GE and Toshiba signed a deal jointly to develop and market a new combined cycle power plant block designated the H System. The two companies will cooperate in development, production and design of the advanced power plant design.
The H System is a combined cycle power plant block designed to break the 60 per cent thermal efficiency barrier. Unit output is 480 MW. Financial terms of the agreement were not revealed.
The agreement is an extension of a manufacturing alliance between GE and Toshiba formed in 1956. GE will design and manufacture the gas turbines for the H System and supply control systems. Toshiba will manufacture a GE-designed gas-turbine compressor stage and a Toshiba-designed steam turbine and generator. Gas turbines will be assembled and tested in the USA.
The first H System gas turbine is undergoing tests in Greenville. It has already operated under no-load conditions. Full load power plant tests are scheduled for 2000, and the first commercial plant is expected to become operational in 2001.
The H System gas turbine uses steam cooling instead of air cooling to raise the gas turbine operating temperature to 1430oC. Current large gas turbines operate at around 1300oC. This increased operating temperature provides a significant increase in thermodynamic efficiency.