Gas Turbine Power Plant

The gas turbine is the most satisfactory power developing unit

among various means of producing mechanical power due to its
exceptional reliability, freedom from vibration, and ability to
produce large powers from units of comparatively small size and
weights.

The economics of power generation by the gas turbine is proving

more attractive in all parts of the world due to its low capital cost
and high reliability and flexibility in operation. Another
outstanding feature of gas turbine plants for power generation is
the capability of quick starting and the capability of using a wide
variety of fuels from natural gas to residual oil or powdered coal.

Types of Gas Turbine Power Plant

The gas turbines can be classified into:

1. Open cycle gas turbine power plant

2. Closed cycle gas turbine power plant

1. Open Cycle Gas Turbine Power Plant

Simple construction and working of an open cycle gas turbine
power plant as shown in the figure. It consists of a compressor,

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combustion chamber, turbine, and generator. The compressor
takes the ambient air and raises its pressure by compression.

Heat is added to the air in the combustion chamber by burning the

fuel and increasing the air temperature. The heated gases coming
out of the combustion chamber are then passed to the turbine
where it expands doing the mechanical work.

Part of the generated power by the turbine is utilized in driving the

compressor and other accessories and the remaining is used for
power generation. Since ambient air enters the compressor and
gases coming out of the turbine are exhausted into the atmosphere,
the working medium must be replaced continuously.

This type of cycle is known as an open cycle gas turbine power

plant and it is mainly used in the majority of gas turbine power
plants as it has many inherent advantages.

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Advantages of Open Cycle Gas Turbine Power Plant
Following are the advantages of an open cycle gas turbine power
plant:

1. Once the turbine started, it will accelerate from cold start to

full load without warm-up time.
2. Low weight and size.
3. It occupies relatively less space.
4. Almost any hydrocarbon fuel from high octane gasoline to
heavy diesel oils can be used in the combustion chamber.
5. It does not require cooling water except for those having an
intercooler.
6. Through auxiliary refinements, we can improve thermal
efficiency and give the most economic overall cost for the
plant load factors.

2. Closed Cycle Gas Turbine Power Plant

Simple construction and working of a closed cycle gas turbine
power plant as shown in the figure. It consists of a compressor,
combustion chamber, turbine, generator, and precooler. The
working fluid may be air or any other suitable gas coming out from
the compressor with high pressure and is heated in a heater by an
external source at constant pressure.

The high temperature and high-pressure air coming out from the
combustion chamber are passed through the gas turbine where it

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expands doing the mechanical work. The fluid coming out from
the turbine is cooled to its original temperature in the cooler using
an external cooling source before passing to the compressor.

The working fluid is continuously used in the system without its

change in phase and the required heat is given to the working fluid
in the heat exchanger.

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Advantages of Closed Gas Turbine Power

Plant Following are the advantages of a

closed gas turbine:

1. No contamination.
2. Higher thermal efficiency.
3. Improved load part efficiency.
4. No loss of working medium. 5. Expensive fuel 6. Reduced
size.
7. Improved heat transmission.
8. Less fluid friction.
9. Greater output.
Disadvantages of Closed Gas Turbine Power

Plant Following are the disadvantages of closed

gas turbine:

1. Complicated in design.
2. The high initial cost of the plant.
3. It requires a high quantity of cooling water.
4. Poor response to the load variations.
5. It requires a very big heat exchanger.

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Working of Gas Turbine Power Plant
A schematic diagram of a gas turbine power plant is shown in the
figure. It consists of a compressor, turbine, and combustion
chamber.

Atmospheric air is drawn into the compressor and compressed to

high pressure. The compressed air is supplied to the combustion
chamber where heat is added to the air by burning the fuel and
raising its temperature. The hot gas coming out from the
combustion chamber is then passed to the turbine where it expands
doing mechanical work.

Part of the power developed by the turbine is used to drive the

compressor and other auxiliary equipment, and the remaining is
used for power generation. The gas coming out of the turbine is
exhausted into the atmosphere. This cycle is known as an open
cycle power plant.

If the gas coming out from the turbine is cooled to its original
temperature in a cooler and then it is recirculated to the compressor

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for doing work, such a cycle is known as a closed-cycle power
plant.

Elements or Components of Gas Turbine Power Plant

Following are the components of a gas turbine power plant:

1. Compressor
2. Combustion chamber
1. Can-type Combustor With Swirl Flow Flame Stabilizer
2. Can-type Combustion With Bluff-body Flame Stabilizer
3. Vertex blading
4. Turbine

1. Compressor
The compressor is used to compress the air to higher pressure. The
type of compressors that are commonly used is centrifugal and
axial flow types. The centrifugal compressor consists of an impeller
and a diffuser.

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The impeller provides high kinetic energy to the air and the
diffuser converts kinetic energy into pressure energy. A centrifugal
compressor consists of an impeller with a series of curved radial
vanes as shown in the figure. Air is sucked in near the hub, called
the impeller eye, and is whirled round at high speed by the vanes
on the impeller rotating at high rpm.

The static pressure of air increases from the eye to the tip of the
impeller. The air leaving the impeller tip flows through the diffuser

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pathway which converts kinetic energy into pressure energy. A
pressure ratio up to 2 to 3 is possible in the single-stage
compressor.

The axial flow compressor contains a series of rotors and stators.

The air flows along the axis of the rotor. The kinetic energy is given
to the air as it passes through the rotor and part of it is converted
into pressure as shown in the figure.

2. Combustion Chamber
In an open cycle, GT plant combustion may be arranged to take
place in one or two large cylinder can-type combustion chambers
(CC) with ducting to convey to the turbine. Combustion is begun
by an electric spark and once the fuel starts burning the flame is
need to stabilize.

1. Can-type Combustor With Swirl Flow Flame Stabilizer

A pilot or recirculated inflow to establish stable flame which helps
to sustain the zone is created in the main flow to establish stable

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flame which helps to sustain combustion continuously. The
common methods of flame stabilization flow and by the bluff body.

The figure shows a can-type combustor with swirl flow flame

stabilization. About 20% of the total air from the compressor is
directly fed through a swirler to the burner as primary air, to
provide a rich fuel-air mixture. In the primary zone that burns
continuously, high temperatures gases are produced.

Air flowing through the swirler produces a vortex motion creating

a low-pressure zone along the air of the CC to cause a reversal of
flow. About 30% of total air is supplied through dilution holes in
the secondary zone through the annulus around the flame tube to
complete the combustion.

Secondary air must be received at the right points in the CC,

otherwise, the cold injected air may cool the flame thus reducing
the rate of reaction. Secondary air not only helps in completing the
combustion process but also helps in cooling the flame tube.

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The remaining 50% of air is mixed with burnt gases in the tertiary
zone to cool the gases down to the temperature suited to the
turbine blade materials.

2. Can-type Combustion With Bluff-body Flame Stabilizer

The figure shows a can-type combustor with a bluff body
stabilizing the flame. The fuel is injected upstream into the airflow
and a sheet metal cone and perforated baffle plate ensure the
necessary mixing of fuel and air.

The low-pressure zone created downstream side causes the

reversal of flow along the axis of the CC to stabilize the flame.
Sufficient turbulence is produced in all three zones of the CC for
uniform mixing and good combustion.

3. Gas Turbines
Like steam turbines, gas turbines are also
of the axial flow type as shown in the
figure. The primary requirements of
turbines are high efficiency, light weight,
reliability in operation, and long working
life.

Large work output is obtained per stage

with higher blade speeds when the blades
are designed to maintain higher stresses.
More stages are always preferred in gas

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turbine power plants because it helps to reduce the stresses in the
blades and increases the overall life of the turbine.

Cooling of gas turbine blades is necessary for a long life as it is

subjected to high-temperature gases. Blade angles of gas
turbines follow the axial flow compressor blades,
where the degree of reaction is not 50%.

It is usually assumed for any stage that the absolute velocity at the
inlet to each stage (V2) is equal to the absolute velocity at the exit
from the moving blades (ie. V2) and that the same flow velocity Vf
is constant throughout the turbine.

The degree of reaction R, as determined for a steam turbine, is true

for gas turbines also. It is the ratio of the enthalpy drop in the
moving blades to the enthalpy drop in the stage.

4. Vortex Blading
It is the name given to the twisted blades which are designed by
using threedimensional flow equations with a view to decrease
fluid flow losses. A radial equilibrium equation can be derived and
it can be shown that one set of conditions that satisfies this equation
is as follows:

• a) Constant axial velocity along with the blades, i.e. Vf =

constant
• b) Constant specific work over the annulus, i.e. Vb∆Vw =
constant

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 • C) Free vortex at the entry to the moving blades, i.e. Vw1r =
constant, where r is the blade radius at any point.

Since the specific work output is constant over the annulus, it can
be calculated at the mean radius, and multiplied by the mass flow
rate it becomes the power for the stage. Since the fluid density
varies along with the blade height, the density at the mean radius
can be used, so that m = ρmVfA, where A is the blade annular area.

• d) Ductwork: The ductwork consists of ducts between the

compressor and the combustion chamber, the combustion
chamber to the turbine, and the exhaust duct. The ducts must
be sized to minimize the pressure losses, as the loss in
pressure directly reduces the capacity of the plant.

Advantages of Gas Turbine Power Plant

Following are the advantages of a gas turbine power plant:

1. The work developed per kg of air is large compared to the

diesel plant.
2. Less space is required.
3. Less vibration due to perfect balancing.
4. Low capital cost.
5. Higher mechanical efficiency.
6. The higher the speed of the turbine.
7. Low installation and maintenance costs.
8. Simple ignition and lubrication systems.

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 9. Poor quality fuels can be used.
10. Better torque characteristics of the plant.
11. No ash handling problem.

Disadvantages of Gas Turbine Power Plant

1. Poor part-load efficiency.

2. Special cooling methods are required for cooling turbine
blades.
3. Short life.
4. Special metals and alloys are required for components.

Applications of Gas Turbine Power Plant

The gas turbine plants are used for the following purposes:

1. It is used to drive the generators and supply peak loads in

steam, diesel, or hydro plants.
2. To work as combustion plants with a conventional steam
boiler.

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