ABSTRACT
A gas turbine (GT) is an internal combustion engine that uses the gaseous energy of air to convert chemical energy of fuel into mechanical energy. It is designed to extract, as much as possible, the energy from the fuel [1]. The service of GTs in industrial equipment and utilities located on power plants and offshore platforms has increased in the past 50 years. This high demand is because of their low weight, compactness, and multiple fuel applications [2]. Although the story of GTs has taken root in history, it was not until 1930s that the first practical GT was developed by Frank Whittle and his colleagues in Britain for a jet aircraft engine [3]. GTs were developed rapidly after World War II and became the primary choice for many applications. That was especially because of the enhancement in different areas of science such as aerodynamics, cooling systems, and high-temperature materials, which significantly improved the engine efficiency. Thus, it is not surprising that GTs have been increasing in popularity year by year. They have the ability to provide a reliable and continuous operation. The operation of nearly all available mechanical and electrical equipment and machinery in industrial plants such as petrochemical plants, oil field platforms, gas stations, and refineries, depends on the power produced by GTs. The wide application of GTs throughout the world especially in electrical utilities is due to their reliability, availability, adaptability, fast start capability, low initial cost, and short delivery time [4]. They are independent of cooling water and can operate on a variety of fuels. GTs provide high rates of load growth in the summer time and respond fast to load changes [4].
