Air filters play a critical role in protecting gas turbines from the effects of air-born particles, especially during extreme and challenging weather-related events such as a dust storm. Dust storms often last only a few minutes, but they can extend for several hours. No matter the dust storms duration, dust storms often carry larger sand particles and debris that can cause significant damage to gas turbines.
What Is a Dust Storm?
Meteorological events called dust storms or sandstorms develop by strong winds picking up large amounts of fine loose dirt and blowing the dirt into the atmosphere creating a dense wall of particles. Dust storms can grow for miles and be thousands of feet high. Adding to the complexity of dust storms, the smaller and lighter the dust particles, the higher the particles can be lifted into the atmosphere and the farther the particle can travel. Additionally, the more arid a climate is, the more susceptible the area is to a dust storm.
During a dust storm, the air becomes saturated with dust particles that can pose a significant threat to gas turbine’s condition and operation. Air filters act as a barrier, preventing most of these particles from entering the engine. By protecting the turbine from dust and debris during dust storms, air filters help maintain operations and prevent costly shutdowns during critical periods.
Essentiality of Air Filters in Dust Storms
Air filters enable gas turbines to operate whether in a dust storm or during normal operating conditions. For one, air filters ensure that the gas turbine receives clean air, which is essential for optimal combustion and efficient power generation. Air filters also maintain stable air pressure, ensuring consistent and reliable operation of the turbine. By default, air filters lead to less downtime for maintenance and repairs.
Air filters protect internal parts and components from dust particles, particularly in a dust storm. Fine dust particles can easily enter a gas turbine's internal components such as blades, bearings and compressors and cause abrasion. These delicate components, once impacted, can lead to quicker system wear and tear, reduced efficiency and potential failure. Additionally, the accumulation of dust on blades and other surfaces can disrupt airflow and reduce the turbine's performance, decreasing power output and increasing fuel consumption. In the long run, air filters save money on maintenance costs by minimizing the need for frequent cleaning and repairs.
Testing Dust Rejection
Donaldson wanted to know how our filters and filter media performed during dust storm conditions, assuming the storms would last for more than a few minutes. We tested our own filters against similar grade competitor filters to see how they hold up for a long dust storm. The testing aimed to act as accelerated aging of the air filters in a dust storm.
The testing simulated filters exposed to a dust storm condition for 8 days (200 hours). The test ran for 2 hours and put a significant about of dust particles into the air, simulating a very dusty environment. The theory is the quicker rise in differential pressure the less likely the filters will last a long time in those types of environments. Additionally, this shows that the Donaldson filters have a high pulse clean ability since the filters are continuously pulsing through this test.
The filters were pulsed, for cleaning purposes so that the filter is able to maintain a low, stable pressure drop, on frequent intervals. The goal was to keep the filters as clean as possible so the turbines could keep operating at normal levels despite the extreme dust conditions.
The results of the test showed that Donaldson filter media held up better than the competitions for filter acceptable pressure drop during dust storm conditions. As you can see from the data on the graph, Donaldson air filters prove essential for protecting gas turbines from the harmful effects of dust and maintaining a low pressure drop, especially during dust storms.
This test specifically used medium grade filters, but Donaldson has tested our portfolio of filter media types in the field and in every instance, our products outperformed the competition at cleaning and protecting gas turbines. Our filters and filter media play a crucial role in maintaining performance, efficiency, lifespan and overall reliability of the turbine, ultimately saving money on operating and maintenance costs.
