Sand Ingress in Gas Turbines Operating in Desert Environments: Observations and CFD Simulations

Abstract

Abstract Gas Turbines operating in desert and dusty environments inherently pull air that is contaminated with particles of sand/dust. In certain conditions of filter bypass, these particles find their way to the cold and hot sections of the gas turbine affecting performance and parts fitness for use, sometimes leading to forced outages and expensive parts repair and replacement. In the first part of this paper, we describe some observations from cases in the Middle East. In the second part of the paper, we present the results of CFD simulations of sand ingress through the air filtration house and into the compressor of a gas turbine operating in a desert environment. Simulations are performed at increasing levels of contamination. We discuss the influence of ingested particles size and distribution as they relate to the level of contamination observed in desert environments including the case of severe sandstorms.