Nanorotor: Demonstration of a nano-precipitate hardened ferritic welded steel rotor in a high efficiency gas turbine. Target action F: gas power generation

• Research unit: EU RFP
• Project number: 01.0132-2

Key words (English)

Environmental Protection; Energy Saving

Alternative project number (English)

EU project number: NNE5/2001/375

Research programs (English)

EU-programme: 5. Frame Research Programme - 1.4b.1 Cleaner energy systems, including renewables

Short description (English)

See abstract

Further information (English)

Full name of research-institution/enterprise:
Eidg. Materialprüfungs- und Forschungsanstalt EMPA

Abstract (English)

The objective of the project is to demonstrate the viability of a newly developed, low-cost, high technology, precipitation hardened steel, for large gas turbines, which will increase the temperature capability of welded gas turbine rotors by +50°C. By increasing the temperature capability of rotor steels the additional benefits and objectives will be to:
(a) Reduced cost of rotor disc hardware by 80% cf. Nickel alloys
(b) produce a simplified, flexible turbine design with reduced total first costs (by 1 %)
(c) Reduce the cooling air requirements, with consequential increase in engine efficiency (by 0.2%) and reduction in CO_2 emissions (4 million tonnes per year), NOx and fuel use
(d) Extend the welded rotor capability to > 400 MW machines, maintaining competitiveness with US technologies and increasing EU market share
(e) Bring to market within 5 years. This will have a major impact on EU policies relating to energy, environment and sustainable growth.

References in databases (English)

Swiss Database: Euro-DB of the
State Secretariat for Education and Research
Hallwylstrasse 4
CH-3003 Berne, Switzerland
Tel. [phone]
Swiss Project-Number: 01.0132-2