American International University-Bangladesh

(AIUB)

Gas Turbine Power

Station

Introduction
Gas turbine power plant is a power plant in which
a gas turbine is used as the prime-mover for the
generation of electrical energy. In the gas turbine
power plant, the products of the combustion are
directly expanded in the turbine whereas in the
steam power plant, the products of the
combustion (which is used to produce steam) do
not form the working medium for driving the
turbine. The gas turbine is different from the
diesel engine in this respect that the combustion
region is external to the prime-mover.

Advantages of Gas Turbine Power Plants

Gas turbine power plants offer some advantages over

other power plants. These advantages can be
summarized as :

The capital cost of a gas turbine plant is lower than that

of a steam plant of the same size.
It has no standby losses.
It requires lesser area than a steam plant of the same
capacity.
It has less water requirements as compared to a steam
plant.
Its foundations and buildings are simple and cheap.
They can be started and put on load more quickly than
steam plants.
A gas turbine plant can be located very near the load
even in the cities and towns.
6

Disadvantages of Gas Turbine Power Plants

However, the gas turbine power plants have the
following demerits also:
The operating costs of a gas turbine plant are very
high as compared to other plants.
It has low net output (a greater part of power
developed by the turbine being used in driving the
compressor).
Its overall efficiency is low (the exhaust gases from
the turbine contain sufficient heat).
Its operation is noisy.
It consumes high specific fuel.
Its unit capacity is low (around 50 MW).
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Site Selection of Gas Turbine Power Plants

The following factors should be considered while selecting a
site for gas turbine power plants:
Distance from load centre: The site should be as near to the
load centre as possible so that the transmission costs and
losses are minimized.
Availability of land: The land should be available at cheap
rate in order to keep the capital cost of the plant low.
Availability of fuel: The fuel should be easily available and at
reasonable rate.
Availability of transportation facilities: The transportation
facilities should be available.
Distance from populated area: The site should be away
from thickly populated area because of noisy operation.
Type of land: The land should be of high bearing capacity to
withstand the load of the plant and also the vibrations
transmitted to the foundations from compressors and turbines.
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Fuels for Gas Turbines

A variety of fuels solid, liquid and gaseous
are available for use in gas turbines. Though
coal and peat can be employed as gas turbine
fuels but these are not used mainly because of
coal handling and ash handling problems. The
petroleum fuels such as kerosene, gas oil,
diesel oil, residual oil, are quite suitable for
use in gas turbines but their use is limited
because of their higher costs. Natural gas
which is mainly methane with high calorific
value and liquid petroleum fuels are normally
used in the gas turbine power plants now-adays.
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Principle of Operation of Open Cycle Gas Turbine Power

Plants

Figure 1: A Simple Gas Turbine Power Plant

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Principle of Operation of Open Cycle Gas Turbine Power

Plants
The air is sucked by the compressor from the
atmosphere through the filter, which removes the dust
from the air.
The compressor compresses this air and supplies the
pressurized air to the combustion chamber.
Fuel is injected into the combustion chamber and burnt
in the stream of air supplied by the compressor. The
combustion raises the temperature of air under constant
pressure.
The hot pressurized gas mixtures are passed through
the gas turbine. These gases in passing over the turbine
blades expand and thus result in motion of rotor and
finally discharged to the atmosphere at a temperature of
about 1000F.
The alternator is coupled to the gas turbine, converts
mechanical energy of the turbine into electrical energy.
11

Principle of Operation of Open Cycle Gas Turbine Power

Plants
An electric motor used
for starting the compressor
(compressor is required to be started before starting the
turbine) is mounted on the same shaft as that of the
turbine. Once the unit starts, a part of the mechanical
power output of the turbine drives the compressor and
there is no need of motor now. Such plants are known as
open cycle gas turbine power plants.
The gas turbine has to drive the compressor as well as
the alternator. In some cases, these two functions of gas
turbines are separated and two different turbines are
employed - a high pressure turbine drives the compressor
and a low pressure turbine drives the alternator, as
shown in the figure 2. This arrangement has the
advantage that the speed of the power turbine (the
turbine driving the alternator) can be kept constant at
synchronous speed while the speed of the turbine driving
the compressor can be varied according to the output
required
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Principle of Operation of Open Cycle Gas Turbine Power

Plants

Figure 2: Gas Turbine Power Plant with Two Turbines

13

Efficiency
The overall efficiency of the open cycle gas
turbine power plants is very low since the
greater part (around 65%) of the power
developed by the turbine is used in driving
the compressor. The fact that the hot gases
from the combustion chamber are cooled to
a safe temperature before admitting it to the
turbine also reduces the efficiency. The
overall efficiency of the plant, owing to the
above reasons, seldom exceeds 20%.
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Principle of Operation of Open Cycle Gas Turbine Power Plants

with Regenerator, Intercooler and Reheater:

Open Cycle Gas Turbine Power Plant with Regenerator, Intercooler and R

15

Principle of Operation of Open Cycle Gas Turbine Power Plants

with Regenerator, Intercooler and Reheater:
The air is sucked by the compressor from the
atmosphere through the filter, which removes the dust
from the air.
The low pressure compressor partly compresses this air.
An intercooler cools the air at constant pressure and then
supplies the air to the high pressure compressor.
The highly compressed air is preheated by the heat of
the exhaust gases using regenerator.
The compressed and preheated air is then applied to
the combustion chamber.
Fuel is injected into the combustion chamber and burnt
in the stream of air supplied by the compressor. The
combustion raises the temperature of air under constant
pressure. The hot pressurized gas mixtures are then
passed through the gas turbines.
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Principle of Operation of Open Cycle Gas Turbine Power Plants

with Regenerator, Intercooler and Reheater:
Reheater increases the temperature of the partly
expanded gas from the high pressure gas turbine by
burning more fuel before admitting the air to the low
pressure turbine.
The alternator is coupled to the gas turbine, converts
mechanical energy of the turbine into electrical energy.
An electric motor used for starting the compressor is
mounted on the same shaft as that of the turbine. Once
the unit starts, a part of the mechanical power output of
the turbine drives the compressor and there is no need of
motor now.

17

Improvement of thermal efficiency

The regenerator utilizes the heat of exhaust gases to

heat the compressed air before it is sent to the
combustion chamber, reduces the fuel consumption of
the plant and improves the cycle thermal efficiency.
However, for short time operation such as peak loads, the
cost of regenerator may not justify its use in gas cycle.
The intercooler is heat exchanger which cools the partly
compressed air in order to reduce volume and increase
density. By using intercooling, the total size of the
compressor is reduced for the same output. Thus it
reduces the internal power consumption of the
compressor and increases the thermal efficiency. The rise
in temperature in the reheater also increases the thermal
efficiency of the plant. Thus using regenerator,
intercooler and reheater, the thermal efficiency of
a gas turbine power plant can be increased to
around 30%.
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Improvement of thermal efficiency

The regenerator utilizes the heat of exhaust gases to

heat the compressed air before it is sent to the
combustion chamber, reduces the fuel consumption of
the plant and improves the cycle thermal efficiency.
However, for short time operation such as peak loads, the
cost of regenerator may not justify its use in gas cycle.
The intercooler is heat exchanger which cools the partly
compressed air in order to reduce volume and increase
density. By using intercooling, the total size of the
compressor is reduced for the same output. Thus it
reduces the internal power consumption of the
compressor and increases the thermal efficiency. The rise
in temperature in the reheater also increases the thermal
efficiency of the plant. Thus using regenerator,
intercooler and reheater, the thermal efficiency of
a gas turbine power plant can be increased to
around 30%.
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Principle of Operation of Closed Cycle Gas Turbine Power Plants

with Regenerator, Intercooler and Reheater:

Closed Cycle Gas Turbine Power Plant with Regenerator, Intercooler and

20

Principle of Operation of Closed Cycle Gas Turbine Power Plants

with Regenerator, Intercooler and Reheater:
In closed cycle gas turbine power plant, fuel is not
mixed with the working medium (helium, argon,
hydrogen, neon etc.).
The working medium is sucked by the low pressure
compressor which partly compresses it.
An intercooler cools the working medium at constant
pressure and then supplies it to the high pressure
compressor.
The highly compressed working medium is preheated
by the heat of the exhaust gases using regenerator.
The compressed and preheated working medium is then
applied to the combustion chamber, where it is heated
externally.
The combustion raises the temperature of the working
medium under constant pressure. The hot pressurized
working medium is then passed through the gas turbines.
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Principle of Operation of Closed Cycle Gas Turbine Power Plants

with Regenerator, Intercooler and Reheater:
Reheater increases the temperature of the partly
expanded working medium from the high pressure gas
turbine by burning more fuel before admitting it to the
low pressure turbine.
The alternator is coupled to the gas turbine, converts
mechanical energy of the turbine into electrical energy.
From the regenerator, the working medium is passed
through the gas cooler which cools working medium
before admitting it to the low pressure compressor to
start the cycle again.
An electric motor used for starting the compressor is
mounted on the same shaft as that of the turbine. Once
the unit starts, a part of the mechanical power output of
the turbine drives the compressor and there is no need of
motor now.
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Advantages of closed cycle plants

The advantages of closed cycle gas turbine power plants
are
A working medium with more desirable
properties than air can be used.
As fuel is not mixing with the working medium, low
graded fuel can be used.
The risk of corrosion of turbine blades is absent since the
turbine is free from the products of combustion.
Maximum unit capacity may be increased by employing
closed cycle, since in it, the gas is at relatively high
pressure and therefore physical dimensions of the
compressor and the turbine are reduced.
In an open cycle plant, the incoming air has to be filtered.
This is eventually eliminated in a closed cycle plant.

However the above advantages are offset by additional

complexity of plant because a closed cycle plant requires
externally fired heater, gas cooler etc.
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Procedures for Starting and Stopping of Gas

Turbine Power Plants:
In starting of gas turbine power plants, the
following steps are required:
Cranking of unit to around 10% speed to
establish air flow through the combustion
chamber.
Admitting correct amount of superior fuel
(diesel oil) and applying ignition to air to initiate
combustion.
Accelerating the unit by the starting motor.
Disengagement of starting motor on
attainment of self sustained speed by the gas
turbine.
Transfer of fuel from diesel oil to bunker C.
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Procedures for Starting and Stopping of Gas

Turbine Power Plants:
Stopping of gas turbine power plants requires
the following steps:
Transfer of fuel from bunker C to diesel oil and
operation of diesel oil for sufficient time in order
to remove the heavy bunker C from the fuel
pump, fuel lines and fuel nozzles.
Stoppage of the supply of fuel to the
combustion chamber.
Rotating of unit after shut down to allow
proper cooling of various parts.

25

Load Controlling of Gas Turbine Power Plants:

In case of an open cycle gas turbine power
plant, the regulation is obtained by controlling
the flow of fuel to the combustion chamber. The
governor is located at the output shaft and
regulates a valve in the fuel supply lines by its
action.
In a closed cycle gas turbine power plant, the
load is controlled by controlling the density of
working medium in the closed circuit. This is
obtained by passing working medium into or out
of the circuit under pressure. The flow of fuel is
also regulated simultaneously with the air
density.
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Combination Gas Turbine Power

Plants:
A combination of gas turbine and steam turbine
cycle aims at improving the overall plant
efficiency by using the heat of exhaust gases
from the gas turbine as a heat source for a
steam
plant
cycle.
There
are
three
arrangements of combinational cycles usually
employed as given below:
Use of Exhaust Gases of Gas Turbine Power Plant for Heating
of Feed Water
Use of Exhaust Gases from Gas Turbine as Combustion Air in
Steam Boiler
Use of Gases from Supercharged Boiler for Expansion in Gas
Turbine

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Use of Exhaust Gases of Gas Turbine Power

Plant for Heating of Feed Water

28

Use of Exhaust Gases from Gas Turbine as

Combustion Air in Steam Boiler

29

Use of Gases from Supercharged Boiler for

Expansion in Gas Turbine:

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Advantages of Combined Cycle Operation:

The advantages of combined cycle operation are
enumerated as below:
Saving in exhaust heat of the gas turbine and,
therefore, increased in its heat rate.
Reduction of stack emissions.
Reduction in space requirement in comparison
with conventional generating units of a given
capacity.
Reduction in requirements of condensing water
The starting time required for the steam
turbine power plant can be reduced.
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32

Advantages and Disadvantages

Great power-to-weight
ratio compared to
reciprocating engines.
Smaller than their
reciprocating
counterparts of the
same power.
Lower emission levels

Expensive:
high speeds and high operating
temperatures
designing and manufacturing
gas turbines is a tough problem
from both the engineering and
materials standpoint

Tend to use more fuel when

they are idling
They prefer a constant rather
than a fluctuating load.

Emission in Gas Turbines

Lower emission compared to all conventional methods (except nuclear)

Regulations require further reduction in emission levels

Needs for Future Gas Turbines

Power Generation
Fuel Economy
Low Emissions
Alternative fuels

Military Aircrafts
High Thrust
Low Weight

Half the size and twice the thrust

Commercial Aircrafts

Low emissions
High Thrust
Low Weight
Fuel Economy

Double the size of the Aircraft

and double the distance travelled
with 50% less NOx