What is gas turbine?
The common gas turbines used by industries are natural gas turbines. A natural gas turbine is a type of turbine that uses natural gas as its fuel to generate mechanical power or to produce electricity in power plants. They are also used to drive pumps, compressors, and provide propulsion to ships.
Natural gas turbines are both efficient and economical. They produce electricity with few to no emissions, making them a clean and sustainable source of energy. Natural gas turbines are also relatively simple to install and maintain, making them an affordable option for power generation. Furthermore, natural gas turbines provide a consistent and reliable source of power, making them suitable for both commercial and residential applications.
History of natural gas turbine
Brown Boveri built the first gas turbine power plant in Switzerland in 1939. It was a small plant that generated only 5 kW of electricity. The use of gas turbines for electric power generation increased rapidly in the 1940s and 1950s. In the 1950s and 1960s, the first large-scale gas turbine power plants were built. These early gas turbine plants generated electricity using steam turbines, and their efficiency was limited due to the inefficiency of the steam turbines.
In the late 1960s, the development of the first combined cycle gas turbine power plant marked the beginning of the modern gas turbine industry. This combined cycle system used a gas turbine to generate electricity, and then used the waste heat from the gas turbine to produce additional electricity from a steam turbine. This increased the efficiency of the gas turbine power plants by up to 50%.
The development of the gas turbine continued in the 1970s and 1980s, with advances in materials, controls, and combustion technology allowing for the development of larger and more efficient gas turbine power plants. Today, gas turbines are a major source of electricity across the world.
How gas turbine work?
A turbine consists of a compressor, combustion chamber, and turbine. The compressor takes in air and compresses it to create high pressure, which is then mixed with natural gas and combusted. The combustion products expand through the turbine, turning the turbine blades and producing power.
A natural gas turbine will necessitate extensive engineering, design, and testing. The turbine must be designed to burn natural gas efficiently and convert the energy in the gas into useful work. This will entail selecting materials that can withstand the high temperatures and pressures of natural gas combustion, as well as designing a turbine that can maximize gas combustion efficiency and work production. The turbine must also be designed to be as safe and reliable as possible, while also complying with any applicable emissions and other regulations. Finally, extensive testing will be required to ensure the turbine is performing as expected and to make any necessary adjustments or modifications.
Who are the major player in gas turbine industry?
General Electric, Siemens, and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries are top three suppliers.
GE’s most powerful natural gas turbine generator is the 9HA.01. It is the world’s most efficient gas turbine, achieving more than 62 percent efficiency. The 9HA.01 has a rated power output of nearly 400 megawatts (MW). It features a two-stage turbine, a single-shaft design with an advanced combustion system that enables it to achieve higher efficiency and lower emissions than other gas turbines. It is also designed to be able to operate in a wide range of ambient temperatures, altitudes, and fuel types.
The Siemens SGT-A45 TR gas turbine is recognized as one of the most reliable and efficient gas turbines in the world. This natural gas turbine is capable of achieving an electrical efficiency of up to 50%, making it one of the most efficient turbines on the market. It is scalable from 20 MW to 50 MW, making it an ideal choice for a variety of applications. The turbine also features a fast start-up time and is capable of achieving full output in just 10 minutes, making it an excellent choice for peak-load applications. Additionally, the turbine is highly reliable, with a mean time between failure of 80,000 hours.
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) offers a variety of natural gas turbine generator models, ranging from small to large. The largest and most powerful of these models is the M701GAC, which is a heavy-duty gas turbine generator that offers a power output of up to 310 MW, a thermal efficiency of up to 37%, and low emissions.
Development of hydrogen gas turbine
Currently, there is no pure hydrogen gas turbine. Hydrogen can be used in certain gas turbines, but it must be mixed with other gases such as natural gas or propane in order to be used as a fuel. Siemens SGT-300 can burn up to 30% of hydrogen gas in volume. It was designed for high-efficiency operation with hydrogen fuel and uses advanced materials to withstand the high temperatures and pressures associated with hydrogen combustion. The turbine is also designed to be able to operate on a variety of fuels, including natural gas, biogas, and hydrogen. The turbine has been tested extensively and has achieved high levels of efficiency and reliability.
