why is it important to eliminate to the barest minimum NOx in a gas turbine?

how does the availability of NOx affect the efficiency to the operation of the gas turbine?

 

NOx is a product of the combustion of hydrocarbon-based fuels. NOx is an atmospheric pollutant.

> why is it important to eliminate to the barest minimum NOx
> in a gas turbine?

To reduce air pollution. For a really good discussion of NOx and its effects on the air we breathe and the rain that falls on the land and the seas/oceans and bodies of water (NOx contributes to the formation of acid rain and other pollutants), refer to this link:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NOx

>how does the availability of NOx affect the efficiency to
>the operation of the gas turbine?

In some parts of the world it is illegal to operate a combustion engine (a gas turbine is one kind of combustion engine) without working NOx reduction methods. So, if the NOx reduction method(s) employed on the combustion engine aren't working, the unit can't be operated--meaning the <i>unit</i> is unavilable (not available to be operated). A lot of plants and turbines are measured by their availability to start and run--and many plants are paid for their availability "rate" (percentage), so if the availability of the plant is low because of non-working NOx reduction method(s), then revenue for the plant is reduced.

It's the NOx reduction methods that impact efficiency (heat rate) of a gas turbine--not the NOx that's formed by burning fuels.

Hope this helps!