Dust and Sand Protection for Marine Gas Turbines

The newest ship class to enter the U.S. Navy (USN) fleet is the DDG-993 KIDD Class guided missile destroyer. The lead ship of the Class, delivered March 1981, incorporates the main features of the DD 963 Class hull and main propulsion system designs. Originally ordered by the Imperial Iranian Navy (IIN), the ship design also incorporates unique features for protection from dust and sand. The ventilation ducting, deck machinery, and gas turbine combustion air all required modifications to protect against damage due to the expected Persian Gulf environment. This paper will outline the hardware changes considered necessary to meet the requirements for satisfactory IIN performance for the propulsion and electrical generator gas turbines.