P R O D U C T

U P D A T E

Exhaust Gas Temperature Capabilities Now in System 1 Software

Patrick Hamilton, PE
Commercialization Manager, Performance Software GE Energy patrick.hamilton@ge.com

Ha Duong
Sr. Engineer, Performance Software GE Energy ha.duong@ge.com

Gas turbine manufacturers and operators have long understood that exhaust gas temperature (EGT) profiles contain valuable information regarding gas turbine performance, combustion system operation, and hot gas path component conditions. To provide access to this information, we have recently enhanced the Machine Performance application package of System 1 software to include EGT plots and information. Measuring EGT Although the most direct gas temperature indicator of turbine power and turbine life is at the turbine inlet section, temperatures there are usually too high to be measured with available instrumentation. Instead, the considerably cooler exhaust gas temperature is used, measured by placing thermocouples around the circumference of the turbine exhaust plenum. Thus, EGT is often used for both turbine control and monitoring, since the gas turbine operates on a well-defined Brayton thermodynamic cycle, resulting in a consistent relationship between turbine inlet and exhaust temperatures. EGT is a critical parameter to monitor for evaluating the condition of the turbine hot section and the combustion system. Combustion temperatures have a highly non-linear effect on the creep of turbine components, dramatically affecting their lives. A mere 50C increase in turbine inlet temperature can reduce the creep life of hot gas path components by an order of magnitude.

FIG. 1 | EGT INFORMATION IS PRESENTED IN BOTH BARGRAPH AND RADIAL FORMATS, SHOWING NOT ONLY DIRECT TEMPERATURE, BUT ALSO TEMPERATURE SPREADS.

Since combustion is usually not uniform around the firing section, monitoring the variance (or spread) of the exhaust temperatures about the mean is just as important as monitoring the actual temperature. A large spread will result in the development of hot spots within the turbine and can lead to premature failure of turbine components. An increasing temperature spread usually indicates a combustion system malfunction, such as a broken or clogged fuel nozzle. Multiple Data Presentation Formats To assist the operator in evaluating the EGT information, System 1 presents the data in three different formats (Figure 1). The first format is a bargraph on the left of the screen showing the direct temperature measured by each thermocouple. This information is also presented in a second format a radial view on the right side of the screen. The third format is a bargraph in the center of the screen showing the temperature variance about the mean, allowing operators to quickly see any measurement locations with abnormally large deviations.

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FIG. 2 | EGT RADIAL PLOTS CAN USE OEM-SUPPLIED MODELS TO COMPENSATE FOR GAS SWIRL EFFECTS IN THE TURBINE, ESTABLISHING A MORE DIRECT VISUAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TEMPERATURE MEASUREMENTS AND THEIR CORRESPONDING COMBUSTORS. THE LEFT SIDE OF THIS FIGURE SHOWS UNCOMPENSATED DATA. THE RIGHT SIDE SHOWS THE SAME DATA ROTATED TO COMPENSATE FOR THE SWIRL EFFECT; IN THIS CASE, 58 DEGREES COUNTER-CLOCKWISE.

Swirl Effect Compensation As gas passes through the turbine it rotates. A volume of gas exiting a single combustor at a specific instant will tend to rotate through the turbine as a cluster. Thus, the EGT pattern measured at any instant is directly related to the clusters leaving each combustor. In order to relate a temperature variance to an individual combustor or group of combustors, this gas rotation or swirl effect must be taken into account. The specific swirl angle is usually dependent on power and can be determined from curves provided by the turbine manufacturer. If the OEM-supplied data for swirl angle is available, the software displays it in the upper lefthand corner of the radial plot. It can also rotate the radial plot to account for the swirl effect, as shown in Figure 2, establishing a correct visual relationship between the downstream temperature measurements and the individual combustors. This is an especially powerful feature because it helps diagnosticians pinpoint the specific combustor(s) with problems, rather than requiring an entire section to be inspected. Summary Because combustion temperature plays such a critical role in determining the health of gas turbine components, continuous monitoring is essential. It not only allows operators to plan maintenance at optimal times based on actual component conditions, it also highlights combustion problems that can degrade efficiency and waste fuel. The addition of exhaust gas temperature plots to the System 1 Machine Performance application package provides operators with an easily understood visualization of this vital information.

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