Ansaldo Energia, leading company in the field of energy generation and 88% controlled by Cassa Depositi e Prestiti, has completed the cold commissioning phase of the AE94.3A gas turbine built and installed in the new IREN power plant in Turbigo. With this operation, Ansaldo Energia is now able to kick off the hot commissioning phase, which began with the turn-on of the turbine (first firing) and all ancillary operations for commissioning.
The work in synergy between the technical and the electrical rooms made it possible to achieve the set goal: to generate the "first flame" in the combustion chamber and accelerate the turbine up to a speed of about 42 Hertz, thus enabling the necessary controls on the combustion and thepourging of the pre-mix gas lines in the machine.
The first firing is a crucial moment for the gas turbine operation and for the control of the auxiliary systems and is the first in a series of events that will lead to the commissioning of the combined cycle.
The next step will be the first synchronization (first synchro), that is to bring the turbine to 3,000 rpm (50 Hertz) and, after the electrical tests on the generator, to connect to the national electricity grid. The success of this operation will define its definitive functioning and effective compatibility with the network. The next phase will be the commissioning of the combined cycle and the steam turbine.
