Residual Oil Burning Experience At The Putnam Plant Of Lorida Power & Light Company

Abstract

Florida Power & Light Company has four Westinghouse 501B gas turbines in operation at the Putnam Plant. The gas turbines are components of the two PACE 260 combined cycle units at that site. The units are designed to operate on either distillate fuel or a low sulfur residual fuel. An electrostatic fuel treatment facility is in service to prepare the residual fuel for use in the gas turbines. The units were placed in service in 1976 and operated on distillate fuel until 1978. At that time, two of the gas turbines started burning residual fuel and the other two began using residual in 1979. Through May, 1982, the turbines have accumulated approximately 24,500 fired hours on residual oil. Several problems have been encountered while burning this fuel and the following major problem areas are discussed in the paper. Each discussion includes a description of the symptoms, corrective action taken and current status. I. Fuel Preparation II. Fuel Filter Plugging III. Fuel Transfer IV. Starting Reliability V. Compressor Surges VI. Heat Rate VII. Gas Turbine Component Life A. Combustors B. Transition Ducts C. BladesNanes VIII. Availability. The experience at the Putnam Plant demonstrates that treated residual fuel can be successfully burned in large industrial gas turbines.