Gas turbine Power plant:

A gas power plant burns natural gas to generate the electricity. As the name suggest the gas
power plant is operated by using gas. Gas is the operating medium of gas turbine which rotates
the prime mover. The gas can be of any type it can be simple air or natural gas or it can be non-
reactive mixture of gases. Gas power plant or natural gas power plant works on brayton cycle to
generate the electricity. Natural gas plays a big role for generating electricity. This plant is more
flexible for power generation; it is more efficient per ton of fuel. Natural gas turbines were first
introduced for public use in 1939 to 1940 at a plant in Nicoya Haidle Switzerland. Gas power
plant generates a quarter of world electricity and significant part of global greenhouse gas
emission like carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, ozone and water vapour.

Gas power plant is type of fossil fuel power plant in which chemical energy is stored in natural
gas which is mainly methane is converted successfully into the mechanical energy and electrical
energy. All gas power plants use gas turbines. The overall efficiency of the gas turbine power
can be about 35 % almost the same as the conventional steam power plant.

Elements/ Components of gas-turbine engines

A gas turbine power plant is the type of power generating station in which gas turbine is used as the
prime mover for the generation of electrical energy.

The schematic diagram of a gas turbine power plant is shown in the figure.
The main components of a typical gas turbine power plant are as follows −

 Compressor
 Combustion Chamber
 Reheater
 Gas Turbine
 Alternator
 Starting Motor
Layout of Gas Turbine Power Plant
Working Layout of gas turbine power plant:
The gas turbine is not self-started so to start the gas turbine we need starting motor. The LPC
which is low pressure compressor will suck air from the atmosphere where the pressure and
temperature of the air will be increases. The compressed air is then send to the inter cooler
system where the compressed air is cold with the help of cooling water which circulates in it.
The compressed air is then send to the HPC which is high pressure compressor where the air is
more compressed means pressure is increased. The high pressure compressed air then transfer to
the heat exchanger where the exhaust gases are also present with the help of which the
temperature of the compressed air are increased. The hot air is passed in to the CC combustion
chamber when the temperature of the air is maximum then the burning of air occur easily. In the
combustion chamber natural gas are used as fuel which when come in contact with the hot air
ignition occurs. In some condition we also used spark plug for the burning process. The hot gases
will be produce in the combustion chamber which will then transfer to the HPT high pressure
turbine which will expend and will rotate the turbine. When the turbine start rotation as the shaft
of turbine is connected with LPC and HPC they will also start rotation and the starting motor will
stop. About 66 % of power is used for the working of the compressor and the remaining 34 % of
power is used to rotate the shaft of the generator to produce electricity. From the HPT hot gases
is again send to the CC combustion chamber where they again burn and their temperature
increases more. These hot gases are then send to the LPT low pressure turbine. The generator
shaft is coupled with the LPT which will starts rotation and generate electricity. The burn gases
comes back to the heat exchanger which will heat up the compressed air coming from HPC. The
exhaust gases are then left in the atmosphere with the help of chimney.

Application of Gas turbine

Applications of gas turbine are as follow:

1.Turbojet engine:
Every turbojet engine and turbo propeller engine has a gas turbine. The turbine supplies power
only to drive air compressor in the turbojet engine while in turbo propeller engine it may drive
the propeller in addition to the compressor. The expansion of the gases may takes place in one
turbine or in set of low pressure and high pressure turbine.
2.Marine field:
Gas turbine is also used in marine field. The power plant using the steam turbine requires boiler
water storage tanks, and water distillation plant etc. but in gas turbine power plant we do not
require these.

3.Super charging:
In super charging of IC engine a small gas turbine run by hot exhaust gases drives the super
charger.

4.Railway engines:
The gas turbines have also entered in the field of railway engines. The electric company have
successfully built a number of 4870 HP engines running on the gas turbo electric principle.

Site selection for Gas Turbine Power Plant

Gas Turbine Fuel

Cogeneration
Cogeneration or combined heat and power (CHP) is the use of a heat engine or power station to
generate electricity and useful heat at the same time.

Cogeneration is a more efficient use of fuel or heat, because otherwise-wasted heat from
electricity generation is put to some productive use. Combined heat and power (CHP) plants
recover otherwise wasted thermal energy for heating. This is also called combined heat and
power district heating. Small CHP plants are an example of decentralized energy. By-product
heat at moderate temperatures (100–180 °C, 212–356 °F) can also be used in absorption
refrigerators for cooling.

The supply of high-temperature heat first drives a gas or steam turbine-powered generator. The
resulting low-temperature waste heat is then used for water or space heating. At smaller scales
(typically below 1 MW), a gas engine or diesel engine may be used. Cogeneration is also
common with geothermal power plants as they often produce relatively low grade heat. Binary
cycles may be necessary to reach acceptable thermal efficiency for electricity generation at all.
Cogeneration is less commonly employed in nuclear power plants as NIMBY and safety
considerations have often kept them further from population centers than comparable chemical
power plants and district heating is less efficient in lower population density areas due to
transmission losses.

Cogeneration was practiced in some of the earliest installations of electrical generation. Before
central stations distributed power, industries generating their own power used exhaust steam for
process heating. Large office and apartment buildings, hotels, and stores commonly generated
their own power and used waste steam for building heat. Due to the high cost of early purchased
power, these CHP operations continued for many years after utility electricity became available.

Auxiliary System Such as Fuel, control & Lubrication

The auxiliary system of a power plant, which includes fuel, control, and lubrication systems,
plays a crucial role in the overall operation and efficiency of the plant:

1. Fuel System: This system is responsible for storing, handling, and delivering fuel to the power
plant's combustion system. Depending on the type of power plant (e.g., coal, natural gas, diesel,
nuclear), the fuel system can vary widely. It ensures a steady and controlled supply of fuel to
maintain power generation.

2. Control System: The control system of a power plant manages and monitors various
components, such as generators, turbines, and boilers, to maintain optimal operating conditions
and stability. It includes sensors, controllers, and software that regulate the plant's operations.

3. Lubrication System: The lubrication system is crucial for ensuring the smooth operation of
rotating machinery within the power plant, such as turbines and generators. It provides the
necessary lubricants (usually oil) to reduce friction and prevent wear and tear on moving parts.
These auxiliary systems are vital for the reliable and efficient operation of a power plant, as they
ensure that fuel is supplied, processes are controlled, and machinery is properly lubricated to
generate electricity.