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GE’s HA gas turbines enable efficiency record

August 01, 2016 | 09:00 (0) user say Tweet Email Print

In many countries around the globe, including Vietnam, reducing fuel costs and
consumption, improving plant performance, and effectively lowering CO2 emissions
are always the key targets for the power generation industry. A combined cycle power
plant, equipped with HA gas turbines and the optimised bottoming cycle, will be the
next big thing that meets these criteria. Tay Lan reports.
Guinness World Records

In June, GE and Électricité de France (EDF) officially

began the operation of the first-ever combined-cycle power
plant equipped with GE’s HA gas turbines in Bouchain,
France, launching a new era of power generation
technology and digital integration. According to GE, the
company has now been recognised by Guinness World
Records for powering the world’s most efficient combined-
cycle power plant, with an efficiency rate of up to 62.22 per
cent.
The powerful capability of the 9HA.01 is
“We are thrilled to be acknowledged by Guinness World
changing the energy industry
Records for powering the world’s most efficient combined-
cycle power plant, and we are also very proud of the
industry-leading flexibility and reliability this turbine provides to our customers,” said GE
Power’s president and CEO Steve Bolze.

The plant’s beating heart – an advanced GE gas turbine – can convert more than 62 per cent
of fuel energy into electricity. For the power-generation crowd, this is like Neil Armstrong and
Buzz Aldrin landing on the moon or Sir Roger Bannister breaking through the 4-minute-mile
barrier.

The turbine, called 9HA.01 in the GE nomenclature, weighs as much as a fully loaded Boeing
747 and can generate enough power to supply more than 680,000 French homes. It can go
from zero to full throttle in less than half an hour, enabling plant operator EDF Energy to
quickly respond to changing demand and supply customers with power from intermittent
sources of renewable energy, such as wind and the sun.

“It [the combined-cycle power plant] can save you a lot of money. We calculated that a 1,000-
megawatt power plant using a pair of H-class (HA) turbines could save $50 million on fuel
over 10 years by raising efficiency by 1 per cent,” said John Lammas, chief technology officer
for GE Power and vice president of Gas Power Technology.

According to Lammas, it generally takes about a decade of development to increase efficiency

by 1 per cent.

“It took us only 36 months to develop the HA turbine and about six years in total to get to
where we are today with the Bouchain plant, and in this time, we went from less than 60 per
cent to more than 62 per cent in efficiency. This is simply tremendous. We are already testing
technologies that can get us to 65 per cent.”
The world record means that GE uses natural gas to generate electricity inside an ultra- Latest News
efficient gas turbine and then capture the heat it produces, use it to boil water, and make even
more power inside a steam turbine.

“The exact efficiency we measured was 62.22 per cent. No one can go higher than that. The
previous record holder came in at 61.5 per cent using a non-GE gas turbine,” said Lammas.

ASEAN manufactu
improvement

GE and EDF partnered to revolutionise the power generation industry through the combined- Banking giants ma
cycle power plant

A clear path for Vi

State-of-the-art power

“It’s a combination of things. We are running at higher temperatures. We use advanced

materials, better thermal barrier coatings and also more sophisticated cooling technology. The
turbine also has incredible aerodynamics because of the curved shape of the blades, the
aerofoils,” Lammas remarked on the Bouchain machine.
Asia-Pacific CEO's
In addition to achieving unprecedented levels of efficiency, GE’s HA gas turbines deliver more future

flexibility than ever before, as they are capable of reaching full power in less than 30 minutes.
This helps pave the way for greater use of renewable energy by allowing partners to respond
quickly to fluctuations in grid demand, integrate renewables into the grid and adapt quickly to
weather changes. These advances support the recent Paris COP21 agreement, where 195
countries pledged to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, placing more emphasis on cleaner
electricity production.

“By commissioning this new generation thermal plant, EDF demonstrates its intent to apply
the best available technologies on the market to make its French thermal power plants more
energy efficient, while supporting the energy transition,” said Jean-Bernard Lévy, CEO of
EDF. “This also confirms EDF’s pledge of innovation under the CAP 2030 programme.”

The Bouchain plant is also an important demonstration of GE’s Digital Power Plant
capabilities, which helped drive the record-breaking efficiency by unlocking power that was
previously inaccessible. Capabilities, including the digital control system, use real-time data to
deliver better plant outcomes with stable and efficient operations, while providing valuable
predictive insights for higher reliability and optimisation.

In addition, the HA compressor blows air at a rate that could pump up the Goodyear blimp in
10 seconds, and the tip of the last blade in the 9HA.01 moves at 1,200 mph/1,931 kph, 1.5
times the speed of sound.
“Today is an important milestone in our industry, one that would not have been possible
without the hard work and dedication of the many GE and EDF employees across the world,
who are committed to a future of increased energy efficiency,” said Joe Mastrangelo, president
and CEO of Gas Power Systems at GE Power, at the inauguration ceremony of the first
combined-cycle power plant. “By tapping into the broader GE Store, we are able to collaborate
on these initiatives and bring together the right hardware and software tools, as well as people
to deliver these results.”

GE calculated that when the turbine burns 3.3 tonnes of natural gas mixed with air –
equivalent to 23 tanker trucks – only 6.3 fluid ounces of pollution are emitted, a volume
slightly larger than half a can of soda.

This is in part because the turbine operates at temperatures approaching the melting point of
steel. GE engineers modelled the interior heat flows on a powerful supercomputer and used
designs, materials, and special thermal barrier coatings developed for jet engines to handle the
temperature. The hot air comes out at a speed approaching a Category 5 hurricane - so fast it
could fill the Goodyear Blimp in 10 seconds.

Without the thermal barrier coating, the turbine “was basically like making a fireplace from
wax,” noted GE Power’s Lammas.

HOW A COMBINED-CYCLE POWER PLANT

PRODUCES ELECTRICITY
This is how a combined-cycle plant works to produce electricity and captures
waste heat from the gas turbine to increase efficiency and electrical output.

Gas turbine burns fuel

The gas turbine compresses air and mixes it with fuel that is heated to a very
high temperature (fring temperature - FT). The hot air-fuel mixture moves
through the gas turbine blades, making them spin. The fast-spinning turbine
drives a generator that converts a portion of the spinning energy into electricity.

Rule-of-Thump: the higher the FT is, the higher the plant efficiency is.

Heat recovery system captures exhaust

A Heat Recovery Steam Generator (HRSG) captures exhaust heat from the gas
turbine that would otherwise escape through the exhaust stack. The HRSG
creates steam from the gas turbine exhaust heat and delivers it to the steam
turbine.

Steam turbine delivers additional electricity

The steam turbine sends its energy to the generator drive shaft, where it is
converted into additional electricity.

What’s next?

H-class gas turbines that can support the benchmark plant efficiency of 60 per cent or more
were first brought in by GE some 10 years ago. By 2015, H-class gas turbines achieved over
230,000 hours of operation. GE’s world-class HA technology has in fact received numerous
orders from all over the world, from countries like the US, UK, Brazil, France, Russia,
Germany, Turkey, Egypt, Argentina, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, and Pakistan.

According to GE, the company is moving its efficiency rate up to 65 per cent in the time to
come, with advanced technologies and materials, in a bid to boost their machine performance
to the next level (see the chart above: The powerful capability of the 9HA.01 is changing the energy industry).

GE, in fact, has already started testing technologies that can help them reach 65 per cent
efficiency. The company has developed materials called ceramic matrix composites (CMCs)
that are light enough but also tough and heat resistant. GE Aviation is already using them
inside jet engines and they built a plant for mass-production of parts from CMCs.

In addition, GE is also using 3D printing to make more efficient cooling paths inside blades
that they could not produce before. CMCs and 3D printed parts will allow the company to
increase the turbines’ firing temperature.
“We also keep improving the aerodynamics and are looking at higher pressures and
temperatures in the heat recovery part of the steam generator in the steam turbine to capture
more of the gas turbine’s exhaust energy. Finally, we are using some of the world’s most
powerful supercomputers to model the heat flows inside the turbines and operate the turbine
in unsteady conditions. This will really allow us to take the next machine to a whole new
level,” noted Lammas.

H-class turbines: the future of power generation

Vietnam has been seeking to enhance its power efficiency and

opt for cost-effective fuel solutions, in an attempt to reduce the
country’s dependence on coal-fuelled power generation and
promote low-carbon power development.

CEO of GE Vietnam Pham Hong Son shares with VIR’s Hoang

Anh how GE’s innovation in the power industry can meet
Vietnam’s requirements and support the country’s power development strategy until 2030.

What could be the pros and cons should Vietnam choose to employ GE’s HA
technology?

We would not foresee any difficulties in the application of HA turbines, but there are many clear
benefits, as a matter of fact.

GE’s innovation and experience in the power industry can support the energy development in
Vietnam, in particular, the operation of gas power plants, in line with the approved National
Power Development Master Plan VII. GE’s H-class technology is compatible with the current
national power grid, and our HA gas turbines are an effective solution that could support the
development of power generation and lower the environmental impact here in Vietnam.

In addition, the performance of the HA technology is proven to be high, at above 62 per cent, a
record high at present, as GE has lately announced. And thanks to its feasible initial investment
cost, as well as the actual low operating costs, the H-class technology is thus deemed effective to
be applied at power plants in competitive power markets..

Vietnam’s gas fields vary in terms of scale and quality, and instability is a recurring problem
with numerous grant fields but rather unstable. GE’s HA turbines have been tested and proven
to suit such issues. Not long after 2030, the reserves at these gas fields are expected to drop
sharply. Also, it is important to keep alternative sources of imported fuel and reserves in sight
when forging long-term strategies. One of the most effective methods is to enhance the
efficiency at power plants and the flexibility in the operations to suit a diverse range of gas
fields.

GE has confidence that our advanced technology can support our clients to resolve these
challenges.

Industry orders shifting towards H-class (per cent by megawatt)

What would be the pathway for GE’s HA technology to get

into Vietnam?

The very first thing that GE wants to do with our partners is to share information on
technologies at our disposal. In the past 2-3 years, local power and energy units had many
conferences on the power industry, with the participation of international partners,
consultancies, and businesses, and GE also joined to share its views on issues related to
 technology and application. We have discussed and constructed a full problem solution with
assumptions and then made analysis and assessment, in terms of technology, economic
efficiency, cash flows, and estimated initial costs. Everyone can thus have an idea on the overall
plan from scratch that includes technical solutions, the time engaged, and the land size needed,
as well as the economic issues related to power efficiency, first-year costs, how the 25-year
lifecycle would be like, and how the electricity prices will change, so that they can balance their
plans and come up with the most appropriate solution.

For power plants using F-class turbines, has there been

any data on the necessity of their replacement, and if they
need to be replaced, what would the process be like?

According to experts’ estimation, 2020 will be the last year for the F-class generation, meaning
markets will minimise their investment in this generation and move on to H-class technology
after 2020. It is expected that the number of power plants opting for the H-class will increase
significantly. However, the F-class is still suitable for some smaller-scale projects that do not
require very high efficiency. It is up to customers to select a suitable scheme.

In line with National Power Development Master Plan VII, Vietnam will be developing an
additional 12GW from gas power. We can therefore calculate to come up with our preferred
efficiency. GE always supports our customers to find the best-suited solutions, with fitting
performance and the desired results.

Applicable to Vietnam

Coal power currently provides roughly 30 per cent of the world’s energy, and remains the
main input for many investors in the Vietnamese energy industry. While coal is still a major
part of the energy mix, the abundance of gas fuels, including natural gas and liquefied natural
gas, is leading to an increase in gas-fired power plants, even though fuel costs can reach up to
70 per cent of the operational expenditures.

Innovative technologies can be adopted to increase the efficiency of power generation and
help ensure competitiveness. Together with a strategic generation mix, this will help ensure
both a sustainable and affordable cost of electricity (COE) for end-users. H-class power plants
can thus help improve the supply of “high-quality” power at a lower cost. The capital and fuel
productivity of 9HA gas turbine is unprecedented and presents a major opportunity for
Vietnam’s future energy generation mix.

GE’s HA gas turbines have been recognised by Guinness World Records

Technology evolution in the power industry can help support energy development, not only to
help meet energy demand but also to lower the environmental impact. The 9HA gas turbine is
an effective solution that could change the future of energy generation in Vietnam.
 The power consumption in Vietnam has been rising steadily, fuelling socio-economic
development. The country’s stable economy is expected to grow more than 5 per cent year-
over-year through 2020, driving the growth of electricity demand to approximately 360 billion
kWh in 2020, against an expected figure of 210 billion kWh in 2015.

To implement the National Power Development Master Plan VII for the 2011-2020 period
with a vision to 2030, the Vietnamese government estimates that the total investment
required for the power sector is approximately $48.8 billion up to 2020, and approximately
$75 billion in the period from 2021 to 2030.

The National Green Growth Strategy for the 2011-2020 period with a vision until 2050 also
dictates that Vietnam will aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 8 to 10 per cent
compared to 2010 levels, and reduce energy consumption per gross domestic product (GDP)
unit by 1.0 to 1.5 per cent per year. If development is to provide positive economic growth and
meet the needs of a growing population, it will also require a strong commitment to efficiency.

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