Flexible Ignition System for a Gas Turbine

Abstract: Siemens Industrial Turbomachinery AB produce five gas turbines models. The SGT-700 can currently only start on gases which contain low amounts of inert gases. It is therefore of interest to widen the fuel range which the SGT-700, as well as other gas turbines, can start on. This report investigates the maximum limit of inert gases the SGT-700 will be able to start on, but also investigates if it is possible to start on liquid fuel (diesel) by making a few modifications to the gas turbine. To investigate this, the atmospheric combustion rig available at Siemens in Finspång has been used with a standard burner, igniter and ignition unit for the SGT-700. For the liquid fuel, the igniter was replaced by a torch igniter specially made for liquid fuels. Four different gases were evaluated; methane, propane, CO2 and N2 in order to see the effect of both various hydrocarbons and various inert gases. A model was developed for the gaseous experiments to estimate the limit for the maximum amount of inert gases the gas turbine would be able to start on. The model suggested that CO2 would require a larger amount of energy than N2 for the same amount in the composition, but that varying hydrocarbons did not have any effect if looking at the mass % of inert gas in the composition. The model was also extended with ethane and hydrogen but no experiments were performed with these gases. The model gave satisfying results. It overestimated the maximum amount of inert gases which could be mixed with propane, but agreed well when comparing the two inert gases with each other. Other interesting results were that an increased fuel flow decreased the minimum ignition energy and that an increased air flow gave a minor decrease in the maximum amount of inert gases that was possible to ignite. The torch igniter for the liquid fuel worked in a satisfying way. The ignition energy was however too low, so the ignition reliability was low. A new ignition unit with larger energy output therefore needs to be implemented. The igniter was fairly insensitive to variations in burner air flow and the ignition delay was small enough to provide a sustainable flame.