CT401 - Principles of Gas Turbine Performance

2 days - 1.3 Continuing Education Units Awarded

This 2-day Seminar is designed to familiarize plant personnel with those design and operating parameters that effect unit performance. First, we need to understand what components effect performance and why. Second, we need to understand how various plant designs can effect unit performance (again we need to why). Finally, we need to understand how operating practices effects unit performance.

For plant engineers, this Seminar is the first step toward the development and/or implementation of an effective heat rate (performance) improvement program. For operational personnel, this Seminar identifies those operating practices that effect unit performance, that is, how do operating decisions impact performance.

Design and operating theories of gas turbines are presented. Thermodynamics and heat transfer are reviewed and applied (in a practical way) to operation. Calculations are performed, using actual test data, to determine gas turbine efficiency and corrections.

OBJECTIVES
Upon successful completion of this Seminar the participant should be able to:

1. Describe the thermodynamic principles that apply to a gas turbine power plant.
2. List the operational / performance factors that impact the gas turbine performance.
3. Describe the level of testing and monitoring that is typically required to determine unit performance.
4. List those major steps required to perform 3 major component performance tests.
5. Demonstrate the ability to analyze plant performance data to determine where component efficiency has deteriorated.
6. Determine realistic heat rate improvement goals.
7. Develop corrective action plans to achieve the established heat rate performance goals.
8. List the types of measuring equipment and perform the calculations required to analyze plant performance.

Seminar OUTLINE

1. Monday
   1. Introductions
   2. Gas Turbines: Thermodynamic Cycles for Gas Turbines, Component Construction, Gas Turbine Generators, Gas Turbine Systems, Operation and Maintenance Considerations
   3. ASME Performance Test Codes Applicable to Gas Turbines
2. Tuesday
   1. Combustion Turbine Performance: Design Point Performance, Off-Design Performance, Transient Performance, Correction Curves, Performance Testing, Performance Trending and Evaluation
   2. Efficiency Monitoring Program: Establish Needs for Program, Establish Level of Detail from Needs Analysis, Identify Baseline Data, Determine Frequency of Testing and Monitoring, Performance Calculations, Performance Monitoring and Trending

This course is scheduled at TurboCare's facilities in 2010.