Analysis of Gas Turbine Operation before and after Major Maintenance

Abstract

This paper presents an analysis of the gas turbine real process (with all losses included) before and after a major maintenance. The analysis of both gas turbine operating regimes is based on data measured during its exploitation. Contrary to authors’ expectations, the major maintenance process did not result either in any decrease in losses or increase in efficiencies for the majority of the gas turbine components. However, the major maintenance influenced positively the gas turbine combustion chambers (reduction in losses and increase in the combustion chambers efficiency). After the major maintenance, the overall process efficiency decreased from 43.796% to 41.319% due to a significant decrease in the air mass flow rate and to an increase in the fuel mass flow rate in combustion chambers. A decrease in the gas turbine produced cumulative and useful power after a major maintenance also increased the specific fuel consumption.