One way of looking at a gas turbine centrifugal compressor is that the combustion air compressor must pump sufficient air to support combustion across the turbine blades as needed to spin the gas compressor at its required speed. Any factors which reduce the flow delivered by the combustion air compressor will reduce horsepower available to… Read More »
Gas turbines are limited, as are all rotating assemblies, by either speed or power. For an electric motor, the power limit is manifested by maximum amperage, (more precisely, the maximum permissible winding temperature). The situation with gas turbines is similar. The ultimate amount of power (i.e. work, horsepower), that can be developed by the turbine… Read More »
While the majority of natural gas field and transmission compressors are reciprocating machines, a sizable minority are centrifugal compressors driven by gas turbines. Only on rare occasions can electric, steam or deisel oil drives compete with natural gas as compressor fuel in pipeline service. A gas turbine works on the same principle as a jet… Read More »