Siemens V94

Industrial gas turbines operate in many different environments, ranging from industrial sites to offshore locations to desert and arctic areas. In spite of the highly sophisticated air cleaning systems available today, ingression of air borne particles into the gas turbine compressor is inevitable, especially particles that can readily travel through the filter mesh, such as those in the micron and sub micron size range. As a result, fouling of air path surfaces in the turbine compressor occurs, leading to performance loss and increased fuel consumption. Because of this, compressor cleaning is an important aspect of equipment maintenance as it affects output, life cycle costs and revenue.

Worldwide field experience has clearly demonstrated that axial flow compressor deterioration during operation accounts for the major portion of gas turbine related performance loss from the new and clean condition. Of the total gas turbine performance loss approximately 70% can usually be attributed to compressor deterioration due to blade fouling. Fouling of axial flow compressor blades is generally attributed to airborne particulate in the sub-micron to 10-micron size range and this will be the major source of fouling. Another possible source of compressor fouling is oil leakage from the compressor rotor inlet bearing. The chances are, therefore, that all gas turbine operators will be faced, at one time or another, with performance losses due to compressor fouling and consequently with the need to clean the compressor.