Gas turbine power enhancement technologies, such as inlet fogging, interstage water injection, saturation cooling, inlet chillers, and combustor injection, are being employed by end users without evaluating the potentially negative effects these devices may have on the operational integrity of the gas turbine. Particularly, the effect of these add-on devices, off-design operating conditions, nonstandard fuels, and compressor degradation∕fouling on the gas turbine’s axial compressor surge margin and aerodynamic stability is often overlooked. Nonetheless, compressor aerodynamic instabilities caused by these factors can be directly linked to blade high-cycle fatigue and subsequent catastrophic gas turbine failure; i.e., a careful analysis should always proceed the application of power enhancement devices, especially if the gas turbine is operated at extreme conditions, uses older internal parts that are degraded and weakened, or uses nonstandard fuels. This paper discusses a simplified method to evaluate the principal factors that affect the aerodynamic stability of a single-shaft gas turbine’s axial compressor. As an example, the method is applied to a frame-type gas turbine and results are presented. These results show that inlet cooling alone will not cause gas turbine aerodynamic instabilities, but that it can be a contributing factor if for other reasons the machine’s surge margin is already slim. The approach described herein can be employed to identify high-risk applications and bound the gas turbine operating regions to limit the risk of blade life reducing aerodynamic instability and potential catastrophic failure.
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e-mail: kbrun@swri.org
e-mail: kurẕraineṟx@solarturbines.com
e-mail: hsimmons@swri.org
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July 2006
Technical Papers
Aerodynamic Instability and Life-Limiting Effects of Inlet and Interstage Water Injection Into Gas Turbines
Klaus Brun,
Klaus Brun
Mechanical and Materials Engineering Division,
e-mail: kbrun@swri.org
Southwest Research Institute
, P. O. Drawer 28510, San Antonio, TX 78228-0510
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Rainer Kurz,
e-mail: kurẕraineṟx@solarturbines.com
Rainer Kurz
Solar Turbines Incorporated
, 9330 Sky Park Court, San Diego, CA 92123-5398
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Harold R. Simmons
Harold R. Simmons
Mechanical and Materials Engineering Division,
e-mail: hsimmons@swri.org
Southwest Research Institute
, P. O. Drawer 28510, San Antonio, TX 78228-0510
Search for other works by this author on:
Klaus Brun
Mechanical and Materials Engineering Division,
Southwest Research Institute
, P. O. Drawer 28510, San Antonio, TX 78228-0510e-mail: kbrun@swri.org
Rainer Kurz
Solar Turbines Incorporated
, 9330 Sky Park Court, San Diego, CA 92123-5398e-mail: kurẕraineṟx@solarturbines.com
Harold R. Simmons
Mechanical and Materials Engineering Division,
Southwest Research Institute
, P. O. Drawer 28510, San Antonio, TX 78228-0510e-mail: hsimmons@swri.org
J. Eng. Gas Turbines Power. Jul 2006, 128(3): 617-625 (9 pages)
Published Online: March 1, 2004
Article history
Received:
October 1, 2003
Revised:
March 1, 2004
Citation
Brun, K., Kurz, R., and Simmons, H. R. (March 1, 2004). "Aerodynamic Instability and Life-Limiting Effects of Inlet and Interstage Water Injection Into Gas Turbines." ASME. J. Eng. Gas Turbines Power. July 2006; 128(3): 617–625. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.2135819
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