The amount of power that a gas turbine can produce depends on the size of the turbine and the speed at which it spins. Gas turbines generally drive generators, so their power output is measured in megawatts, the same as one million watts of electricity. A typical turbine in a large power plant can generate more than 300 megawatts of electricity. Examples include General Electric’s F404 engine and Pratt & Whitney Canada’s PW100 series engines.
You can use the power for various purposes – for example, powering a generator that sends power down power lines.
Gas turbines can be considerably more fuel-efficient than piston engines, depending on their design. They also tend to be smaller and lighter than piston engines of comparable power output.
Gas turbines have high efficiency and low cost but require an external source for fuel supply, such as natural gas or propane tanks.
The Gas Turbine Control System
The Gas Turbine Control System provides control and protection for the process. The control panel contains all necessary components for controlling process operations and alarms for out-of-limit conditions. The control system uses microprocessor technology for maximum flexibility with minimum wiring. It is suitable for hazardous and non-hazardous environments.
How Does a Gas Turbine Work?
A gas turbine is a rotary engine that extracts energy from a combustion gas flow. It has an upstream rotating compressor coupled to a downstream turbine and a combustion chamber. The combustion chamber adds energy to the gas stream by igniting the fuel and air combined. The hot combustion gases expand through the turbine, generating power that drives the compressor.
Typically, combustion is how gas turbines burn fuel in compressed air. Direct Turbines work by drawing air into the blades and compressing it by the compressor—this compressed air mixed with fuel ignited in the combustion chamber, creating hot gases that spin the blades. A generator then converts the mechanical energy into electrical energy and feeds it into the grid.