Siemens metal AM gas turbine burner completes successful first year of operation

News
September 19, 2018

September 19, 2018

Siemens metal AM gas turbine burner completes successful first year of operation

Siemens’ metal AM gas burner for the SGT-700 gas turbine operating at E.ON’s combined cycle power plant in Philippsthal, Germany (Courtesy Siemens)

 

The first gas turbine burner to be produced by Siemens using Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) metal Additive Manufacturing has now been in operation for over 8,000 hours, having completed its first full year of active service in an SGT-700 gas turbine at E.ON’s combined cycle power plant in Philippsthal, Germany. To-date, Siemens stated that the burner has no reported issues.

Siemens began additively manufacturing gas turbine burners by LPBF in 2017 with its intelligent burner manufacturing (IBUMA) programme in Finspång, Sweden. Using AM enabled the company to produce each burner head in one piece, compared to conventional methods requiring thirteen individual parts and eighteen welds.

The redesign of the part for AM also enabled improvements to the functionality of the burner, such as incorporation of the pilot-gas feed into the head instead of the outside fuel pipe. This allows the operating temperature to be kept lower and contributes to a longer operational lifespan.

Working side-by-side, Siemens and E.ON became co-creators on this project, realising benefits on both sides of the partnership. Siemens stated that it is accelerating the development of innovative design and manufacturing technologies, while E.ON is benefitting from these innovations at an early stage.

“As an energy service provider, precision and consistency are an absolute requirement for us,” explained Niklas Lange, Project Manager at E.ON Energy Projects. “Additive Manufacturing not only delivers this, but in our experience it can even improve performance compared with older models.”

“We like to help drive innovation,” he continued. “When I saw these burners from Siemens in Sweden, I knew we could benefit from using them in a commercial turbine. It’s also important to note that our hands-on collaboration with Siemens has been a key to deliver performance to our customer.”

Vladimir Navrotsky, Chief Technology Officer for Siemens Power Generation Services, Distributed Generation, commented, “These early results from the IBUMA burner with E.ON validate our belief that this technology is a game-changer. We appreciate E.ON’s active participation and commitment to driving innovation and look forward to our continued close collaboration.”

Siemens began investing in metal AM in 2008 and has since been developing the technology specifically for power generation. In 2012, it installed its first EOS M280 SLM printer and adapted it for burner repairs. In 2013, the first additively manufactured burner tips and swirlers were installed in commercial gas turbines. In 2016, Siemens acquired UK-based Materials Solutions, and in 2017, designed and printed the world’s first gas turbine blades and validated them under operating conditions.

www.siemens.com

www.eonenergy.com

News
September 19, 2018

In the latest issue of Metal AM magazine

Download PDF
 

Extensive AM industry news coverage, as well as the following exclusive deep-dive articles:

  • Metal powders in Additive Manufacturing: An exploration of sustainable production, usage and recycling
  • Inside Wayland Additive: How innovation in electron beam PBF is opening new markets for AM
  • An end-to-end production case study: Leveraging data-driven machine learning and autonomous process control in AM
  • Consolidation, competition, and the cost of certification: Insight from New York’s AM Strategies 2024
  • Scandium’s impact on the Additive Manufacturing of aluminium alloys
  • AM for medical implants: An analysis of the impact of powder reuse in Powder Bed Fusion

The world of metal AM to your inbox

Don't miss any new issue of Metal AM magazine, and get the latest industry news. Sign up to our twice weekly newsletter.

Sign up

Discover our magazine archive…

The free to access Metal Additive Manufacturing magazine archive offers unparalleled insight into the world of metal Additive Manufacturing from a commercial and technological perspective through:

  • Reports on visits to leading metal AM part manufacturers and industry suppliers
  • Articles on technology and application trends
  • Information on materials developments
  • Reviews of key technical presentations from the international conference circuit
  • International industry news

All past issues are available to download as free PDFs or view in your browser.

Browse the archive

Looking for AM machines, metal powders or part manufacturing services?

Discover suppliers of these and more in our comprehensive advertisers’ index and buyer’s guide, available in the back of Metal AM magazine.

  • AM machines
  • Process monitoring & calibration
  • Heat treatment & sintering
  • HIP systems & services
  • Pre- & post-processing technology
  • Powders, powder production and analysis
  • Part manufacturers
  • Consulting, training & market data
View online
Share via
Copy link
Powered by Social Snap