Page 67 - Industrial Plant 2015

Gas Turbine Air Filtration System
Optimization

Camfil Air Inlet Systems reduce environmental impact and increase power output

Jan-Peter Nilsson
Camfil

conditions. Air pollutant characteristics vary
with place, time and local conditions such
as climate, the surrounding environment
and human activity such as industry and
traffic. Therefore choosing air filtration
system to clean the air is complex involving
a a number of considerations and
experience.

In a gas fired power plant where electricity is Why air filtration?
generated by a gas turbine the fuel cost represents
a majority of the total costs. As an average the Air filtration systems for gas turbines have
fuel cost represents about 60% of the electricity evolved from simple coarse solid particulate
selling price. One of the most important factors removal systems to complex ones that
influencing the fuel consumption is the design of remove solid, as well as liquid particles. As
the gas turbine air intake system. the demand for gas turbine thermal
Gas turbines burn fuel with enormous volumes of air efficiency escalate; with firing temperatures
pulled from the atmosphere and to prevent damage to increasing and machine tolerance
the turbine interior the air needs to be cleaned from decreasing, gas turbines become more
pollutants. The quantity of contaminants like dust and sensitive to particles in the combustion air,
water varies dramatically depending on ambient thus requiring more efficient and reliable air
filtration equipment (figure 1).
With proper function of the gas turbine
being so critical, reliability is of outmost
importance. With increase of gas prices, a
tougher financial situation and environmental issues it’s
not only important to keep the gas turbines running, it’s
also important to do it as efficient and with as little
environmental impact as possible.
Gas turbines are exposed to pollutants through two
possible sources. Combustion air and fuel. The latter is
normally defined and content is most cases known
when the installation is selected. Inlet combustion air
quality however varies from site to site and many inlet
filtration systems fail to protect the gas turbine due to
incorrect selection and/or sizing.

Industrial Plants - May 2015

65