Gas
Turbine
Power
Plants
The gas turbine is one of the oldest device known to man for the conversion of heat into mechanical work. The gas turbine is most satisfactory power developing unit among various means of producing mechanical power due to its exceptional reliability; freedom from vibration and ability to produce large powers from units of comparatively small size and weights. The use of gas turbine plant for developing power was known as early as in 1872.
Unfortunately
most
efforts
towards
the
development
failed
due
to
the
lack
of
understanding
of
diffusion
process
taking
place
in
the
air
passing
through
the
compressor.
The
axial
flow
compressor
was
built
to
a
reasonable
degree
of
efficiency
in
period
of
1930
to
1935
and
high
temperature
materials
were
also
made
available
during
the
same
period.
The
rapid
progress
in
the
gas
turbine
development
was
made
as
a
result
of
industrial
and
military
needs.
The
use
of
gas
turbine
in
the
power
generation
industry
is
more
recent
than
its
use
in
any
other
field.
In
the
last
two
decades,
the
rapid
progress
has
been
observed
in
the
development
and
improvement
of
the
gas
turbine
plants
for
electric
power
production.
The
major
progress
has
been
observed
in
three
directions,
increase
in
unit
capacities
of
gas
turbine
units
(50-100
MW)
increase
in
their
efficiency
(37%)
and
drop
in
capital
cost
The
economics
of
power
generation
by
gas
turbine
is
proving
more
attractive
in
all
parts
of
the
world
due
to
its
low
capital
cost
and
high
reliability
and
flexibility
in
operation.
The
another
outstanding
feature
of
gas
turbine
plant
for
power
generation
is
capability
of
quick
starting
and
capability
of
using
wide
variety
of
fuels
from
natural
gas
to
residual
oil
or
powdered
coal.
Primary
application
of
gas
turbine
to
the
electric
supply
industry
is
still
for
peaking
power.
The
world's
largest
peaking
installation
of
480W
is
at
Astoria
Power
Station
in
U.S.A.
The
massive
North
east
power
blackout
in
1965
and
heavy
summer
loads
in
1969
and
other
power
emergencies
during
the
past
decade
have
helped
to
establish the gas turbine as an indispensable peaking generator unit in the U.S. power generation industry. The power generation by gas turbine is accounted as 12% of total MW installed during 1969-70 period. Economic installation costs and operational flexibility forecast a long term role for the turbine in the power generation field.
Its
relatively
low
installed
cost
per
KW
installed
capacity
commended
attention
throughout
the
world
as
excellent
source
of
peaking
or
emergency
power.
As
manufacturers
increased
the
unit
size
and
as
the
operators
become
impressed
with
the
operating
characteristics
of
the
gas
turbine
plant
the
running
hours
tended
to
increase
subject
to
the
limitations
of
fuel
economics.
This
situation
was
further
improved
with
the
addition
of'
regenerative
cycle.
With
the
addition
of
steam
cycle
in
the
gas
turbine
cycle,
the
overall
efficiency
of
the
plant
is
further
increased.
The
gas
turbine
as
a
base
load
plant
is
preferred
over
the
other
plants
as
major
delays
in
completion
of
large
base
load
fossil
and
nuclear
units
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