Methodology for optimal maintenance scheduling in gas turbines based on operating parameters

Abstract This paper proposes a comprehensive methodology for optimal maintenance scheduling in gas turbines, based on the analysis of operating parameters and reliability, the maintenance procedures typically exhibit minor variations depending on the turbomachinery application. The procedures applied to power-generation, or onshore systems differ in concept from those employed on offshore platforms. For example, the following cases may occur: The approach combines the principles of Reliability-Centered Maintenance (RCM), the Maintenance Management System (MMS), and the OREDA-type database, along with professional experience in generating plants, with the aim of reducing unscheduled failures and optimizing the availability of generating units. Through three real-life case studies, failures resulting from poor programming are analyzed, including fouling, mechanical disengagement, and, above all, speed-related failures. The results demonstrate that predictive management based on temperature, vibration, pressure, and angular velocity data can anticipate the deterioration of critical components, improve operational efficiency, and minimize costs associated with downtime, considering that these systems are currently regulated by the electricity market through the National Energy Control Center (CENACE) for onshore applications, both within this country and internationally. The proposed methodology constitutes a tool adaptable to different industrial environments to strengthen the reliability and operational continuity of turbo machinery. Overall, this methodology contributes to increased operational availability, reliability, and energy efficiency of generating units, as well as a trend toward energy savings that translates into economic benefits for the plant, representing a replicable model for the modern management of critical industrial assets.