Multiphase flow modeling and optimization for online wash systems of gas turbines

Compressor blade fouling in gas turbines could lead to significant loss in power and efficiency. Online wash systems are used to remove fouling without having to shut down the gas turbine. Hence, the design of efficient online wash systems could lead to significant recovery of performance. The present study aims at developing a generalized numerical approach for the optimization of online wash systems for gas turbines. The procedure utilizes a Lagrangian particle-tracking multiphase flow model combined with constrained multi-objective optimization to develop design charts for selecting the optimal nozzle diameter, location, mass flow rate and half-cone angle. The developed approach is used to optimize the design of the online wash system for the General Electric MS5002 gas turbine model. Comparisons and differences between the optimized design and the existing design are highlighted and presented.