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The test power plant is a full scale simple cycle power 42.3% efficiency. In a combined cycle, this corresponds
station that can be used for the operation and validation to performance about 520 MW at 62.3% net efficiency
of the fully instrumented engine under real power plant in ISO conditions. The scaled up 50 Hz version, the
conditions, because the power is dispatched to the GT36-S5, achieves 760 MW at 62.6% efficiency.
Swiss power grid.
The test program included stress testing of the two
stages in the sequential combustion system, part and The family, what a team
full load mapping, transient operation and performance On November 2, 2015, Ansaldo Energia announced the
testing. The validation engine is equipped with more closing of its acquisition from General Electric of
than 3,000 measurement points, includinga telemetry Alstom’s advanced heavy-duty gas turbine business
system which transfers more than 500 measurements and its subsidiary company Power System
from the rotating parts. In the end, the tests fully Manufacturing. It represented a turning point in a
confirmed our expectations. lengthy process, with commercial and political
High performance and low emissions over the entire implications. The deal between General Electric and
load range confirm all the objectives of the development Ansaldo Energia included the latest ratings of the GT26
program and the wide operation window of this engine. and GT36 heavy duty gas turbines, but most importantly,
The GT36’s combustion system had already been more than 400 Alstom R&D Center employees in
tested, starting in 2013, as a single component in a Baden, Switzerland.
combustor test rig, at full size and under full mass And so, the family grew in size, gaining new talents and
flow, at the DLR (the German Aerospace Center) in new professional skills, and with them a set of
Cologne. commitments and prospects allowing the company to
The test results reported for the GT36-S6 (the 60 Hz look ahead with great optimism and even more
version) confirmed power output above 369 MW at confidence to the challenges of the future.

IndustrIal Plants - May 2018
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