The course begins with an in-depth look at the natural gas industry including what natural gas is, and where it is found. The course reviews the many different ways that natural gas is categorized and an attempt is made to help understand the concept of “gas reserves”.

Following a review of the natural gas industry, the course covers the thermodynamics of a combustion turbine, the types of combustion turbines, and methods to increase the efficiency of a combustion turbine. Then, the course ‘walks’ the reader through a typical plant from the delivery of the natural gas to the exhaust of waste heat. Finally, the course reviews some of the environmental concerns with natural gas-fueled power plants.

This course includes a multiple-choice quiz at the end, which is designed to enhance the understanding of the course materials.

After taking this course the learner should,

• Understand the benefits of combustion turbine power plants
• Know the components that make up a combustion turbine power plant
• Understand the efficiency of combustion turbines
• Know the types of combustion turbines
• Understand the methods to increase the efficiency of combustion turbines
• Understand the environmental issues with combustion turbine power plants