The effect of deposit formation in gas turbine combustors working in Iraqi power plants

Abstract

Availability of sufficient electric power (EP) is essential for the sustainable economic development of Iraq. Although Iraq possesses abundant fossil fuel resources, electricity production remains insufficient to satisfy the continuously increasing demand. This study investigates the current status of Iraq's electricity sector, evaluates the suitability of gas turbines for power generation, examines the mechanisms of deposit formation in gas turbine combustors, and assesses the economic feasibility of different combustor cleaning strategies through a case study of four Frame 9E gas turbines at Al-Quds Power Plant. The study combines a comprehensive review of historical energy data with a techno-economic analysis based on operational performance indicators. The results show that Iraq's per capita electricity consumption remains 44.98% and 24.93% lower than the Middle East and global averages, respectively. More than 65% of the produced natural gas is currently flared despite reserves sufficient for a very long time. Economic analysis demonstrated that increasing cleaning efficiency consistently reduced the payback period while increasing both the return on investment and net present value. Among the investigated maintenance strategies, the integrated application of online, offline, and manual cleaning provided the most economically attractive solution, ensuring higher operational efficiency, longer service life, and improved sustainability compared with applying any individual cleaning method alone. The findings highlight that improving fuel quality, controlling deposit formation, and adopting optimized maintenance schedules are essential for enhancing the performance and economic viability of gas turbine power plants operating under Iraqi environmental conditions.