Reliability, Availability and Maintainability Considerations for Gas Turbine Cogeneration Systems

Abstract

The success of a cogeneration system depends upon the system being available, i.e. operating and meeting its demands under expected environmental conditions. A high availability in turn, depends on both Reliability (indicating how often the system fails), and Maintainability (indicating how fast it can be returned to a satisfactory operating state). A low availability will adversely effect important economic criteria for the project such as Discounted Cash Flow and Payback. This paper provides a structure by which these important parameters can be addressed at the design evaluation stage. The paper discusses reliability methods and practical aspects such as installation and operation considerations, including air filtration, fuel conditioning and compressor washing.