Eventually all filter houses will come to the end of their useful life for one reason or another. Often corrosion of the filter house walls and floors eventually causes unsafe conditions to enter the filter house or allows bypass of unfiltered air and potentially water from rain. Since Gas turbines are normally maintained with very regular major maintenance intervals, they can actually outlast the OEM supplied inlet filter system. The turbine can keep operating for many more years with the installation of a new replacement inlet filter system. Once the decision is made to replace the existing filter system, that is the ideal time to consider all the experience of past operation and the local environment’s effect on operations.

If the plant wants to increase the interval between final filter changes to reduce downtime, changing from static filter to a pulse style inlet filter may be the best solution. Pulse filters are generally larger than static types so additional structural supports may need to be added or modified.

If turbine fouling due to coastal salt air conditions is happening it may be appropriate to increase the filter efficiency to a HEPA E12 grade and in order to keep pressure drop low, increasing the size of the original filter house may be warranted.

If moisture has been getting ingested and was causing high pressure drop on the old filters, reducing output, perhaps additional stages of droplet eliminators and coalescing filters should be added upstream in the new system.

Adding inlet cooling to increase the output can help justify the significant expense of replacement the filter house.

Nederman can survey your existing system and design, supply and install a complete new system that is most appropriate for your operating needs and environment.