Retrofit of a Modern Control System on an Early Design Gas Turbine

The control systems on many older combustion turbines are often directly responsible for poor first-start reliability, low availability and high forced-outage rates. Indirectly, they may be the cause of mechanical and metallurgical problems. Dealing with aging control systems is a common experience for most turbine users and sometimes results in the premature retirement of equipment. The retrofit of a modern control system offers many advantages to the turbine user if it can be accomplished in an economic and timely manner. The significant logistics, engineering, installation and commercial aspects of installing a modern control system on a 24-year old combustion turbine are described in this paper. The unit was restored to service with the new control system in early 1986, and the project was considered a success.