GE Energy

FlexEfficiency* 50
Combined Cycle Power Plant
July 2011
Guy DeLeonardo
F-class Platform Leader, Heavy Duty Gas Turbines
Marcus Scholz
Director of 50 Hz Advanced Technologies
Chuck Jones
Power Plant Engineer Manager
2011 General Electric Company. Proprietary. All Rights Reserved.
No part of this document may be reproduced, transmitted, stored in a retrieval system nor translated into any human or computer
language, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, magnetic, optical, chemical, manual, or otherwise, without the prior
written permission of the General Electric Company.
Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
A new standard in operational flexibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Starting options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
HRSG design for cyclic operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Installation and commissioning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Serviceability. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
9FB Gas Turbine (version .05) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
New 109D-14 Steam Turbine. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
New W28 Generator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Advanced Mark VIe controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
System validation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
List of Figures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
GE Energy | GEA19089 (07/2011) i
Contents:
ii
GEs FlexEfficiency 50 Combined Cycle Power Plant for world class efficiency and operational flexibility
GE Energy has developed the FlexEfficiency* 50 Combined Cycle Power Plant in response to market needs for increased revenues and
operating cycles, high base and part load efficiency, start-up reliability, and improved turndown. This single shaft, 50 Hz platform is an
innovative total plant design that defines a new standard for high efficiency and operational flexibility. The plant also reduces fuel costs
and carbon emissions, creates additional revenue sources, and improves dispatch capability.
GEs well proven technology and product introduction process have been used to develop the integrated gas turbine, steam turbine,
generator, digital control capability, power island, and turnkey plant designs.
Introduction
The latest evolution of this 50 Hz single shaft combined cycle power plant employs an integrated approach to improve the overall plant
through systematic simplification with a focus on increasing efficiency and operational flexibility, while reducing the overall footprint.
With a baseload efficiency of more than 61 percent, the new 510 MW block-size plant addresses customer needs for CO
2
emissions
reduction and world class operational flexibility.
The FlexEfficiency 50 Combined Cycle
Power Plant, shown in Figure 1, comprises
GEs most advanced air-cooled gas turbine
technology, along with its advanced High
Efficiency Advanced Technology (HEAT*)
steam technology utilizing a two-flow side
exhaust and clutch, along with GEs water
cooled stator generator and integrated
digital plant control system.
A self-synchronizing clutch is located
between the generator and steam turbine.
The clutch, along with independent gas
turbine and steam turbine turning gears,
enables the shortest possible time from
plant shutdown to gas turbine inspection
and maintenance. This synchronous
clutch is proven and frequently used in
applications of this type and size.
Additional design features are incorporated into the Heat Recovery Steam Generator (HRSG) to provide cyclic capability and durability with
existing materials. The flexible performance features support the growing customer need for balancing rapid demand with dispatch cycles
and to respond to intermittency driven by the increasing renewable portfolio.
GE Energy | GEA19089 (07/2011) 1
FlexEfficiency* 50 CC Power Plant
Figure 1. The FlexEfficiency 50 Combined Cycle Power Plant.
A new standard in operational flexibility
With consideration of the above market needs, the FlexEfficiency 50 Combined Cycle Power Plant provides the following key operational
capabilities:
Rapid Start in Under 30 Minutes. The FlexEfficiency 50 Combined Cycle Power Plant offers start capability in under 30 minutes for
hot starts, along with reduced fuel burn and emissions as compared to the existing F-class industry
Fast Ramp Rates. Plant advancements result in a 51 MW per minute ramping capability and improved load adjustment capability,
all within emissions guarantees
Improved Turndown. The new plant offers turndown of less than 40 percent of baseload plant output within emissions guarantees.
Under way is the product development to achieve 20 percent of plant load as an operational state within emissions guarantees
Fuel Flexibility. The plant can be operated with natural gas or distillate fuel, with a natural gas modified wobbe index variation capability
of +/- ten percent to address fuel flexibility needs
The term FlexEfficiency* is defined to account for both the profitability of power production and the annual fuel consumption for cyclic
operation. This definition is:
Where the profitable MWhs excludes MWhs during minimum turndown and the annual fuel consumption includes fuel consumption
during start-up.
With this metric and an operating profile that includes about 200 starts/year and a mix of baseload, part load, and minimum turndown hours,
typical advanced combined cycle power plant FlexEfficiency is about 56%. The FlexEfficiency 50 Combined Cycle Power Plant FlexEfficiency is
58.5% on the same basis. This improvement derives from advancements in reduced start-up fuel consumption, a baseload efficiency over
61%, and part load efficiency over 60% down to about 87% of the plant baseload power output.
Starting options
Four distinct start options are offered for the FlexEfficiency 50 Combined Cycle Power Plant depending on customer need. They are:
Conventional: Suited to a baseload plant, with no cycling needs, and where higher start-up emissions are acceptable
Smart Start Lite: When there is some cycling need, but the need for low cost starts predominate. This also provides for
low start emissions on hot starts (starts within eight hours of shutdown).
Smart Start: Provides for low start costs for negative spark spread, with low start emissions on hot, warm, and cold starts.
Rapid Response: The highest flexibility with the lowest start-up emissions, and well suited to daily starts and stops with
positive spark spread.
Any of the above start-up options can be provided with a purge credit. Purge credit reduces start time by eliminating the time consuming
purge of gas turbine exhaust and HRSG at plant start-up. It consists of a gas turbine gas module enhancement and sequence executed
during plant shutdown to secure the credit for the subsequent start. This sequence fully sweeps the gas turbine natural gas fuel system,
combustion flow path, gas turbine exhaust, and HRSG following a normal fired shutdown. Purge credit utilizes a pressure plug between gas
2
FlexEfficiency = Profitable annual MWhs
Annual fuel consumption
valves, to isolate the natural gas fuel system from the gas turbine/HRSG flow path and maintains this fully purged state. The power output
versus time as measured from the start command is shown in Figure 2.
GE measures start time as the elapsed time from
operator command to start with the centerline on
turning gear and pre-start conditions met to gas
turbine at its full load with all steam flow to the
steam turbine (steam bypasses are closed). This
definition of start time is important to understand
if other definitions (i.e. from gas turbine ignition
or synchronization) are used, as this definition
includes the time it takes for ignition, acceleration,
and synchronization. The start time for the
FlexEfficiency 50 Combined Cycle Power Plant with
rapid response is under 30 minutes for hot starts. As
a hot start is defined as start-up within eight hours
of shutdown, most of the starts for the new plant are
expected to be hot. Plant start-up is accomplished
with GEs Mark* VIe integrated controls, simplified to
whereby a single command, known as one button push-start, enables automatic plant start-up with pre-start conditions satisfied.
Proprietary GE rapid response technology is the best solution for plants benefiting from significant non-spinning reserve capability, having
high start-up spark spreads or need to meet strict start-up air emissions limits. The gas turbine is rapidly loaded to baseload at simple cycle
rates, increasing the power to the grid during plant start-up. As a result, the gas turbine quickly reaches its reduced load, within guaranteed
emissions. Line warming capabilities provide quick achievement of the required steam temperature at the steam turbine inlets. Model based
control (MBC) provides accurate steam temperature targets to steam attemperators external to the HRSG (terminal attemperation). The
control quickly accelerates and loads the steam turbine. This, combined with the high steam generation from the gas turbine at baseload,
provides the fastest possible start-up.
Smart start, a variant of rapid response technology, is a solution for plants requiring low start-up fuel costs. As GE expects this capability
to be useful to most plants, it is part of the base standard offering. The gas turbine is rapidly loaded to a moderate load at simple cycle
rates. The moderate gas turbine load reduces gas turbine fuel consumption while quickly achieving emission-compliant operation. This is
particularly useful when starting during a negative spark spread situation where minimizing fuel consumption lowers start-up cost. The
moderate gas turbine load provides substantial steam flow to support quick steam turbine acceleration and loading. This, combined with
several key elements of the rapid response technology (MBC, terminal attemperators and line warming), significantly shortens the steam
turbine start-up. Taken together, the fuel consumption needed for the start is reduced.
Another version of rapid response technology, smart start lite, is available for plants that are primarily started and stopped daily. As
the steam turbine is still considered hot for the next start up, terminal attemperation and its associated capital expense is not required.
The gas turbine is loaded at simple cycle rates to emissions compliant load during every hot start. This provides low air emissions and
low fuel consumption for each hot start.
All GE plants, even when equipped with any or all of the technologies above, are capable of starting in the conventional manner. The gas
turbine is modulated at low load to control steam temperature via exhaust temperature control. This provides backup starting means in
the event equipment such as the terminal attemperators or back-up feed and condensate pumps are temporarily unavailable.
GE Energy | GEA19089 (07/2011) 3
Figure 2. Start options/hot start times for the FlexEfficiency 50 Combined Cycle Power Plant.
100
80
60
4-
20
0
P
e
r
c
e
n
t

P
l
a
n
t

O
u
t
p
u
t
Rapid Response
with Purge Credit
Smart Start
with Purge Credit
Rapid Response
Smart Start/Smart
Start Lite
Conventional
10 20 30 40 50 60 70
Minutes
Flexible plant start-up with optional equipment
In the event the plant is placed into baseload service or there is suitable auxiliary steam source already available, the plant can be furnished
without an auxiliary boiler. With the associated infrequent starts, the gas turbine can be loaded to spinning reserve and the HRSG used
as the steam source for steam turbine seals until condenser vacuum is acceptable for bypass operation. At this point, the gas turbine
can be loaded further and the plant started conventionally. This type of start-up procedure can also be employed when the auxiliary
boiler is out of service.
HRSG design for cyclic operation
GE has collaborated with HRSG suppliers to engineer drum type HRSGs that are tolerant of cyclic stresses resulting from fast gas turbine
loading. Design aspects addressed to meet plant life expectations with highly cyclic missions include drum wall thickness and drum
penetration diameters. Drum nozzle stresses can be reduced as required using techniques such as elongation of drums and use of higher
grade steels. Stresses are further managed by the use of multiple, smaller drum penetrations for evaporator risers and downcomers.
The high pressure (HP) drum still provides the storage volume necessary for successful fail over start of the back-up boiler feed water
pump in the event of an on-line pump failure.
Although compatible with once through steam generation, GE rapid response capability does not require this technology. It is interesting
to note that the drum is not the life limiting component for the HRSG. Detailed transient analysis demonstrates the hottest high pressure
superheater and reheater incur the majority of fatigue life consumption during fast gas turbine loading, regardless of whether the HRSG
uses high pressure drum or once through technology.
The HRSG stack is equipped with an automatic damper that closes upon plant shutdown to reduce HRSG heat loss and the time required for
the next plant start-up, as well as reduce the cyclic stress of the start. Noise silencing is included in the stack and stack height is configured
to meet site needs and requirements. The base offering includes an HRSG designed to ASME standards. Optionally, an HRSG designed to
EN standards can also be supplied. Further, the HRSG can be furnished with a spool piece for future installation of a selective catalytic
reduction NO
x
catalyst.
Innovative total plant design
The innovative plant design results in a layout for improved power train access and a clear division of work areas. This design improvement
serves to increase the power density by over 10% as compared to the current 109FB Block 3 Combined Cycle Power Plant. The centerline and
power island are shown in Figures 3 and 4, respectively. With a shaft centerline height of 5.5 meters (same as the existing 109FB Combined
Cycle Power Plant and the lowest in this class), this results in cost savings for the foundations, enclosures, and building.
The Mark VIe integrated plant control system
is improved in its utilization of digital fieldbus
technology with an advanced application layer.
As the communication protocols are digital
and connections easily distributed, field wiring
is reduced by over 50%, allowing for pre-site
assembling of most motor control cabinets
and process control panels.
Model based control methodology significantly
enhances control of the turbines and plant
interactions, as it replicates and models
true operating condition from real-time GE
4
Figure 3. The FlexEfficiency 50 Combined Cycle Power Plant centerline.
engineering models and available sensors,
while at the same time correcting for unique
equipment deterioration and transients. Model
based control further enables prediction of
equipment capability for more intelligent bid
and dispatch decisions, as such, supporting
more accurate maintenance schedules and
reduced lifecycle cost.
Two-year construction cycle
Several plant features facilitate an
accelerated schedule from notice to
proceed (NTP) to commercial operation
date (COD). When desirable, schedules
of two years from NTP to COD can be
achieved in many situations. Segregated,
large volume, mechanical and electrical
work areas improve trade access and
reduce trade-to-trade interference. Fieldbus protocols and control valves reduce base hours, schedule, and commissioning time, similar
to the Profibus* control technology for electrical equipment. Simplified undergrounds reduce the time required from NTP to foundation ready.
Special gas turbine and steam turbine design features also reduce their installation man hours.
Installation and commissioning
Installation flexibility is achieved by locating major pieces of equipment around the periphery of the power block. Delayed installation of
some items allow mobile or tower crane placement to speed building erection and high energy piping installation. The standardized power
island design facilitates early engineering completion of critical long lead material requirements, allowing earlier delivery of building steel,
HRSG, and principle bulk commodities.
HRSG erection is independent of the power block installation. This independence is facilitated by the preservation of the heavy crane
access on both sides of the HRSG, HRSG module design, and pipe rack positioning. When local labor situations and site access for large
assemblies dictate, the pipe rack can be modularized.
Improved balance of plant commissioning methods, such as the Least Actual Restoration Commissioning Method (LARCOM) for steam
pipe cleaning, eliminates much of the controlling path time that steam blow cleaning requires. In lieu of LARCOM, chemical cleaning
is also a suitable, short schedule cleaning method. In either case, upon normal plant start-up, a short-term high-velocity validation
steam blow is performed. The steam is admitted to the condenser via the normal plant bypass piping. Cleanliness is verified through
typical steam blow targets.
GE Energy | GEA19089 (07/2011) 5
Figure 4. Top view of the FlexEfficiency 50 Combined Cycle Power Plant power island.
Serviceability
Design improvements facilitate outage time improvements and
entry to major components. The low pedestal height lessens the
time required for the work force to reach the maintenance area.
Placement of the power train accessories around the perimeter of
the train provides easier access. The turbine building, along with
other major features, is shown in Figure 5. Maintenance is further
enhanced via a quick removal roof from the gas turbine compartment.
The generator frame also has roll out provisions to support shorter
rotor removal cycles as compared to generators that must be
lifted in order to perform major maintenance.
The new 9FB Gas Turbine (version .05)
The high-efficiency, air-cooled new 9FB Gas Turbine (version .05),
as shown in Figure 6, benefits from an advanced 3D aerodynamically
designed compressor with 14 stages. It features multiple variable stator
vanes in addition to the inlet guide vanes and a hybrid radial diffuser to
recover static pressure losses in the reverse-flow combustion section.
The compressor is a speed-scaled design of the 7FA Gas Turbine
(version .05). The compressor design, as shown in Figures 7a and 7b,
further benefits from field-replaceable blades, a traditional aircraft
engine feature, and in operation on other GE gas turbines.
The combustion system is an evolution of the current and successful
dry low NOx (DLN) 2.6+ combustion system. The key differentiators of
the DLN 2.6+ system are the removal of the diffusion passage in each outer nozzle and the addition of a fuel passage upstream of the
swozzles (swozzle is a coined term for the combination of a nozzle and swirler). These additional features provide enhanced NO
x
control
at baseload and allows for an extended turndown of 30% gas turbine load, within CO emissions compliance.
The power turbine consists of a four-stage expansion path, similar to the H System* power island, but without integrated steam or hybrid
cooling technology. Similar to the H System power island, the turbine section has inner and outer shells that improve thermal gradient
6
Figure 7a. 9FB Gas Turbine (version .05) 14 stage compressor section. Figure 7b. Third generation 3D aero compressor blades.
Figure 5. The FlexEfficiency 50 Combined Cycle Power Plant power island.
Figure 6. The 9FB Gas Turbine (version .05).
management. The inner turbine shell supports tighter bucket and seal clearances acting as passive clearance control. As the inner turbine
shell splits into two parts along the horizontal joint, it can be removed from the outer casing in-situ by rotating it out.
Advanced heat transfer, cooling and sealing technologies, are also utilized. Proprietary single-crystal material is used for the first stage
bucket, consistent with the existing F-class technology. Other turbine stages employ previously applied directionally solidified and equi-axial
strengthened material for buckets and nozzles, with thermal barrier coatings on stage 1 and 2 buckets. These material systems allow for
increased firing temperature capability without the need to apply hybrid or steam cooling.
Higher starts life is a primary consideration as the mission is for cyclic operation. The combustion, hot gas path, and major inspection
intervals for the 9FB Gas Turbine (version .05) are planned to achieve up to 40% more starts as compared to the existing 9FB Gas Turbine
(version .03). Based on 20 operating hours per gas turbine start, rotor life is a full four hot gas path inspection intervals; this is over 50% more
rotor life versus typical industry values for cyclic missions.
Key features of the new 9FB Gas Turbine (version .05) include:
14 stage compressor with field replaceable blades and three dimensional aerodynamic design as developed for the 7FA Gas Turbine
(version .05).
Air-cooled, four stage hot gas path utilizing proven GE materials with an advanced firing temperature.
DLN 2.6+ based combustion system capable of a variation in modified wobbe Index of +/- 10% and operation with distillate oil with
water injection for NO
x
control.
The new 109D-14 Steam Turbine
For the single-shaft arrangement, GE has developed an advanced
109D-14 Steam Turbine as shown in Figure 8. The turbine, rated at
180MW, utilizes a three-casing design architecture, and incorporates
GE HEAT steam path technology which was introduced in 2002.
The GE 109D-14 Steam Turbine three-casing design architecture
has steam inlet capabilities of 165 bar/600C/600C and steam
turbine shaft efficiencies of greater than 40%. This provides
improved clearance control across shorter bearing spans, which
provides improved operability and FlexEfficiency. The 109D-14
Steam Turbine incorporates drum-type rotor architecture along
with GEs high reaction bucket technology and stationary blinglet
nozzles, providing for improved aerodynamics and nozzle area control for improved steam turbine efficiency and operational flexibility.
Plant capital costs are reduced as the single side exhaust low pressure hood puts the lateral condenser connection at ground level and
enables a low centerline height. Additional design flexibility is provided through the low pressure section design where its common
outer hood to condenser interface accommodates both cooling tower and air-cooled condenser configurations. An advanced 850 mm
last stage bucket (LSB) is utilized for air-cooled condenser applications, with an advanced 1060 mm LSB used for cooling tower applications.
Integration of a self-synchronizing clutch in the front standard improves the steam turbines operational flexibility and reduces auxiliary
steam requirements during hot starts. Maintenance benefits include the ability to perform maintenance on the gas turbine while the
steam turbine is clutched out and on turning gear for cool-down.
GE Energy | GEA19089 (07/2011) 7
Figure 8. GE 109D-14 Steam Turbine.
Key features of the 109D-14 Steam Turbine include:
Separate HP, intermediate pressure (IP) and low pressure (LP) configuration improved sealing and clearance control
GEs proven HEAT steampath technology
HP, IP & LP drum rotor construction with blinglet nozzles
Advanced 1060 mm and 850 mm LSB with improved aerodynamic and dovetail configurations
Integrated clutch in the front standard
Single-side 2-flow exhaust hood
Common LP hood architecture for both cooling tower and air-cooled condenser applications
The new W28 Generator
Featuring a water-cooled stator and hydrogen cooled rotor, the 550 MW generator offers improved cooling capability, as well as high
efficiency and increased reliability. The W28 Generator is shown in Figure 9. Its one piece frame construction offers improved installation
as compared to multi piece frames, while additional features help provide simplified alignment and improved serviceability.
The collector ring mountings and flange connections have
been adapted to incorporate lessons learned in the field. The
overall generator efficiency is 99% for a 0.9 power factor.
Key features of the W28 Generator include:
One piece frame construction for installation
Fixator support for maintenance and serviceability
Modular gas, seal oil and stator cooling water systems
Stator water cooling system and monitoring
Packaged static excitation and static starter
Advanced Mark VIe controls
The integrated control system (ICS) is a contemporary distributed architecture that connects all plant systems into a single, unified high
performance Ethernet-based digital network. Designed for extended life, the ICS enables simple Ethernet plug and play upgrades over
the life of the plant. Easy to install, commission, and maintain, it incorporates fieldbus technologies that incorporate actual instrument and
valve health into controls algorithms and traditional motor control centers which are replaced by GEs latest smart motor control centers
for advanced motor diagnostics.
The ICS is designed to meet the fast transient requirements of modern gas turbine powered combined cycle power plants while providing
superior commercial availability, operating reliability, and start-up reliability. Sustaining world-class thermal efficiency across cyclic profiles
demands optimal pairing of the gas turbine and steam turbine machine performance with a mastery of the steam cycle process control.
Todays Mark VIe control technology is capable of processing high-fidelity, model based control algorithms generated directly from
GEs detailed thermodynamic plant system and machine performance designs. This embedded capability enables sophisticated control
techniques across the entire combined cycle systems that are used to control rapid plant starts and complex plant transients.
8
Figure 9. The new W28 Generator.
Enhanced controls techniques and modeling capabilities include ride-through capability for various centerline and balance of plant
disruptions, increased diagnostic capability for proactive maintenance, and integrated balance of plant OpFlex* software. For instance,
operators can select from an array of pre-optimized and automated start-up profiles, and with one button, command the plant start
sequence to the desired load conditions. The duty-cycle flexibility is ideal for operators faced with an ever changing market trading,
regulatory, and cost landscape.
Key features of the control system include:
Digital control architecture for operability and reliability
Easy installation and simplified maintenance
Fieldbus technologies for 50% less wire and advanced diagnostics capability for instrumentation, valves, and motors
Performance-seeking algorithms for robust start-up and flexible operation
Stability during plant transients and grid events
Device asset management enabling proactive maintenance and increased up-time
Validated systems with gas turbine full load demonstration prior to first fire
The FlexEfficiency 50 Combined Cycle Power Plant is undergoing extensive individual component, system, and unit validation tests.
The gas turbine will undergo full speed/full load validation at GE's Greenville, South Carolina, U.S.A., test facility, following validation
of GEs 7FA Gas Turbine (version .05) and compressor. The 9FB Gas Turbine (version .05) will undergo extensive mapping and load testing
at this facility, as shown in Figure 10.
This facility is not grid connected,
(allowing for off-frequency testing),
is dual fuel capable, and utilizes
Mark VIe controls.
The new full load facility,
the largest in the world, provides
the following:
Full scale/full load gas turbine
test capability
Variable speed capability
Gas and liquid fuel capability
Advanced controls, load measurement,
and data acquisition
GE Energy | GEA19089 (07/2011) 9
Figure 10. Full scale gas turbine validation facility.
Test Stand 7
GE Driver Bay
Gear Box
Torque Converter
Motor
Conclusion
GEs new FlexEfficiency 50 Combined Cycle Power Plant is a fully-flexible product offering with exceptional baseload thermal performance,
the ability to run at low loads within emissions guarantees, and starts in the shortest time possible to reach baseload operation while
burning less fuel and limiting emissions, as compared to existing F-class platforms. As such, it offers the owner multiple ways of generating
revenue and saving assets/resources, allowing the flexibility to choose between them as dictated by the prevailing conditions as in:
Low fuel, start-up, and life cycle costs
Additional revenue from ancillary services such as 15-minute spinning (or synchronous) or 30-minute (or supplemental) reserve power
More dispatch with the ability to participate in day-ahead or real-time hourly demands to exploit unforeseen opportunities
The economic life of a power plant is 15 to 20 years, with its actual life longer. It is hard to predict exactly how a gas turbine combined cycle
plant commissioned today will operate five or ten years from now. It is even possible that operators could return to baseload operation.
Whatever the operation profile may be, the new FlexEfficiency 50 Combined Cycle Power Plant is designed to be the reliable and profitable
electric power generation platform of choice.
List of Figures
Figure 1. The FlexEfficiency 50 Combined Cycle Power Plant.
Figure 2. Start options/hot start times for the FlexEfficiency 50 Combined Cycle Power Plant.
Figure 3. The FlexEfficiency 50 Combined Cycle Power Plant centerline.
Figure 4. Top view of the FlexEfficiency 50 Combined Cycle Power Plant power island.
Figure 5. The FlexEfficiency 50 Combined Cycle Power Plant power island.
Figure 6. The 9FB Gas Turbine (version .05).
Figure 7a. 9FB Gas Turbine (version .05) 14 stage compressor section.
Figure 7b. Third generation 3D aero compressor blades.
Figure 8. GE 109D-14 Steam Turbine.
Figure 9. The new W28 Generator.
Figure 10. Full scale gas turbine validation facility.
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* Trademark of General Electric Company.
2011, General Electric Company. All rights reserved.
GEA19089 (07/2011)