Gas Turbine Performance and Maintenance

Abstract

Proper maintenance and operating practices can significantly affect the level of performance degradation and thus, time between repairs or overhauls of a gas turbine. Understanding of performance characteristics of gas turbines helps proper applications, as well as driven and process equipment sizing. Proactive condition monitoring will allow the gas turbine operator to make intelligent service decisions based on the actual condition of the gas turbine rather than on fixed and calendar based maintenance intervals. Maintaining inlet air, fuel, and lube oil quality will further reduce gas turbine degradation and deterioration. This tutorial provides a discussion on performance characteristics and how performance degradation can be minimized. Recommendations are provided on how the operator can limit degradation and deterioration of the gas turbines through proper maintenance practices. The effects of water-washing and best washing practices are discussed. Emphasis is on the monitoring of gas turbine performance parameters to establish condition based maintenance practices.