GE Begins Testing for ABS Certification for LM6000 Gas Turbine

GE Transportation's marine gas turbine business has launched a program to obtain American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) certification, to the Steel Vessel and the new Naval Vessel Rules, for its LM6000 aeroderivative gas turbine. GE plans to certify the LM6000 at a power level greater than 36 megawatts based on United States Navy standard day conditions (100oF). "The LM6000 has been operating for more than 10 years in diverse marine environments. In fact, LM6000s have accumulated more than 290,000 hours on floating, production, storage and off-loading vessels, and aboard commercial power barges and offshore platforms," said Karl Matson, general manager of GE Transportation's marine business, Evendale, Ohio. "GE's popular LM6000 is already certified for commercial use by Det Norske Veritas (DNV), and is applied in a variety of power generation applications. By adding ABS certification to its profile, the LM6000 will be ideal for several next-generation naval programs that require electric and mechanical drive service such as the U.S. Navy's DD(X) program," Matson added. GE expects to complete the testing program and receive ABS certification in 2005. The following are steps included in the ABS certification testing: Endurance tests to demonstrate operation in electrical power generation and mechanical drive modes; Engine tear down after final endurance test; and Preparation and submittal of inspection report to ABS. GE has gained extensive experience in applying its LM gas turbines in both mechanical and electric drive configurations. For example, LMs are used for military and commercial marine mechanical drive ship propulsion, as well as to drive compressors and gas re-injection pumps in industrial applications. According to Matson, "We've proven the effective use of our LM gas turbines in marine electric drive applications. For instance, five GE LM2500 and 22 LM2500+ aeroderivative gas turbine-generator sets are slated for use or are successfully operating in electric drive configurations aboard 17 cruise ships." The LM6000 The LM6000 was introduced in 1990, and has become the most efficient simple cycle gas turbine in its class, with an efficiency of 41.9% at the ISO rating point. All of the 590 industrial LM6000 gas turbines in operation drive electric generators, accumulating nearly nine million hours in service with a fleet wide reliability of 99.9%. The LM6000 is the high power member of the GE LM aeroderivative gas turbine offerings. The powerful LM6000 marine gas turbine can be coupled with an electric generator making an LM6000 marine gas turbine-generator set. GE furnishes the complete marinized LM6000 gas turbine-generator set using a generator selected based on customer requirements. Building on this record of proven reliability and looking to the future, GE has investment and technology insertion plans to grow the LM6000 well beyond its current rating without increasing the engine's shipboard size and weight footprint. Benefits Aeroderivatives have a high power to weight ratio that is extremely important for ship applications where equipment weight and size are issues that can significantly impact costs. In addition, the LM6000 is derived from GE's CF6-80C2 aircraft engine, with nearly 100 million flight hours of flying operation, which provides the LM6000 with a basis for its unparalleled reliability. The LM6000 offers fuel efficiency, long life, and low maintenance. The engine's design provides for easy access to commonly maintained equipment and to borescope ports for monitoring the condition of internal static and rotating components. Most maintenance can be performed on board.