U.S. Navy Gas Turbine Electric Start System

Abstract

Today’s marine gas turbines are started using pneumatic or hydraulic systems. The weight, space, and reliability drawbacks of these systems is well known to ship systems designers who increasingly look to new technology for better solutions. It is not surprising then that the push towards an all-electric ship platform would eventually prompt the development of a suitable electric motor to replace fluid based systems. Lately, research efforts sponsored by the U.S. Navy have intensified to do exactly that. This paper will discuss the background and current efforts to introduce an electric start system for future marine gas turbines.