Machine Learning Analysis of Inlet Air Filter Differential Pressure Effects on Gas Turbine Power and Efficiency with Carbon Footprint Assessment

This study presents a detailed evaluation of how inlet air filter differential pressure (Filter DP) affects the operational performance of a gas turbine, focusing on its influence on power generation and thermal efficiency. Real operating data combined with machine learning (ML) techniques were used. Following the installation of new filters, the turbine operated for 10,000 h, and 4438 h under base-load conditions were selected for modeling. The impact of Filter DP was examined using Multiple Linear Regression (MLR), Quadratic Support Vector Regression (SVR), Regression Tree, and Artificial Neural Network (ANN) models, allowing both linear and nonlinear behavior to be captured. Results show that each 1 mbar increase in Filter DP leads to roughly a 1.67 MW drop in power output and a 0.094% reduction in thermal efficiency. Additionally, higher Filter DP raises fuel consumption and causes an extra 0.45 kgCO₂e of emissions per 1 MWh of electricity produced. These findings underline that even small increases in inlet pressure loss significantly affect economic and environmental performance. Filter fouling increases natural gas demand, CO₂e emissions, and overall carbon footprint. The ML-based approach enhances predictive maintenance by enabling early detection of filter degradation and supporting more efficient and sustainable turbine operation.