General Electric LM2500


The General Electric LM2500 is an industrial and marine gas turbine produced by GE Aviation. The LM2500 is a derivative of the General Electric CF6-6 aircraft engine.
As of 2004, the U.S. Navy and at least 29 other navies had used a total of more than one thousand LM2500/LM2500+ gas turbines to power warships. Other uses include hydrofoils, hovercraft and fast ferries.
In 2012, GE developed an FPSO version to serve the oil and gas industry's demand for a lighter, more compact version to generate electricity and drive compressors to send natural gas through pipelines.

Design and development

The LM2500 was first used on the US Navy in 1969, after the original Pratt & Whitney FT4 gas turbines experienced many technical problems. Later, they were used in US Navy warships in the of destroyers and the related, which were constructed from 1970. In this configuration it was rated to. This configuration was subsequently used into the 1980s in the s, and s. It was also used by one of People's Republic of China's Type 052 Luhu Class Missile Destroyer acquired before the embargo.
The LM2500 was uprated to for the s, which were initiated in the 1980s and started to see service in the early 1990s, and the T-AOE-6 class of fast combat tanker.
In 2001 the LM2500 was installed in a sound-proof capsule in the South African Navy frigates as part of a CODAG propulsion system with two MTU 16V 1163 TB93 Propulsion Diesels.
The current generation was uprated in the late 1990s to over.
The LM2500 is typically installed within a metal enclosure that provides sound and thermal isolation from adjacent machinery spaces. This enclosure is comparable in size to a standard intermodal shipping container, although the engine’s dimensions slightly exceed standard container measurements. Air intake ducting is often designed to facilitate straightforward removal of the LM2500 from the vessel.
The LM2500+ is an evolution of the LM2500, delivering up to or 28.6 MW of electric energy when combined with an electrical generator. Two of such turbo-generators have been installed in the superstructure near the funnel of Queen Mary 2, the world's largest transatlantic ocean liner, for additional electric energy for the liner to reach higher sea speeds. Celebrity Cruises uses two LM2500+ engines in their s in a COGES cycle.
The LM2500 is license-built in India by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited; in Italy by Avio Aero; and in Japan by IHI Corporation.
The LM2500/LM2500+ can often be found as turbine part of CODAG, CODOG, CODLAG propulsion systems or in pairs as powerplants for COGAG systems.

Naval application

United States

Amphibious assault ships
Cruisers
Destroyers
Frigates
Fast combat support ships
Roll-on/Roll-off
High endurance cutters
Littoral combat ships
Hydrofoils

  • Export

;
;
;
;
;
;
;
;
;
;
;
;
;
;
;
;
;
;
;
;
;
;
;
;
;
;
;
;
;
;
;
;
;

Civilian operators

Cruise ships
Ocean liners
  • ''Queen Mary 2''

    Variants

The LM2500 is available in 3 different versions:
  • The LM2500 delivers with a thermal efficiency of 37 percent at ISO conditions. When coupled with an electric generator, it delivers 24 MW of electricity at 60 Hz with a thermal efficiency of 36 percent at ISO conditions.
  • The improved, 3rd generation, LM2500+ version of the turbine delivers with a thermal efficiency of 39 percent at ISO conditions. When coupled with an electric generator, it delivers 29 MW of electricity at 60 Hz with a thermal efficiency of 38 percent at ISO conditions.
  • The latest, 4th generation, LM2500+G4 version was introduced in November 2005 and delivers 47,370 shp with a thermal efficiency of 39.3 percent at ISO conditions.

    Derivatives

  • The GE TM2500 is derived from the LM2500, and mounted on a trailer that makes it possible to move it to wherever 30 MW of temporary electricity generation is required. It can be installed and commissioned in 11 days.

    Specifications

The basic LM2500 has a single shaft gas generator derived from the CF6 with an annular combustion chamber. The LM2500+ variants generate additional power by the addition of a "zero stage" to the compressor.