GE Ships First 60-hertz 7H Gas Turbine

GE Energy's first 60-hertz 7H gas turbine, one of the most efficient and advanced machines of its type in the world, has completed testing and is on its way to the Inland Empire Energy Center near Riverside, California. A few 50-hertz units have been sold in Europe but this will be the first installation of 60-hertz H System(TM) technology.

The 7H is the world's first combined-cycle platform with the capability to reach 60+ percent thermal efficiency.

The 7H, the first of two units planned for the 775-megawatt Inland Empire project, was shipped from GE's Greenville, South Carolina facility on September 15. Operating on natural gas, the two GE 107 H combined-cycle units at Inland Empire will produce enough power to supply nearly 600,000 households while reducing future carbon dioxide emissions by more than 146,000 tons a year, compared to a typical gas-fired power plant of a similar size. The new power plant is expected to enter commercial service by the summer of 2008.

The project consists of two combustion turbine-generators with heat recovery steam generators, one steam turbine generator, associated pollution-control equipment, a switchyard, and other ancillary facilities.

Representing a technology breakthrough for the global power industry, the H System features an innovative steam cooling system that enables the higher firing temperatures required for increased efficiency. In addition, engineers designed the H turbine's first-stage buckets and nozzles with single-crystal materials to withstand higher temperatures over a long service life.

GE is keeping close control over this project. They will finance and own the Inland Empire Energy Center. Calpine Power Services will manage plant construction, and Calpine Energy Services will market the plant's output and manage fuel requirements under a long-term marketing arrangement with GE. Following an extended period of GE ownership, Calpine expects to purchase the plant and become its sole owner and operator.

While I am not a fan of natural gas power plants, this is a major technological achievement and does provide the most efficient use of natural gas for the production of power.

Comments

[Matthew Brown]

This is a promising development. One of the things that we need to focus on is much more efficient gas turbines like this. The US is set to import from 20-30% of its gas in the next 20 years or so, with many other countries beginning to import their natural gas too. We need to take advantage of every opportunity we can to increase efficiency of gas use.

[mcr]

I agree with everything previously said by James and Matthew.

The EU (and the UK where I am) import the majority / and increasing amount of gas from Russia.

The UK has a large number of Gas-fired power stations. This was in response to legislation limiting SO2 emissions (via 1st generation coal).

I'd like to see some comprehensive data on these and US equivalents.

Combined cycle plants are very interesting even from a technical point of view.

[david foster]

Isn't GE also playing pretty aggressively in coal gasification?...so the gas generators could feel directly into the combustion turbines.

[donb]

I use a heat pump to heat my house. With generation plants like this, and even counting transmission losses, I would use less natural gas to heat my house than if I had a natural gas furnace.

On the other hand, I would prefer my electricity to come from a nuke plant (a bit does). And I do pay a premium to my local utility for wind power to supply (on average) 100% of my useage.

[amazingdrx]

The solid oxide fuel cell/turbine combination still beats this efficiency (at 75%) with only one turbine system and a lot fewer moving parts. Plus it runs on waste product biogas instead of only ultrapure fossil fuel natural gas.

Add infrared photovoltaic cells to the fuel cell and with zero extra moving parts an extra 10% or more efficiency boosts the total to 85% plus.

GE is moving in the right direction, higher efficiency, but using the wrong technology, fossil fuel combustion. LNG ships will replace oil tankers next. Another dead end. On a planet doomed to climate disaster by the old guard monopoly energy players.

Go with fuel cell/turbine, wind power, and get into solar GE. Or you will go the way of the Detroit based automakers. Forget ecomagination greenwashing and spend the money on ecoreality.

[amazingphdxyz]

Good article. If Gray Davis had had the sense to install several of these he might still be governor.

As for the eco-fad pie in the sky, it's pretty obvious that the oil companies are paying these eco-faddists to promote technology that's still 10 years away from being able to handle loads like this. They make fossil fuel solutions look good.

[mcr]

Fuel Cells are still developing. - but less of the "eco-faddists" slurs please

Innovation is a good thing - economies stand still if they don't - q.v. EU framework 7 - meant to deal with this issue (and China's rapidly increasing R&D budget...)

Fuel Cell (and Technology-) junkies everywhere might be interested in this:

Nature 443, 63-66(7 September 2006) | doi:10.1038/nature05118; Received 7 March 2006; Accepted 28 July 2006

A class of non-precious metal composite catalysts for fuel cells
Rajesh Bashyam1 and Piotr Zelenay1

Fuel cells, as devices for direct conversion of the chemical energy of a fuel into electricity by electrochemical reactions, are among the key enabling technologies for the transition to a hydrogen-based economy1,2,3. Of several different types of fuel cells under development today, polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFCs) have been recognized as a potential future power source for zero-emission vehicles4,5. However, to become commercially viable, PEFCs have to overcome the barrier of high catalyst cost caused by the exclusive use of platinum and platinum-based catalysts6,7,8 in the fuel-cell electrodes. Here we demonstrate a new class of low-cost (non-precious metal)/(heteroatomic polymer) nanocomposite catalysts for the PEFC cathode, capable of combining high oxygen-reduction activity with good performance durability. Without any optimization, the cobalt-polypyrrole composite catalyst enables power densities of about 0.15 W cm-2 in H2-O2 fuel cells and displays no signs of performance degradation for more than 100 hours. The results of this study show that heteroatomic polymers can be used not only to stabilize the non-precious metal in the acidic environment of the PEFC cathode but also to generate active sites for oxygen reduction reaction.

Los Alamos National Laboratory, Materials Physics and Applications, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, USA

Received 7 March 2006 | Accepted 28 July 2006

Mark C R (UK based Green Chemist)

www.microwavechemportal.org

[amazingdrx]

http://thefraserdomain.typepad.com/energy/2006/08/franklin_fuels_.html

Think CeO2 the base material in catalytic converters. The cost barrier, fouling problems, and multifuel capability problems have been solved.

It can even run on coal or cellulose.

[mcr]

OH YOU ARE JOKING!

Looks like Type Key has been Hacked - I'd suggest reporting the above user!

Anyway - thank you for the SOFC link... amazingdrx

I suggested it to my Prof (supervisor) for incorporation into an “advanced fuel cell design & theory” in one of his postgraduate courses...

[amazingdrx]

It looks like the real deal for both fixed backup grid power and portable backup power for electric cars too mcr. That 85% is possible I think.

The infrared photo volataics might be even 15 or 20% efficient.

Think of it installed on aircraft. The aircraft turbofans powered by the hot gases and the electric power from the fuel cell and infrared photovoltaics. 90%? Who knows?

I hope Branson knows about this and funds it. Even air travel could be fairly green.

Then once batteries come down in weight it would actually be possible to only use liquid fuel during takeoff and cruise on batteries.

[Carlos Barrera]

I inform about the new Gearturbine, power by barr, with retrodynamic dextrogiro vs levogiro effect, an non parasitic looses system, and over-unit engine. To see details:
www.geocities.com/gearturbine

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[Carlos Barrera]

Proposal Technology Submission:
The Gearturbine, power by barr, with retrodynamic dextrogiro vs levogiro effect, at non parasitic looses system. Details:

http://gearturbine.260mb.com

YouTube Video; Tech Tip Info - Gearturbine - Retrodynamic

[Planning application map]

The interesting design of a ships specifications is a steam liner powered by gas turbines and diesel engines which help make her one of the most environmentally friendly ships currently crossing the ocean. These engines also help make her one of the fastest cruise ships.