Iran's engineering MAPNA Group has successfully indigenized an improved design of a highly efficient gas turbine for use in domestic and foreign power stations, an official in the energy enterprise said.
"The efficiency in the new turbine, known as MAP2B, has boosted by 2%, which means 20 million cubic meters less consumption of natural gas per year for every turbine," Morteza Nezamabadi was also quoted as saying by ISNA on Sunday.
"MAP2B capacity has reached 185 megawatts, which is 28 MW more than the previous versions. Moreover, it helps reduce the emission of greenhouse gases, especially carbon dioxide, by as much as 40,000 tons," he said.
According to the official, the new version entails major redesign of the turbine’s main components, including new 3D blades and vanes, enhanced cooling and sealing, new base material and coatings, new 3D design for compressor blades, new design for journal-thrust bearing, new mechanical limit, as well as a new design for air filtration.
"The venture has taken five years to be launched," Nezamabadi said, adding that upon installing MAP2B in power plants, the country's electricity generation capacity will increase by 1,500 MW.
Commenting on the installation of the turbine in Iraq's power projects, the official said, "MAP2B is one of the key components of a 3,000-MW power plant in Basra, known as Rumaila Combined-Cycle Power Plant."
According to Nezamabadi, the Rumaila power plant is the biggest technical project in the Middle East, which will increase Iraq's total power generation capacity by 20%. Iraq is grappling with a chronic electricity shortage that has caused lengthy blackouts and mass protests against its government, particularly during the hot summer season when electricity demand for cooling soars.
According to the official, the advanced technology can be applied on older turbines in the same family like E-class ones, which are up and running in the country's power plants, that is why plans have been made to conduct a thorough survey on prototypes in Asalouyeh power station in the southern Bushehr Province as well as Parand in Tehran.
"Most turbines used in Iranian power stations are from the E-class family that can be upgraded to the new MAP2B with improved efficiency and performance," he said.
"The durability of the equipment and the maintenance period in the new version increases from 33,000 hours to 41,000 hours."
MAPNA Group is a conglomerate of Iranian companies involved in development and execution of thermal and renewable power, oil and gas, railroad transportation and other industrial projects as well as manufacturing equipment.
The consortium is playing a key role in upgrading Iran's power industry that grappled with a lack of investment and technology when economic restrictions were in place. It also operates in the power projects of Iraq, Syria, Pakistan, Oman and Indonesia, among other markets.
The company last year signed a contract with Siemens for more than 20 gas turbines and associated generators that will be delivered over the next decade as well as the transfer of turbine manufacturing know-how. Siemens shipped its first highly-efficient F-class gas turbine to MAPNA in September.
