Advanced Hydrogen Gas Turbine Development Program

Abstract

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has awarded Siemens Power Generation the first two phases for the Advanced Hydrogen Turbine Development Program. The 3-phase, multi-year program goals are to develop an advanced syngas, hydrogen and natural gas fired gas turbine fully integrated into coal-based Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) plants. The Program objectives are to demonstrate 3–5 percentage points efficiency improvement over current state of the art, less than 2 ppm NOx @ 15% O2 and reduction in plant capital cost. An additional objective is to show how the advanced gas turbine – IGCC plant can be configured for CO2 sequestration readiness. These objectives represent the overall DOE Advanced Power System goal to conduct Research and Development necessary to produce fuel flexible, CO2 sequestration ready advanced IGCC power systems for FutureGen type applications. Phase 1 entails advanced technologies identification, research and development Implementation Plan preparation and new gas turbine component conceptual designs. Phase 2 focuses on novel technologies development, validation, down selection and advanced gas turbine detail design. Phase 3 involves advanced gas turbine and IGCC plant construction and validation testing to demonstrate that efficiency, emissions and cost goals will be achieved and to prove the system’s commercial viability. The end objective is to validate the advanced gas turbine technology by 2015. The SGT6-6000G was selected as the basis for this development effort, due to its high firing temperature, output power and efficiency, as well as its advanced secondary air and steam cooling systems. It will be adapted for operation on coal, refinery residue and biomass derived hydrogen and syngas fuels, as well as natural gas, while achieving high performance levels and reduced plant capital costs in $/kW. New or enhanced technologies required to achieve high plant efficiency, while minimizing emissions and capital cost, will be developed and gas turbine design changes needed for optimum integration into the IGCC plant will be carried out. The main development thrust will be in the combustion, turbine cooling, materials/coating technologies and engine integration/operational flexibility. Several combustion systems will be investigated and the most successful candidate down selected. To minimize cooling air consumption, novel cooling concepts will be investigated, and validated in rig tests. Advanced bond coats, thermal barrier coatings, superalloys and airfoil architectures will be developed to minimize cooling air use. This paper describes the first year’s Phase 1 activities in advanced concepts, technologies identification and development, plant thermal performance evaluation, gas turbine IGCC plant integration studies and new gas turbine component conceptual designs.