The following paper provides an overview of GE's H System{trademark} technology, and specifically, the design, development, and test activities associated with the DOE Advanced Turbine Systems (ATS) program. There was intensive effort expended in bringing this revolutionary advanced technology program to commercial reality. In addition to describing the magnitude of performance improvement possible through use of H System{trademark} technology, this paper discusses the technological milestones during the development of the first 9H (50Hz) and 7H (60 Hz) gas turbines. To illustrate the methodical product development strategy used by GE, this paper discusses several technologies that were essential to the introduction of the H System{trademark}. Also included are analyses of the series of comprehensive tests of materials, components and subsystems that necessarily preceded full scale field testing of the H System{trademark}. This paper validates one of the basic premises with which GE started the H System{trademark} development program: exhaustive and elaborate testing programs minimized risk at every step of this process, and increase the probability of success when the H System{trademark} is introduced into commercial service. In 1995, GE, the world leader in gas turbine technology for over half a century, in conjunction with the DOE National Energy Technology Laboratory's ATS program, introduced its new generation of gas turbines. This H System{trademark} technology is the first gas turbine ever to achieve the milestone of 60% fuel efficiency. Because fuel represents the largest individual expense of running a power plant, an efficiency increase of even a single percentage point can substantially reduce operating costs over the life of a typical gas-fired, combined-cycle plant in the 400 to 500 megawatt range. The H System{trademark} is not simply a state-of-the-art gas turbine. It is an advanced, integrated, combined-cycle system in which every component is optimized for the highest level of performance. The unique feature of an H-technology combined-cycle system is the integrated heat transfer system, which combines both the steam plant reheat process and gas turbine bucket and nozzle cooling. This feature allows the power generator to operate at a higher firing temperature than current technology units, thereby resulting in dramatic improvements in fuel-efficiency. The end result is the generation of electricity at the lowest, most competitive price possible. Also, despite the higher firing temperature of the H System{trademark}, the combustion temperature is kept at levels that minimize emission production. GE has more than 3.6 million fired hours of experience in operating advanced technology gas turbines, more than three times the fired hours of competitors' units combined. The H System{trademark} design incorporates lessons learned from this experience with knowledge gleaned from operating GE aircraft engines. In addition, the 9H gas turbine is the first ever designed using ''Design for Six Sigma'' methodology, which maximizes reliability and availability throughout the entire design process. Both the 7H and 9H gas turbines will achieve the reliability levels of our F-class technology machines. GE has tested its H System{trademark} gas turbine more thoroughly than any previously introduced into commercial service. The H System{trademark} gas turbine has undergone extensive design validation and component testing. Full-speed, no-load testing of the 9H was achieved in May 1998 and pre-shipment testing was completed in November 1999. The 9H will also undergo approximately a half-year of extensive demonstration and characterization testing at the launch site. Testing of the 7H began in December 1999, and full speed, no-load testing was completed in February 2000. The 7H gas turbine will also be subjected to extensive demonstration and characterization testing at the launch site.
