After 13 years of independent research and development, the first domestically produced F-class 50-megawatt heavy-duty gas turbine, known as the “Turbine of National Pride,” was shipped from Deyang, Sichuan, on November 25th, marking its entry into the engineering application phase. This signifies a breakthrough in China’s heavy-duty gas turbine industry. The blade steel produced by Ansteel Group’s Pangang has become one of the core components of this heavy-duty gas turbine.
Heavy-duty gas turbines are known as the “crown jewel of manufacturing” and are a critical piece of equipment in power generation and propulsion, reflecting a country’s overall industrial capability. They are also vital to national energy and defense security. For a long time, only a few developed countries such as the United States, Japan, and Germany have been able to independently develop heavy-duty gas turbines. China’s first domestic F-class 50MW heavy-duty gas turbine consists of over 20,000 components, operates at a pressure of 18 atmospheres (equivalent to the pressure at 180 meters underwater), and a working temperature exceeding 1300°C, with a rotation speed of 6000 RPM. Compared to thermal power units of the same power, the turbine can generate over 70,000 kWh in one hour and reduce carbon emissions by more than 500,000 tons annually.
The blades, located in the “heart” of the gas turbine, must operate under extremely complex conditions involving high temperatures, high pressure, and high-speed rotation for extended periods. If even a single blade fails, it can lead to severe accidents. Therefore, the material used to produce turbine blades must meet very stringent requirements, including thickness tolerance, hardness control, machinability, and tensile strength, all of which must pass industry certification before being qualified for supply.
Since 2009, numerous key enterprises in China’s gas turbine industry, along with hundreds of entities in the upstream and downstream sectors of the supply chain and research institutions, have worked together to tackle this challenge. Pangang has been involved in the production of blade steel for three grades of gas turbines, and the turbine blades made from this steel are one of the three core components of the first domestic F-class 50MW heavy-duty gas turbine. According to Yao Bin, deputy director of the Stainless Steel Division of Pangang Changcheng Special Steel Manufacturing Department, two key technological challenges for blade steel manufacturers worldwide are achieving high purity and long service life for the steel. After years of exploration, Pangang Changcheng Special Steel has accumulated substantial experience in special steel R&D, providing critical support for the successful production of gas turbine blade steel.
