NEWS RELEASE MARCH 2015
Gas Turbine Inlet Filter Decisions Are Critical and Complex
Gas turbine technology is steadily advancing. Higher speed rotating parts are increasing efficiency. However, the more advanced the machine the more vulnerable it is to deposition of very small particles. The use of turbines has expanded to arctic, desert and marine environments. Each presents special challenges.
Inlet air filters are the critical component in deposition prevention. Air filter designers have made a number of improvements in fiber, media and filter shape to improve the efficiency to energy consumption ratio while maintaining integrity.
These filter options combined with a variety of other processes and operating parameters make the filter decisions complex. The selection is best made by traveling back and forth among a number of decision trees.
| GAS TURBINE INLET FILTER DECISION TREES | |
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Emission limit may be lower than inlet air concentration. So HEPA filter may be necessary. |
Arctic, marine, offshore, industrial and desert have unique challenges. |
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Pressure drop, filter life and performance all impact cost. |
Location of coalescer, cooling of inlet air, turbine wash cycles, turbine design. |
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Static or pulsed, panel or bag, membrane or microglass, number of stages. |
Cycling frequency, maintenance intervals, filter accessibility, performance monitoring. |
Air RegulationsIn California and certain other areas the air emission limits are lower than the particulate loading in the ambient air. In these locales the air inlet filter must function as an air pollution control device. Sticky fine salt particles are encountered in marine locations. High dust loads are found in deserts. There is a wide variety of conditions found in industrial locations.
Because of the use of gas turbines to provide power when the renewable sources are not producing (solar and wind), many turbines are subject to constant cycling. The result is varying inlet filter conditions.
Recent studies show that more efficient inlet filters even at a large price premium are justified based on reduced turbine erosion and maintenance. The latest filter advances provide high efficiency at modest pressure increase. Various designs are proving to be reliable and capable of long life.
The variety of conditions and many filter options make selection complex. The McIlvaine Company provides Global Decisions Positioning Systems (GdPS) to assist specifers in these complex choices.
There are services for both the gas turbine plant operator and the supplier.
TheGas Turbine Air Treatment Global Decisions Positioning System™ (GdPS)provides a road map for all the participants.
Gas Turbine and Combined Cycle Decisions provides a free decision system for the operator.
59EI Gas Turbine and Combined Cycle Supplier Programprovides the decision system for suppliers.
