DUBAL first customer for GE's new high performance platforms

Dubai Aluminium Company (DUBAL), which powers one of the world's largest aluminium smelters with a 2,350 MW power station, has placed the first order in the Middle East for innovative, high-performance platforms by GE that enhance the flexibility, performance and value of its existing gas turbine assets.

This was announced at GE's Powering Efficiency Forum, a thought leadership summit focused on meeting future energy efficiency needs in the Middle East. Government officials, power generation company representatives and industry leaders attended the event.

At the Powering Efficiency Forum, GE announced the expansion of its high-performance Advanced Gas Path (AGP) solution for its 9E and 9F-3 gas turbine customers in the Middle East. Proven to deliver industry-leading upgrade performance, AGP marks the first-of-its-kind solution available for comparably sized gas turbine assets in both classes.

The AGP solution is part of GE's LifeMax Advantage portfolio for installed B/E-Class gas turbines, which along with the FlexEfficiency Advantage portfolio for F-Class gas turbines apply the collective power of hardware innovations, advanced software and data analytics in ways that enable its customers to unleash the full performance and value of their existing gas turbine assets.

AGP technology advancements feature hardware design and materials improvements to the components of GE's gas turbine hot gas path system. These innovations are coupled with GE's OpFlex advanced controls software to expand gas turbine performance and enable GE customers to operate their power plants more dynamically.

The LMA solutions help customers with installed B/E-Class turbines to reset the clock on their ageing assets with custom-fit upgrade packages. Customers can achieve improvements in output, efficiency and reliability with a suite of upgrades that enable B/E-Class units to recapture lost performance and lower operating costs.

DUBAL installed GE's Advanced Gas Path solution, which includes OpFlex advanced controls software, on one 9E unit in April 2013 to expand the performance of its power station's output, efficiency and maintenance intervals. Since completion of the upgrade, the gas turbine's output increased by 3.4 per cent, generating an additional 5.88 MW and improving fuel efficiency by about 1.5 per cent.

DUBAL has also ordered software upgrades, including GE's OpFlex AutoRecover and Peak Fire technologies, along with a Mark VIe controls upgrade, to drive further output and efficiency improvements, while containing overall maintenance costs. Installation of all five LifeMax Advantage solutions on DUBAL's second 9E gas turbine is scheduled for November 2013, with installations on the remaining unit scheduled for 2014.

DUBAL produces more than one million metric tons of aluminium products per year, including foundry alloy for automotive applications, extrusion billet for construction, industrial, forging and transportation, and high purity aluminium for the electronics and aerospace industries. The company delivers products to more than 300 customers in 57 countries.

Active in the Middle East since the 1930s, GE's presence today comprises an array of established projects across the region via strategic partnerships, investments and solutions, with a focus on infrastructure development and major challenges such as cleaner energy and water scarcity.