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Chapter 71 Gas Turbine
Gas turbine 
• A gas turbine is basically a constant 
flow engine. The fuel is burned and 
serves to add heat to compressed air 
which then expands through the blades 
of a turbine. 
• Use the same impulse and reaction 
principle as in steam turbine
Gas turbine 
• Use in aircraft locomotive and stationary power generation 
• Only 1/3 the power produced is useful for work, the rest used 
to keep itself (driving the compressor) running. 
• Gas turbines have been used in small sizes to produce power 
for portable and standby generators, fire pumps, and 
compressors. 
• Large units are used for electricity generation in stationary 
plants.
The Single open cycle Turbine Unit 
Without Heat Exchanger
Basic gas turbine
Principle of operations Open cycle 
• The simple gas turbine operates by drawing air into 
a compressor, compressing it and then discharging 
the air into a combustion chamber. 
• Fuel is added and burned, heating the air further. 
• This hot air is then expanded through a turbine, 
providing available power. Air is then exhausted to 
atmosphere (open cycle). 
• Not self starting; must use starting motor to rotate to 
20 to 30% before fuel is turned on
Close cycle 
• The air used to drive the turbine is in a 
close cycle. It is separated from the 
combustion air. 
• Exhaust from turbine goes to the intake 
of the compressor. It absorbs heat from 
the furnace and expanded in the 
turbine blade.
Close cycle gas turbine
• The turbine and compressor are on the 
same shaft so that the compressor obtains 
its drive from the turbine. 
• About two-thirds of this power is used 
to drive the compressor, but the 
remainder is available to drive a load or 
provide thrust.
Efficiency 
• The efficiency of such a machine depends 
primarily upon the temperature to which the 
air can be raised before entering the turbine. 
• The output power, or power rating, of the 
machine, depends upon the mass of hot gas 
flowing through the gas turbine in a given 
time per period. 
• A gas turbine output increases when using 
air of maximum density.
Common terms 
• "simple" - it has no heat exchanger or regenerators. 
• "open-cycle" - the air used to drive the turbine is 
drawn from the atmosphere and returned to the 
atmosphere after use. 
• "closed-cycle" would use the same air again and 
again. 
• "single shaft" - is self-explanatory, there is only one 
shaft. The gas turbine and the compressor are 
coupled together mechanically on this shaft.
Gas Turbine Characteristics 
• Gas turbines have certain 
characteristics which distinguish them 
from other types of prime movers, 
some of these have proved to be 
advantages and some disadvantages.
High Power to Weight Ratio 
• Compared to a steam plant, a gas turbine is 
much smaller and lighter for the same power. 
This is a considerable advantage since the 
building housing a gas turbine can be much 
smaller and needs only light foundations. 
Construction cost is lower.
Low Installed Cost 
• The capital cost of a gas turbine is 
lower per watt of output than a steam 
plant.
Low Maintenance and Operating 
Cost 
• The absence of reciprocating motion 
minimizes wear of moving parts. 
Lubricating oil consumption is low. 
Because of gas turbine simplicity, 
many auxiliaries required in a steam 
plant are eliminated.
Minimum Cooling Water 
• Gas turbines require a minimum of 
cooling water and can be operated 
economically with a closed circulating 
water system using air cooled heat 
exchangers. This makes gas turbines 
ideal for use wherever water is scarce 
or unobtainable.
Rapid Start-Up and Loading 
• A gas turbine can be started almost 
instantaneously (Power up in 20 minutes). It 
does not require slow and elaborate 
preparations as does a steam turbine supplied 
by a steam generator. 
• The gas turbine is ideal for standby duties, such 
as for fire pumps and emergency electricity 
generators where instant starting is essential, or 
where remote operation by telemetry is required.
Disadvantage 
• Low Thermal Efficiency 
• This is the major drawback of the gas 
turbine. The thermal efficiency of the simple, 
open-cycle gas turbine is considerably below 
that of a steam plant, a diesel engine or a 
gasoline engine. 
• Auxiliary equipment must be fitted, such as 
regenerators, in order to make the gas 
turbine competitive.
High Noise Level 
• Unless special precautions are taken to 
baffle the exhaust, the gas turbine is a 
noisy machine.
Pollution 
• NOx – run at high temperature thus 
produce NOx 
• (NOx is produced around 1500 -1600°C)
Typical temperatures which exist in 
a gas turbine. 
• Simple, Open-Cycle, Single-Shaft Gas Turbine
Objective #3 Regeneration 
• The purpose of the regenerator on the gas turbine is to 
improve the cycle efficiency by recovering some of the 
heat which would otherwise pass to waste with the 
exhaust gases. 
• The regenerator is placed in the air flow after the 
compressor and before the combustion chamber. 
• The compressor works most effectively with cold air. The 
heat recovered from the exhaust gas reduces the fuel-quantity 
required to produce the same load.
Regenerative Gas Turbine
Combined Steam - Gas turbine Plants 
• Gas turbines can be used in 
conjunction with steam boilers in 
various ways. 
• Co-generation 
• Waste heat boiler 
• Combined cycle
Cogeneration 
• pressurize the boiler furnace with the air leaving the 
compressor and then pass the hot gases from the 
boiler through a gas turbine to drive the compressor 
and produce mechanical drive for electricity 
generation. 
• In this type of arrangement the gas turbine 
contributes to the total plant capacity and the overall 
plant economy is improved. 
• The high furnace pressure at which a boiler of this 
type operates permits a reduction in boiler size.
Cogeneration plant
Gas Turbine Combined with a Steam Plant 
• The high energy content of the gas 
turbine's exhaust may be used in several 
ways to increase the overall efficiency of a 
power plant. 
• The most common example is a waste 
heat boiler where the turbine exhaust 
gases are used to heat water to supply 
steam for some other purpose.
Combined plant 
• Another method uses the exhaust gases, 
which are at a temperature of about 480ºC 
and contain considerable excess oxygen, 
as preheated air for a boiler furnace. 
• Fuel may be used in conjunction with the 
hot air to further burn the remaining 
excess oxygen to produce steam.
• By employing a combined cycle, the thermal 
efficiency can be raised to 60% and the design 
retains several advantages over a straight steam 
turbine plant. 
• A combined cycle plant can be started up and 
shut down rapidly. 
• Several gas turbines can be used with one 
steam turbine to produce more power, and 
higher efficiencies can be maintained across a 
wider range of loads (for example, 25% to 100% 
range).
Combined cycle advantages 
• Faster start-up: full load can be obtained 
in 30 minutes. 
• Lower cooling water requirements, by as 
much as 67%. 
• Lower atmospheric pollution from oxides 
of nitrogen (NOX). 
• Lower cost of investment per kilowatt 
installed.
Objective 4 Gas turbine operation 
• Turbine capacity is depended on the 
density of air. 
• Any change in atmospheric conditions that 
affect the temperature and pressure of air 
will affect the performance of the gas 
turbine. 
• The mass of inlet air flowing through the 
compressor and, after combustion, 
through the turbine, is highly dependent 
on altitude and air temperature.
• Plant capacity will be higher in cold 
weather as the density of the air will 
increase, allowing more air into the 
turbine, increasing mass flow. 
• Changes in atmospheric pressure will 
similarly affect turbine output. 
• A turbine operating at sea level will have 
higher density air (more mass) at its inlet 
than one operating in higher altitude.
Gas turbine starting 
• Manual – small plant 
• Semi-automatic – operator starts 
auxiliary and automatic control starts 
the turbine
Starting 
• Automatic – program starting 
• engine starts to rotate the system; 
when the speed is ~30% of max rpm, 
the combustor will ignite 
• when the rpm is 50% of max, started 
engine shut off 
• if the system does not reach operating 
speed in a certain time, abort start up.
Load control 
• Governor senses load-shaft speed to 
adjust fuel to combustor to control the 
shaft speed. 
• Small unit uses fly ball governor; big 
units employ more sophisticated 
governors. 
• Over speed trip – same as in steam 
turbine.
Auxiliary systems 
• Gas turbine is not self starting. It 
requires electric or engine driven 
starter. Speed has to be 30% of 
maximum before it can be self-support. 
• Lubrication – could use pump driven 
by the gas turbine shaft. Auxiliary oil 
supply is needed for cooling the 
bearings in case of failure.
Blade cleaning 
• Blade cleaning system is used to get rid of 
foreign material deposited on blades. 
Medium used could be detergent. 
• In extreme case, crushed walnut shells 
mixed with air could be used!
Fire protection 
• Pre-charged halon or CO2 cylinders are 
located in various parts of the system and 
can discharge automatically. 
• halon breaks down into corrosive and toxic 
byproducts when it is exposed to surface 
temperatures above 482°C (900°F). 
• Water mist could also be used to for 
protection
Turbine aging 
• Loss of 0.5% per 1000 hours of service 
or 4.4% per year is expected.
Environmental Considerations 
• The exhaust gases of all engines contain some 
constituents that are harmful in the atmosphere. If these 
constituents are discharged in large enough quantities 
for a long enough period of time then they will violate Air 
Quality Standards. 
• Generally, gas turbines produce trace amounts of carbon 
monoxide and sulphur dioxide, but they can be 
significant generators of oxides of nitrogen (NOX) and 
waste heat. 
• The operator should maintain proper combustion in the 
turbine and use any equipment required to meet Air 
Quality Standards.
Environmental Considerations 2 
• Noise pollution by the gas turbine can be a 
problem, but it may be overcome or 
reduced by acoustic insulation and 
exhaust silencers. 
• Operators should pay special attention to 
hearing protection regulations when 
entering buildings housing gas turbines in 
operation.