Application of Gas Path Analysis to Compressor Diagnosis of an Industrial Gas Turbine Using Field Data

Abstract

Maintenance cost is one of the major life cycle costs of gas turbine engines. To reduce the maintenance costs, the maintenance should be changed from preventive (or scheduled) maintenance to predictive (or condition-based) maintenance where condition monitoring and diagnostics become crucially important. This paper represents the application of a gas path diagnostic technique, Gas Path Analysis, to the diagnostic analysis of an aero-derivative gas turbine (GE LM2500+) operated by Manx Electricity Authority in the Isle of Man, UK. In the application, an engine thermodynamic model is created and adapted to the performance of the engine using field data obtained at different operating conditions. Different data pre-processing methods are presented and compared in the diagnostic analysis. The uncertainty of measurement data is analysed and the most suitable measurements are identified in the prediction of key gas path component degradation. A non-linear GPA diagnostic analysis provides promising results for the prediction of compressor degradation and the performance improvement due to a compressor water washing. Such diagnostic information would be very useful for maintenance engineers to optimise their maintenance activities including overhauls and compressor washing.