Design, Development and Operational Experience of the ALSTOM’s 13.4MW Cyclone Gas Turbine

The Cyclone industrial gas turbine was launched in 1997 and entered commercial operation in 2000. Rated at 13.4MW and with a thermal efficiency in excess of 35% (at ISO operating conditions), the Cyclone was configured as a twin-shaft engine derivative of the Tempest Gas turbine, to meet both power generation and mechanical drive applications. This paper describes the design, development and early operational experience of the Cyclone gas turbine. The design aspects include features, which are common with other products within the ALSTOM product range, those that have been developed out of technology programmes, and those scaled from existing parts. Details are presented of the compressor construction, where a “zero” stage has been added to the Tempest rotor, and coupled with an increase in firing temperature, has resulted in the increase in power output. A two stage overhung compressor turbine, includes cooled blading technology to both stages. A separate free power turbine is based on a scale version of the Typhoon twin-shaft power turbine. The Cyclone includes the ALSTOM, Dry Low Emissions combustion system as standard and is able to operate on a wide range of fuels, in single or dual fuel configurations. The combustion system is based on the proven, generic system first introduced into the Typhoon. The result of engine testing has resulted in the release of both the Cyclone, and the Tempest, with sub 10ppmvd NOx (corrected to 15% O₂). The first Cyclone engines entered service in the autumn of 2000, in a co-generation facility in Australia. Described in this paper are the early operating experiences, and the evaluation of a large amount of site data that has been recorded. Included in this section is information on issues that have had to be addressed during the first 8000 hours of operation.