Open Access

ARTICLE

Mapping Characteristics of the Filtration Performance of Gas Turbine Inlet Air Filters under Typical Environmental Conditions

Yan Shi^1,2,*, Rong Zhuang², Yunshan Bai², Wenguo Xiang¹, Cai Liang¹
1 School of Energy and Environment, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
2 Huadian Electric Power Research Institute Co., Ltd., Hangzhou, China
* Corresponding Author: Yan Shi. Email:

Energy Engineering https://doi.org/10.32604/ee.2026.082971

Received 26 March 2026; Accepted 14 May 2026; Published online 24 June 2026

Abstract

The performance evaluation of gas turbine inlet air filtration systems is commonly based on standardized laboratory testing; however, discrepancies frequently arise between laboratory results and actual operating performance. In this study, an on-site testing apparatus was developed to investigate filtration behavior under realistic operating conditions. Field measurements were conducted to analyze pressure loss evolution, particle-size-dependent filtration efficiency, and the influence of environmental parameters, including temperature, humidity, and ambient particulate concentration. Results show that filter pressure loss increased progressively with operational loading, while short-term fluctuations were associated with variations in environmental conditions. Filtration efficiency exhibited an overall increasing tendency with particle size, with minor fluctuations observed at larger particle sizes, and showed limited dependence on pressure loss within the investigated operating range. Correlation analysis indicated that ambient temperature showed a stronger relationship with filtration efficiency compared with humidity and differential pressure, suggesting that environmental conditions play an important role in practical filtration performance. To evaluate the consistency between laboratory certification and field operation, comparative tests were carried out at three representative gas turbine power plants operating under different environmental conditions. Although laboratory and field results demonstrated similar efficiency trends, noticeable quantitative deviations were observed. Correction factors relating laboratory-tested efficiency to field-measured efficiency were determined as 0.82, 0.86, and 0.54 for the three sites, respectively. The proposed correction-coefficient approach provides a practical method for translating standardized laboratory performance into realistic operational evaluation, offering useful guidance for filter selection, performance assessment, and operational management of gas turbine inlet air filtration systems.

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Keywords

Filtration performance; gas turbine; inlet air filter; laboratory test; typical environmental conditions

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