Advances in Technology
Gas turbine technology has steadily advanced since its inception and continues to evolve. Development is active in producing both smaller gas turbines and more powerful and efficient engines. Main drivers are computer design (specifically CFD and finite element analysis) and development of advanced materials: Base materials with superior high temperature strength (e.g., single-crystal superalloys that exhibit yield strength anomaly) or thermal barrier coatings that protect the structural material underneath from ever higher temperatures. These advances allowed higher compression ratios and turbine inlet temperatures, more efficient combustion and better cooling of engine parts.
On the emissions side, the challenge in technology is increasing turbine inlet temperature while reducing peak flame temperature to achieve lower NOx emissions to cope with the latest regulations. In May 2011, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries achieved a turbine inlet temperature of 1,600 °C on a 320 megawatt gas turbine, 460 MW in gas turbine combined-cycle power generation applications in which gross thermal efficiency exceeds 60%.
Additionally, compliant foil bearings were commercially introduced to gas turbines in the 1990s. They can withstand over a hundred thousand start/stop cycles and eliminated the need for an oil system. On another front, microelectronics and power switching technology have enabled commercially viable micro turbines for distributed and vehicle power.
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