POWER-GEN Europe and REWE 2017

Sessions Speakers Exhibitors Products Press Releases Show Specials Floor Plan Buzz

Innovative Generator Products for High Operational Flexibility at Low Product, Installation and Operational Cost (Room A)

Global increase in utilization of renewable energy has a significant impact on the operating regimes in conventional power plants. Volatile power supply from renewable sources creates the need for cost effective solutions with operational flexibility in modern gas and steam turbine power plants. Today, turbine-generator shaft train components are exposed to extremely volatile operating modes with high number of start/stop cycles, numerous steep load ramps, frequency and voltage fluctuations. As a consequence, thermo-mechanical stresses and accelerated ageing of the shaft train components including generators must be considered in the design to avoid unexpected cost and extensive outage periods. Siemens' answer to the increased market requirements is the new air pressurized generator SGen-2000P with innovative combination of verified cooling technologies with air and water. Air-cooled generators have an excellent track record in terms of robustness, reliability and low operational cost, while Siemens’ water-cooled generators provide the highest output capability and efficiency in the industry. Building on the success of the proven legacy fleet, the new product line is set to replace the indirectly hydrogen-cooled SGen-2000H series up to 550 MVA in future Siemens gas and steam turbine packages. Replacing hydrogen cooling with pressurized air significantly reduces plant complexity and eliminates explosion safety concerns with further benefits as reduced first time installation & commissioning scope, maintenance cost and the capability of unstaffed operation for synchronous condenser applications. Implementation of innovative design features and load-dependent air pressure control enable the SGen-2000P generators to achieve efficiency levels comparable to indirect hydrogen-cooled generators and significant improvement of the flex power capability. The paper will further describe the design features and product benefits for new applications and retrofits.