing the HEPA air filters periodically is very important. Indeed, it is one
of the most important things a turbine operator can do to maintain his gas turbine system.

Nonetheless, the overall lifetime of a gas turbine system is greatly affected by the physical
environment it is placed in. Is it located adjacent to a paper mill spewing sulfur compounds
into the ambient? Such could lead to the formation of coatings on turbine blade surfaces or
to premature bearing failures.

A gas turbine located at one site may last five years before it needs an engine change or a
bearing replacement; and the same turbine at a different site may last only four years. It all
depends on turbine usage and on location. Good air-filtration systems prevent damage from
occurring, thereby increasing the lifetime of the equipment.

Where there are special environments—e.g., an offshore oil-drilling platform—it makes

sense to increase inspection frequency. There, a gas turbine is used to drive pumps to move
oil. In the air there are many salts and other contaminants. It is common practice to flare off
hydrogen sulfide gas from the wells, some of which is drawn into the turbine system inlet,
possibly causing premature damage to turbine blades.
 DE: What sort of maintenance is
required of the gas turbine itself?
How often is it done and by whom?
Pozzi: We recommend a
maintenance service plan to our
customers who call for our service
technicians to perform three
quarterly inspections and an annual
inspection. In the second year, we
recommend doing another three
quarterly inspections and an annual
inspection. At that 16,000-hour
point, when this second annual
inspection is being done, the
technician will also do what's known
as a hot-section inspection.

DE: Please expand on these

Turbine field service
ASAP—meaning during the next available shutdown.
quarterly inspections. What is
involved in these quarterly
inspections? Who does what?
Pozzi: During the quarterly
inspection, the maintenance
technician collects turbine system
performance data—on such variables
as vibration, pressures, temperatures,
and outputs. The original equipment
manufacturer (OEM) then analyzes
the data and issues a serviceability
report. This report compares the
newly collected data to baseline data
collected during startup of the new
turbine. If we notice any deviations
from the baseline, we flag the
problem early and investigate it

Such aggressive predictive maintenance helps eliminate downtime and possible expensive
repair. This is one of the things we do to achieve over 98% reliability and availability
(R&A). Indeed, some of the gas turbine systems that we have installed have achieved 98%
R&A for the past 13 years. Preventive-maintenance and predictive-maintenance methods
will vary some from one OEM to the next and the prospective turbine system buyer should
inquire about an OEM's R&A track record.

What else is done during a quarterly inspection? The service technician will check lube oil
and air filters for dirt. He will check magnetic pickups for metal deposits—for significant
accumulated metal pieces could be a warning of early bearing failure. Even though most
magnetic pickups are alarmed, we don't wait for the alarm to sound or the automatic
shutdown to occur. Instead, we inspect each quarter for early warning signs.

DE: What about the annual gas turbine system inspection? What happens there and who
does it?
Pozzi: The most important part of the annual inspection (as called for in the service
agreement between OEM and customer) is the use of a borescope to examine the internals
of the turbine. This borescope is very similar to the fiber-optic
cable that a physician uses to examine a person's colon. The
OEM technician snakes the borescope's fiber-optic cable
inside the gas turbine so that he can inspect its internal
components and take photos.

The technician is looking for cracks in the lining of the

combustion chamber, erosion on turbine blade tips, loss of
protective coating on blades, and signs of overheating—e.g., a
blade tip may be melted off.

Besides doing the borescope inspection, the OEM

maintenance technician during this annual inspection also
checks every alarm and shutdown device to see if it is
working properly. And he also checks all major fluid levels
and filters.

DE: How often does he find something wrong? What happens

if he finds a damaged blade?
Pozzi: If something is not working up to specifications, we
replace it. Such is part of our typical maintenance service
agreement. Gas turbine systems seem to have two lifecycle
periods they go through: the first six months of operation, and
after year 10. I am referring her mainly to the ancillary
equipment provided with the turbine package—things such as
transmitters, switches, automatic valves, human machine
interfaces, and data loggers (computers that store historical
data).

Remember that every minute that we are down counts against

our availability. Accordingly we do everything in our power
to make sure things will work correctly until the next
inspection. If we think they will not, we change any suspect
components.

Also bear in mind that even our scheduled downtime for the
quarterly and the annual inspections, the hot-section
inspection, and engine and gearbox change-out time—all this
counts against our availability. Accordingly, we can't afford
any unscheduled downtime. Our customers depend upon our
equipment to run successfully all the time. So we do
everything possible to make that happen.

DE: The compressor is quite clearly an important subsystem

of an industrial gas turbine system. What sort of maintenance
does that require? Who should do what when?
Pozzi: An important component it indeed is. Yet the
compressor—which of course turns on the same shaft as the
turbine—is very robust and only rarely needs any maintenance
attention. Don't forget that the compressor is upstream from
the combustor and, as such, is not subjected to hot combustion
gases, but only to the ambient air drawn in to be compressed
before it flows into the turbine's combustor. Essentially, the
only maintenance needed for the compressor is that done once every 32,000 hours (about 4
years), as part of a total shop overhaul and rebuilding of the entire turbine.

DE: You mentioned that every 16,000 hours you do a hot-section inspection. Please
expand. What is a hot-section inspection? Who does it, when, how, and how long does it
take?
Pozzi: A hot-section inspection is an examination of those parts of a turbine system that are
exposed to the hot gases created when compressed intake air is mixed with natural gas or
other fuel inside the combustor and ignited by the igniters. In a word, the hot sections are
mainly the combustor (i.e., the combustion chamber) and the turbine section—and any
other components exposed directly to flame or to hot combustion gases.

This hot-section inspection is done every 16,000 hours (about every two years). It is crucial
that the inspection be performed by an experienced and knowledgeable turbine technician,
who does the inspection on-site.

The inspection involves opening up the combustor and turbine sections; carefully
examining walls, linings, turbine blades, and vanes, etc.; replacing any worn or damaged
components; then reassembling and starting up the system. On a 1.5-megawatt turbine
system, this will usually take an experienced turbine technician about three days.

DE: There is a difference, then, between a borescope inspection of the turbine and a hot-
section inspection?
Pozzi: Oh yes! Most definitely! A borescope inspection is done every year—that is, every
8,000 hours of operation—as part of the annual inspection. It is a way of examining the
internals of the gas turbine—by snaking a fiber-optic cable inside the turbine casing—
without going to all the time and trouble of opening up the turbine and looking at its
internals directly.

By contrast, we do a hot-section inspection only once every 16,000 hours (i.e., once every
two years). Such an inspection is much more thorough than a borescope inspection, for it
involves opening up the turbine and examining it directly. Both the service technician and
the turbine owner are able to see the internals of the turbine directly and what its actual
condition is.

During a hot-section inspection, the turbine technician replaces damaged turbine blades,
vanes, and any other components showing wear. Upon completion of the inspection and of
any needed repairs, we guarantee to the customer that the gas turbine system will be good
for another 16,000 hours of operation. We give him a serviceability report indicating
bearing wear and clearances, and noting any components that were replaced. Our guarantee
gives the customer a comfortable feeling about the equipment and its performance.

DE: Is that it then for the major maintenance on the turbine itself? A borescope inspection
every year and a hot-section inspection every two years?
Pozzi: No! After all, no gas turbine will last forever. After the turbine has been operated
for a total of 32,000 hours (i.e., four years), we will pull out the existing turbine and
completely replace it with a factory-rebuilt turbine. The old turbine is then carted back to
the OEM's factory, where it is used as the core for a rebuilt turbine. It will be completely
overhauled and rebuilt. At this time, OEM technicians will replace virtually everything
inside the turbine except for the case.

DE: During these major maintenance intervals—either the 16,000-hour or 32,000-hour

service—are there any upgrades to the gas turbine system that the customer can opt to
have—e.g., having turbine blades coated with protective coatings, etc.?
Pozzi: Advances in technology change the possible upgrades. Sometimes a customer will
choose to have the latest technology installed in the gas turbine system during an upgrade.

Those customers with some of our older systems (over 13 years old) often consider these
upgrades: a new control system with historical trending and/or management reports; remote
monitoring; and predictive-maintenance software.

As concern possible upgrades to the gas turbine itself, the latest technology uses ceramic
materials for both turbine blades and vanes. Accordingly, this ceramic option is something
a gas turbine system owner needs to consider for the 32,000-hour overhaul. Would it make
sense for him to spend the extra money to install ceramic blades and scrolls (these
distribute the hot gases to the blades)?

As for applying protective coatings to turbine blades, conventional metal-alloy turbine

blades already have a protective coating on them that is very durable. Accordingly, there is
no need to repaint those blades during a 16,000-hour turbine overhaul. Generally, it is not a
good idea to change turbine blades in the field; for there is a need to properly balance the
turbine rotor after installing new blades, an operation that needs to be done in the OEM's
turbine shop, where there is the proper balancing equipment.

To overcome this obstacle, some manufacturers stamp each turbine blade with its exact
weight. In this way, a given blade can be replaced with a new blade that is identical in
weight, thereby eliminating the need to balance the turbine rotor after old blades have been
removed and new ones added. A new blade is merely slid into a tapered slot on the rotor
and secured with a bolt.

DE: Is the replacement of the turbine at 32,000 hours an absolute must? Or is there some
way that this expensive task can be postponed?
Pozzi: No, it is not always an absolute must to replace all 1.5-megawatt gas turbines at
32,000 hours. But before we could recommend going beyond
 
that, we would have to rigorously inspect the turbine. In some
cases, we have been able to postpone replacement to the  
40,000-hour mark. When extending the replacement time of a turbine in this way, it is also
prudent to increase the frequency of inspections, to record predictive-maintenance data
more frequently, and to be extra vigilant about watching for deviations of the data from the
norm.

We have many of these 1.5-megawatt gas turbine systems operating in Mexico, mostly in
industrial settings. Many of these units have 40,000 hours on them and yet have received
no maintenance since being installed.

On these units, the cores of the turbines will be spent. These unmaintained turbines will not
be suitable for use as cores to tear down and rebuild. Such is the consequence of doing no
maintenance—of running a unit for 40,000 hours without changing air filters. Such can
cause severe abrasion of the turbine shells. Accordingly, these turbine owners will not be
able to receive a credit for their turbines when they are finished with them, for they will not
be rebuildable.

DE: Are there certain ways to operate a gas turbine that will help extend its useful life?
Perhaps, for instance, by not operating it at full load?
Pozzi: Concerning turbine operating strategies, a cardinal rule is to always operate the
turbine at full load. Why? Because the turbine operates much less efficiently when operated
at partial load.

Said another way, an onsite gas turbine system should be used wherever possible to meet a
facility's baseload power requirements. And any power needs above this baseload should
be met by purchasing power from the electric-utility grid.

DE: What about the combustor? Could you please explain: How important is it? Its major
functions? And its most common maintenance problems and what to do about them?
Pozzi: The combustor is the heart of the gas turbine system. Our control system keeps the
temperature of the combustor stages within normal operating limits, a measure that extends
the life of the hot-section inspection components. The combustor is essentially a trouble-
free component.

DE: What about gas turbine emissions to the atmosphere? Are they much of a problem?
Pozzi: Kawasaki guarantees that emissions from the gas turbine will meet air-quality
emissions standards. With our 1.5-megawatt gas turbine system, we guarantee an emissions
of 17% oxygen, less than 10 parts per million (ppm) of carbon monoxide, and NOx of less
than 2.5 ppm. We use a catalyst to help achieve these low NOx levels.

Sometimes, a turbine does not burn its fuel as cleanly as it should. On large turbines (15
megawatts or above), there are usually ways to fine-tune the combustion. On the smaller
1.5-megawatt units, one can still tune the combustion—but it is a much simpler process
than on the larger units (it takes 20 minutes versus three days).

Most gas turbine sites need to secure an emissions permit from the appropriate state
environmental agency. Usually, there are heavy fines for non-compliance with emissions
limits. Many states require that emissions samples be taken every quarter; and some states,
like California, want the gas turbine owner to monitor 24 hours a day for carbon monoxide
and NOx emissions.

But continuous monitoring equipment is very expensive and has a high O&M cost.
Fortunately, for gas turbine operators using "proven" low-emissions technology, California
is now providing an exemption to the costly continuous emissions-monitoring requirement;
such operators need only take stack emissions samples quarterly and send them to the state.
For example, Kawasaki's low-NOx-emissions Xonon technology meets the "proven"
technology criteria, so can be used without costly continuous emissions monitoring. Other
states with tough continuous monitoring requirements are beginning to follow California's
lead and to provide exemptions for proven technology.

DE: What is actually adjusted in this tuning process? Are there ways to regulate both the
air flow rate and the natural gas flow rate into the combustor? Is it possible to adjust the
power output of the turbine? Or does it always have to be run at full load?
Pozzi: Combustion tuning in our equipment is very easy. We only have two adjustments
and these involve fuel flow and bypass compressor discharge pressure airflow around the
combustor. It takes a qualified field-service technician about 20 minutes to set this up.

On larger turbine systems, combustion tuning can sometimes take days. The system
performance is mapped over the full operating range. To do this, the fuel input is increased
incrementally, and performance data such as emissions and fuel efficiency recorded. Why
does the whole tuning process take days? Because each time the fuel input is ratcheted up a
notch, it takes 20 minutes for the system to stabilize at the new level, so that meaningful
emissions data can be recorded.

DE: Do you monitor for sulfur dioxide emissions?

Pozzi: This is not usually required, for one cannot readily control SOx emissions. Such
emissions depend entirely on the amount of sulfur in the incoming fuel. The most common
fuel used in gas turbines is natural gas. And usually the amount of sulfur in natural gas is
quite low and controlled by the gas utility.

By contrast, the oxides of nitrogen (NOx) that are in gas turbine emissions are created by
the combustion process itself going on inside the turbine's combustor. How much NOx is
created depends upon the design of the particular combustor, its operating temperature (the
higher the operating temperature, the more NOx created), and whether or not catalysts are
used to facilitate the combustion process.

DE: Could you please expand further on catalytic combustion? What it is? How recent?
How often used? What the pros and cons are? What maintenance is entailed?
Pozzi: The combustor is the heart of the gas turbine system. And the use of a catalyst is the
key to the turbine's low emissions. Kawasaki is not the only gas turbine manufacturer that
uses catalytic combustion; but in the 1.5-megawatt size category, it is currently the only
one.

The catalyst facilitates combustion of the incoming fuel-air mixture. By operating the
combustor's preburner below 900 degrees Fahrenheit, we eliminate formation of NOx. The
remainder of the fuel is added and ignited in the combustor's burnout zone, the reaction
being facilitated by a catalyst. In the main part of the combustor itself, there is no flame—
just hot gases and unburned fuel. The mixture actually burns once it flows into the
catalyzed burnout zone. Here, there is some flame, but little NOx is formed, yielding a very
clean emissions.

This Kawasaki Xonon technology has been tested now for over five years and has been
commercially available for over two. What are its pros and cons? On the pro side, the
emissions are very low—10 ppm carbon monoxide and less than 2.5 ppm NOx. On the con
side is the need to change the catalysis module every year (8,400 hours). The maintenance
technician changes it as part of the turbine system's annual inspection, a procedure that
takes a day. Overall, the catalysis module adds a little bit to gas turbine system operating
costs. But the reduced emissions can make that added expense money well spent.

DE: Do you expect to see catalytic combustion spread to larger gas turbine systems, those
larger than 1.5 megawatts? Is such feasible?
Pozzi: Yes. I am quite confident that catalytic combustion will advance into larger gas
turbines—first the 7-megawatt units and later the 20-, 50-, and 100-megawatt units. And
this will happen first in California. Incidentally, Kawasaki does not sell its Xonon catalytic-
combustion technology to competing manufacturers, but there are other competing
technologies out there.

DE: OK. You have told us much about the gas turbine, the air going in, the emissions
coming out, and the periodic maintenance required. What, then, is the lifetime of a gas
turbine system? Is it basically the 32,000 hours (four years), after which the turbine itself
must be completely replaced?
Pozzi: No! It is indeed true that the turbine itself has to be completely replaced after 32,000
hours—although sometimes that time can be stretched to 40,000 hours. But there are other
major components in a gas turbine system that will last much longer than the turbine itself
without replacement. The gearbox, for instance, will typically last for about 50,000 hours
(six years) before it needs replacement. And an electric generator typically lasts for 22 to
30 years. So, depending upon how you view a turbine system, its lifetime could be
considered to be in the 20- to 30-year
time frame.

DE: What is the function of the

gearbox? And what sort of
maintenance does it require?
Pozzi: Mechanical power in the form
of a rotating shaft flows from the gas
turbine to the gearbox's input shaft,
then from the gearbox's output shaft
to the electric generator.

The electric generator in this 1.5-

megawatt turbine system needs to
rotate at 1,800 rpm. Yet, the 1.5-
megawatt turbine is rotating much
faster—at about 22,000 rpm. The
gearbox is needed to reduce the high
rpm provided by the turbine shaft to
the much lower rpm (1,800 rpm)
needed by the generator shaft.
Incidentally, most gas turbine system
OEMs do not make their own
gearboxes; such is done by specialty
manufacturers.

As far as needed maintenance for a

typical gearbox, there is not much
that needs doing. The gearbox is a
very robust unit and there is rarely a
problem with it. Typically, they will
last for 50,000 hours. After that, the
manufacturer usually recommends
replacing the gearbox with a rebuilt
unit.

We use synthetic oil in the gearbox.

Very durable and very resistant to
thermal or mechanical breakdown,
such oil typically lasts for several
years. Most gas turbine system
owners pay little attention to the
gearbox. Occasionally it is possible
for a bearing to fail or a gear to chip
—failures that would usually cause
The cutaway view of the Kawasaki GPB15X
the gearbox to rumble.
Combustor:

1. Fuel Injector DE: But doesn't the owner have to do

2. Mixer some maintenance to the gearbox?
3. Preburner Or at least to check out its proper
4. Catalyst
5. Burnout Zone operation from time to time, to
monitor its performance—so-called predictive maintenance—for any warning signs that
there might be trouble ahead?
Pozzi: Yes indeed! Such predictive maintenance is widely used in the electric-power
generation field. Maintenance technicians typically collect baseline performance data on
the gearbox unit and on the electric generator—recording periodically such things as
vibration levels, temperatures, and pressures.

As equipment ages, there are changes in these variables; they tend to drift away from the
baseline that was established when the equipment was new. An increase in the vibration
levels of the generator or of the gearbox, for instance, very likely indicates a problem with
the bearings.

Maintenance technicians will also periodically analyze oil circulating through bearings in
the gearbox, in the generator, and in the turbine. They are looking for metal particles
suspended in the oil and signs that the oil has been breaking down due to overheating—
indications that something is wrong with the bearings. This is all part of predictive
maintenance.

Currently I am working on developing some predictive-maintenance software. This will

calculate the deviations of measured variables from their baseline values. If the measured
variable values drift off too far, then the computer will sound an alarm to alert the operator.
Or the computer could alert the gas turbine system OEM by calling him on the phone and
conveying the abnormal information.

We like to sell gas turbine systems equipped with appropriate telemetry. In this way,
Kawasaki can have operating data on its customers' gas turbine systems sent via telemetry
to Kawasaki so experts there can monitor the operation of customer units.

Or conversely, Kawasaki can call the computer-monitoring system for a gas turbine system
over a regular phone line and check on the current status of the system, comparing its
current operation with baseline profiles, etc.

DE: Predictive maintenance, then, is already widely used for gas turbine systems being
used in distributed energy applications?
Pozzi: Yes. The use of predictive maintenance is not confined to large central electric
power plants. It is also used in distributed energy applications, where the electric power
being generated is in the 1- to 20-megawatt range.

In these gas turbine distributed energy applications, it makes sense to monitor the vibration
of major equipment, where any kind of unscheduled downtime can be very costly. A
change in the vibration of a piece of equipment indicates that something has changed.
There might be a shaft bearing going bad; or the lube oil may have lost its properties, etc.

Such changes are a warning that something is wrong and that corrective action is needed.
For instance, we might have to change the bearings in the electric generator, or at least
change the oil used to lubricate its bearings—steps if taken expeditiously may prevent the
generator from failing entirely.
Here, our predictive-maintenance
system is suggesting that we take
corrective action soon—but not
necessarily immediately. We try to
work the needed maintenance into
the customer's schedule. We will ask
our customer: When is your next
scheduled shutdown? Can we come
in at that time, then, and change the The cutaway view of the Kawasaki GPB180
bearings on the electric generator?

In the old days, many maintenance people merely waited for the equipment to fail before
taking action. Or, at most, they might give equipment an extra shot of grease. Today, the
approach is much more scientific. Invoking the methods of predictive maintenance, we
continuously monitor the condition of major equipment. In that way, we can observe
changes over time. And when we see enough drift from initial baseline conditions, we
schedule maintenance—e.g., a bearing change.

DE: How long does the oil last in these lubrication systems?
Pozzi: That depends on how hot the oil gets during service and how often lubrication oil
filters are changed. We use synthetic oil in our gas turbine systems, and that can last for
years.

DE: Could you please expand a bit more on the maintenance needs of the electric
generator used with a 1.5-megawatt gas turbine system?
Pozzi: Certainly. First, let me say that most OEM gas turbine system manufacturers do not
make their own electric generators but buy the appropriate generators from electric-
generator manufacturers. Most commercial and industrial customers want an electric
generator with an output of 480 volts, 60 cycles/sec, three-phase. But requirement can vary.

Usually, the customer will tell us his electrical requirements, what sort of output electrical
power he needs. We will then select the appropriate electrical generator from the numerous
manufacturers on the market and integrate it into the gas turbine package.

Yet, like gearboxes, electric generators are also units that are largely trouble-free. Their
most common failures are shaft bearings. It is not uncommon for an electric generator to
run trouble-free for 13 years or more. Perhaps after that it might need bearings changed.
Occasionally, there might be a failure of diodes. I've seen this a few times after units were
affected by lightning-induced voltage surges.

The only maintenance that needs to be done on these generators is the predictive
maintenance previously mentioned. This involves taking periodic oil samples from the oil
circulating through the generator's bearings and analyzing them for signs (metal particles,
oil breakdown) of pending trouble. It also calls for monitoring generator vibrations for
signs of deviations from the initial baseline.
DE: How long does an electric
generator typically last?
Pozzi: The electric generator will
last a very long time if properly
maintained. Its shaft bearings will
typically last between six and eight
years, then need to be replaced. With
periodic bearing replacement, an
electric generator can typically last
for 20 or 30 years—as problems in
its windings and other electrical
components are rare.

So the bearings, then, are the most

vulnerable component of a generator.
Actual bearing lifetime will depend
upon how cool the oil circulating
through them is kept. Some bearings
are lubricated by a splash system,
with oil in a reservoir splashing up to
keep metal surfaces coated. In a
better system, oil is actually pumped
through the bearings, cooled, filtered,
then recirculated through the
bearings in a continuing cycle.

DE: Earlier, you talked about

predictive maintenance and the
desirability of being able to remotely
monitor a gas turbine installation.
But is such telemetry capability
really all that important? Isn't it
more like frosting on the cake?
Pozzi: No! It's a lot more than mere
frosting! For it allows the turbine
system OEM to see the same
information as the customer. And
this enables us, as the experts on the
system, to be able to identify
potential problem areas and to
recommend solutions.

Most importantly, such remote

capability saves the time and the
expense of having one of our service
technicians travel to the customer's
site. Such can greatly reduce the
customer's downtime—during which
he could be losing millions of
dollars. This remote monitoring and
access capability also reduces the
cost of maintenance, enabling the
turbine system OEM to offer a
maintenance service contract to
customers at a lower price than

All work on gas trubines, from installation to periodic

maintenance, is performed by highly trained
technicians.