4 - Performance and Mechanical Standards

Abstract

This chapter discusses the performance of gas turbines, and the mechanical standards used for them. The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) performance test codes are written to ensure that tests are conducted in a manner that guarantees that all turbines are tested under the same set of rules and conditions to ensure that the test results can be compared in a judicious manner. The mechanical standards and codes have been written by both the ASME and American Petroleum Institute (API). The ASME PTC 46 1996 code is written to establish the overall plant performance. Power plants that produce secondary energy output, such as cogeneration facilities, are included within the scope of this code. The PTC 46 has been designed to determine the performance of the entire heat cycle as an integrated system. The PTC 19.1 1988 code specifies procedures for the evaluation of uncertainties in individual test measurements, arising from both random errors and systematic errors, and for the propagation of random and systematic uncertainties into the uncertainty of a test result. The object of the ASME PTC 22 1997 code is to detail the test to determine the power output and thermal efficiency of the gas turbine while operating at the test conditions, and correcting these test results to standard or specified operating and control conditions. The tests of gas turbines with water or steam injection for emission control and/or power augmentation are also included. The tests can be applied to gas turbines in combined cycle power plants or with other heat recovery systems.