Filtering out issues to give assured performance

The Gas Turbine Filtration Division of Parker Hannifin Corporation has announced the launch of its clearcurrent ASSURE filters for high-performance gas turbines.

All components within the latest advanced gas turbines must be able to withstand the harsh environments and multiple contaminates that these systems are continuously exposed to. “Leveraging decades of filtration engineering experience and direct feedback from customers, Parker designed every detail of the new clearcurrent ASSURE filters to ensure they support predictable, reliable and optimised gas turbine performance,” says the company.

Superior efficiency

The efficiency we see from today’s advanced gas turbines, such as the H-class, is far superior to that of previous machines,” states Tim Nicholas, power generation market manager, Gas Turbine Filtration Division. “The precise engineering involved to achieve these output levels requires a conditioned, consistent and reliable air flow through the inlet house, and our new line of filters helps to protect turbine health and performance.”

Filtration systems for gas turbines require consistent innovation to keep pace with ongoing improvements to turbine design and performance. Advanced classes of turbines have recently broken the 60% net efficiency barrier in combined cycle mode. By leveraging technologies such as 3D printing and advanced analytics, these increased levels of efficiency are becoming increasingly common and it is expected that further improvements will soon follow.

Contaminants removed

Parker’s new clearcurrent ASSURE filters feature durable hydrophobic and oleophobic properties, which remove problematic contaminants carried through to the turbine in liquid forms. Their unique design provides effective filtration across a range of models including high-performance self-cleaning units. Construction practices and materials are selected for extended service life to enable longer maintenance intervals and reduced lifetime cost while sustaining performance.

“The lower efficiency of legacy turbines means that particles adhering to the blades have less impact on performance. However, to maintain the efficiency of the advanced performance turbines entering the market today, internal components need better protection from sticky particles in the inlet airflow which can impact aerodynamic and thermal performance,” Nicholas added. “Our clearcurrent ASSURE filters are designed with housing materials and filtration media that is precision-engineered to set a new benchmark in protecting these incredible machines.”

Sudden pressure spikes avoided

“The measured and consistent performance of the clearcurrent ASSURE filters through all filtration stages equates to predictable differential pressure (DP),” adds Parker. This is essential to avoid sudden pressure spikes that lead to unplanned turbine outage or damage to the system.

“They are designed to an exact fit in the inlet house to prevent them being bypassed, significantly reducing the risk of accelerated degradation of turbine components and helping to optimise maintenance over the life of the system.”