Performance Characteristics for Off-design Operation of Micro Gas Turbines

Micro gas turbines are designed with low turbine inlet temperature and pressure ratio. To overcome the efficiency defect of the simple cycle, adoption of the recuperator is an inevitable choice. In addition to the design performance, we should also pay attention to the off-design performance of gas turbines since they usually operate at part-load conditions lot a considerable amount of their lifetime. This study analyzes off-design performance characteristics of micro gas turbines and addresses the importance of the recuperation process doting the part load operation. Comparative analyses have been performed to evaluate the part load performance differences among various design and operating options : simple vs recuperative cycles, single vs two shaft configurations, various operating strategies for the single shaft configuration, and current vs advanced engines. Major finding is that maintaining high turbine exhaust temperature is crucial for efficient operation of micro gas turbines.