In whatever specialist industry you use your gas turbine, it’s important to keep all the components in good running order. That sounds obvious enough, but did you know that part of your regular maintenance should include gas turbine compressor washing?
‘Of course,’ you might be thinking, ‘we shut down the turbine and give the compressor a thorough scrub now and then,’ and that’s great! However, there is still the opportunity for foulants to build up between washes, impacting performance and stealing from your profit.
So, if you really want to maximise performance and profit while minimising down-time, you should consider an on-line washing system.
Why does a gas turbine need cleaning?
When everything that goes into a process compressor is invisible, it’s hard to imagine any kind of grime accumulating. However, tiny particles of sand, exhaust fumes, salt and other foulants are inevitably carried in by the air. Even essential lubricants contribute to the problem.
Once the air and gas is in the system, by its nature, the compressor creates high temperatures and pressure. That’s perfect for its job role, but not great in terms of ‘baking’ microscopic deposits onto the compressor blades. It doesn’t take long for these deposits to seriously interrupt airflow and consequently inhibit performance.
When that happens, you need to use more fuel for the same output, which is an unnecessary expense that really adds up. Even more dramatic than draining your bank account, a compressor left un-checked will eventually stop working altogether and need immediate unscheduled repair work. Obviously, that’s extremely bad for business.
The build-up of foulants is unavoidable but the good news is that the solution is simple: regularly clean your compressor to keep it in good running order.
Read more about what a gas turbine on-line washing system is on our main website: https://www.rochem-fyrewash.com/news/65-what-is-a-gas-turbine-on-line-washing-system/
