A synergistic approach to combustion turbine testing

Contact: Quinn Bierman
quinn@airhygiene.com or 1-888-461-8778

Electricity is one of the most discussed issues of the 21st century. California needs more and everyone wants more; based upon expected increased usage due to the internet and technological advances. Help is on the way, with thousands of additional megawatts under construction, in the form of natural gas fired combustion turbine generators.

Unique Testing Strategy

Air Hygiene International (AHI) has developed a synergistic approach to assisting the various groups involved in the completion of a combustion turbine construction project. AHI strives to combine the multiple testing aspects involved with bringing a combustion turbine to commercial service. By conducting the various emission tests required for a new combustion turbine using one test company, the following benefits are a given:

Save money
Reduced mobilizations
Combined tests yield reduced gas usage and site time
Bulk projects receive quantity discounts
Improve efficiency through familiarity with site needs
Site personnel and testing team are comfortable working together

These projects typically involve some or all of the following groups. There is not a defined set of responsibilities that will match every project. The table below simply suggests a typical list of testing responsibilities.

Responsible Party ............................Testing Responsibilities
Owner ...............................................Initial and on-going federal and state compliance testing.
Operator ............................................Initial and on-going federal and state compliance testing.
Turbine manufacturer ..........................Contractual emission guarantees of turbines.
Construction Company .......................Contractual emission guarantees including control devices.
CEMS Supplier ..................................Initial RATA testing.
Lending Party (i.e. bank) .....................No responsibility, but concerned with outcome of all tests.
Environmental Consultant ....................Typically no responsibility, but provides oversight

A recent project provides a prime example of the synergistic benefits of using AHI to perform your combustion turbine performance and compliance testing needs. Two GE LM-6000 turbines were taken from performance testing through compliance testing in 72 hours. The following tests were performed on each turbine:

NOx control with water injection tuning
Contractual performance testing for NOx and CO under various conditions
40 CFR Part 60 Subpart GG: testing for NOx and CO at four loads
40 CFR Part 75 Appendix E: mapping NOx emission rate vs. heat input
State required compliance testing for PM-10, NOx, CO, VOC, and SO2
Dry Low NOx turbine tuning and mapping

Test data was provided on-site for all tests, except PM-10. Electronic files were e-mailed for review to the turbine manufacturer, owner & operator, and environmental consultant within 24 hours following completion of site work. Complete reports including PM-10 were submitted to interested parties within 2 weeks.

AHI personnel have over fifteen years of testing experience on combustion turbines across the United States. AHI mobile labs have traveled from Pennsylvania to Wyoming, Florida to Michigan, and Georgia to Texas just to name a few of the 20+ states on our list of planned or completed combustion turbine projects.

AHI has tested turbines ranging from 3.5 to 170 megawatts in both simple and combined cycle operation with a variety of controls including:

Selective Catalytic Reduction - Ammonia injection
Steam injection
Water injection
Dry Low NOx applications with special firing nozzles

AHI has tested over 35 combustion turbines representing over 1,500 megawatts already tested or in progress for 2001. An additional 20 combustion turbines representing over 2,000 megawatts are pending contractual acceptance.

AHI provides a variety of emission testing services for combustion turbines. For a review of these services please review the turbine services page and/or review our turbine services brochure.