Pratt & Whitney Power Systems Developing an FT4000 SWIFTPAC® Next-Generation Industrial Gas Turbine

LAS VEGAS, Dec. 13, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Pratt & Whitney Power Systems today announced the development of its latest aeroderivative industrial gas turbine, the FT4000 SWIFTPAC®, at the POWER-GEN International tradeshow. This next generation gas turbine is based on one of the aviation industry's most widely utilized aircraft engines, the flight-proven PW4000 class turbofan engine, which has 26 million hours on more than 850 engines for the Airbus A330 and Boeing 777. Designed for simple cycle, combined cycle or cogeneration and available in 60 and 120 MW power blocks, the FT4000 SWIFTPAC will provide the highest power output of any aeroderivative gas turbine generator package available in the market. Pratt & Whitney is a United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX) company.

"Pratt & Whitney has a long legacy of delivering extremely reliable, efficient and dependable aircraft engines, and we're using the core technology from these engines to deliver a next generation gas turbine package ideally suited for our customers," said Peter Christman, president, Pratt & Whitney Power Systems. "In terms of price, power output, efficiency, emissions and availability, we're confident that the FT4000 SWIFTPAC will be a very attractive solution for utilities and power providers."

With a modular design that includes proven features of the successful FT8 SWIFTPAC® and MOBILEPAC® power plants, the next generation FT4000 SWIFTPAC offers a nominal 60 and 120 megawatt package of reliable peaking and base-load power in a compact footprint. The SWIFTPAC design accommodates a 60 MW single engine or a 120 MW dual engine configuration, and provides the operational flexibility inherent with aeroderivative turbines, including quick start characteristics.

The FT4000 SWIFTPAC utilizes a modified core compressor and turbine from its aero parent, maintaining more than 90 percent part commonality with the PW4170 and PW4090 engines. The next generation product's new low pressure compressor and industrial power turbine are designed for durability and enhanced on-site maintainability, and its high speed and advanced airfoil design and variable geometry translate into optimized performance. The new package also provides wet compression for improved performance above ISO conditions, and offers greater than 41 percent efficiency without the complexity of intercooling.

Increasing global demand for electricity, sustained high prices of oil, and regulatory efforts to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions make gas turbines an especially attractive source of power generation. Gas-fired power plants produce less carbon dioxide when burned than either coal or petroleum, and recent advances in natural gas production are leading to a more affordable and abundant fuel supply. Because the FT4000 SWIFTPAC can start rapidly and follow load demand, it is also well positioned to complement intermittent and irregular renewable power generation sources.

"While the product is in development, we will be discussing this next generation power solution with our existing FT8 customers only," said David Maher, director of Pratt & Whitney Power Systems next generation products. "The FT4000 is in full scale development, and we anticipate the first prototype will be available in 2013, and full scale production will be underway in 2014."

As a next generation product, the FT4000 SWIFTPAC builds on over 50 years of aero-derivative packaging experience. Pratt & Whitney Power Systems has leveraged the advanced technology of its proven aircraft engines and uniquely applied it to become a leader in power generation solutions. The PWPS gas turbine engine portfolio offers competitive, efficient and flexible products at 25MW to 60MW of power. Power Systems has more than 2,000 industrial gas turbines installed in over 50 countries worldwide.

Pratt & Whitney is a world leader in the design, manufacture and service of aircraft engines, space propulsion systems and industrial gas turbines. United Technologies, based in Hartford, Conn., is a diversified company providing high technology products and services to the global aerospace and commercial building industries. www.pw.utc.com

SOURCE Pratt & Whitney