GAS TURBINE POWER APPLICATION

The first gas turbine in production for electrical power

generation was introduced by Brown Boveri of Switzerland in
1937. It was a standby unit with a thermal efficiency of 17%.
Today the gas turbine is a major player in the huge power
generation market, with orders of around 30GW per year. This
success is due partly to large reserves of natural gas which
provide a cheap fuel which is rich in hydrogen, and therefore
produces less carbon dioxide than liquid fuels. The other
major factor is thermal efficiency, which for combined cycle
power plants approaches 60%. A final advantage is the
viability of gas turbines in a very wide range of power levels,
up to 300MW per engine for simple cycle and 500MW in
combined cycle. The market is split evenly between 50 Hz
areas such as much of western Europe and the former Soviet
Union, and 60 Hz sectors such as North America
Some classes of power generation application:-
Plant type Examples of Examples of Power per
engine
applications engine (MW)

Peak lopping Supply to grid Alstom GT10 20–60

units, RR RB211
simple cycle gas GE LM600
turbine
Mid merit power Supply to grid GE LM6000 30–60
station, simple RR Trent
cycle
gas turbine
Base load power Supply to grid WEC 501F 50–450
station, gas turbine GEPG9331(FA)
in
combined cycle

Base load power Supply to grid 200–

station, coal fired 800
steam plant

Base load power Supply to grid 800–

station, nuclear 2000
powered steam
plant

RR=Rolls-Royce
WEC=Westinghouse Electric Company (now
part of Siemens)
GE=General Electric
COMBINED CYCLE POWER PLANTS:
a. Definition. In general usage the term ‘ ‘combined cycle
power plant” describes the combination of gas turbine
generator(s) (Brayton cycle) with turbine exhaust waste heat
boiler(s) and steam turbine generator(s) (Rankine cycle) for
the production Of electric power. If the steam from the
waste heat boiler is used for process or space heating, the
term "cogeneration” is the more correct terminology
(simultaneous production of electric and heat energy).
b. General description. (1) Simple cycle gas turbine
generators, when operated as independent electric power
producers,
are relatively inefficient with net heat rates at full load of over
15,000 Btu per kilowatt-hour. Consequently, simple cycle gas
turbine generators will be used only for peaking or standby
service when fuel economy is of small importance.
(2) Condensing steam turbine generators have full load heat
rates of over 13,000 Btu per kilowatthour and are relatively
expensive to install and operate. The efficiency of such units is
poor compared to the 8500 to 9000 Btu per kilowatt-hour heat
rates typical of a large, fossil fuel fired utility generating
station.
(3) The gas turbine exhausts relatively large quantities of
gases at temperatures over 900 “F, In combined cycle
operation, then, the exhaust gases from each gas turbine will
be ducted to a waste heat boiler. The heat in these gases,
ordinarily exhausted to the atmosphere, generates high
pressure superheated steam. This steam will be piped to a
steam turbine generator. The resulting “combined cycle”
heat rate is in the 8500 to 10,500 Btu per net kilowatt- hour
range, or roughly one-third less than a simple cycle gas
turbine generator.
(4) The disadvantage of the combined cycle is that natural gas
and light distillate fuels required for low maintenance
operation of a gas turbine areexpensive. Heavier distillates
and residual oils are also expensive as compared to coal.
 combined cycle plant
Unit 4-2 at Higashi Niigata Thermal Power Station ofTohoku Electric Power
Co., Inc.

Small scale combined heat and power – CHP:-

In this application the waste heat is typically utilized in an
industrial process. The heat may be used directly in drying
processes or more usually it is converted by an HRSG (heat
recovery steam generator) into steam for other uses. Most
CHP systems burn natural gas fuel. The electricity generated
is often used locally, and any excess exported to the grid. The
key power plant selection criteria in order of importance are:
(1) Thermal efficiency, for both CHP and simple cycle
operation. The latter becomes more significant if for parts of
the year there is no use for the full exhaust heat.
(2) Heat to power ratio is important as electricity is a more
valuable commodity than heat. Hence a low ratio is an
advantage as the unit may be sized for the heat requirement
and any excess electricity sold to the grid.
(3) The grade (temperature) of the heat is very important in
that the process usually demands a high temperature.
(4) Owing to the high utilisation, low unit cost, start and
acceleration times are all of secondary importance, as are
weight, volume and part speed torque. The attributes of the gas
turbine engine best meet the above criteria, and hence it is the
market leader. The diesel engine still retains a strong presence
however, particularly for applications where substantial low
grade heat is acceptable, or where the importance of simple
cycle thermal efficiency is paramount
The microturbine market has emerged in recent years with a
number of forecasts predicting dramatic growth. Small gas
turbines of between 40kW and 250kW are installed in
buildings, such as a store or restaurant, to generate electricity
and provide space heating and hot water. A connection with
the grid for import/export is usually maintained. The very
small size of microturbine turbomachinery leads to low
component efficiencies and pressure ratio, hence to achieve
circa 30% thermal efficiency the gas turbine must be
recuperated. Otherwise the configuration is extremely simple
as low unit cost is critical. Usually it comprises a single
centrifugal compressor, DLE ‘pipe’ combustor, either a radial
or two stage axial turbine and the recuperator. Another key
feature is a directly driven high speed generator – the size of a
gearbox to step down from the turbomachinery speed of
typically 90,000 rpm to 3000/3600 rpm is impractical. This
also requires power electronics to rectify the ‘wild’ high
frequency generator output into DC, and then convert it back
to 50 Hz or 60 Hz AC.
Large scale CHP:-
Here the waste heat is almost exclusively used to raise steam,
which is then used in a large process application such as a
paper mill, or for district heating. Again the electricity
generated may be used locally or exported to the grid. The
importance of performance criteria to engine selection are as
for small scale CHP, except that emissions legislation is more
severe at the larger engine size. Here gas turbines are used
almost exclusively. High grade heat is essential, and the
weight and volume of diesel engines prohibitive at these power
outputs. Furthermore the gas turbines used are often
applicable to other markets, such as oil and gas, and marine,
which reduces unit cost. Aero-derivative gas turbines are the
most common, though some heavyweight engines are used.
Aero-derivatives usually employ the core from a large civil
turbofan as a gas generator, with a custom designed free
power turbine for industrial use. Heavyweight engines are
designed specifically for industrial applications and as implied
are far heavier than aeroderivatives, their low cost
construction employing solid rotors, thick casings, etc. The gas
turbine configuration is usually a free power turbine. While
this is not necessary for
CHP applications, it is essential to also allow use in oil and
gas and marine. Axial flow compressors are used exclusively
with overall pressure ratios between 15 :1 and 25 :1. The aero-
derivatives are at the top end of this range as this pressure
ratio level results from a civil turbofan core. This pressure
ratio is a compromise between that required for optimum CHP
thermal efficiency of 20 :1, and the 35 :1 for optimum simple
cycle efficiency. These values apply to the typical SOT of
between 1450K and 1550 K. Advanced cooling systems are
employed for at least both the HP turbine first stage nozzle
guide vanes and blades.
Applications which supply solely to a grid system:-
Power plants supplying a grid fall into three categories:
(1) Peak lopping engines have a low utilisation, typically less
than 10%. They are employed to satisfy the peak demand for
electrical power which may occur on mid-weekday evenings as
people return home and switch on a multitude of appliances.

(2) Base load power plant achieve as near to 100% utilisation

as possible to supply the continuous need for electrical power.
(3) Mid merit power plant typically have a 30–50% utilisation.
They serve the extra demand for electricity which is seasonal,
such as the winter period in temperate climates where demand
increases for domestic heating and lighting. The
considerations in selecting the type of power plant for a base
load power station are as follows.
(1) Thermal efficiency and availability are paramount.
(2) Unit cost is of high importance as the capital investment,
and period of time before the power station comes on line to
generate a return on the investment are large.
(3) Cost of electricity is a key factor in selecting the type of
power plant, and fuel price is a major contributor to this. Coal,
nuclear and oil fired steam plants all compete with the gas
turbine.
In all cases weight and volume are of secondary importance.
Other specific comments are as follows: (1)For base load
plant, start and acceleration times are unimportant. .
(2) For peak lopping power stations unit cost is crucial, time
onto full load is very important and thermal efficiency
relatively unimportant.
(3)Mid merit power stations are a compromise with some unit
cost increase over and above peak loppers being acceptable in
return for a moderate gain in thermal efficiency.
Application in nuclear field:-
Nuclear-assisted natural gasturbine combined cycle
(NGCC):-
Using a combination of a nuclear reactor, which emits no carbon
dioxide, and a high efficiency gas turbine cycle, electric utilities
can reduce generation cost as well as minimize the greenhouse
gas emissions.
Nuclear power is an important source of almost CO2-free
electricity that does not rely on fossil fuel and hence does not
produce greenhouse gas emissions. However, nuclear power
plants have low energy efficiency compared to that of modern
fossil power plants. The conventional pressurized water reactor
using subcritical Rankine steam cycle has a thermal efficiency
of 30-35%, but the conventional gas turbine based combined
cycle has thermal efficiency of 55-60%. In addition to these pros
and cons of nuclear and fossil power, there are also other
aspects as shown in the fowlloingTable.

Nuclear power (PWR/GCR) Fossil power (natural gas)

Pros Cons
Low/NoCO2 emission High CO2 emissions

Low fuel cost

High fuel cost

Cons Pros
Lowthermal efficiency Highthermal efficiency

High capital cost Low capital cost

The main motive for development of the nuclear assisted
combined-cycle is adding the advantages of nuclear power to
the advantages of fossil power. By synthesizing these pros of
nuclear and fossil powers, we can achieve highly efficient
power plant with low greenhouse gas emissions.

Table –A. Pros and cons of nuclear and fossil powers

 Figure A. Schematic of the nuclear assisted combined cycle
As shown in Figure A, an advanced gas cooled nuclear reactor
is added to the conventional NGCC.
The upper left part of the figure shows the nuclear reactor along
with a heat exchanger and a circulator, and the right part depicts
a conventional NGCC. In this configuration, the nuclear reactor
plays the role of a pre-heater for the gas combustor.
The compressed air from the compressor outlet is heated up to
T5 by the hot gas exiting from the nuclear reactor at TRO. The
pre-heated air is entered into the combustor where natural gas
combustion occurs. So, there is no need for a balance of plant
for the reactor.
Referring to Figure B, the savings in fossil fuel because of the
nuclear reactor is

(1)
With fixed T3 and T2, a higher value of T5 would yield higher
savings in fossil fuel.

Figure B. T-s diagram of the nuclear assisted combined cycle

Contribution of nuclear power to the nuclear-
assisted NGCC
The nuclear contribution to the system depends on the nuclear-
heated gas temperature. As shown in Table B and Figure c, the
contribution of nuclear power increases as the reactor outlet gas
temperature increases. Considering the up-to-date design of
PBMR (see Table c) [Pebble Bed Modular Reactor Ltd., 2004],
we assume the temperature of nuclear-heated gas as 900ºC for
comparing the economic competitiveness with pure NGCC and
pure nuclear options.

By assuming 900ºC, the contribution of the nuclear power to the

nuclear assisted NGCC is 46.3%, which is equivalent to 178.5
MWe and 298.0 MWth. The total power of the nuclear assisted
combined-cycle plant is 382 MWe. For economic comparison,
we also assumed the same power for pure nuclear and pure
NGCC options.
Table-B. The contribution of nuclear power to total energy
input
Figure c. Contribution of nuclear power to total energy input

Table c. Main design parameters of conventional PBMR

Cycle efficiency of the nuclear-assisted NGCC:-

With a perfect heat exchanger and no work for the helium
circulator, the thermal efficiency of the nuclear assisted NGCC
would be the same as that of combined-cycle without nuclear
power.
But, there is a loss in the cycle efficiency due to power required
for the circulator in the nuclear reactor loop. This loss depends
on the pressure drop through the core and heat exchanger. From
the literature the pressure loss through the core is 0.05 MPa
[LaBar 2002], and the loss through the heat exchanger is 0.16
MPa [Kadak et al., 2001]. Therefore, the total pressure drop is
0.21 MPa. The mass flow rate in the core is 116.7 kg/s and the
volume flow rate is 20.9 m3/s.
Assuming the Helium coolant as an incompressible fluid
because of small pressure drop in comparison to the system
pressure of 8.0 MPa, we can calculate the work for this
circulator as:

(2)

If we assume 85% efficiency for the circulator, the required power is

5.17 MWe. Then, the cycle efficiency of the nuclear assisted NGCC
cycle is 59.1%. Based on this efficiency, the economic analysis has been
performed.

Reference:-
Book: Gas Turbine Performance - Second Edition for:
Philip P. Walsh
BSc, FRAeS, CEng
Head of Performance and Engine Systems
Rolls-Royce plc
Paul Fletcher
MA (Oxon), MRAeS, CEng
Manager, Prelim Design
Energy Business
Rolls-Royce plc
Publisher:-

Web site: 140.194.76.129/publications/armytm/tm5-811-6/c-

8.pdf

Paper:-
For: Y.H. Jeong, P. Saha and M.S. Kazimi
MIT-NES-TR-003
NUCLEAR ENERGY AND SUSTAINABILITY (NES) PROGRAM