DEVELOPMENT AND VALIDATION OF A MODEL FOR AXIAL COMPRESSOR FOULING SIMULATION

Gas turbine axial compressor performance are heavily influenced by blade fouling; as a result, the gas turbines efficiency and producible power output decrease. In this study a model, able to evaluate the performance degradation of an axial compressor due to fouling, is developed and validated. The model is validated against experimental results available in literature and included into a computer code developed by the Authors (IN.FO.G.T.E) which is able to estimate the performance of every commercial gas turbine by using a stage stacking methods for the simulation of compressor behavior. The goal of this study is to show and discuss the change in gas turbine main performance (such as efficiency, power output, compressor inlet mass flow rate, pressure ratio) due to compressor fouling and also highlight and discuss the change in compressor stages performance curves.