Mobile Turbine Generators for Industrial Plant Outages and Upgrades

When mobile turbines make sense

Mobile turbines suit loads from several megawatts upwards, where many small diesel sets would be awkward. Typical cases are refineries, smelters, paper mills, chemical plants and large mines covering a planned overhaul of their own generation, or a utility substation outage.

They also help when a plant expands faster than its grid connection, as a bridge until permanent capacity arrives.

Sizing and site conditions

Gas turbine output falls as air temperature and altitude rise. Size the mobile fleet on the hottest expected conditions, and include a spare unit if the process cannot tolerate a trip. Check the plant’s largest motor start and its sensitivity to voltage dips.

Our article on hot-ambient derating of mobile turbines gives more detail on output at high temperatures.

Site preparation

A mobile turbine needs a level, compacted area for the trailers, room for fuel equipment and access for heavy transport. Preparation usually includes a gravel or concrete pad, earthing, cable routes to the connection point and fencing.

Doing this work before the units arrive shortens the time from delivery to first power.

Fuel supply

Natural gas from the plant’s own supply is usually the cheapest fuel, but pressure and quality must suit the turbine, so a fuel conditioning skid may be needed. Many mobile turbines can also run on diesel, which is useful where gas is limited, though it raises running cost and logistics.

Our page on mobile turbine fuel logistics covers storage and deliveries.

Connecting to the plant

The turbine generator connects through a step-up transformer and switchgear to the plant’s medium- or high-voltage network. Protection studies, synchronising arrangements and earthing must be checked against the plant system, and the operating mode, island or parallel with the grid, decided in advance.

Operating and maintaining units during the outage

Even a short deployment needs a clear operating plan: who runs the units on each shift, how alarms are handled, and what spares sit on site. Mobile turbines are designed for quick module changes, so a spare-parts list agreed in advance keeps any fault short.

Daily reports of output, fuel use, alarms and running hours let the plant owner see how the units are performing and plan the return to normal supply with confidence. At the end, a final report records hours run and any work needed before the units move to their next site.

Mobilisation and demobilisation

Mobilisation includes transport permits, crane or jacking arrangements, installation, commissioning and operator training. Demobilisation is the same in reverse, plus site restoration. Planning both from the start gives the plant a realistic timeline and avoids surprises at the end of the outage.

Owners who expect repeated outages, or who run several sites, sometimes buy mobile units outright and move them between plants.