Combustion Turbine Engine Products

A 150 MW Siemens-Westinghouse Model 501 F combustion turbine.

GAS TURBINE FUEL TREATMENT

SFA International, Inc. provides a broad range of FuelSpec® fuel treatment products that meet engine manufacturer specifications and warranty requirements. Because of the individual engine manufacturer views, we always recommend products for a customer’s engine that fit within the specifications and operating philosophy of the engine manufacturer. Ash-bearing fuels, by definition, include any distillate, unrefined crude oil or residual oil containing sufficient quantities of ash to cause deposit and corrosion problems.

SFA manufactures and formulates two over-based magnesium products; carbonate-sulfonates with up to 30% magnesium concentration and over-based carboxylates with up to 30% magnesium concentration. These products have very low contaminant metal levels and are specifically designed to meet combustion turbine manufacturer warranty requirements.

Additives for Water-Washed Ash-Bearing Fuels

Most manufacturers of combustion turbine engines capable of operating ash-bearing fuels recommend removal of water-soluble contaminants from fuels by water-washing fuels. These manufacturers require reduction of sodium plus potassium to 1 ppm (part per million) or less. The remaining oil-soluble contaminants (e.g. compounds of vanadium and lead) are treated with magnesium at a rate of 3 parts magnesium to 1 part contaminant. Organometallic magnesium products such as SFA International’s FuelSpec® 120 and 130 Series products are normally recommended at levels of vanadium and lead up to 100 ppm. These products range up to 25% in magnesium concentration by weight of metal. For examples of turbines we have treated, request a copy of our Experience List on the Support Page of this web site.

This Union Pacific engine contained a General Electric Frame 5 combustion turbine (in the second unit) and an auxiliary Diesel electric generator set (in the first unit). This was an early example of a combustion turbine operated on washed residual oil (in the converted steam locomotive tender) treated with a magnesium fuel additive. It developed 10,000 HP and was the most powerful locomotive in the world in the 1960's.

Additives for Unwashed Ash-Bearing Fuels

Depending on water and equipment availability at the side, and engine manufacturer approval, fuels can be treated with additive packages that control both water-soluble and water-soluble ash producing compounds. These additives are more complex and include combinations of magnesium, silicon and chromium. Organo-metallic compounds such as SFA International’s 150, 170 and 180 Series products are required in these cases.

Combustion Catalysts

Several metals catalyze combustion of petroleum fuels. These include iron, manganese, copper, barium and cerium. Iron is the best choice for combustion turbine applications. SFA International manufactures FuelSpec® 116 series ferric carboxylate salt available in up to 9% Fe concentration. We also have FuelSpec® 118 series oil-miscible colloidal dispersion of iron with up to 18% Fe concentration. Both of these products meet combustion turbine manufacturer contaminant metal requirements.

SFA manufactures a patented iron and magnesium catalyst system with unusual activity. This material will reduce carbon matter in combustion turbine exhaust streams by up to 90%. It also yields improved fuel efficiency commensurate with the reduction of particulate matter and unburned hydrocarbon in the exhaust..

SFA International has had experience in the application of the iron combustion catalyst in several applications ranging from control of smoke during turbine start up to base load applications in fuels from high aliphatic waxy residual to high asphaltenic residual oil.

Application of this product has enabled combustion turbine operators to continue operating engines in sites where tightened environmental regulations would require discontinuation of power production. For examples of application of our catalyst technology in combustion turbine engines, request our experience list. For more information on the mechanism of this process, go to the SFA Technical Article & Paper Library.

Key Benefits from these SFA Products

• Longer Turbine Blade Life
• Less Downtime for Maintenance & Repair
• Reduced Smoking & Pollution
• More Efficient Heat Generation & Better Fuel Economy

Technical Service

SFA Engineers provide technical service to aid customers in achieving optimum results from use of boiler fuel additives. Before a recommendation is made, a survey of the plant is made. From this information, a proposal is prepared outlining the additive application, dosage rate, function and expected benefits.

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