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Application of the GT35 industrial gas turbine for the propulsion of fast ferries
Bo S Svensson

111111 111111111 111111111 I

ABB STAL
Finspong, Sweden

ABSTRACT
The paper describes the modifications required to make the 0135
industrial gas turbine suitable for use in fast ferries as propulsion
machinery. The modifications made to get the unit to meet pitch and
roll requirements are dealt with, as well as the engine support system
modifications.
The 0135's capability to burn low quality, liquid fuels is discussed,
and a close look is taken at the effect such fuel has on the life of the
unit and the time between service.
to facilitate power production on the ship, the 0135 has
been equipped with a starting motor which during operation is used
as a shaft driven generator. The generator is driven by the low
pressure rotor. Each generator can produce 500 kW, which means
1000 kW for the ferry. The effect of the arrangement on the rotor
system behavior is described.
In order

0135
The 0135 is built up of a gas generator and a free power turbine.
The gas generator is of a twin-spool design, with a low-pressure and
a high- pressure compressor driven by a two-stage turbine and a onestage turbine, respectively. The combustor system consists of 7 cans
exhausting into an uncooled turbine section. The 0135's normal
output is 17 MW, with a maximum continuous rating of 18.3 MW.
The GT35 has been used in power generation applications for over
40 years, and for land-based mechanical drive applications for over
25 years. Since it has been designed for long-term use at high output
levels, it is ideally suited for fast ferry and cargo ship propulsion.

At the time of writing this paper ABS has sold 6 GT35 units for
operation in 3 fast ferries. The speed of the ferries varies between 40
knots and 60 knots. At the time of writing this paper, the first of the
two HSS 900 ferries for Siena Line, Sweden, has just completed its
first set of' sea trials.

INTRODUCTION
In both the passenger and cargo segments, ships with speeds above
25 ',mots are attracting more and more interest. Due to their low
weight and volume in relation to output, gas turbines are moving into
this growing market to become a strong alternative to diesel
propulsion machinery.
Light industrial gas turbines such as ABB's 0135 also meet other
demands of fast fern, operators, such as low life-cycle costs, low
maintenance requirements, low fuel costs and high availability.

Figure 1: GT35 propulsion machinery for one of

Steno Line's HSS 900 fast ferries.
FUEL FLF_JaBILITY
Fuel cost is an important element in the economics of fast skip
propulsion, and the ability of the GT35 to burn low-cost fuel has
been a key factor in all the marine propulsion orders placed so far.
Another advantage of the 0135's fuel flexibility is that it is simple to
switch to another fuel when circumstances change.
The 0135 has a specific fuel consumption (SFC) of 258 g/kWh,
rather higher than for many comparable aero-derivative gas turbines

Presented at the ASME ASIA '97 Congress & Exhibition

Singapore - September 30-October 7,1997

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and diesel engines. However, unlike many aero-derivatives, the

G-ns will maintain this level of fuel consumption. There are two
reasons why the fuel consumption of aero-derivative gas turbines
might rise. Firstly, they can be subject to far higher levels of
deterioration of efficiency and power than those experienced by the
GUS. A typical figure for deterioration in the GT35 over 10,00015,000 hours would be 1%. If an aero-derivative gas turbine has an
initial SFC of 240 g/kWh and a deterioration rate of 8% over the
same period, its advantage over. the 0135 in terms of SFC will be
virtually eliminated. Secondly, it is important to note that when the
output of an aero-derivative gas turbine is downrated - in order to
prolong the intervals between service, for example - its SFC will alsd
increase.

while the total fuel cost for a 0T35 package over the same period
will be:
0.258 x 34 x 6000 x 100 = US$ 5.26 million.
This implies a saving in fuel cost of just over US$ 2 million per year.
When allowance is made for the lower level of power degradation
experienced by the 0135, the annual fuel cost savings will rise to
well over US$ 2 million.
The fuel flexibility of the 0135 is based upon two factors: the size of
the combustors and the low turbine inlet temperature.
COMBUSTORS
When compared with gas fuels, liquid fuels require longer times to
complete combustion. Since the ans is equipped with large
combustors, there is no danger of flames propagating into the turbine
and reducing component life.

The ability of the 0135 to bum low-quality fuel means that the
economic effect of its slightly higher SFC is more than offset by the
lower fuel cost, ( Figure 2). For Steno Line's HSS 900, the cost of
the heavy distillate suitable for the 0T35 was around US$ 4050/tonne lower than the cost of the fuel quality required for the aeroderivative units which were also being considered.

The large combustors are also important because of the need to have
ample space in order to lessen the heat load on the combustor walls.
In a 17 MW gas turbine, around 50 MW of heat is released in the
combustor section. The lumination index for burning a liquid fuel is
much higher than that for gas fuel bunting.
Figure 3 shows a comparison between one of seven 0T35 combustor
cans with one of eight cans of an older type of aero-derivative gas
turbine with a similar output. A modem aero engine, with even more
compact combustors than those of the older type of aero engine
shown in Figure 3, will be more sensitive to the combustion of liquid
fuels.

Figure 2: The first , rough decision on fuel type can be

made with the help of a viscosity diagramme.
For the Buquebus B60 operating between Argentina and Uruguay,
even greater savings have been anticipated, with the price of the
MOO (marine gas oil) required by aero-derivatives calculated at USS
190-220/tonne and the price of the IF30 fuel satisfying the
requirements of the GT35 expected to be US$ 110-130/tonne. It is
worth noting that many modem high-speed diesel engines also
require fuels of the MOO type, so their advantage over the GT35 in
terms of lower SFC is lost as well.
Although the prices of fuels change over time, the relative differences
between the various fuel qualities are usually maintained. Even if
the difference is as little as US$ 50/tonne - e.g., US$ 100/tonne for
the 0135's fuel and US$ 150/tonne for fuel to be used in an aeroderivative packages for the same power (34 MW) - the savings will
be significant. Taking an aero-derivative package with SFC of 240
g/kWh (with no allowance made for any deterioration in this level),
the total fuel cost in a year (6000 operating hours) will be:

Figure 3: The combustor of the GT35 is considerably

larger than that of the aero-derivative gas turbine
The combustion system contributes to another notable feature of
the GT35: smoke-free operation on liquid fuel, even at part load.
This is of particular importance to fast ferry operators. whose vessels
typically have to maneuver through port areas many times a day.
Figure 4 shows a 0135 unit operating in Barbados, revealing how
clean the exhaust is despite operation on a heavier type of diesel fuel

0.240 x 34 x 6000 x 150 = US$ 7.34 million,

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EFFECTS OF USING LIQUID FUEL

When calculating the maintenance formula, gas fuel is used as the
base (factor 1). Normal diesel fuel is giiren a factor of 1.2, while
T30 has been given a factor of 1.5. The time between major
overhauls for operation on IF30 would be around 40,000 hours. The
time between inspections would be 10,000 hours.
The lifetime for a 0T35 combustor can is expected to extend well
beyond 60,000 operating hours on liquid fuels of diesel type.
A 0T35 running on a heavy distillate is expected to run for 40,000
hours before the first hot section repair, which entails replacement of
the blades of the one-stage high-pressure turbine. At this time, some
of the seven combustor heads may also need replacement. The first
major overhaul will take place after 60,000-80,000 hours of operation
and involves the replacement of the turbine blades throughout the
turbine section.

Figure 4: GT.3..5 in Barbados burning heavy diesel oil without

smoke.

LOW INLET TEMPERATURE

With a turbine inlet temperature of around 850C (1562F), the GT35
operates well below 884C (I623F), the melting point of sodium
sulfate (Na2SO4). Sodium sulfate is formed during the combustion
process when the sulfur in liquid fuel combines with salt (NaCI) in
the combustion air. In the 0T35, sodium sulfate passes through the
turbine in ash form without causing sulfidation. Although the level of
the sodium sulfate is not significant in terms of emissions, it is high
enough to be a potential source of problems within gas turbines
operating at higher turbine inlet temperatures.

For aero-derivative gas turbines and diesel engines, much shorter

times between maintenance breaks and overhauls would be expected.
This has been borne out by experience in the marine environment
Our experience from operating a fleet of more than 600135 units on
liquid fuel confirms that they can operate for long periods without the
replacement of any major components. There are today 32 GT35
units in operation on liquid fuel in Saudi Arabia. Five of these
operate on Arabian crude oil. Seventeen of the Saudi Arabian units
have averaged 50,000 hours of operation, and none has so far been
through any major overhaul. Although these units do not represent
marine propulsion applications, many of the installations in Saudi
Arabia - as well as in the UAE and other Gulf states - are located in
harsh, salty environments, such as in the desert or on the coast

The attached diagram (Figure 5) shows that most gas turbines on the
market operate with temperatures much higher than 884C. With
various types of cooling and sophisticated materials, the sulfidation is
kept under control as long as the cooling actually works. In many
designs, however, the flow and distribution of cooling air is very
sensitive to the fouling of the flow paths, which in turn results in hot
spots and sulfidation.

0T35 units have also been operating on North Sea oil and gas
production platforms for over 15 years, with no engine failures or
major overhauls. These are dual-fuel units, some of which have spent
significant periods operating on liquid fuels. On BPs Ula platform,
for example, three GT35 generating sets were installed in 1985.
During the first year of operation, liquid fuel of diesel type was used
After the rust year, the units have mainly operated on natural gas,
with diesel used as a standby. When the units had their first major
inspections, after 40,000 hours, no negative effects of the rust year's
liquid fuel operation were found. The deterioration of performance
over the period and before dismantling was proven to be only 1.3 % .
The units have now operated for more than 70,000 hours each, with
over 98% reliability. It is common for gas turbines in offshore
oil/gas installations to spend the first year operating on liquid fuels,
and some offshore operators have seen the lifetimes of their aeroderivative gas turbines reduced considerably as a result

_AO*
4:egoief

MODIFICATIONS
It was necessary to make several minor modifications to the GT35 in
order for it to meet the requirements of the marine sector. These
modifications have meant that the 0T35 can now be offered for other

Figure 5: Turbine inlet temperature of various gas

turbines versus fuel efficiency

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applications, such as for power generation or mechanical drives on

floating oil production, storage and off-loading systems (FIS0s),
(Figure 6).

an electric motor, which also acts as a generator.(Figure 7).

The motor/generator is of a two-pole, squirrel-cage, asynchronous
induction type. It is located in the axial extension of the lowpressure compressor rotor, outside the wall of the air intake plenum.
This location is also used for the starting motor on the GTIO gas
turbine.

In order to meet the relevant pitch and roll, as well as list and surge,
criteria, one of the bearing housings (the one before the high-pressure
turbine) has been equipped with a scavenge pump to evacuate oil
when necessary. The oil tank has also been located one deck below
the turbine in order to ensure that drainage can occur in all
circumstances.

"C.1

Rt
it.PitruOczttr

Figure 7: Starting motor/ shaft generator of

GT35 for the Buquebus 860 fast ferry.
The transitions between starting motor and generator modes are
effected through a static frequency convener system, which means
that the control characteristics are very good, regardless of the rotor
speed. This technology is utilized by ABB in those gas turbine
installations where a generator acts as a starting motor.

Figure 6: GT35 selected for power generation at

the Ramform IPSO at the Conoco Banff field in
the UK sector of the North Sea.

When used for starting, the motor runs at up to 2000 rpm, at which
point the engine reaches its self-sustaining speed. The system then
begins to draw power from the motor, so that it acts as a generator.
Starting requires around 75 kW and when the motor works as a
generator it produces power of up to 500 kW. For a typical fast ferry
installation with two GT35 units, this means I 1v1W can be generated
for the ship's electricity system, tyPically at 60 Hz.

Some modifications have also been made to the engine supports to

allow for deck movements, including the addition of extra springtype supports. Between the turbine and the gearbox on the driver
side, a flex coupling is used to accommodate slight misalignments,
and the same arrangement has been made between the shaft
generator/starter motor and the gas generator. The couplings have
been arranged so that axial forces are minimized during operation.
These modifications have been rather minor in nature since,
generally speaking, the GT35 is relatively insensitive to bending.
This is, in part, due to the fact that the gas generator and power
turbine are of very sturdy design and the compressor casings are of
industrial-type construction and do not easily bend. This contrasts
with the more slender aero-derivative units, which lack robustness in
this respect.

The electric system is smaller and lighter than the pneumatic one
used for the GT35 over many years. Another advantage is that perhaps surprisingly - the starting temperature is even lower than
previously. This is because both the low-pressure and high-pressure
compressors arenui up to ignition, making the airflow through the
turbine considerable, thus reducing the temperature. Low starting
temperatures imply a reduction in low-cycle fatigue stresses and
longer component life.

Other modifications include those to the intake volutes to facilitate

installation of the shaft generator and to reduce shaft length. The
exhaust casing has also been reduced in scale and, for the Stella HSS
900, the power turbine exhaust casings have been made asynunetrical
in order to facilitate installation.

The addition of the motor/generator, with the resulting power takeoff from the low-pressure shaft, has had no negau ve effects on the
behavior of the rotor system. In fact, for both the Ion -pressure and
high- pressure compressors, the operating ranges have moved even
further away from their surge lines.

SHAFT GENERATORA
A major development for marine propulsion applications has been
the replacement of the GT35's pneumatic starting system with

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The installation of the electric motor means that the 0T35 is selfsufficient in that the gas turbine propulsion unit and the driver can
pick up auxiliary power from the shaft generator. Any disturbances
in a ship's electrical system will therefore not trouble the GT35, since
it is able to operate in isolation. The importance of this in terms of
safety is clear,

Lts

The longer time between service activities required is another factor

which favers the 0T35. The very tight docking schedules of fast
ferries make the maintenance frequency and time required to carry
out maintenance critical evaluation factors,
Fast ferry 'fever' has hit the market and it has been shown that
there is strong interest in this form of travel. The haute of gas
turbines as the propulsion units for these craft should be very bright.
However, the outcome of the first few years of operation of the highspeed vessels and their propulsion systems will be critical.

For most gas turbines, idling in harbor is necessary in order to reduce

low-cycle fatigue stresses, because starting and stopping puts strain
on the hot sections. With a shaft generator installed, this idling is
less wasteful. A 0135 running on IF30 will produce less NOx than a
diesel engine generating an equivalent amount of power, and savings
can also be made in diesel engine generator sets, weight and volume.
The shaft generator will also replace diesel generator set capacity
while operating at sea, of course.

End of paper

EARLY OPERATING EXPERIENCE

The first 0135 marine gas turbine units to be ordered were for Stens
Line's HSS 900 'Cuisine', for service between Gothenburg in Sweden
and Fredrikshavn in Denmark. At the time of writing this paper, the
ferry had just completed its first set of sea trials. These were
conducted in wind speeds of up to 17 rn/s (38 m.p.h.) and wave
heights of up to 3 m (10 feet). With the ferry lightly loaded but the
GT35s running well below their normal output levels, speeds of up to
43 knots were achieved. The turbines ran without problems, with
only one minor adjustment having to be made - the replacement of a
damaged oil supply pipe for the gearbox.
The fuel used for the test runs was normal diesel oil (Heating Oil
No I), which is heavier than the marine gas oil used for aeroderivative gas turbines, but lighter than the marine diesel fuel that
the HSS 900 will normally use. According to allorwegian
newspaper which reported the trials, the units operated so quietly
that they could not be heard by people standing on the quay next to
the ship, and there was no smoke produced by the engines.

Figure 8: One 0T35 gas

turbine propulsion unit is installed

in each of the two catamaran hulls.

CONCLUSION
The gas turbine has proved to be a competitive alternative to diesel
units for fast ferries. The 0T35 has in its turn proved to be a strong
contender against aero-derivative units. The robustness of the 0135
and its ability to burn less expensive fuels have been the keys to its
success so far. The slightly heavier design of the 0T35 in comparison
with aero-derivative units has not created any major problems for
shipbuilders.
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