GE Turboexpander Generators Brochure

GE Oil & Gas

Turboexpander-generators

Turboexpander­generators

A turboexpander expands process fluid
from the inlet pressure to the discharge
pressure in two steps: first through variable
inlet guide vanes and then through the
radial wheel. As the accelerated process
fluid moves from the inlet guide vanes
to the expander wheel, kinetic energy is
converted into useful mechanical energy
– extracting energy from the process
fluid and cooling it down. The mechanical
energy is available to drive other process
equipment – in this case, a generator.

Our turboexpander-generator designs
respond to specific industry needs for
increased capacity, reduced costs and
maximized reliability in a wide range of
applications, including:

Continually expanding capabilities

After more than 50 years of turboexpander design, GE now
has about 1,200 units operating worldwide (over 150 coupled
with generators) – and a proven record of delivering higher
power levels, performing at extreme operating temperatures
and achieving greater pressure ratios.

This success across the natural gas and hydrocarbon
industries is a result of our continuous improvement in areas
such as rotor and bearing design, efficiency optimization and
control systems.

• Oil & Gas processing Natural Gas Liquids
(NGL) plants, Liquefied Petroleum Gas
(LPG) recovery; tail gas treatment; Gas­To-liquids (GTL); Integrated Gasification
Combined Cycle (IGCC)

• Liquefaction and purification of gases on
air treatment plants

• Petrochemicals: hydrogen, nitrogen
and ammonia purification; ethylene
production

• Pressure Let Down (PLD) on pipeline

• Geothermal power generation

(e.g. Organic Rankine Cycle, Kalina and
direct steam)

• Waste-heat recovery (WHR) and
Combined Heat and Power (CHP)

• Ocean Thermal Energy Recovery (OTEC)