STARTUP OF A GAS TURBINE

2GE FRAME 9FA GAS TURBINE

750MW COMBINED CYCLE
POWER PLANT
 Why a starting mean is required to start a gas
turbine?
Like other internal combustion engines, a gas turbine cannot
produce torque at zero speed.
The starting mean system is used to start the gas turbine
rolling, crank it to firing speed and assist the fired turbine to
self-sustaining speed.
This is accomplished by a motor, generator or other starting
device operating through a torque converter coupled to the
accessory gear.
This arrangement provides the cranking torque for turbine
start-up and during shutdown this continues to rotate the
turbine rotor at slow speed for cool down purposes.
Depending on the plant and the type of Gas turbine
starting means are classified as follows:

Generator

Gas
Motor
turbine Diesel
engine
Generator
Diesel engine
 Why starting mean require Torque converter

Acceleration to purge speed.

Acceleration to firing speed.
Assisting the gas turbine till it reaches self sustained
speed.
Motor with torque converter

Torque
Converter

Hydraulic Oil Pump

Accessory
Drive Gear
 Why Turning gear mechanism is required?

The turning gear provides the power necessary to breakaway

and rotate the turbine prior to turbine start and also to rotate
the shafting after turbine shutdown to avoid deformation of it
shafting's.
Turning gear mechanism
Why SSS Clutch is required in starting operation
of turbine?
Its an over running clutch for automatic engagement
and disengagement.
It is a self engaging in breakaway or turning mode
and over runs when turbine/generator shafting speed
exceeds turning gear drive packaged speed.
The most commonly used type of clutch is SSS
(Synchronous Self Shifting ) Clutch.

SSS clutch working

 Exhaust

Generator
Starting Gas turbine
apparatus Grid
Rotating
shaft

Pumps Transformer

Electrical to mechanical power conversion

Ifa Generator is selected as a starting mean then it behaves

like a motor and draws current from the Grid to perform the
startup operation of a gas turbine .
Start up curve of gas turbine
Why post and pre lubrication is required during
startup and shutdown of gas turbine?

Gas turbine lubrication is started before the actual

start up and after shutdown for a short period of time
to ensure effective lubrication of the gas turbine parts
and increase the performance of the gas turbine parts.
 Coupling
Oil

Bearing
Oil

Accessory Inactive No # 1 No # 2 Load

Active Load
Coupling Thrust Journal Journal Coupling
Thrust Equipment
Bearing Bearing

Lube Oil
Drain to
Reservoir
 STARTUP STEPS
START Auxiliary lube/hydraulic oil pump and Ratchet motor
(14HR(0% SPEED) start, Jaw clutch will engage, Diesel engine start

CRANKING
Purging
14HM(20% SPEED)

FIRE Warming up time

(UPTO 50% SPEED)

ACCELERATE At 60% speed Diesel engine disengage and

14HA(50% SPEED) shutdown

FSNL At 95% speed aux lube/hydraulic oil pump stop,

14HS(95% SPEED) bleed valves closes
STARTUP SCREEN WITH MASTER CONTROL
START AND STOP OPTION
 Why start check screen is required?

In order to ensure the successful start up of a gas

turbine all the axillaries and other compartments are
to be checked.
This is ensured with the help of a start check screen
which gives the status of the auxiliaries with a green
signal that indicate the proper state to start the gas
turbine.
Start check screen with READY TO START signal.
Instructor station with dialog box questioning whether to Start the Turbine
Start check screen with NOT READY TO START status
STARTUP SCREEN WITH READY TO START STATUS
 What is Cranking? Why cranking is required?

Its a process during which a gas turbine is made to run at a

required speed during start up and shutdown operation, in order
to prevent turbine rotor undergoing hogging and sagging.
STARTUP STATUS CRANKING
 Why purge timer is required?

Depending on the type of fuel and based on the

type of start (fast start or normal start) purge time is
fixed
Purging is required to flush out and choke out liquid
fuel nozzles which may have traces and residues
which are left out in the combustion chamber, after
the shutdown operation of gas turbine.
Depending on the type of fuel used in combustion
chamber the purge timer is set.
Why Warming up of a gas turbine is required?

In order to have low cycle fatigue on hot gas components.

they are internally heated and are exposed to a constant
temperature .
Sudden heating and cooling of hot gas components is not
recommended, so warming up of hot gas components is
carried out
STARTUP STATUS WARMING UP
 What is Firing of a gas turbine?

When admission of fuel in the combustion chamber takes place

firing occurs.
During this period of time the gas turbine will have firing status.
STARTUP STATUS FIRING
STARTUP STATUS ACCELERATING
RUN STATUS FSNL
RUN STATUS COMPLETE SEQUENCE
 RUN STATUS LOADING

CLOSED
 RUN STATUS LOADING

CLOSED
 RUN STATUS BASE LOAD

CLOSED
 Why Emergency stop system is required

Whenever an abnormal functioning of gas turbine is

observed during the field stroking operation, then the
gas turbine can be immediately stopped using the
emergency stop system.
Emergency stop system
Thank you