DEVELOPMENT OF AIR COOLED COMBUSTOR FOR G SERIES GAS TURBINE

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) G series gas turbine is the industry pioneer in introducing steam cooling technology for gas turbines. The first M501G unit started commercial operation in 1997 and to date, with 62 G units sold, MHI G fleet is the largest steam cooled fleet in the market. The existing commercial fleet includes 35 units with more than 734,000 accumulated operating hours, and over 9,400 starts. Upgraded versions have been introduced in the 60 and 50Hz markets. Several advanced technologies such as TBC with the application of an F class air-cooled system will result in an upgraded air-cooled G class engine with increased power output and enhanced efficiency. This upgraded machine represents a better match for highly cyclic applications, while the highly reliable steam-cooled counterpart is still offered for base-loaded applications. This article describes the design features and verification test results and plan of the upgraded M501G gas turbine.