A Compressor Fouling Review Based on an Historical Survey of ASME Turbo Expo Papers

Abstract

Fouling afflicts gas turbine operation from first time application. Filtration systems and washing operations work against air contaminants in order to limit the particles entering the compressor inlet and remove the existing deposits. In this work, a global overview of the operational experience of the manufacturer, the filtration systems, and the particle deposition of the compressor are reported. The data reported in this review have been collected from 60 years (1956–2015) of ASME Turbo Expo proceedings. This conference is recognized as the must-attend event for turbomachinery professionals. Through the years, many issues have been resolved by the contributions of this conference. Regarding the compressor fouling phenomenon, the contributions presented at the ASME Turbo Expo mark the high level of development in this field of research, thanks to the simultaneous presence of manufacturers, government, and academia attendees. The goal of the authors is to describe the technological evolution and challenges faced by manufacturers and researchers through the years, highlighting the state of the art in the knowledge of fouling, and defining the background on which further studies will be based.