1 Gas Turbine Functionality How a Gas Turbine Functions The basic functioning of the gas turbine resembles that of the steam power plant. The only difference is that gas turbine uses air while the steam power plant uses water. In the turbine engine, the four steps take place at the same time, but in different areas. The existing fundamental difference means that the turbine has various engine sections referred to as the inlet section, the compressor section, the combustion section, and the exhaust or turbine section. In most cases, people focus on the three parts that include the compressor, the combustion area and the turbine (Office of Fossil Energy, n.d). The basic functioning of a gas turbine involves intake of air and addition of fuel. The process proceeds to compression of the air plus the fuel. The third step is the combustion, which involves fuel injection in case the addition did not take place with the intake air. During combustion, the fuel burns and coverts he stored energy. Finally, expansion and exhaust process takes place. This stage puts the converted energy into use. The compressor has the function of compressing the incoming air to high pressure. Combustion area is the place for burning the fuel and producing high-velocity and high-pressure gas (Brain, 2014). This process involves converting mechanical energy from the turbine into gaseous energy that takes the form of temperature and pressure. Spraying fuel into the fresh, inflowing, atmospheric air by ring of fuel injectors adds energy. This helps in creating ignition to enable combustion to enhance high-temperature flow. The turbine functions to extract the energy from the high-velocity, high-pressure gas that flows from the combustion chamber (Office of Fossil Energy, n.d). The turbine section performs the task of producing utilizable output shaft power, which helps in driving the propeller. In addition, the turbine section also provides power for driving the compressor, as well as all engine accessories. The turbine has special engineered blades, which attach to a central shaft. As the high-pressure gas moves through, the shaft rotates and spins with considerable force. This shaft connects to a generator that creates electric power. Therefore, the high-pressure, high-temperature gas enters a turbine. At this point, it expands, as it moves downward to the exhaust pressure (Brain, 2014). The process leads to the production of a shaft work output at the far left of the system. The formation of a shaft power takes place through the conversion of gaseous energy into mechanical energy. In other cases, the shaft connects to a compressor, which compresses vapor or gas for various industrial and commercial applications. The compressor, which is a cone-shaped cylinder, has small fan blades appended in various rows. It sucks air from the right side of the engine. The high-pressure gas produced by a compressor can increase by a factor of 30. Basic Principles for Change in Pressure .

1. 1
Gas Turbine
Functionality
How a Gas Turbine Functions
The basic functioning of the gas turbine resembles that of the
steam power plant. The only difference is that gas turbine uses
air while the steam power plant uses water. In the turbine
engine, the four steps take place at the same time, but in
different areas. The existing fundamental difference means that
the turbine has various engine sections referred to as the inlet
section, the compressor section, the combustion section, and the
exhaust or turbine section. In most cases, people focus on the
three parts that include the compressor, the combustion area and
the turbine (Office of Fossil Energy, n.d). The basic functioning
of a gas turbine involves intake of air and addition of fuel. The
process proceeds to compression of the air plus the fuel. The
third step is the combustion, which involves fuel injection in
case the addition did not take place with the intake air. During
combustion, the fuel burns and coverts he stored energy.
Finally, expansion and exhaust process takes place. This stage
puts the converted energy into use.
The compressor has the function of compressing the incoming
air to high pressure. Combustion area is the place for burning
the fuel and producing high-velocity and high-pressure gas
(Brain, 2014). This process involves converting mechanical
energy from the turbine into gaseous energy that takes the form
of temperature and pressure. Spraying fuel into the fresh,
inflowing, atmospheric air by ring of fuel injectors adds energy.
This helps in creating ignition to enable combustion to enhance
high-temperature flow. The turbine functions to extract the
energy from the high-velocity, high-pressure gas that flows
from the combustion chamber (Office of Fossil Energy, n.d).
The turbine section performs the task of producing utilizable

2. output shaft power, which helps in driving the propeller. In
addition, the turbine section also provides power for driving the
compressor, as well as all engine accessories. The turbine has
special engineered blades, which attach to a central shaft. As
the high-pressure gas moves through, the shaft rotates and spins
with considerable force. This shaft connects to a generator that
creates electric power. Therefore, the high-pressure, high-
temperature gas enters a turbine. At this point, it expands, as it
moves downward to the exhaust pressure (Brain, 2014). The
process leads to the production of a shaft work output at the far
left of the system. The formation of a shaft power takes place
through the conversion of gaseous energy into mechanical
energy. In other cases, the shaft connects to a compressor,
which compresses vapor or gas for various industrial and
commercial applications. The compressor, which is a cone-
shaped cylinder, has small fan blades appended in various rows.
It sucks air from the right side of the engine. The high-pressure
gas produced by a compressor can increase by a factor of 30.
Basic Principles for Change in Pressure and Velocity
During the process when air rises through a gas turbine, energy
and aerodynamic requirements prompt the need for changes in
the air’s pressure and velocity (Brain, 2014). The compression
process requires a rise in air pressure, but not a rise in velocity.
An increase in velocity is crucial after the compression and
combustion have heated the air (Edison Tech Center, n.d). This
increase in velocity enables turbine rotors to generate power.
The shapes and size of the ducts, which allow the airflow,
determine the need for such changes. The passages are divergent
where there is a requirement for conversion from velocity to
pressure. However, a convergent duct is applicable where there
is a need to convert pressure into velocity.
Determinants of Performance and Efficiency
Several factors affect both the performance and the efficiency

3. the gas turbine engine. The mass rate of airflow through the gas
turbine engine determines engine performance. Therefore, any
element that impedes the smooth flow of air through the gas
turbine engine will limit its performance (Brain, 2014). Other
factors that influence performance and efficiency of the overall
engine include the turbine inlet temperatures or engine
operating temperatures, pressure ratio of the compressor, as
well as the efficiencies and performance of individual parts or
sections of the gas turbine (Edison Tech Center, n.d). Therefore,
the selection of turbine inlet temperature, an optimum pressure
ratio, and air mass flow rate are crucial for obtaining the
requisite performance through the most efficient process. This
also requires designing the individual engine components in a
way that minimizes flow losses, thereby maximizing component
efficiency.
Importance
Positive Aspects
The gas turbine is highly fundamental in contemporary world. It
is helpful in meeting the needs of a diverse range of industrial
and commercial applications. Various uses include driving
tanks, propelling jets and helicopters (Kay, 2002), generation of
power, as well as various industrial power uses. The machine
has a relatively compact size and generates a lot of power
(Edison Tech Center, n.d.). This feature makes it smaller than
most reciprocating engines working with the same power rating.
It is also flexible and efficient. This makes it useful in backup
power systems, where they can power up and produce during
emergency cases. The turbine has a greater power-to-weight
ratio (Giacomazzi, 2014). Because of this, they can generate the
same power with smaller engines than is the case with
conventional piston or reciprocating engines.
Gas turbines have high operating speeds and low operating
pressure. Such aspects are fundamental in enhancing the
effectiveness of their utilization in various industrial
applications. In oil exploration platforms, gas turbines have

4. been highly essential for making power. It is also applicable in
making power for the crack process experienced in oil
refineries. They have been useful in offshore gas and oil
exploration (DECC, 2014). In most cases, gas turbines consume
less lubricating oil. This means that is cost effective given that
users have to incur reduced costs. Such an aspect is critical in
contributing to enhancing better returns when using the gas
turbine engines in various areas. This feature supports the
business process given that profit making always anchors
heavily on reducing operating costs.
The gas turbines have high levels of interoperability. This
feature increases their flexibility given that they can operate on
a wide variety of fuel. With such an element, they facilitate
meeting various power generation and industrial needs (DECC,
2014). They also have low foundation loads and cooling water
requirement. Moreover, the machines generate extremely low
toxic emissions of HC and CO because of the excess air (Brain,
2014). It normally ensures complete combustion and averts
quench on the flame when operating on cold surfaces. These
instances are vital for ensuring environmental protection. They
pose limited damage to the damage given the low green house
gas emission. This implies that it does not pose overriding
global warming effect on the planet. This contributes to
enhancing the protection of biodiversity.
The machines are highly reliable, especially when applied in
situations requiring sustained high power output. Such a level
of reliability is essential for ensuring the achievement of the
objectives of the operation processes (Brain, 2014). In other
words, it helps in meeting the requisite needs depending on the
area of application. Further, it has less moving parts than is the
case with reciprocating engines. This means that it faces
reduced depreciation rate due to limited surfaces facing friction.
In this regard, maintaining the machines is much easier than in
other reciprocating engines. This can also take place because of
the fact that gas turbines have a unidirectional move. Their

5. movement in one direction results in less vibration than that
experienced in a reciprocating engine (DECC, 2014). This helps
to ensure reduced rate of machine degradation. When the
machine works, it dissipates almost 100 percent of waste heat in
the exhaust. This process prompts the exhaust stream to have
high temperatures. That temperature is highly applicable in
boiling water in cogeneration or in a combined cycle. Through
this process, gas turbines are applicable in performing
additional functions to the benefit of the user. The constant high
speed and the provision of high-grade heat enable close control
of the frequency of electrical output.
Negative Aspects
The gas turbine engines have some demerits. Under typical
situations, the turbines can rotate at over 10,000 rpm. The
speeds of over 100,000 rpm can sometime occur in smaller
turbines. Such a speed in conjunction with the high
temperatures results in expensive designing and the
manufacturing process of the engines (Kurz, 2012). Usually, a
gas turbine operates most efficiently when having a constant
load. Therefore, when the load fluctuates or during idle times, it
uses more fuel than a reciprocating engine. This means that it
incurs more costs. The turbine also uses large amounts of air
when operating at full power (Kurz, 2012). This amount of air
results in a situation where particles of the contaminants like
salts, dusts, aerosols and pollens stick to the blades of the
compressor. This process ends up reducing the engine
efficiency, and makes the machine less efficient than
reciprocating engines. The situation impedes air inflow into the
turbine, thereby compromising the performance of the gas
turbine. This means that the system will need more energy to
maintain power output. This means that making the compressors
clean is fundamental.
Conclusion
References
References

6. 1. Brain, M. (2014). How Gas Turbine Engines Work. Available
at:
http://science.howstuffworks.com/transport/flight/modern/turbin
e1.htm [Accessed 24 April 2014].
2. DECC. (2014). Technology: Gas Turbine Pro & Cons.
available at: http://chp.decc.gov.uk/cms/gas-turbine-pro-cons-3
[Accessed 25 April 2014].
3. Edison Tech Center. n.d. Gas Turbines. Available at:
http://edisontechcenter.org/gasturbines.html [Accessed 24
April 2014].
4. Giacomazzi, Eugenio. 2014. The importance of operational
flexibility in gas turbine power plants. Available at:
http://www.enea.it/it/produzione-scientifica/EAI/anno-2013/n-
6-novembre-dicembre-2013/the-importance-of-operational-
flexibility-in-gas-turbine-power-plants [Accessed 24 Aril
2014].
5. Kay, A. (2002). German Jet Engine and Gas Turbine
Development 1930-1945. Airlife Publishing
[Accessed 24 April 2014]
6. Kurz, R. X. (2012). Important Properties for Industrial Gas
Turbine Fuels. PGJ, 239(6).
Available at: http://pipelineandgasjournal.com/important-
properties-industrial-gas-turbine-fuels?page=show [Accessed 24
April 2014]
7. Office of Fossil Energy. n.d. How Gas Turbine Power Plants
Work. Available at: http://energy.gov/fe/how-gas-turbine-
power-plants-work [Accessed 24 April 2014].