3. Steam Turbines
3.1 Marine Propulsion Turbine
The main propulsion turbines completed and acceptance-tested at factory in 1997 in Japan numbered five in total, including four turned out by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (two 26,800 kW machines and one each of 28,7000 kW and 5,500 kW machines) and one turned out by Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. (one 29,400 kW machine).
Also, two LNGCc built by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. and Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. for the Qatar LNG Project and powered by main propulsion turbines of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries manufacture and a ship built by Atlantique, France, for Petronas Marine and powered by the main propulsion turbine of Kawasaki Heavy Industries manufacture were commissioned in service, respectively, in 1997.
The main propulsion turbine for LNGC application is expected to remain in brisk demand in the future. Considering the environmental problems, however, the improved turbine plant operating efficiency for greater saving in energy consumption, etc., which are the challenges to be met henceforth.
3.2 Auxiliary Turbine
The marine auxiliary turbines, manufactured by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. and Shinko Industries, Ltd. in Japan, include the generator, cargo oil pump, and ballast pump turbines.
In 1997, 15 generator turbines were manufactured by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. and four by Shinko Industries, Ltd. Those manufactured by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. were mostly for installation in LNGCs.
The cargo oil pump and ballast pump turbines manufactured in 1997 numbered 209 in total, of which 33 were turned out by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. and 176 by Shinko Industries, Ltd.
The world's oil tankers have now reached the stage of replacement causing the rise in demand for cargo oil pump and ballast pump turbines. Business inquiries about these auxiliary turbines are brisk, and the prospect is good that the turbine manufacturing activities will continue at a high level henceforth.
The demand for generator turbines for LNGC application also is expected to remain strong hereafter.
South Korea at present is in so great an economic bind that its LNGC building projects must be seriously affected with consequent impact on the manufacturing of marine propulsion and auxiliary turbines in the Pacific Asian region. The country's economic situation, therefore, warrants careful attention for some time to come [Yasunori TASHIMA]
4. Gas Turbines and Turbochargers
4.1 Gas Turbines
The operational results of the aero-derivative gas turbines have been increased as the main engine for marine use in naval vessels and high-speed ships taking advantage of its characteristics.
The number of naval vessels on which gas turbines are installed in Japan totals 46 as of the end of 1997 including those under construction or planning, and the number of gas turbines exceeds 190 sets including the spare engines.
The naval vessels which entered in service in 1997 was "Murasame" type DD class escort vessel (built by MES) which was ordered in 1992 fiscal year, in which 2 sets of the LM2500 gas turbine by GE in US (16,500 PS, manufactured by IHI) and the SMIC gas turbine by RR in UK (13,500 PS, manufactured by KHI) are installed with twin shaft COGAG (Combined Gas turbine And Gas turbine) system.
In 1997, one "Murasame" type DD vessel (to be built by Hitachi Zosen, and delivered in March, 2001) was contracted.
As for the gas turbine for on-board generators, the M1A-25 (1,500 kW) gas turbine developed by KHI itself and the 501-K34 gas turbine by Allison in US (2,500 kW manufactured by IHI) are the main stream now.
Three sets of M1A-25 were installed on two "Murasame" type DD vessels, and total 6 sets are in service and 15 sets will be installed on the succeeding five DD vessels. Three sets of 501-K34 were installed on three "Kongo" type DDG class escort vessels, and total, 9 sets are in service and 3 sets will be installed on the succeeding DDG vessel.
As for the high-speed ships for commercial use in Japan 15 water-jet propelled hydrofoils (Jet Foil) with 2 sets of 501-KF(3,800 PS) gas turbine by Allison have been built by KHI, and entered in service.
One of the scaled model ships for the next-generation super-high speed cargo ship "Techno Super Linear (TSL)", Hisho with air-cushion type hybrid support hull (TSL-A) was converted to the disaster relief ship and entered in service. 2 sets of MFT-8 gas turbines developed by MHI as the propulsion engine (28,000 PS, with the gas generator by TPM in Canada), and 1 set of TF40 gas turbine (2,000 SHP) by Textron Lycoming in US were installed in the "Hisho".
In the trend of the novel technology on the marine gas turbine, the "Technical Research Association of Super Marine Gas Turbine" comprising 5 Japanese gas turbine manufacturers was established. The Association will develop the gas turbine for marine propulsion (2,500 kW class) in which the amount of NOx is about 1/10 compared with the existing diesel engines and the fuel consumption is approximately equal to that thereof from 1997 to 2002.
