Breaking the thermal efficiency barrier

Journal Article · Sat Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1995 · Mechanical Engineering

OSTI ID:82724

Valenti, M

This article examines how, by combining aircraft-engine design experience and a unique cooling system, General Electric has developed the most efficient gas turbine technology to date. A new era in power plant efficiency may be dawning with the advanced H turbine technology developed by General Electric Co., in Fairfield, Conn., the world`s first combined-cycle power plant technology to break the 60% barrier in thermal efficiency. Combined-cycle systems couple gas and steam turbines with the turbine exhaust routed through a heat recovery steam generator to produce steam. Plants based on the H turbine technology, which was recently unveiled at the PowerGen Europe conference in Amsterdam, are expected to generate power more economically by reducing fuel consumption while emitting less pollution than their counterparts. The H turbine technology was first presented in North America at the American Society of Mechanical Engineers` International Gas Turbine Institute`s conference in Houston last month.

• OSTI ID: 82724
• Journal Information: Mechanical Engineering, Journal Name: Mechanical Engineering Journal Issue: 7 Vol. 117; ISSN MEENAH; ISSN 0025-6501
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS
COMBINED-CYCLE POWER PLANTS
GAS TURBINES
HEAT RECOVERY EQUIPMENT
THERMAL EFFICIENCY
THERMODYNAMIC CYCLES