How gas turbine compressors can help to drive decarbonisation

In our endeavours for a greener planet, you may think there’s no place for a . However, a total switch to green energy simply cannot happen immediately.

Fortunately, there are steps we can take now to support , even with our current reliance on . And play a valuable role…

Gas instead of coal

Coal-fired power plants have ~13 vol% higher CO2 concentrations than the natural gas equivalent. In fact, the latter has the lowest flue gas CO2 concentrations when compared to other fossil fuels. So, simply running a gas power plant instead of coal already contributes to decarbonisation. It’s not perfect, but it’s a start.

What are combined cycle power plants?

The next thing to consider is how to get the most out of every atom of the gas you burn. A is essentially a gas-powered turbine with a secondary steam turbine. produces steam, which drives the second turbine. Up to 50% more electricity can be generated from the same amount of fuel this way, with no extra emissions.

Again, this isn’t a perfect solution, but it does offer a way of generating more electricity without any additional emissions, so it is an excellent step as we strive for decarbonisation.

Gas turbines supporting renewable energy

Ideally, our governments want us to switch to renewable energy sources such as wind and solar and gas turbines do not feature in this ideal world. However, at least for now, they can invaluably support the transition.

By their nature, renewable energy sources are unreliable. If the wind isn’t blowing or the sun isn’t shining, we get a dip in electricity production. Gas turbines help us meet demands, easily flexing according to what’s needed. At least for the short term, gas turbines can work in harmony with renewables to supply our nation’s electricity needs while striving for lower emissions.

Energy storage

While we accept the above method for supplementing renewable energy production with gas turbines, it makes sense to minimise the emissions of the latter as much as possible. Getting a gas turbine up and running takes time and energy to build up speed and efficiency.

An inefficient system produces more waste. Getting a gas turbine to peak performance as quickly as possible minimises this stage of inefficiency and the related fuel wastage/excess emissions. Battery-stored excess energy can be used to quickly springboard gas turbines to optimum conditions; The turbines reach peak efficiency and lowest carbon emissions much faster. This also reduces response rate, meaning dips in renewable energy production can be addressed more quickly.

Energy storage is yet another way the industry is exploring of making the very best of our current, established technology as we strive for lower CO2 emissions.

Carbon capture and storage

If we accept that we are currently reliant on gas turbines but want to mitigate CO2 emissions further, one option to minimise the impact is carbon capture and storage.

CO2 is collected from flue gas with a chemical solvent e.g. amine. The captured CO2 is pressurised and stored e.g. in geological storage whereby liquid CO2 is injected deep underground where it can stay indefinitely. The benefit here is that although CO2 is produced, it does not enter the atmosphere.

How to make existing gas turbines greener

While we still rely on gas turbines for our electricity, whether as a support for renewables or as our primary producer, it’s essential to do everything we can to minimise their impact on the environment. Fortunately, there are simple steps to make gas turbines more efficient and less polluting.

Gas turbine compressor fouling leads to immediate decrease in turbine production. Inefficient fuel combustion also means more greenhouse gases are emitted. By regularly cleaning the gas turbine compressor, you can maintain an efficient system and minimise those waste gases.

The specialist equipment to inject atomised cleaning solution into the compressor during normal operation can be retrofitted in most cases, and the cost of installation is regained many times over via regained efficiency.

Find out more

As we’ve said, while is the ultimate goal, we are not there yet. That shouldn’t be a reason to give up and accept the current situation, though. With so many options available, from combined-cycle and carbon capture to simply , we should be making our gas turbines part of the decarbonisation efforts.

At Rochem, we specialise in and . Whether you have an open cycle or combined cycle gas turbine, we can help you regain lost power, drive efficiency and reduce your .

with our expert team to find out more.

[Accessed 4/7/24]