"Power machines" opens Russia's first high-tech production facility of cast blades for power gas turbines
"Power machines" put into operation a unique high-tech production facility of cast blades where, for the first time in Russia, a critical technology for creating the most complex gas turbine parts – hot path blade castings – was introduced. Over 6 billion rubles were invested in the production area of over 6 thousand square meters, of which 2.4 billion rubles in the form of two soft loans were provided by the Federal Industrial Development Fund.
The ceremony of commissioning of the new plant was attended by Mikhail Ivanov, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation, Kirill Soloveichik, Chairman of the Committee for Industrial Policy, Innovations and Trade of Saint Petersburg, and Alexander Konyukhov, General Director of JSC "Power machines".
The new complex was created on the territory of the turbine blade production facility of "Power machines" in Saint Petersburg. It is equipped with unique technological equipment, much of which is designed and manufactured by special order by Russian enterprises specializing in non-standard equipment for the industry.
The capacity of the new production facility is designed to produce 16 sets of cast blades of high capacity gas turbines per year with the possibility of increasing up to 24 sets. One set includes about 550 pieces of cast blades. This will ensure the required volume of blades for "Power Machines" own production, as well as for gas turbine service, including third-party production.
"In 2020, for the development of this project, the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Russia approved a loan of 2.4 billion rubles from the "Industry Development Fund". The main task is to establish a stable production output to ensure not only the production but also the repair of machines already operating in the Russian power industry," said Mikhail Ivanov, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation.
"The opening of production of cast gas turbine blades is a milestone event for "Power Machines" and the entire industry. The new production operates on the principle of 100% import substitution: our specialists have developed and implemented the technology using unique equipment and materials created based on domestic experience in aviation and power gas turbine construction. At the current stage, we have successfully mastered the production of GTE-65 gas turbine blades, featuring a complex internal cavity designed for implementing the cooling system. We continue to work out the technology and prepare for serial production of cast large-size blades of GTE-170 gas turbine," highlighted Alexander Konyukhov, General Director of JSC "Power machines".
The hot path blade is one of the most science-intensive and difficult to manufacture gas turbine parts, requiring complex calculations in design and high precision in manufacturing. To produce cast blades, "Power machines" has developed and implemented the technology involving the manufacturing of ceramic rods from fused quartz, pressing wax models, manufacturing ceramic molds, heating metal, casting ceramic molds, and conducting finishing and non-destructive testing of blade castings. These castings have overall dimensions up to 900 mm and weigh up to 50 kg.
For reference: A strategically important project of resuming gas turbine production in Russia is being implemented by JSC "Power machines" with the support of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Russia.
"Power machines" creates capacities to produce eight gas turbines per year. The company will also provide service of gas turbines, including third-party production, in particular, production and supply of spare parts.
The production sites of Leningradsky Metallichesky Zavod and more than 1650 units of technological equipment are involved in the manufacturing of gas turbines. More than 150 designers and technologists and over 1400 production specialists are working on the project.
In December 2022, "Power machines" completed production and tested the prototype model of the GTE-170 high-capacity gas turbine. The first serial gas turbine GTE-170 will be manufactured by the end of 2023.
At the same time, the company is working on the production of a highly efficient F-class medium-capacity gas turbine - GTE-65. The scheduled completion date for the prototype model of the GTE-65 gas turbine is set for 2024.
