How much water does your compressor wash really use?

When gas turbine productivity is your top priority, water usage during process compressor washing rarely gets a second look. But the two are more closely connected than most operators realize, and getting a handle on how much water each wash event actually consumes can unlock real cost savings and measurable productivity gains.

Here’s what every gas turbine operator should know.

What impacts water usage? Key facts and figures

An offline gas turbine compressor wash requires the turbine to be taken out of service while a water and cleaning chemical solution is applied directly to the compressor blades and inner surfaces.

Water is needed for the initial wash, and any repeat cleans required, as well as every subsequent rinse stage until a minimum level of conductivity is reached.

The amount of water required is dependent on a few variables, including:

• Fouling levels
• Foam levels and how many rinse cycles are required
• OEM specifications regarding conductivity requirements
• Water system capacity
• Flow rate e.g. GE 7FA ~41 GPM rinse flow ‘vs’ Siemens 501F/G ~22–24 GPM
• Operator’s diluting practices

A typical offline compressor wash uses up to 3,500 gallons of water on large units. Switch to a high-foam detergent, and that number can easily double.

Why does water usage matter?

High water usage has a lot of knock-on effects:

‘Making’ water

Most plants have demineralised water systems (recommended), and while the cost per gallon is relatively low once the infrastructure is in place, there’s no reason to use more than necessary.

Remote and older sites may struggle to meet excessive demand

If sourcing or demineralizing water is already a constraint at your site, reducing consumption should be a priority.

Environmental impact

Water consumption carries environmental costs on both ends: sourcing it and disposing of contaminated effluent afterwards. In some documented cases, excessive foam from gas turbine compressor washing has caused sumps to overflow, requiring vacuum truck intervention. The less water used, the smaller the environmental footprint.

Excessive wash time

When washes demand multiple rinse passes to clear excess foam, total turbine outage time grows, and every extra hour offline is an hour of lost output. The water cost itself is minor; the lost productivity isn’t.

Should I cut water usage at my plant?

The goal is straightforward - use only the water you actually need. The savings on water alone won’t move the needle much, but the downstream benefits, less downtime, lower resource consumption, and reduced environmental impact, add up quickly.

How to reduce water usage

Some operators double-dilute their gas turbine compressor cleaning chemicals to reduce foam production. It’s not a strategy we would ever recommend. Over-dilution is a short-term fix that creates long-term problems: the compressor won’t be cleaned to the required standard, leading to another wash sooner than expected or, worse, a shortened equipment lifespan.

Foam is an important part of cleaning chemistry. It increases contact time for the chemicals to penetrate foulants but also floats, meaning excess foam is tricky to rinse away.

FYREWASH® cleaning chemicals are formulated to hit the right balance between foam generation and cleaning efficacy. Operators should always follow dilution guidelines, as they have been carefully calculated to achieve the perfect balance. 

The best solution if you’re interested in reducing water usage is to choose a specialized low-foam cleaner. Operators who make this change typically see water consumption drop by around one-third, and in some cases up to 50% simply because fewer rinse cycles are needed to hit target conductivity levels.

Get in touch

When evaluating water consumption at your gas turbine site, don’t just look at the direct cost, factor in wash duration and what every additional hour of downtime actually costs you. At the same time, cutting corners on the wash itself is never worth it; thorough cleaning is fundamental to equipment performance and longevity.

At Rochem, we’ve specialized in gas turbine compressor washing for decades, and our range of FYREWASH® cleaning chemicals is trusted around the globe for its cost-effective, industry-leading results. Our low-foam formulations are engineered to reduce rinse time and water consumption, without any compromise on cleaning quality.

Ready to reduce your water consumption without compromising your clean? Please get in touch. We have dedicated agents in your region who’ll be happy to help.