The Performance of Gas Turbine Power Plant Using 5% Biodiesel & 95% High Speed Diesel

Abstract

Indonesia is the largest producer of crude palm oil (CPO) in the world. Biodiesel containingfatty methyl ethyl ester (FAME) is oil produced as a derivative process from CPO. Biodieselhas properties similar to high speed diesel (HSD). The Minister of Energy and MineralResources (MEMR) made a policy of using biodiesel as a mixture of HSD to be used as fuelin the electricity and transportation sector. There are many problems in the implementationof these fuels, especially in gas turbine power plants such as the impact on performance andreliability. In this study, the effects of biodiesel mixed with HSD were studied using a gasturbine power plant with a capacity of 18 MW. The mixture of 5% biodiesel and 95% HSD(called B5) is used as fuel for testing for 1 month operation. Performance indicators such asload, fuel consumption, specific fuel consumption, exhaust gas temperature, and nozzle pressureare monitored during the testing. Performance data and results of inspection of hot gaslines from gas turbines operated for a month are then analyzed. As the results, B5 has reducedpower production, increased fuel consumption, and the potential for heat corrosion in hotgas lines. After carrying out visual and deposit sampling inspections, found many depositscontaining Carbon, Sodium and Sulphur. Sediment samples were tested in the laboratory tofind out metal contaminants in deposits in the transition pieces, nozzle stages one, and nozzlestages two. The metal contaminants allegedly came from HSD and Biodiesel fuel.