GE has developed the world’s first two-stage turbocharged gas engine and is applying this game-changing technology to its Jenbacher J624 gas engine. The new engine provides significant output and efficiency increases compared to the single turbocharged version and is particularly well-suited for operation in hot environments and combined heat and power (CHP) applications.

With the new system, which GE developed with specialists from ABB Turbo Systems Ltd, the J624 achieves approximately 10 percent higher output, increasing from 4 megawatts (MW) to 4.4 MW and offers an electrical efficiency of 46.5 percent, an increase of about 1 percentage point. Improved efficiency is critical for the competitive cost of electricity and for the reduction of CO2 emissions in a carbon-constrained environment.
In addition to the higher charging pressure, this technology also significantly improves the power density of the engine allowing it to run beyond 22 bar BMEP1 (brake mean effective pressure).

Applications for the new two-stage turbocharged gas engine include independent power producers, CHP, trigeneration and special applications using natural gas fuel, as well as a wide range of non-natural gas fuels. The new engine will be available to customers worldwide by the summer of 2011.