Method for controlling the operation of a gas turbine with an averaged turbine outlet temperature

A gas turbine comprising:

• a compressor;
• a combustor;
• a turbine downstream of the combustor,
• sensors distributed at a total number of measurement points about the turbine;
• and
• a controller, wherein the controller is configured to carry out a method which includes:
• determining with the sensors a turbine outlet temperature measurement at each of the total number of measurement points to yield a total number of turbine outlet temperature measurements;
• obtaining a reference average turbine outlet temperature based on all the turbine outlet temperature measurements determined at each of the total number of measurement points;
• selecting a number of the turbine outlet temperature measurements, which is smaller than the total number of the turbine outlet temperature measurements, as selected turbine outlet temperature measurements, wherein the selecting is performed by determining ones of the turbine outlet temperature measurements which satisfy a selection criteria;
• averaging the selected turbine outlet temperature measurements to obtain a value of an average turbine outlet temperature;
• controlling an operation of the gas turbine in dependence of a deviation calculated between the reference average turbine outlet temperature obtained and the value of the average turbine outlet temperature;
• and
• wherein the selection criteria includes one of:
• having a specified data quality,
• having a measurement value within a specified number of highest measurement values considering all the turbine outlet temperature measurements determined at each of the total number of measurement points, and
• having a measurement value within a specified temperature deviation from a previously obtained value of the average turbine outlet temperature.