OVERVIEW

The gas turbine is one of the main prime movers of a compressor train. For remote locations, gas turbines are mostly used, due to their low maintenance and the ability to prepackage the units. Their light weight makes them a must for offshore platforms. Gas turbines also have an advantage because of their multi-fuel capabilities. In many cases, this capability assures that the unit must be a gas turbine. It has been used widely as the drive for both on-shore and offshore compressor trains.

The gas turbine is a power plant, which produces a great amount of energy for its size and weight. The gas turbine has found increasing service in the past 15 years in the power and petrochemical industry throughout the world. Its compactness, low weight, and multiple fuel application make it a natural power plant in all applications from power plants to offshore platforms. Today there are gas turbines, which run on natural gas, diesel fuel, naphtha, methane, crude, low-Btu gases, vaporized fuel oils, and even waste.

The last twenty years has seen a large growth in gas turbine technology. The growth is spearheaded by the growth of materials technology, new coatings, and new cooling schemes. This, with the conjunction of increase in compressor pressure ratio, has increased the gas turbine thermal efficiency from about 15% to more than 45%.

The advanced gas turbines are operating at very high-pressure ratios, and very high firing temperatures, ensuring high performance of power and efficiency. These turbines are pushing...