The Neuchâtel gas turbine is the world's first electric power-generating gas turbine to go into commercial operation. It was designed and constructed by Brown, Boveri & Cie and installed in 1939 at the municipal power station in Neuchâtel, Switzerland. The gas turbine was in service as a standby unit from 1940 until its retirement in 2002.[1][2][3]
Neuchâtel gas turbine
Neuchâtel gas turbine exhibited at the 1939 Swiss National Expo in Zurich
Brown, Boveri & Cie (BBC) first became involved with gas turbines when they began building turbo-compressors in collaboration with the French industrialist Auguste Rateau. The first machine built under this agreement was a 25 impeller, three casing centrifugal compressor for the experimental 1906 Armengaud-Lemale gas turbine.[2]
BBC worked on a number of experimental gas turbine projects in the 1910s and 20s. BBC's gas turbine collaborations included Holzwarth's explosion turbines and a two-stroke version of Herbert Humphrey’sHumphrey pump which would have been used for power generation (a so called “wet gas turbine”). None of these early gas turbine experiments produced a commercially viable product.[4]
In the 1930s BBC developed the commercially successful Velox boilers. Velox boilers use an axial flow air compressor driven by a flue-gas turbine to allow rapid heating of a steam boiler. The first Velox boiler was installed at the Mondeville steel works in France in 1932.[2]
In 1936, BBC built the world’s first constant flow industrial gas turbine for the Sun Oil refinery in Marcus Hook, Pennsylvania. The early BBC gas turbine sets were essentially Velox boilers with the steam component removed. The Marcus Hook turbine was used for the catalyst regeneration cycle of the Houndry oil refining process and had a high enough compressor efficiency that the turbine produced a continuous power surplus that was used for electricity generation.[1][5]
BBC's first opportunity to build a gas turbine solely for the purposes of electrical power generation came in 1938, when the Services Industriels de la Ville de Neuchâtel placed enquiries for a standby power generator to be placed in a bomb-proof cavern. BBC's proposal for a 3,000 RPM, 4 MWe gas turbine was accepted. The key concerns for this application were limited space and fast starting times rather than efficiency, which suited the early open cycle gas turbines.[1][5]
Layout of the Neuchatel gas turbine showing main components
Assembly of the Neuchâtel gas turbine set was completed in BBC's Baden works by the summer of 1939. Full load tests took place on 7 July under the supervision of Professor Aurel Stodola with representatives from the Swiss Association of Steam Boiler Proprietors, the Swiss Association of Electrical Engineers and the Swiss Federal Material Testing Laboratories. Power output was recorded at 4,021 kW with a cycle efficiency of 17.38%. Prior to its installation in Neuchâtel, the gas turbine was exhibited at the Swiss National Expo in Zürich.[1]
Operating history, retirement and preservationedit
The Neuchâtel gas turbine went into service early in 1940.[2] In 1988 the gas turbine was awarded "mechanical landmark" status by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) in recognition of its historical significance.[1][3]
Over its 62 years in service the Neuchâtel gas turbine accumulated 7,283 operating hours and 1,908 starts. In 2002 the plant was permanently closed following damage to the gas turbine set's alternator.[1]
In 2007, Alstom (who had acquired BBC's turbine business in 2000) relocated the Neuchâtel gas turbine to their facility in Birr, Aargau where it was restored and put on display.[1][3]
Referencesedit
^ abcdefgEckardt, Dietrich (2014). "4.3.3 The Worlds's First Utility Gas Turbine Ste at Neuchâtel (1939)". Gas Turbine Powerhouse. Oldenbourg Verlag Munchen. pp. 181–190. ISBN9783486735710.
^ abcdYoung, Steve (2019). "Who Invented Industrial Gas Turbines?". NEWSNOC. No. 19. Sharjah National Oil Corporation (SNOC). pp. 26–27.
^ abc"The World's First Industrial Gas Turbine Set - GT Neuchâtel" (PDF). ASME Digital Collection. American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME). 2007.
^Noack, Walter G (1941). "Pressure Charging, Velox Boiler and Gas Turbine, a review of their origin and development by Brown Boveri" (PDF). The Brown Boveri Review. Baden, Switzerland: Brown Boveri and Company. 28.
^ abSmith, Geoff (1951). "17 - Other Turbine Applications". Gas Turbines and Jet Propulsion (6th ed.). London: Iliffe and Sons. pp. 355–360.
March 14, 2024
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The Neuchatel gas turbine is the world s first electric power generating gas turbine to go into commercial operation It was designed and constructed by Brown Boveri amp Cie and installed in 1939 at the municipal power station in Neuchatel Switzerland The gas turbine was in service as a standby unit from 1940 until its retirement in 2002 1 2 3 Neuchatel gas turbineNeuchatel gas turbine exhibited at the 1939 Swiss National Expo in ZurichClassificationGas turbineApplicationStandby power generatorFuel sourceDieselComponents23 stage axial compressor Single can combustion chamber 7 stage reaction bladed turbine 4 MWe alternatorManufacturerBrown Boveri amp CieDesignerAdolf MeyerFirst run7 July 1939In service1940 2002OperatorServices Industriels de la Ville de NeuchatelDesign and development editBrown Boveri amp Cie BBC first became involved with gas turbines when they began building turbo compressors in collaboration with the French industrialist Auguste Rateau The first machine built under this agreement was a 25 impeller three casing centrifugal compressor for the experimental 1906 Armengaud Lemale gas turbine 2 BBC worked on a number of experimental gas turbine projects in the 1910s and 20s BBC s gas turbine collaborations included Holzwarth s explosion turbines and a two stroke version of Herbert Humphrey s Humphrey pump which would have been used for power generation a so called wet gas turbine None of these early gas turbine experiments produced a commercially viable product 4 In the 1930s BBC developed the commercially successful Velox boilers Velox boilers use an axial flow air compressor driven by a flue gas turbine to allow rapid heating of a steam boiler The first Velox boiler was installed at the Mondeville steel works in France in 1932 2 In 1936 BBC built the world s first constant flow industrial gas turbine for the Sun Oil refinery in Marcus Hook Pennsylvania The early BBC gas turbine sets were essentially Velox boilers with the steam component removed The Marcus Hook turbine was used for the catalyst regeneration cycle of the Houndry oil refining process and had a high enough compressor efficiency that the turbine produced a continuous power surplus that was used for electricity generation 1 5 BBC s first opportunity to build a gas turbine solely for the purposes of electrical power generation came in 1938 when the Services Industriels de la Ville de Neuchatel placed enquiries for a standby power generator to be placed in a bomb proof cavern BBC s proposal for a 3 000 RPM 4 MWe gas turbine was accepted The key concerns for this application were limited space and fast starting times rather than efficiency which suited the early open cycle gas turbines 1 5 nbsp Layout of the Neuchatel gas turbine showing main componentsAssembly of the Neuchatel gas turbine set was completed in BBC s Baden works by the summer of 1939 Full load tests took place on 7 July under the supervision of Professor Aurel Stodola with representatives from the Swiss Association of Steam Boiler Proprietors the Swiss Association of Electrical Engineers and the Swiss Federal Material Testing Laboratories Power output was recorded at 4 021 kW with a cycle efficiency of 17 38 Prior to its installation in Neuchatel the gas turbine was exhibited at the Swiss National Expo in Zurich 1 Operating history retirement and preservation editThe Neuchatel gas turbine went into service early in 1940 2 In 1988 the gas turbine was awarded mechanical landmark status by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers ASME in recognition of its historical significance 1 3 Over its 62 years in service the Neuchatel gas turbine accumulated 7 283 operating hours and 1 908 starts In 2002 the plant was permanently closed following damage to the gas turbine set s alternator 1 In 2007 Alstom who had acquired BBC s turbine business in 2000 relocated the Neuchatel gas turbine to their facility in Birr Aargau where it was restored and put on display 1 3 References edit a b c d e f g Eckardt Dietrich 2014 4 3 3 The Worlds s First Utility Gas Turbine Ste at Neuchatel 1939 Gas Turbine Powerhouse Oldenbourg Verlag Munchen pp 181 190 ISBN 9783486735710 a b c d Young Steve 2019 Who Invented Industrial Gas Turbines NEWSNOC No 19 Sharjah National Oil Corporation SNOC pp 26 27 a b c The World s First Industrial Gas Turbine Set GT Neuchatel PDF ASME Digital Collection American Society of Mechanical Engineers ASME 2007 Noack Walter G 1941 Pressure Charging Velox Boiler and Gas Turbine a review of their origin and development by Brown Boveri PDF The Brown Boveri Review Baden Switzerland Brown Boveri and Company 28 a b Smith Geoff 1951 17 Other Turbine Applications Gas Turbines and Jet Propulsion 6th ed London Iliffe and Sons pp 355 360 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Neuchatel gas turbine amp oldid 1210052415, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
