Utility Advanced Turbine Systems program (ATS) technical readiness testing and pre-commercial demonstration. First quarterly report, 1997

The objective of the ATS program is to develop ultra-high efficiency, environmentally-superior and cost competitive gas turbine systems for base load application in utility, independent power producer and industrial markets. Specific performance targets have been set using natural gas as the primary fuel: (1) System efficiency that will exceed 60% (lower heating value basis) on natural gas for large scale utility turbine systems; for industrial applications, systems that will result in a 15% improvement in heat rate compared to currently available gas turbine systems. (2) An environmentally superior system that will not require the use of post combustion emissions controls under full load operating conditions. (3) Busbar energy costs that are 10% less than current state-of-the-art turbine systems, while meeting the same environmental requirements. (4) Fuel-flexible designs that will operate on natural gas but are capable of being adapted to operate on coal-derived or biomass fuels. (5) Reliability- Availability-Maintainability (RAM) that is equivalent to the current turbine systems. (6) Water consumption minimized to levels consistent with cost and efficiency goals. (7) Commercial systems that will enter the market in the year 2000. In Phase 1 of the ATS program, Westinghouse found that efficiency significantly increases when the traditional combined-cycle power plant is re-configured with closed- loop steam cooling of the hot gas path. Phase II activities involved the development of a 318MW natural gas fired turbine conceptual design with the flexibility to bum coal-derived and biomass fuels. Phases I and II of the ATS program have been completed. Phase III, the current phase, completes the research and development activities and develops hardware specifications from the Phase II conceptual design. Future Phase IV activities consist of manufacturing, constructing