Abstract:

Many power plants now use combustion turbines as their primary power source. Among the major noise sources on combustion turbines are the intake and exhaust. Each of these sources has unique characteristics but a common feature is an in-line silencer to control the noise. In this paper the issues affecting the design and application of silencers on combustion turbines is considered. The primary issues presented are acoustical and include lack of confidence in sound power levels, uncertainties in the application of predicted silencer performance, and the effects of size, geometry, temperature, and flow. While the primary focus is on the exhaust system, some topics related to the inlet are also presented. Other issues and trade-offs concerning pressure drop performance, mechanical survivability, and thermal performance are also presented. Some suggestions for ways to overcome the issues are also presented. [See NOISE-CON Proceedings for full paper.]