Part of the Westinghouse Power Generation Group Westinghouse Electric Corporation, Westinghouse Combustion Turbine Systems Division (CTSD) was originally located, along with the Steam Turbine Division (STD), in a large industrial manufacturing complex, referred to as South Philadelphia Working, in Lester, PA is close to Philadelphia International Airport.
Before it was first called "CTSD" in 1978, the business operation of the Westinghouse industrial utility gas utility gas grew through several other names starting with the Small Steam & amp; Gas Turbine Division (SSGT) in 1950s until 1971, then Division Gas Turbine System (GTSD) and Generation System Division (GSD) until mid 1970s.
The name CTSD came with the passage of energy legislation by the US government in 1978 which banned the electric utilities from building a new base load power plant that burned natural gas. Some participants in the industry decided to use the name "combustion turbine" in an attempt to gain some separation from the fact that the main fuel for gas turbines in large power plants is natural gas.
Generally referred to as gas turbines, modern combustion turbines can operate on a range of gas and liquid fuels. The preferred liquid fuel is No. 2 distillate. With the right treatment, crude oil and residue have been used. Fuel gas ranges from natural gas (essentially methane) to low heat-valued gas as produced by coal gasification or heavy liquids, or as a by-product of blast furnace. In fact, most gas turbines are currently installed with dual-or multi-fuel capabilities to capitalize on changes in cost and availability of various fuels.
The story of the Westinghouse gas turbine experience included many "firsts" achieved over the past 50 years before the sale of the Power Generating Business Unit to Siemens, AG in 1998. As shown below, history actually begins with the successful development of the first designed jet engine fully US during World War II. The first industrial gas turbine installations took place in 1948 with the installation of W21 hp in 2000 at the Mississippi River Fuel Corp. gas compression station. in Wilmar, Arkansas, USA.
Video Westinghouse Combustion Turbine Systems Division
Initial history
Westinghouse has a long history in the industrial and electrical power steam turbine industry that began in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The steam turbine plant in Lester, PA built in 1917-1919 greatly expanded the company's production capacity. "The South Philadelphia Works" as it is known to be an important part of the original Westinghouse Electric Company industrial complex, completes other major factories in East Pittsburgh, PA and Hamilton, Ontario.
The history of Westinghouse with gas turbines began in the early 1940s with a contract signed in 1943 with the US Navy Flight Bureau to develop the first US-designed jet engine. The result of this was the establishment in 1945 from the Aviation Gas Turbine Division, with headquarters in Kansas City, Kansas, until it closed in 1960.
During the late 1940s, Westinghouse began applying its gas turbine technology to the industry's main land-based movers. An initial application summary can be found in an ASME paper presented by Westinghouse engineers at the 1994 ASME International Gas Turbine Conference in The Hague. It is titled "The Evolution of Heavy Duty Power Generation and Industrial Gas Turbines in the United States" and also provides a good summary of the development of the Westinghouse gas turbine technology until the mid-1990s. The following compilations are based on information in ASME papers as well as other sources as quoted, and on personal accounts of Westinghouse engineers who have direct experience or close connections to the material presented.
Application Based on Early Field
Westinghouse's experience with ground-based gas turbines began in 1945 with the development of a 2,000 hp (~ 1500 kW) gas turbine generator, the W21. It has a thermal efficiency of 18% (LHV). The first application of W21 in an industrial setting in 1948 as a driver of gas compressors installed at the Mississippi River Fuel Corp facility located in Wilmar, Arkansas. [1] Reports say that this is the first industrial gas turbine in the world that collects 100,000 hours of operation before retirement.
In 1948, Westinghouse also built a 4000 hp experimental gas-driven turbine locomotive with the Baldwin Company (Chester, PA) using these two units. The initial operation was at Union Pacific Railroad burning distillate oil. Later, operations were carried out on Pittsburgh and the Lake Eire Railroad using the remaining fuel oil.
Most of Westinghouse's initial ground-based gas turbine applications are for industrial mechanical drives in the petro-chemical industry, both in the US and abroad. Many large orders are placed by pipeline companies that are looking for compressor drives to be placed in remote locations. But in the mid-1950s gas turbine power plants became recognized as a practical alternative to steam turbine generators for specific applications, first for industry and then for electric utilities.
For industrial "total energy" applications, an important factor is that gas turbines, combined with heat recovery boilers, offer a higher power-to-steam ratio than traditional reverse steam turbines used to supply steam power and processes. Thus, gas turbines are used for combined heat and electricity by the petrochemical industry, working hand in hand with companies such as Westinghouse, long before the word "cogeneration" entered the modern term some 30 years later.
Notes are added here to acknowledge Westinghouse's pioneering work in unique applications of W201 installed in US. Steel works in Chicago (1960). The machine was used to drive the 12,500 scfm fan to blow air into the blast furnace, and the design requirement was to use the blast furnace gas as fuel. The engine is modified so that all release of the compressor can be removed and fed to the external burner, from which the combustion products are returned to drive the turbine. Typically, blast furnace gas has a calorific value of less than 100 Btu/scf, one-tenth of natural gas.
Maps Westinghouse Combustion Turbine Systems Division
Start Power Generation Application
Westinghouse seeks the application of its gas turbine technology in the power generation industry, which, after all, is the main focus of its business. If the gas turbine side of the business grows and grows, it must find its way into the power generation sector.
West Texas Utilities among the first
In 1952, West Texas Utilities, Stockton, TX, helped pioneer the application of a gas turbine power plant with the installation of the Westinghouse W81 model, which scored 5000 kW. That followed by the second W81 in 1954 (probably 1958 based on a second source). Both units are used in continuous operation (base load) and the exhaust heat from the second unit is used to heat feed water for the steam boiler at the site. In 1959, it was integrated with a fuel-fired boiler to form a "combined cycle" (gas and steam) power generation system. Five years later, in 1964, the same utility installed the first pre-engineered combination cycle power plant in San Angelo, TX, a power plant. The Westinghouse gas turbine used for the app is a supercharged W301 model, with a nominal 25MW. The rating on the steam turbine is 85 MW, for the entire plant output combined cycle of about 110 MW, and thermal efficiency achieved over 39%, a record for gas-fired power plants in the US for some time.
The W301, the first direct-drive Westinghouse (3600RPM) unit, is a direct predecessor of the W501 model, introduced in 1967/68 with an initial rating of 40MW (ISO/gas). (Note: some of the ratings listed in the initial publications use the NEMA site conditions, that is, 1000 and 85F elevations, which reduce the power output by 7.5% below it under ISO conditions (sea level, 15C or 59F.))
SoCalEd and Garden State Paper install "total energy system"
In 1967, Westinghouse supplied a 15MW W191 pre-packaged gas turbine generator for industrial heat and electrical (CHP) or "cogeneration" applications at an industrial site. The Southern California Edison Company (SCE) is partnering with Garden State Paper Company (GSP) to install and operate on-site turbine gas generators and heat recovery systems to supply all the energy needs of a patented de-inking process to produce clean. newspaper from old newspapers.
This unique initial example of a "total-energy" system provides operational flexibility, economic operation, site compatibility and reliability to make it an ideal solution for both partners. SCE supplies electrical and heat energy while GSP enjoys the advantages of low-cost, energy at reliable locations located in the process plant. Gas turbine generators are electrically bonded to SCE networks, which take on the excess power generated. Henry Vogt Co. supplying heat recovery boilers fired with forced fans prepared for backup tasks. The factory started commercial in January 1967.
Initial activity of Dow Chemical to gas turbine
The first five W501 production machines were installed during 1968 to 1971 to supply electricity and steam at Dow Chemical facilities in Texas and Louisiana. The fact that the Dow has previously installed four W301 units in the Texas Division, Freeport, TX, is key to their decision to proceed with follow-up orders for larger W501 units.
In fact, the supercharged W301 prototype installed in Freeport, TX in 1965 was Dow's first attempt in a gas turbine for on-site power generation, and Westinghouse remained the main supplier of Dow gas turbines for years to come.
The first W501A installed by Dow Chemical in Freeport, TX, complex in 1968 (pictured) is supercharged to improve performance and available disposal energy. A small "helper" steam turbine, coupled with a generator is used to start the gas turbine. In the initial application, Dow typically uses a gas turbine exhaust as a preheated "air" for a full-fueled boiler. The power supply fan is supplied to the boiler (via a bypass channel) in the event of a gas turbine outage.
Grass Combined Salt Cycles - major milestones
Although not built as a Dow-owned facility on the Dow property, the 300MW Salt Grass Combined Cycle plant, using a 4xW501 (1xW501A, 3xW501AA) unit, was built as a dedicated power supply for Dow's Freeport, TX, expanding operations. The factory was designed, built and owned by Power Systems Engineering (PSE) in 1970-1972. (The PSE was later incorporated into DESTEC Energy after being acquired by Dow in 1989. DESTEC later metamorphosed into Dynegy a large independent power generation company.) Unlike most power plants, there would be no requirement of steam processes for the Grass Salt plant; all output from the plant must be in the form of electrical energy. The design goal is to use the largest available gas turbine and, based on prior experience, to use an unmanned heat recovery boiler for simplicity operation and increased reliability. All steam is used to drive 4 identical 25MW steam turbines that are coupled to the gas turbine at the generator outlet (which, in turn, is mounted on a cold rotor-tip compressor). The plant consists of four combined cycle units of a separate shaft for maximum operating flexibility. It also includes a start-up boiler to allow steam turbines to be used to start gas turbines.
The construction of the Grass Salt plant began in January 1970 and the first GT unit operated 12 months later, according to a paper with PSE/Dow presented at the time. Note Westinghouse indicated that he was the fourth GT in commercial operation in early 1972, so the whole factory was completed in more than two years.
PSE was founded by two former Westinghouse engineers from Houston field sales office, Tom McMichael (Sales Engineer) and Al Smith (District Manager). Thus both have a unique relationship with Dow and have been instrumental in Westinghouse's previous business with Dow. According to a paper written by Al Smith in 1971, the idea for the plant was conceived by PSE and Dow in early 1969. The Grass Salt Factory was their first attempt after they decided to go out on their own.
Great Northeast Blocking of 1965
It is well known that there was an increase in birthrate in the northeastern US and parts of Canada during the summer of 1966. This was just one result of the Greateast Eastout Greatout that occurred on November 9, 1965, nine months earlier. mini baby boom.
Another result, somewhat more important for Westinghouse CTSD is the birth of the modern gas turbine industry in the US.
Although the real cause behind massive power outages was found to be a single damaged relay at a transmission station in Ontario, Canada, a "cascade" or a domino effect on the downstream trunk caused the CANUSE system from Canada, through Buffalo, NY and to the east coast of New York City to Maine failed in 15 minutes.
An important ramification of this event is the recognition of the need to strengthen the grid and improve the system restart ability. Electric utilities throughout the US are mandated by their regional "Reliability Board" (eg NERC for the northeast) to increase their system's reserve margins by installing a certain percentage of their overall capacity in the form of smaller local small-scale generating units, many of them with capability 'black start' to ensure that large plants and networks can be restarted during major power outages.
There is nothing wrong that the summers of 1966 and 1968 saw a massive summer heatwave and recorded peak demand, and that demand for base loads on US electric utilities grew at a steady annual rate of 6% to 7%. There has been an explosion for large coal-fired steam generators and this growth is seen to take place for the foreseeable future.
Gas Turbine Installation Waves
The result is a wave of gas turbine generator installations, selected as the fastest and most economical way to fulfill the mandate for reliability and to meet stable demand growth. (Ergo, Westinghouse CTSD "Economy Options" marketing campaign at the time.) The annual purchase of additional unit utilities becomes a routine event as peak load demand continues to increase.
Based on comments from Westinghouse sales veterans CTSD , large orders of several units are often taken over by phone, as customers repeatedly race to get their annual allotments. Tracking regional and national peak demand curves is a key tool for planners who must forecast markets and manage store "loading plans". (This writer is wondering whether the GT supplier at that time developed the " backup agreement " as was the practice adopted during another boom period, 30 years later.)
Thus, most of the gas turbines installed in the US during the late 1960s and early 1970s were applied as "peakers" peaking units, intended for system backup and discontinuous use, and installed to maintain reserve margins adequate.
Importantly, the early 1970s also witnessed the success of an initial combination cycle plant and, when the peak market began to flat, and, to date, this helped maintain US utility markets for large gas turbines.
One report says that demand for gas turbines in the US reached nearly 9 GW in 1969, a 30-fold increase from a total of 300 MW was sold in 1961. (The graph below shows that the market for larger units (& gt; 20MW) peaks around 7GW.)
It is no wonder that forecasts for future market growth are very optimistic. In the early 1970s, Turbine Topics , internal bulletins from Small Steam & amp; The Gas Turbine Division (precursor of the Gas Turbine Division) contains this statement from the Marketing Department: "The sum total of all this tells us that the fantastic growth of the 60s will continue through the 70s." (Source: Private collection.)
However, in 1971/1972 the market has shown signs of weakening, and, unfortunately, the next global event has much to say about whether the bright forecast will come true.
The US gas turbine market from 1965-1990, with estimates of up to 2000, (on the right) shows how a blackout in the northeast of 1965 accelerated the growth of the electric utility market for gas turbines in the US. Subsequent events, notably the 1973 Arab Israeli war, followed by the 1974 OPEC oil embargo and the 1978 US Fuel Utility Act, led to a sharp decline. Strong recovery followed by the emergence of the Independent Electrical Manufacture cogeneration market ("IPP") under the Public Policy Regulatory Policy Act (PURPA), supported by the US Supreme Court.
Round Rock - A very bad case of some time
Based on the gas turbine business spike in the late 1960s, Westinghouse (following the example of market leader and General Electric) decided to build a new modern gas turbine manufacturing plant in Round Rock, TX, near Austin. However, as the plant operates around the 1972 time frame, the US market for gas turbines will collapse due to the 1973 Arab-Israeli war and concerns about fuel supply instability due to the OPEC oil embargo (see chart of market data above). Also, unlike GE Greeneville, SC, the factory, the new Round Rock plant was not built as a stand-alone factory with full manufacturing capabilities, like those already in Lester. The main components are shipped from Lester (and other suppliers) to final assembly in Round Rock.
When the market collapsed (see chart above), it did not take long for the Westinghouse management to act to reduce the surplus of store space allocated to gas turbines. Because Round Rock could not survive on its own, it was eventually abandoned as a gas turbine manufacturing facility in 1976. Other large rotating equipment operations moved, as did E. Pittsburgh DC products and Buffalo Large Motors Division. In the end, Westinghouse's large motor operations were sold to Taiwan Electric Co. (TECO) and the factory is now owned by TECO-Westinghouse, and is used to serve its wind generator business.
Technology grows rapidly as the market grows
Despite the fact that it may seem as a market seller for peaking units during the late 1960s/early 70s, there is still fierce competition for market share. In addition to having sufficient store space to serve the market, the main manufactures (ie GE vs. Westinghouse) are racing to find ways to lower the price ($/kW) of their offerings to gain a competitive edge.
This is also the time when jet engine manufacturers, GE and Pratt & amp; Whitney (and a number of third party "packers") entered the market with their package units. It proved very quickly installed and very efficient, and got a lot of attention. (Efficiency is not as important as pricing because only intermittent use is planned for them.)
The key to lowering $/kW is to improve the engine power rating. This is achieved in two ways: First, it can offer units larger than competition (and with W501 Westinghouse doing that and being able to make up for its relatively low vs. GE). Then, once the base frame size is set, additional rank growth can be achieved by increasing the turbine burning temperature (ie, "turn on the axis").
Evolution series model W501
After the introduction of W501A in 1967/68, Westinghouse technology rapidly evolved along with increased turbine inlet temperatures through improved internal cooling and advanced metallurgy, and increased pressure ratio with improved compressor design. During the period 1968-1975, the W501 evolved from W501A (~ 40MW), W501AA (~ 60MW), W501B (~ 80MW) and W501D (~ 95MW).
The next major redesign was the W501D5, introduced in 1981, originally at 96.5MW (growing to 107MW (gross) around 1985). In 1995, the W501D5A upgrade was offered with a 120MW rating.
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Westinghouse introduced an advanced 501F, which was originally rated at 150MW (nominal). The first commercial start date for 501F was in 1993 (four units, installed at the Florida Power & Light Lauderdale Station powerhouse project).
Similar technology evolution paths are followed for a smaller, directed G25 model (see ASME paper referenced by Scalzo et al.) Showing how the model really leads to some of the technological steps taken in the W501 evolution.
(See Scalzo, et.For a chart showing the evolution of both the gas turbine model Westinghouse W501 and W251.).
Pay attention to developments in turbine rotor inlet temperatures and number of cooled lines (turbine propellers and vanes). W501A was immediately preceded by W301, the first direct drive design. This increase involves adding two stages to the compressor (one fore and one rear) and a new turbine design with a cooled first-stage vane.
Ed. Note: At the same 1994 ASME Gas Turbine Conference where the ASME paper referenced above by Scalzo et al. presented, Westinghouse also delivered a paper announcing plans to develop a gas turbine class 250MW, 501G. To be designed by the Westinghouse/MHI/FiatAvio alliance, (MHI, the old licensees, also collaborated with and financed Westinghouse in the development of 501F) this design features a steam-cooled transition channel, another of many industry firsts for Westinghouse (see Appendix I). The first 501G was installed at The City of Lakeland (FL) McIntosh station and was first synced to the network in April 1999.
The W251 model series evolved together with W501
As mentioned above, the W251 model series follows the evolutionary path of the respected W191 (from 15MW to about 18MW during the lifetime of the product, with more than 180 units sold) and was introduced in 1967, just before W501. The W251A, at a nominal rating of 20MW, is the first to showcase the cooling of the first stage turbine blades and other stationary parts. In 1985, when the W251B10 was rated around 45MW, the W251 line of product lines was moved to Westinghouse Canada. The W251, half ranked W501, is popular for smaller apps, and about 230 units are sold. The final design before being derived from the product line ca. 1998, W251B12 is a 50MW class gas turbine, built in Westinghouse Hamilton, Ontario. plant. With a gear set of gears, the W251 can be used in 50 Hz as well as 60 Hz applications.
Turbine Engine Turbine Design Features Westinghouse
From the very beginning of the heavy-duty gas turbine design, Westinghouse has maintained a proven mechanical design feature for more than 50 years and has been emulated by other manufacturers. This page from scratch (ca. 1990) Westinghouse's sales document for 501F provides a list of these features.
Consider the features of the cold-end generator drive, original with Westinghouse and then adopted by others (including industry leaders in their own F-class design). It is ideal for heat recovery applications and avoids the need for a flexible high-temperature drive clutch on the exhaust tip (previous design characteristics of the others).
In addition, the two-beam rotor design avoids the need for high-temperature center pads buried in the engine heat (as well as previous design characteristics from others).
Not mentioned in the list is a patented tangential strain sieving struts designed to maintain rotor alignment.
Westinghouse Wind Turbine Power Plant
Westinghouse pioneered the development of pre-engineered gas turbine generator power plants, both with EconoPac, a fully modulated simple cycle package, and with a combined cycle of PACE plants.
Westinghouse EconoPac GT power plant
Note: " EconoPac " is a registered trademark of Siemens Energy Corp .
As gas turbine engine technology evolves, so does the idea of ​​how best to package all additional support systems. In addition to the gas turbine itself, the scope of supply includes generators/exciters, starting motors, mechanical and electrical auxiliaries, and inlet and disposal systems.
In 1962, Westinghouse introduced the concept of a previously designed gas-turbine power plant unit with a W171 (12,000 kW) unit sold to the City of Houma Light & amp; Power Co. (LA). This initial application sets the foundation for the simple " EconoPac cycle factory that is the standard scope of supply for the Westinghouse cycle gas turbine unit to date.
Westinghouse " E conoPac " includes factory-installed gas turbine, generator and exciter, start package, mechanical (lubricant, hydraulic, pneumatic, etc)) and petals additional electrical/control, inlet and filter systems, ducting, stack and dampers, all coolers, fans, pumps, valves, and interconnection pipes. Appendices for all skid are also included in the standard supply scope. Normally, EconoPac defines the scope of the gas turbine supply for the expanded crop (cogeneration, combined cycle, etc.) as well as simple cycle units.
The model photo W501D5 EconoPac describes the main components and settings. A full gas turbine power plant will arrive at the site in the pre-packaged module for fast field assembly. Glycol coolers are used for hydrogen-cooled generators, which are the standard scope before the availability of large air-cooled generators for applications. The air-to-air cooler next to the exhaust chimney is for cooling the rotor cooling air, feature the Westinghouse gas turbine package.
Steam Power Plant Westinghouse Cycle
As in the case of simple engineered cycle turbines engineered and packed within the factory, Westinghouse also pioneered the idea of ​​a pre-engineered recycling plant. Around 1970, a design group was organized under the leadership of Paul Berman, PACE Engineering Manager, and the Marketing and Sales team became very excited about an all-out promotional campaign.
The concept of thermal cycles was developed around the use of two 75MW W501B gas turbines and a new 100MW single-case steam turbine designed specifically for applications. This plant is called PACE Plant (for P ower A t C contained E fficiencies) and the first design dubbed PACE 260 to reflect the nominal power ratings of the factory.
The PACE design is directed to the "medium load" market (between peaking and the base load) where there is an increased need to install more economical capacity to install than the base load (coal and nuclear plants) and more economical to operate than a simple gas turbine cycle. The equipment must also be flexible enough to withstand the pressures of daily start-and-stop operational tasks. Special provisions are made throughout the design to accommodate this cycling mode of operation.
The concept of PACE 260 (and later the enhanced PACE 320) is captured in this figure depicting the thermodynamic cycle behind the factory design.
As can be seen the original concept includes an additional (duct) shooting of two heat recovery boiler pressures, which is a vertical flow design configuration. The basic configuration is described as a 2-on-1 design, which means that two gas turbines generate steam to feed one steam turbine.
Additional shootings are used to increase steam production so as to fill a 100MW single-case steam turbine. In the initial design, about 20% of the fuel input is fired in the duct burner. Without additional firing, there is usually enough energy in the disposal of a gas turbine to generate enough steam to produce about 50% of the gas turbine power, or, for that matter, only 75 MW.
In this way, the original PACE plant design has an integrated steam turbine capacity to allow water/steam in addition to the plant to remain essentially the same as the gas turbine power rating evolved to 100MW-plus W501D5, when the plant's rating was 300MW without additional firing.
PACE 260 was initially offered with a heat rate of about 8,100 Btu/kWh (42% efficiency) LHV on natural gas fuel. The upgrade (ca. 1980) PACE 320 based on W501D, has a nominal 300MW rating and a heat rate of 7,530 Btu/kWh (45% efficiency) LHV on natural gas fuel.
PACE plants are available both with full enclosure buildings for all but hot boiler recovery boilers, or for outdoor installations, with EconoPac providing the necessary enclosures for gas turbines and their helper.
For early PACE plants, Westinghouse designed and manufactured a heat recovery boiler at Heat Transfer Division in Lester. Then the plant is inserted a heat recovery unit provided by the subcontractor.
The list of PACE plant installations shows units sold and installed in the mid-1980s. Note that some installations include two PACE 260 plants (mirror image factory designs available for such cases). This is called PACE 520 plant. Also note that almost half of the factories are built in Mexico, one is PACE 260 and two PACE 520s.
The first PACE 260 was installed at Public Service Co. of Comanche station Oklahoma, in Lawton, OK, entered commercial in 1973. Based on published information, the time of commitment to the design program (January 1970) for commercial operations was less than three years. References are made to ASME 74-GT-109 paper, by Paul A. Berman, Westinghouse Manager of PACE Engineering, which explains the concept of PACE in detail and documents the construction and start-up of Comanche factories. Since its installation, some 40 years ago, the factory underwent major boiler modifications (seen in the photo below), some improved engine performance and has been operating for years as the most economical factory on the PSO system. (This writer recalls that the initial price for natural gas at the site was $ 0.26 per million Btu!) Until this writing is made, the plant is still in use, though not for continuous work.
The first three PACE plants sold to the CFE (PACE 260 in Palacio Gomez and PACE 520 in Dos Bocas) involve orders for six (6) W501B gas turbines and represent the largest orders placed by CFE up to that time. According to the story, the order was received on Good Friday (ca. 1973?) After a highly controversial competition with other major US suppliers who used some "creative" ways to improve factory performance. Everyone involved in the negotiations wanted to go home for Easter, but not so worried that they left before getting the order. The final plant on the list was built for the CFE in Tula, Mexico, as a gradual construction project, in which four (4) W501D Unit EconoPac were sent and installed on an ASAP basis, in a simple cycle mode, to meet emergencies energy during 1979-1981. The HRSGs and steam turbine parts of each plant were added later and the exhaust stack was removed. (The photo below is the concept of converted plant artist Four W501D EonoPacs already exists at the time of photo .)
The rise of the US Cogeneration and Independent Power market
As indicated earlier, the US market for gas turbines enjoyed a massive explosion for a simple peering cycle unit after the Northeast Blackout of 1965. And that, in turn, led to the emergence, circa 1970, from a popular pre-engineered cycle cycle plant, Westinghouse PACE and GE STAG (STeam And Gas) who enjoyed much early success in the early 1970s. There are many promises of sustainable growth in the gas turbine business.
The breaking of the 1973 Arab-Israeli war changed all that.
After the war, Arab members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) imposed an embargo on the United States, and other countries in Europe and South Africa, in retaliation for the US decision to re-supply the Israeli military. The result of an imminent embargo is a severe shortage in target countries such as the United States, and a sharp rise in global prices, oil and oil products. The US has become increasingly reliant on imported oil and embargos causing major disruptions to the national economy. First the Nixon administration, the short-lived Gerald Ford government, and finally Jimmy Carter, all developed plans to increase domestic production and reduce the use of imported oil.
At the same time, during the Jimmy Carter administration, there was a strong integrated movement in the natural gas industry for deregulation, and a shortage of gas pipelines was made to emphasize their position.
The immediate consequence of all this chaos in the energy supply chain is Jimmy Carter National Energy Plan 1977 and the declaration of Energy Independence . was introduced at the US Congress aimed at establishing restrictions and strict regulations aimed at achieving a reduction in the use of both oil and gas imports and natural gas. (It should be noted that this is being written at the time of the flood of oil and natural gas in the US)
At that time it was clear there was a strong pro-coal that leaned on the Congress, and coal, as the most abundant domestic energy source in the US, was promoted as offering a way to achieve independence from imported oil. "King Coal" is in the driver's seat, and the future of a coal-fired power station seems convincing regardless of the laws and regulations of the environment that had passed only a few years earlier.
After months and months of debate (many witnessed by this author personally) The 1978 National Energy Act was passed and proudly signed into law by Jimmy Carter.
Two of the key provisions of the new energy law have had a major impact on the gas turbine industry:
Ã, Â · First, The Fuel Use Act ( FUA ), which, inter alia, prohibits the use of oil and natural gas as a fuel for new base load power plants. Only "alternative fuels" - that is, coal and coal fuel - are allowed for that purpose. (Again, in today's environment, can anyone imagine?). The medium-capacity combined cycle power plant and power plant (& lt; 3500 hours per year operation) is exempt from the Fuel Prohibition Act, as well as " cogeneration facilities ".
Ã, Â · Second, The Public Utilities Setup Policy Act ( PURPA ) , which Much has to do with the deregulation of the electric utility industry and, inter alia, an established rule that requires electric utilities to purchase electricity from non-utility generators ("NUG"). Such NUGs, however, must also send some heat energy to the industrial process plant, ie the generating unit must "qualify" as a cogeneration facility cogeneration . Thus, the facility is defined as a qualification facility or "QF".
A
Clearly, this new energy law will have a major impact on the US gas turbine market. Since this editor was appointed Westinghouse GTSD (a.k.a. CTSD's) "Man in Washington" at the time, there were some interesting observations of personal experience that could be contributed to the historical aspects of the Westinghouse gas turbine.
The story of two companies
It has been noted that both the FUA and PURPA laws grant owner privileges cogeneration facilities , or "QFs". This will show that some rather planned and coordinated approaches to legislative engineering (ie lobbying) go into making these two new laws as they evolve, in parallel, through Congress.
Although Westinghouse did its part of the work trying to reduce the negative aspects of the Fuel Use Act, the positive aspect of this law is not something that Westinghouse can claim as credit.
General Electric's company, on the other hand, seems to find a way to work with Congress staff in both sections of the legislation to help them draft a set of energy and regulatory laws to be profitable for as many gas turbines as possible. In fact, it is interesting to note that cogeneration became the buzz word of DC after President Carter spoke about it in one of his energy policy speeches, and it can be quite imaginable that he was given information for the speech by GE.
The big difference between GE and Westinghouse, when it came to their views and actions on the energy laws of 1978, and the future of gas turbines, was striking.
Westinghouse upper management seems to have a major focus on the Fuel Use Act, and sees it as a death penalty for the long-term future of gas turbines. At the same time, the law is seen as a confirmation of a strong future for large coal-fired and nuclear steam power plants and, indirectly, for large steam turbine generators.
In fact, in 1979, the prohibition on the use of natural gas under the FUA even caused Westinghouse to rename the product to a combustion turbine, and the Gas Turbine System Division (GTSD) was renamed to Combustion Turbine System Sharing (CTSD) . As if removing the word "gas" from the product name will change its stature under the law. (Maybe EPRI, the Electric Power Research Institute, may also have something to do with this name change. Need quotes . .)
Meanwhile, it is known from personal observations that GE spends most of their lobbying efforts on the formulation of PURPA rules relating to the Qualification Facility and, most likely, to the release of cogeneration for the Usage Act Fuel too. While the editor attended many of the Congressional hearings on the FUA, to understand, and reduce, the degree of negative impact on gas turbines, GE representatives were seen at a concurrent hearing at PURPA, to ensure that GE's (clear) plan to create a new cogeneration/IPP market for gas turbines take shape.
As soon as the National Energy Act was signed into law, GE quickly announced the creation of a New Cogeneration Project Department. The goal is to pursue new market opportunities made possible by PURPA. Their approach is to help a new generation of entrepreneurs project developers to exploit new vulnerabilities of electric utilities (under PURPA). GE helps developers to locate good project sites close to fuel supplies and transmission lines, assist them in implementing GE equipment for cogeneration, and support their proposals on the Electrical Purchase Agreement ("PPA") to local utility.
While Westinghouse is worried that promoting cogeneration and working with entrepreneurs NUG or Independent Power Producer ( IPP ) will disrupt its traditional utility customer base, GE is aggressively pursuing more and more IPP developers, them to navigate the new territory opened to them by PURPA.
And the striking difference between the two power plant giants is not lost on industry observers. The editor recalled the edition of The Energy Daily, DC-based energy newsletter, where the publisher (Llewellyn King, currently the White House Chronicle publisher) devotes the front page to highlighting the enormous differences between GE and Westinghouse in how each sees the future power plant industry. (The editor has contacted Mr. King in an attempt to get a copy of the issue.)
New market is slowly growing
As shown in the above Turbine Burner Market curve, the immediate years after the passing of FUA and PURPA see little new domestic business for gas turbines as much legal debate takes place across the country. In fact, 1982 is probably the worst year in terms of orders placed for large gas turbines in the US. The W501D5 prototype was sold to Gulf States Utilities in 1981 and two other W501D5 EconoPacs were sold to Puget Sound Power & amp; Light Co. Dow Chemical, which expanded industrial power generation facilities at sites in Texas and Louisiana was unaffected by the new law, bought several units in 1980/'81. That's it for the new unit sales for Westinghouse CTSD until 1983.
The IPP market is awaiting the outcome of government legal action as some State Public Relief Commissions refuse to enforce PURPA regulations, claiming that they are unconstitutional. Not until 1982, at FERC v. Mississippi PUC, when the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Federal Energy Regulatory Administration (FERC) and upheld the law.
This turned out to be the catalyst that eventually enabled the IPP market to take off and realize a lot of pent-up potential.
And, almost as a direct result, Westinghouse CTSD participates in two important initial IPP cogeneration projects that help bridge the gap and, once again, enable us to survive the drought in domestic utility orders.
Capital Cogeneration
In 1983, H.B. Zachry Co. from San Antonio was awarded a contract from Capital Cogeneration Company Ltd. (a joint venture, including Central and Southwest Power Co., to design and build a combined 450MW combined/cogeneration plant near Bayport (aka Pasadena), Texas, south Houston This is one of "PURPA Plants "the earliest" "to be built in the US under the new PURPA rules.
Westinghouse CTSD received an order from H.B. Zachry Co. for 3xW501D5 EconoPacs for integration into the combined cycle plant (HRSG supplied by Henry Vogt Co.) The factory exports power for sale to Houston Power and Light and steam to a nearby processing plant owned by Celanese Chemical (" steam carriers. ") Thanks to excellent field sales relationships with Zachry and CSW, the plant is basically an all-Westinghouse plant, including a 150MW class steam turbine generator and all electrical power.This day the plant is known as Clear Lake Cogeneration, and owned by Calpine.
Texas City Cogeneration
The second major IPP project in which Westinghouse CTSD participated was developed ca. 1985 by Internorth Natural Gas of Omaha, NE. The factory location, Texas City, TX, is about 35 miles southeast of the Capital Cogeneration project site, above.
The Internorth concept is to use the PURPA IPP QF cogeneration rule to build a 400MW cogeneration plant that will sell power to Houston Power and Light and export steam to nearby Dow Chemical (then Union Carbide) plant. At the same time, the factory, to be freed from the FUA, will be an excellent new generation customer for Internorth gas fuel.
With a few other businesses available, Marketing efforts determined at CTSD are heavily focused on these negotiations. As this happened at the same time as a serious 4th stage turbine blade design problem with the W501D5, the engineering team led by CT Engine Engineering Manager, Augie Scalzo, was also assigned to satisfy Internorth that the design was good.
Westinghouse did get an order for 3xW501D5 EconoPacs to be installed at a factory called Texas City Cogeneration. Three units include the last W501D5 built at Lester's factory before it closed in 1986 and the first two engines built by MHI under new business arrangements with long-standing Westinghouse licensees.
Shortly after the Texas City plant was built, Internorth joined Houston Natural Gas, and moved its headquarters to Houston. Shortly thereafter, the joint company changed its name to ENRON (but that's the whole story).
Today, the Texas City Factory is owned by Calpine.
Another initial PURPA-plant project in which Westinghouse CTSD participates is described later as part of the CTSD relocation story to Orlando, FL. Dow/Destec_IGCC_at_Plaquemine, _LA "> Dow/Destec IGCC in Plaquemine, LA
As you can imagine, the idea of ​​burning coal, or some of its derivatives - be it liquid or gas - in a gas turbine received government attention and support during the late 1970s and 1980s. "Synthetic" gas or liquid fuels made from coal are considered as "alternative fuels", fueled by the Fuel Use Act, and the development of such fuels is strongly supported by the US Department of Energy.
In fact, Westinghouse is already working under a government contract to develop its own coal gasification process. A process development unit was built in Waltz Mill, PA and operated by Westinghouse R & amp; D Center. To demonstrate its commitment to the commercialization of technology, Westinghouse even formed the Synthetic Fuels Division (ca. 1983). (SFD, as it was called, was later dissolved around 1987, as the DOE contract expired, and the rights to the process were sold to Kellogg-Rust Engineering.The process of gasification became known as the KRW process and continued to be marketed by KRW Inc.)
Meanwhile, Dow Chemical is looking for ways to utilize large lignite deposits in Texas to reduce its dependence on natural gas to power on-site power plants. Instead of electrical operations in place it is always influenced by the Fuel Use Act, but it seems like a good fence in case the scarcity of natural gas turns out to be the real thing.
To implement this backup energy strategy, Dow undertook the development of its own coal gasification process (called "E-Gas") and pursued government support from Synthetic Fuels Corporation, established in 1980 for the purpose of maintaining synthetic fuels. (ie gas derived from coal or liquid) industries in the US as part of "Project Independence".
Meanwhile, Dow and Westinghouse engineers are working to transform two new W501D5 gas turbines installed in the Dow Plaquemine, LA complex in 1982/83. As a first step, in 1981, they converted from the old W191 located in the Dow, Freeport, Tx complex to burn a low BTU (roughly 200 Btu/scf vs. 1000 Btu/scf for natural gas.) The gas will be produced by gasifier proprietary prototes designed and built by Dow. They specify that gas turbines must be modified to be able to supply compressed air for gasification processes, and must also operate on natural gas (at least for startup and shut down).
A successful 15MW demonstration and full-scale program runs forward. Dow started building large-sized oxygen-containing large gasifiers to supply two W501D5 in Plaquemine, LA with 80% of their fuel energy, and Westinghouse was given the go-ahead to design and produce new fuel nozzles. Since gas turbines are an integral part of existing plant operations, the specification is to ensure a dual-fuel capability, so that the unit can easily return to natural gas when the gasifier is not operating.
Fortunately, the Westinghouse's burning engineer CTSD previously worked under subcontracting on the DOE coal gasification contract mentioned above to demonstrate low-Btu gas combustion on the W501B component. Then, the work leads to the design of the W501D5 burner basket to incorporate features (eg, larger diameter head tips) to make it adapt to the use of low Btu gas fuels. So the Plaquemine unit is basically "syngas ready", and easily modifiable.
Conversion of two 100MW gas turbines at Plaquemine to burn gasified coal creates the largest integrated gasification combined cycle or " IGCC" , in the world, and is very successful for Dow. Dow contract (or more accuratleyLGTI - Louisiana Gasification Technology, Inc.) Synfuels Corporation continues to subsidize the production of synthetic gas fuel from coal at the Plaquemine site for about 10-15 years before the subsidy runs out.
Then Dow (or actually Destec Energy) can participate in the DOE-supported General Service repowering of the Indiana Wabash power plant with an advanced F-class gas turbine gas manufactured by the "E-Gas" gasifier. Unfortunately, Westinghouse did not get orders for gas turbines from Public Service Co. of Indiana, and the project uses GE Frame 7F. Currently the Wabash gasification system operates commercially, selling coal derived gas to a 250MW Wabash combined cycle power plant.
Needless to say, the Dow has never implemented the conversion of their own power plant facility in one of their Gulf Coast locations. Natural gas remains abundant, and, in recent years, has been a cheaper fuel than it was 30 years ago.
The Concordville Years (1979 - 1987)
From about 1972 to 1979, the headquarters of the Gas Turbine Division (Division of Turbine Gas Systems and Turbine Combustion Systems Division), had been placed in a rented room in the renovated (1920's) Baldwin-Lima-Hamilton Building in Eddystone, PA, just south of Westinghouse Lester factory. Gas turbine distribution operations occupy the top 4 floors of a 7-storey office building (known as The "A" Building), while the rest of the building is occupied by Westinghouse Steam Turbine Engineering and other support groups.
As noted earlier, these years on "A-Building" as a BLH building became known, saw many up and down for the Westinghouse gas turbine. Around 1977, just as the US market for new units dried up (but Saudi markets just peaked, see later) it was decided that CTSD should have its own new headquarters building, and a new world class gas turbine development laboratory.
Ground breaking for the new headquarters of CTSD took place in 1977-1978 and the facility was full in the summer of 1979. (Bob Kirby, then chairman and CEO, attended a dedication ceremony at the site in June, 1978.) The selected site is in Concordville, PA, about 15 miles northwest of the Lester factory.
The headquarters of the Division of the Westinghouse Electric Fire Systems Division (CTSD) in Concordville, Pennsylvania. The world class development laboratory in the left background features rigs for component testing under machine operating conditions, including indirectly triggered indirect air preheater to provide heated air without heating (ie, full O2 content) for combustion testing.
For 8 years, 1979-1987, the Concordville site was where CTSD runs its business, serving both domestic and international markets, conducting R & D is significant with internal and external funding (from EPRI, DOE and NASA), develops engine and plant-enhanced design, manages many projects and, perhaps most importantly for long-term survival, develops its service business as the most profitable part of its operations.
Ready Resources
Around the time of moving to Concordville, CTSD also launched the " Westinghouse Combustion Turbines Ready Resources campaign that highlights the recently introduced W501D5 gas turbine, technological advances, such as the ability to burn gas derived from coal and liquid fuels, and the importance of planned maintenance to achieve high reliability and availability of gas turbine plants.
In fact, in the mid-1980s all Westinghouse Power Generation took its strategic business focus from traditional emphasis on new unit applications for aggressive development of the services sector. Although " growing fleets " is still an essential ingredient for the growth of the gas turbine services business, the lack of new unit opportunities at that time dictates at least a temporary shift in emphasis. CTSD developed the " Total Service program, promoting capabilities in blackout management and availability improvement programs. " Total Service - More Than Just " is a mantra. (The author recalled the National Sales Meeting in Orlando around 1983, before the completion of the new office building in Quadrangle, and the theme of the meeting was " We are in the Current Services ".The entire operation of the Steam Turbine Generator Marketing is rearranged around factory operating market.)
Note that the Development Center (commonly referred to as "The Lab") was completed in 1976, while CTSD is still in A-Building, Eddystone. According to the Westinghouse brochure, "The Lab" was able to test the full scale of compressors, combustors, turbines, and additional system components across the entire operating range (design of exhaust systems developed on a reduced scale). The laboratory covers a high bay area that can accommodate full-size gas turbines for testing and development purposes, as well as large conference rooms and offices for managers, engineers and technicians who operate the facility. It's sized to allow full scale combustion testing, which requires large, jet-jet-derived air jet gas turbines. It also requires gas-fired heaters to simulate combustion inlet conditions.
The CTSD operations at Concordville grew and receded for almost a decade of The Concordville Years. At one point (ca 1981/82 per telephone directory of CTSD employees), CTSD work reached peak levels of about 600 people. But financial performance did not support such growth, and there was a substantial decline in the 1985-1987 time frame before relocating to Orlando to be included in Westinghouse Power Generation World Headquarters. Only about 100 CTSD professionals and management remained at the time to travel southward in the spring of 1987.
Change Westinghouse - Relationship MHI
(Note: This section is based primarily on personal memories of one of the key engineers involved in the episode.)
Significant developments occurring near the close of the Concordville years involve major changes in relationships between Westinghouse CTSD and its long-term license holders, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI). Many credited this development as an important event in Westinghouse's long-term survival (and MHI?) As a major participant in the gas turbine industry, and key to the acquisition of Siemens against the business ten years later.
In the mid-1980s, it was decided that gas turbine manufacturing operations in Lester, PA factory would stop by the end of 1986, and, also, that the making of the popular W501D5 engine would be outsourced from the MHI plant in Takasago. , Japan. This plan allows CTSD to place at least temporary means to continue doing business - to acquire and fulfill orders for large gas turbines as the US cogeneration and IPP markets evolve. (As mentioned earlier, the first installed MHI machine was installed at the Cogen Factory of Texas City.According to the internal record, the total number of W501D5 purchased by Westinghouse from MHI is 10, same as the first four 501F engines, below.)
Subsequent developments in Westinghouse-MHI relations occurred in 1986 when MHI shared a study indicating that the global market for the 50-Hz scale version of the Westinghouse gas turbine (called MW701D) would soon see a strong return, and they proposed the joint development of a new advanced 50 Hz engine for called "701F". (GE has developed its Frame 7F.) The 60a, Hz design for the market served by Westinghouse will follow.
Since Westinghouse's support for the development and design of an advanced gas turbine at the time was zero, Westinghouse agreed to provide major engine design engineering support (as determined by MHI) and MHI provided funding to support the effort, and to produce prototype machines. conceptual joint began in mid-1986 and, somewhere early in the effort, it was decided that the first engine should be the 60Ã, Hz "501F" version of the design. (MHI will further complete the scaling process for the 50 Hz design.) The new design provides an opportunity for both companies to incorporate some important design improvements and attributes that are not feasible to be reengineered into existing W501D5/MW701D designs, but can be readily introduced to the design new.
Despite the reduction of manpower at Westinghouse and the disruption caused by preparations for the move from Combustion Turbine Operations to Orlando (announced in October 1986) work continues to expand on the design of new machines. Westinghouse has agreed to take about sixty percent of the design effort on the new machine, and the work effort continued with the actual movement of the engineering engine staff in April, 1987 to Orlando. Although many employees decide, for one reason or another, including many who took early retirement, not to move south, the joint development program with MHI greatly benefited from the decision of several major engineers who agreed to postpone their retirement, temporarily, Florida and continue working on the program.
The joint design effort continued until June 1988 with major design reviews being held quarterly. The meeting site for this review varies between Orlando and Takasago, Japan. From start to finish, the total design effort stretches just 23 months and finishes on schedule. Under circumstances such as the move from Concordville, the loss of key employees, cultural differences, language barriers and remote location logistics, the project is considered an excellent example of significant engineering and management cooperation and achievements for both Westinghouse and MHI.
The 501F program permanently changed the relationship between the two companies, granted free and royalty-free manufacturing and marketing rights to new machines.
The 501F prototype engine was built and tested at the MHI turbine plant and development center in Takasago in mid 1989. In 1990, Westinghouse secured orders for the first four 501F units, built in Takasago, from Florida Power and Light Co. for their Lauderdale Station Repowering project, which began operations in mid-1993. The ISO rating contracted from these units is 158MW.
It basically coincides with the start-up of the FP & amp; LOUNGE, Westinghouse announced to MHI that they would start the development and production of 501F, FM 167MW, which resulted in a joint effort between Westinghouse and MHI. Once again the two sides put the team in place and the up-rated design has been completed as scheduled. Westinghouse built the first 501F shipped from the Pensacola plant in October 1995 for the Korean Electric Power Co. (KEPCO) project in Ulsan, Korea.
At about the same time, Westinghouse and MHI were on their way to the combined development of a 250MW steam-powered 501G engine. See below.
​​â € <â €
The physical step south by Westinghouse Power Generation began in 1982 and was initially done to consolidate the non-manufacturing operations of the Steam Turbine Division located in Philadelphia, PA area and the Division of Large Rotational Apparatus (ie generators) located in Pittsburgh, PA. area. The selection of Orlando, FL as the new home for the Steam Turbine Generator Division came after the removal of several other "neutral" locations. The story is that Richmond, VA has become the first choice for the headquarters of Westinghouse Power Generation, but ongoing legal issues between Westinghouse and Virginia's main utility on a nuclear fuel contract but a damper on the idea.
Westinghouse buys a vast land called The Quadrangle located just across the road from a vast campus now called the University of Central Florida and builds a great new office building. Sebe
Source of the article : Wikipedia
0 Comments