Eurodyn takes to the water

Ulstein has released its 2.3MW (3,127 bhp) Eurodyn gas turbine for commercial trials in a 200 passenger fast ferry. In testing, the prototype (2.3MW) simple-cycle units gave full-load fuel consumption figures of 240g/kWh, 20-25 per cent better than other comparable turbines says the company.

As the turbine is light and compact, extra weight and space is available to increase the passenger capacity, allowing the test fast ferry to match the fuel consumption (per passenger kilometre) of a high-speed diesel powered equivalent, says the company.

Manufacture of pre-production 2.6MW (3,535 bhp) units will begin in the first half of 1999 (some of which will be used in a fast ferry newbuilding) with commercial production expected in 2000. A low-NOx combustor, which can reduce levels to 0.25g/kWh on distillate fuel, is under development and will eventually be retrofitted to early units.