Method and Apparatus for Optimizing the Operation of a Turbine System Under Flexible Loads

A gas turbine system (1) includes a compressor protection subsystem (5); a hibernation mode subsystem (7); and a control subsystem (1) that controls the compressor subsystem (5) and the hibernation subsystem (7). At partial loads on the turbine system (1), the compressor protection subsystem (5) maintains an air flow through a compressor (13) at an airflow coefficient for the partial load above a minimum flow rate coefficient where aeromechanical stresses occur in the compressor (13). The air fuel ratio in a combustor (15) is maintained where exhaust gas emission components from the turbine (17)are maintained below a predetermined component emission level while operating at partial loads.