VOL. 11, NO.

24, DECEMBER 2016 ISSN 1819-6608

ARPN Journal of Engineering and Applied Sciences
©2006-2016 Asian Research Publishing Network (ARPN). All rights reserved.

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EFFECTS OF PERFORMANCE DETERIORATION ON GAS PATH

MEASUREMENTS IN AN INDUSTRIAL GAS TURBINE
Amare D. F., Aklilu T. B. and Gilani S. I.
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Petronas, Tronoh, Perak, Malaysia
E-Mail: [email protected]

ABSTRACT
Studying gas turbine degradation causes and their consequences helps to obtain profound comprehension in how
performance deterioration affects the dependent parameters and to explore relevant information about the nature of the
fault signatures for fault diagnostics purpose. In this paper, the effects of compressor fouling, gas generator turbine erosion,
and power turbine erosion on the engine dependent parameters were considered separately and together. In this regard,
firstly, performance prediction model was developed to LM2500 engine using gas turbine simulation program. It was then
used to simulate the deterioration effects by means of artificially implanted fault case patterns. Comparison of the clean
and deteriorated measurement gives the deviation due to performance degradation. Accordingly, sensitivity order of the gas
path parameters to the corresponding performance deterioration was assessed. This helps to select the key parameters,
which are crucial in the process of fault detection and isolation. The results showed that, in most of the cases, air mass flow
rate, compressor delivery pressure and temperature, gas generator rotational speed, power turbine inlet pressure, and
exhaust gas temperature showed significant deviations. Particularly, the compressor delivery pressure and exhaust gas
temperature were the parameters highly influenced by all the fault cases. Moreover, faults that have similar impacts are
identified, in order to show the difficulty of gas turbine health assessment through direct observation to the measurement
deviations.

Keywords: gas turbine, component degradation, performance deterioration, measurement deviation.

INTRODUCTION and turbine erosion and their combination were

Gas turbines have several applications including considered. In nowadays more attention is given to further
power generation and driving different compressors in oil studies on compressor fouling causes, their effects on
and gas industries. As time goes on, faults such as fouling, performance deterioration, and cleaning techniques with
erosion, corrosion, blade tip clearance, object damage and economic analysis (see, [11-13]). Recently, Mohamedi
thermal distortion can cause performance degradation. [14] studied the influence of compressor, compressor
This may result high energy consumption, high operation turbine and power turbine performance deteriorations,
and maintenance costs, major damage to gas path assumed to be happened separately, on gas path parameter
components, and environmental pollution. Degradations deviations at full load and part load conditions using
are manifested by gas path measurement variations. The computer simulation.
challenge on engine health assessment based on the In the field of engine diagnosis, an optimal
history of measurement discrepancies is that the parameter selection is very important. Concerning this,
performance can be changed due to ambient condition, many researchers including Ogaji et al. [15], Ganguli et al.
load and fuel delivery changes and/or due to component [16] and recently Chen et al. [17] proposed different
performance degradation(s). Regardless of the other techniques. In these studies, compressor discharge
effects, the investigation on the impacts of engine pressure (CDP), compressor discharge temperature (CDT),
component performance degradation on measurement gas generator shaft speed (NGG), power turbine (PT) inlet
deviations provides relevant information about the nature pressure, fuel flow rate (Wf) and exhaust gas temperature
of the fault signatures in fault diagnostics. (EGT) for twin shaft gas turbines, low pressure
Over the years, gas turbine performance compressor discharge temperature, high pressure
degradation has been studied by several scholars. For compressor discharge pressure and temperature, high
instance some authors in [1-3] and others in [4-5] focused pressure and low pressure compressors’ shaft speeds, Wf,
on the assessment of compressor and turbine degradation and EGT on double spool gas turbines and air mass flow
effects, separately. Kurz et al. [6], Morini et al. [7], rate (Ma), fan delivery temperature, high pressure
Lakshminarasimha et al. [8], and recently Campora et al. compressor discharge pressure and temperature, high
[9] evaluated the effects of compressor and gas generator pressure turbine outlet pressure and temperature, high
turbine degradations separately and together on single pressure compressor rotational speed, and Wf on double
shaft gas turbine overall performance. In these papers, the spool turbofan engines are suggested as crucial fault
results obtained from the combined effects were the sum diagnosis parameters, respectively.
of the results of the individual effects. Moreover, Zwebek Although the issue how and in what extent the
and Pilidis [10] also investigated the impacts of gas gas turbine cycle performance affected by the compressor
turbine degradation on combined cycle gas turbine and GG turbine degradations have been addressed, the
(CCGT) power plant performance. In this work, on the gas impact of PT degradation and concurrent component
turbine side, compressor and turbine fouling, compressor degradations are not considered. Recently, the PT

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ARPN Journal of Engineering and Applied Sciences
©2006-2016 Asian Research Publishing Network (ARPN). All rights reserved.

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degradation effect has been addressed by Mohamedi et al.

[14]. They evaluated the effects of compressor fouling
(CF), gas generator turbine erosion (GGTE), and power
turbine erosion (PTE) taking in to account only one fault
at a time. Hence, there is a room to evaluate the degree of
sensitivity of measurement variations and cycle
performance changes to multiple component faults.
Thus the fundamental motivation behind this
work was to give a better comprehension in how a gas
turbine engine multiple component degradation affects the Figure-1. Two-shaft gas turbine engine gas-path
measurement variations. Specifically: to assess the measurements.
response of the measurements to component(s)
degradation; to identify key parameters which are highly EFFECT OF COMPONENT DEGRADATION ON
influenced by engine degradation; to show the level of the THE ENGINE MEASUREMENTS AT FULL LOAD
challenge to detect and isolate engine component faults by Gas turbine performance can be degraded
simply looking in to measurement deviations. temporarily or permanently. The former can be partially
For this purpose, LM2500 engine is considered recovered during operation and/or engine overhaul while
and the effects of single, double, and triple component the latter requires replacement [18]. Fouling, erosion,
faults on the measurements investigated. corrosion and blade tip clearance are among temporary
degradation causes. Whereas, airfoil untwist and platform
GAS TURBINE PERFORMANCE SIMULATION distortions lead to permanent deterioration. Climate
In this study a double shaft industrial gas turbine engine, conditions, engine operating conditions, and maintenance
LM2500, in oil and gas exploration and production practice are considered as usual sources of these faults.
services of Petronas Resak Development Project (PRDP) Some studies stated that more than 80% of the engine
was considered. It consists of 16-stage axial compressor, degradation is subjected to compressor fouling and turbine
2-stage gas generator turbine and 6-stage power turbine. erosion [8,19]. The exposure of the power turbine in favor
Figure-1 illustrates the schematic of the basic engine of its location and physical design is lower than the
components with the measurement parameters. The design compressor and gas generator turbine [15]. In this paper,
point specifications have also been presented in Table-1. based on Zwebek and Pilidis [10], equal severity ranges
First, the design and off-design performance analysis is have been considered (see Table-2). Accordingly, for each
performed using a gas turbine modelling scheme, ‘Gas fault type listed in Table-3, ten fault patterns are
turbine Simulation Program’ (GSP). For this purpose, generated. According to Saravanamuttoo and
generic component maps have been used scaled to the Lakshminarasimha [20], to simulate compressor fouling,
design point data of the engine at ISO conditions. for each 0.5% flow capacity loss, its isentropic efficiency
Following that the gas turbine performance deterioration is assumed to be reduced by 0.25%. Likewise, as per [10],
simulation at full load condition is executed to investigate to simulate turbine erosion, for each 0.5% flow capacity
the corresponding effects on the engine measurable increase, isentropic efficiency is assumed to be decreased
parameters. by 0.25%. This has been done for the progressive
degradation with steps of 0.5% starting from the healthy
Table-1. LM2500 design point specifications. condition to the maximum deterioration. Then, the
measurement deviation has been determined using
Equation. (1).

(1)

Where Zc and Zd are the measurement values at

clean and deteriorated conditions, respectively.

Table-2. Assumed fault severity ranges.

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Table-3. Implanted fault cases. 2

Measurement Variation (%)

-2

-4 Ma
T3
-6 P3
NGG
Wf
-8 T4
P4
-10 T5

0 20 40 60 80 100
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Fault Severity (%)
Case 1: Single component degradation Figure-3. Engine measurement variations vs GGTE
This section presents the effects of single gas severity (%).
turbine engine component faults on dependent parameter
deviations. This helps to realize the nature of the 8
measurement variations associated with single component Ma
T3
faults. As shown in Figures-(2-4), it has been clear to 6 P3
understand that whenever fault severity increases, in all Measurement Variation (%) NGG
the cases, measurement variation increases. The Wf
4 T4
measurements variation trends obtained from the P4
simulation agreed with the literature [10,14]. As far as T5
compressor fouling is considered, at 100% severity EGT, 2
(CDP, PT inlet pressures, Ma, and Wf) and NGG showed
5%, 4% and 1.3% delta, respectively. Whereas, the impact 0
on CDT and PT inlet temperature is negligible. When the
GGTE is introduced to the engine NGG, CDP, CDT & -2
Ma, PT inlet pressure and temperature, and PT outlet
temperature changed by 10%, 9%, 4.6%, 3% and 2.7%, 0 20 40 60 80 100
respectively. The maximum variations for all the Fault Severity (%)
measurements, except for NGG, due to PT degradation
ranges are under 4%. In general, in this work, according Figure-4. Engine measurement variations vs PTE severity
to their sensitivity to single component degradation, the (%).
engine measurements can be categorized as NGG, CDP,
Ma and EGT as first class key parameters and CDT, P4 Case 2: Double components degradation
and T4 as second class key parameters to identify faults. In this case, the impacts of two component faults
implanted at the same time has been evaluated. For this
purpose, concurrent fault patterns, i.e., CF and GGTE, CF
1 and PTE, and GGTE and PTE are considered. Figure-(5-7)
0
show the impacts of these faults on measurements’
variations. In the case of CF+GGTE all the parameters
Measurement Severity (%)

-1 except P3 and Ma changes significantly. On the other

hand, the effect of CF+PTE on NGG and Ma is negligible.
-2 Ma When GGT+PTE exists all the measurements change
T3
P3 significantly. In general, the influence of dual faults on
-3
NGG measurements is not similar.
Wf
-4
T4
P4
-5 T5

0 20 40 60 80 100
Fault Severity (%)

Figure-2. Engine measurement variations vs CF (%).

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10
Ma degradation effects on NGG and PT inlet pressure showed
8 T3
P3
negligible deviation.
6 NGG
Measurement Severity (%)

Wf
4 T4 0
P4
2
T5

Measurement Variations (%)

0 -2
-2

-4 -4
-6 Ma
T3
-8 -6 P3
0 20 40 60 80 100 NGG
Wf
Faulty Severity (%) -8
T4
P4
Figure-5. Engine measurement variations vs CF and T5
-10
GGTE exist simultaneously (%).
0 20 40 60 80 100
2 Fault Severity (%)

1 Figure-8. Engine measurement variations vs CF, GGTE,

and PTE exist simultaneously (%).
Measurement Variation (%)

Comparison between the effects of component faults on

-1
measurements
Ma
-2 T3 This section aims to compare the responses of
P3 engine measurements on component degradations, which
-3 NGG exist(s) one at a time or concurrently. For this purpose, the
Wf
T4 engine model is simulated at maximum severity of all fault
-4 P4 types considered in this work. Figure-9 illustrates the
T5
-5
measurement responses to each fault types. The
0 20 40 60 80 100 measurement variations due to double and triple
Fault Severity (%) component faults are the sum of the deltas due to the faults
when they exist separately. For example, Ma decreased by
Figure-6. Engine measurement variations vs CF and PTE 4.14% and 4.5% owing to CF and GGTE, respectively,
exist simultaneously (%). and increased by 3.44% due to PTE. Consequently, when
double faults such as CF & GGTE and CF & PTE occur at
2 the same time, the Ma reduced by 8.54% and increased by
0 0.7%, respectively. In the same manner, when all the three
faults occur simultaneously, the Ma decreased by about
Measurement Severity (%)

-2
4.5%. This works for all of the measurement variations.
-4 Thus, it can be concluded that, as also proved by Zwebek
-6 Ma [10], the combined effects are additive. Moreover, during
T3 compressor fouling Ma, CDP, Wf, PT inlet pressure and
-8 P3
NGG
EGT showed similar variation (about 4%) whereas CDT
-10 Wf and PT inlet temperature changed insignificantly.
-12
T4 The percentage change in P3 and NGG due to
P4
T5 GGTE reached 10% and 9%, respectively, which is two
-14
times of Ma and T3 changes. P4, T4, and EGT changed by
0 20 40 60 80 100 3%. On the other hand, the GGTE has the least effect on
Fault Severity (%)

Figure-7. Engine measurement variations vs GGTE and

PTE exist simultaneously (%).

Case 3: Three components degradation

In this case, the effects of simultaneous triple
component faults namely CF, GGTE and PTE on the
engine measurement have been evaluated (see Figure-8). It
is found that EGT, CDP, and PT inlet pressure are the first
three key parameters in triple fault diagnosis. On the other
hand, the gas turbine simulation for three components

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Wf. Likewise, the highest effect has been shown

on NGG (i.e. 7%). Air mass flow rate and CDP changed
by 3.5%, CDT, PT inlet presser shows similar variation
more than 2%. The remaining two parameters, fuel mass
flow rate and PT inlet temperature changes by 1%.
For more clarity, the comparative evaluation of
the parameters’ sensitivity order is given in Table-4. For
the most part, the EGT and P3 responds were similar. P3
showed an insignificant change only under the CF & PTE.
Moreover, NGG was very sensitive to single and double
faults than triple faults. Under all the fault cases T4
slightly changed at high severity. Furthermore, the
sensitivity of Wf was good in multiple faults than single
faults. In general, NGG, CDP, EGT, mass flow rate and
P4 are the key parameters for all fault types.

Figure-9. Gas turbine measurement variations vs single

double and triple component faults at 100% severity.

Table-4. Order of sensitivity of measurement variations to performance deterioration.

CONCLUSIONS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
In this paper, a gas turbine simulation program The authors would like to thank Universiti
(GSP) is utilized to model and simulate a two-shaft Teknologi Petronas (UTP) for supporting this work
stationary gas turbine engine (LM2500) in order to financially.
evaluate the effect of performance deterioration on gas
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