Gas turbine:

Gas turbines combust liquid or gaseous fossil fuels in the presence of compressed air and then
convert the thermal and kinetic energy of the product gases into mechanical energy. This energy then
drives a generator that produces electrical energy. Gas turbines burn fuels such as oil, nature gas and
pulverized(powdered) coal.

Fig: gas turbine

Main parts of gas turbine:

 Compressor
 Combustion chamber
 Turbine

Compressor:
A compressor is a mechanical device which is used in gas turbine engine. It increases pressure of the
air by reducing its volume and released into the combustion chamber.

Types of compressor:
 Centrifugal flow compress
 Axial flow compres

Figure Axial flow compressor

Figure Centrifugal flow compressor
Combustion chamber:

While air mixes with the fuel and ignited in the combustion chamber then the hot gas is generated
into the combustion chamber at constant pressure and passing through the engine. Turbine gets the
power and create thrust by the high accelerate air.

The chamber is open at the front to the compressor and at the rear to the turbine nozzles. Secondary
cooling air enters the center of the combustion chamber through the holes in the shrouds by keeping
the flame away from the shrouds. In this combustion chamber fuel is introduced through a series of
nozzles at the upstream end of the liner.

Turbine:
Turbines   are   used   to   drive   electric generators for converting  mechanical energy into electrical
energy. It is also used in pneumatic systems to convert kinetic energy of gases to mechanical energy.
The turbine delivers the force to drive the engine. Some of this energy is used to drive the
compressor and in some kind of gas turbine engine such as turboprop, turbo shaft or turbofan engines
gain energy by additional disc and use to drive the devices are propellers, bypass fans or helicopter
rotors.

Types of gas turbine power plant:

 Open cycle gas turbine power plant

 Close cycle gas turbine power plant

Open cycle gas turbine power plant:

In this type of turbine, the atmospheric air is charged in to the combustor through a compressor and
the exhaust of the turbine also charged through atmosphere.
 Figure: open cycle gas turbine power plant

Close cycle gas turbine power plant:

In this type of power plant, the mass of air is constant or another suitable gas is used as a medium
circulate through the cycle over and over.

Figure: Close cycle gas turbine power plant

Gas turbine power plant classification:

By application:

 Air crafts

 Locomotives

 Transport
 Marines

By cycle:

 Open cycle

 Close cycle

According to arrangement:

 Single shaft

 Double shaft

 Intercooled

 Reheat

 Combination

According to combustion:
 Continuous combustion

 Intermediate

By fuels:
 Solid

 Liquid

 Gaseous

Advantage:

 Weight reduction of 70%.

 Simplicity.

 Reduced managing requirements.

 Quick response time.

 Faster acceleration/deceleration

 Less vibration

 More commercial
Disadvantages:

 Many parts under high stress

 High pitched noise

 Needs large quantity of gas

 Large quantities of hot exhaust

Advantages over diesel plants

 The work developed /kg of air is larger

 Less vibration due to perfect balancing
 Less space required
 Less capital cost
 High mechanical efficiency
 Running seeds of turbine is high
 low installation and maintenance cost
 The torque characteristics of turbine is far better
 The ignition and lubrication system are simpler
 The specific fuel consumption does not increase with time
 Poor quality fuels can be used.

Merits of gas turbine over IC engine

 The mechanical efficiency of gas turbine (95%) is quite higher because of less sliding
parts
 Flywheel not required as the torque on the shaft is continuous and uniform
 Can be drive at high RPM (40000)
 Work developed /kg of air is more due to expansion of gases up to atmospheric
pressure
 Components are lighter since pressure used is very low (5 bar)
 Exhaust from gas turbine is less since excess air is used for combustion

Demerits of gas turbine over IC engine

 Less thermal efficiency

 Fuel control is difficult

 Difficult to start

 Blades need separate cooling system