This paper deals with the technical feasibility of the use of straight vegetable oil (SVO) as gas turbine fuels.\ud First, this paper reports the results of the experimental characterization of different vegetable oils, derived from energy crops, and of blends of diesel and vegetable oil in different concentrations (from pure diesel to pure vegetable oil). The considered vegetable oils were obtained from different types of oilseeds (rapeseed, sunflower, soybean) and were cultivated under different agronomic scenarios. The SVO properties determined experimentally are SVO elemental composition, lower heating value, density, specific heat and viscosity, for which this paper provides a practical overview, coming both from experiments and literature data.\ud Secondly, the paper experimentally evaluates the behavior of a Solar T-62T-32 micro gas turbine fed by vegetable oils. The vegetable oils are supplied to the micro gas turbine as blends of diesel and straight vegetable oils in different concentrations, up to pure vegetable oil. The paper describes the test rig used for the experimental activity and reports some experimental results, which highlight the effects of the different fuels on micro gas turbine performance and pollutant emissions

The growing need to increase the competitiveness of industrial systems continuously requires a reduction of maintenance costs, without compromising safe plant operation. Therefore, forecasting the future behavior of a system allows planning maintenance actions and saving costs, because unexpected stops can be avoided. In this paper, four different methodologies are applied to predict gas turbine behavior over time: Linear and Nonlinear Regression, One Parameter Double Exponential Smoothing, Kalman Filter and Bayesian Forecasting Method. The four methodologies are used to provide a prediction of the time when a threshold value will be exceeded in the future, as a function of the current trend of the considered parameter. The application considers different scenarios which may be representative of the trend over time of some significant parameters for gas turbines. Moreover, the Bayesian Forecasting Method, which allows the detection of discontinuities in time series, is also tested for predicting system behavior after two consecutive trends. The results presented in this paper aim to select the most suitable methodology that allows both trending and forecasting as a function of data trend over time, in order to predict time evolution of gas turbine characteristic parameters and to provide an estimate of the occurrence of a failure.

The growing need to increase the competitiveness of industrial systems continuously requires a reduction of maintenance costs, without compromising safe plant operation. Therefore, forecasting the future behavior of a system allows planning maintenance actions and saving costs, because unexpected stops can be avoided. In this paper, four different methodologies are applied to predict gas turbine behavior over time: Linear and Non Linear Regression, One Parameter Double Exponential Smoothing, Baesyan Forecasting Method and Kalman Filter. The four methodologies are used to provide a prediction of the time when a performance limit will be exceeded in the future, as a function of the current trend of the considered parameter. The application considers different scenarios which may be representative of the trend over time of some significant parameters for gas turbines. Moreover, the Baesyan Forecasting Method, which allows the detection of discontinuities in time series, is also tested for predicting system behavior after two consecutive trends. The results presented in this paper aim to select the most suitable methodology that allows both trending and forecasting as a function of data trend over time, in order to predict time evolution of gas turbine characteristic parameters and to provide an estimate of the occurrence of a failure.

Current energy policies tend to encourage the production of renewable energy for environmental reasons and energy independence. Among renewable sources, biomass can play a key role, because of economic, environmental and political factors, such as the need to diversify and improve energy supply, reduce the greenhouse effect and support rural areas. For the case of liquid biofuels derived from agricultural crops, several possibilities can be considered, such as straight vegetable oil (SVO), oil-derived esters, bioethanol or blends with conventional fuels (diesel or gasoline). The use of SVOs and their derivatives usually poses some problems, that essentially derive from their much higher viscosity and higher boiling temperature. In order to evaluate the technical feasibility of the use of SVOs within gas turbine combustors, this paper reports the results of the experimental characterization of different vegetable oils, derived from dedicated crops. Moreover, blends composed of diesel and vegetable oil in different concentrations (from pure diesel to pure vegetable oil) are also considered and their experimental characterization is also reported, with particular focus on blend viscosity. The considered vegetable oils were obtained from different types of oilseeds (rapeseed, sunflower, soybean) and were cultivated under different agronomic scenarios. The SVO properties determined experimentally are SVO elemental composition, lower heating value, density, specific heat and viscosity, for which this paper provides a practical overview, coming both from experiments and literature data.

The application of bio-fuels in automotive, power generation and heating applications is constantly increasing. However, the use of straight vegetable oil (pure or blended with diesel) to feed a gas turbine for electric power generation still requires experimental effort, due to the very high viscosity of straight vegetable oils. In this paper, the behavior of a Solar T-62T-32 micro gas turbine fed by vegetable oils is investigated experimentally. The vegetable oils are supplied to the micro gas turbine as blends of diesel and straight vegetable oils in different concentrations, up to pure vegetable oil. This paper describes the test rig used for the experimental activity and reports some experimental results, which highlight the effects of the different fuels on micro gas turbine performance and pollutant emissions. Moreover, an identification model is set up to predict the behavior of the considered gas turbine, when fuelled by vegetable oil, and the sensitivity of micro gas turbine thermodynamic measurements and emissions is quantitatively established.