3. Steam Turbines
3.1 Main Turbine (for LNGCs)
Both Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. (KHI) and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) turned out more main turbines in 1998 than in 1997.
These main turbines were manufactured mostly for installation in LNGCS built in South Korea under its LNG project. In the aftermath of the economic crisis of South Korea in 1997, however, the LNG project came to a standstill. This situation forced the Korean shipbuilders involved in the project to cancel or defer the other new orders for LNGC main turbines. Consequently, KHI and MHI received thereafter no orders for main turbines.
The domestic environment of main turbine business is also bleak. In 1998, only few orders were received for main turbines in connection with LNGCS built in Japan.
On the other hand, in the wake of a main turbine technical cooperation initiated between Hyundai Heavy Industries Co, Ltd. (HHI) of South Korea and MHI, the first production unit of main turbine manufactured by HHI has already been in service on board an HHI-built ship. Under such a technical cooperation, it is expected that more and more main turbines will be manufactured in South Korea for the installation in ships built there.
3.2 Generator Turbines (Manufactured by Shinko and MHI)
More generator turbines were manufactured (by MHI) in 1998 for installation in LNGCS than in 1997, as was the case with the main turbines.
Because of the difficult business situation of 1998 as mentioned in 1) above, it should be predicted that the number of generator turbines to be manufactured in 1999 for use on board LNGCS decrease.
It is considered likely, on the other hand, that more of the generator turbine for oil tanker application (the turbine used in the so-called exhaust gas economizer-driven turbine-generator unit) will be ordered and manufactured in 1999 than in 1998. This is because there is a move afoot toward construction of replacement oil tankers.
3.3 Cargo Oil Pump and Ballast Pump Turbines (Manufactured by Shinko and MHI)
Shinko manufactured nearly twice as many cargo oil pump turbines in 1998 as in 1997 with the increase of the number of oil tankers constructed. The company expects to turn out even more cargo oil pump turbines in 1999 than in 1998.
Because of the low prices quoted to win new orders for the turbines in the highly competitive world of shipbuilding, the marine machinery manufacturers will, however, have to make efforts for the cut in cost in order to reserve orders for their products.
MHI's manufacturing track record. shows the total amount of products in 1998 is as high as in 1997. But more and more steam turbines for new ships constructed in South Korea in the future will be manufactured by HHI under the technical cooperation with MHI. Actually, 10 turbines have been already made under such a cooperation. This tendency implies that less and less of these machines will be manufactured by MHI henceforth in Japan.
MT: Main turbine
GT: Generator turbine
COPT: Cargo oil pump turbine
[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 especially for naval vessels taking advantage of its characteristics.
The number of naval vessels on which gas turbines are installed in Japan totals 49 as of the end of 1998 including those under construction or planning, and the number of gas turbines exceeds 200 sets including the spare engines.
The naval vessels which entered in services in 1998 was “Kongo” type DDG class escort vessel (built by IHI) which was ordered in 1993 fiscal year, in which 4 sets of the LM2500 gas turbine by GE in US (25,000PS, manufactured by IHI) are installed with twin shaft COGAG (COmbined Gas turbine And Gas turbine) system. In 1998, two “Murasame” type DD class escort vessels (to be built by IHI and MHI, and delivered in March 2002) were contracted, in which 2 sets of the LM2500 gas turbine (16,500PS) and the SMIC gas turbine by RR in UK (13,500PS, manufactured by KHI) are to be installed with twin shaft COGAG system.
