GE is expanding the capabilities of its gas turbine test facility located at the Greenville, South Carolina, turbine manufacturing plant.
The test facility will offer the capability for full-scale validation of GE’s next generation gas turbines, heavy-duty compressors and gas turbine systems.
The tests will be performed at full capacity and beyond and under ‘real-world’ power plant conditions, and the expanded capabilities will bring the company’s investment in the facility to approximately $170m.
The facility will provide a controlled environment with additional instrumentation, enabling GE to acquire more data during validation testing as opposed to a traditional field validation approach, the company said.
Initially developed for the validation of GE’s recently upgraded Frame 7FA gas turbines, the facility is expected to support long-term development and testing of a full range of GE 50 Hz and 60 Hz compressors and gas turbines.
The facility has begun commissioning, and upcoming tests will include advanced compressor validation followed by full-speed full-load validation of the new 7FA gas turbine.