GE Uprates Its Frame 6FA Gas Turbine for Higher Output and Efficiency.Business Editors & Energy Writers ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 16, 2002 New Machine Lowers the Cost of Electricity Continuing the evolution of its F technology to meet today's customer requirements for higher efficiency and lower life-cycle life-cycle - software life-cycle costs, GE Power Systems introduces an uprated version of the Frame 6FA gas turbine turbine, rotary engine that uses a continuous stream of fluid (gas or liquid) to turn a shaft that can drive machinery. A water, or hydraulic, turbine is used to drive electric generators in hydroelectric power stations. . Designated the PG6111FA, the uprated machine offers an output increase of 9.2% and a heat rate improvement of 2.7%. The 6FA is the mid-sized member of GE's F technology family which has surpassed five million fired hours, making GE the clear global leader in advanced gas turbine operating experience. Since the 6FA joined the F technology fleet in 1993, GE has received 53 orders or commitments worldwide for these units, including 27 in Europe Europe (y  r`əp), 6th largest continent, c.4,000,000 sq mi (10,360,000 sq km) including adjacent islands (1992 est. pop. 512,000,000). . With more than 400,000 reliable operating hours, the 6FA is a well-proven product. The uprated 6FA will offer an output of 75.9 megawatts and 35% efficiency in simple-cycle applications. In combined-cycle service, the machine will have an output of 117.7 megawatts with 54.7% efficiency, a one-point improvement. These advances add up to a 2.8% improvement in the cost of electricity for these machines. The first PG6111FA is scheduled to ship in the second quarter of 2003. "All design improvements to the 6FA were made incrementally, based on proven materials and operating experience," said Thierry Pourchot, GE product line leader. "By investing in projects such as the 6FA uprate, we also are investing in the long-term Long-term Three or more years. In the context of accounting, more than 1 year. long-term 1. Of or relating to a gain or loss in the value of a security that has been held over a specific length of time. Compare short-term. success of our customers." The primary factors leading to the improved performance of the 6FA include a 40(degree) C increase in firing temperature to 1327(degree) C (2420(degree) F), a 3% increase in airflow, and a higher pressure ratio of 15.6, compared to the previous 14.6. These enhancements were achieved by directly scaling GE's current Frame 7FA gas turbine, thus migrating the design and the operational experience of the Frame 7 machine to the 6FA. The increase in firing temperature for the 6FA was achieved through improvements in component materials and cooling, and by elevating the pressure ratio. Also critical to the upgrade was the expanded use of film cooling and thermal barrier coating Thermal barrier coatings are highly advanced material systems applied to metallic surfaces, such as gas turbine or aero-engine parts, operating at elevated temperatures. These coatings serve to insulate metallic components from large and prolonged heat loads by utilizing thermally for turbine nozzles and buckets. The enhanced 6FA features GE's advanced DLN-2.6 combustion combustion, rapid chemical reaction of two or more substances with a characteristic liberation of heat and light; it is commonly called burning. The burning of a fuel (e.g., wood, coal, oil, or natural gas) in air is a familiar example of combustion. system, capable of 9 ppmvd NOx on the 7FA and designed to achieve 15 ppmvd NOx on the 6FA. With its output range, high exhaust Exhaust may refer to: In mathematics:
In power systems, use of steam for both power generation and heating. High-temperature, high-pressure steam from a boiler and superheater first passes through a turbine to produce power. . The Frame 6FA machines are manufactured in GE Power Systems' facility in Belfort Belfort (bāfôr`, bĕ–, bĕl–), city (1990 pop. 51,913), capital of the Territory of Belfort (a department), E France, in Alsace. An important industrial and transportation center, it has large cotton mills and metalworks. , France. About GE Power Systems GE Power Systems (www.gepower.com) is one of the world's leading suppliers of power generation technology, energy services and management systems with 2001 revenues exceeding $20 billion. GE Power Systems provides equipment, services and management solutions across the power generation, oil and gas, distributed power and energy rental industries. |
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