GE Sells Its 100th MGV Unit, France

GE Energy Management’s Power Conversion business is marking a major milestone for its MGV high-speed induction motor technology used in various gas compression projects worldwide as the company recently sold its 100th MGV unit, underscoring the technology’s excellence in the energy industry.

GE’s Power Conversion business is a pioneer in developing high-speed, direct-drive technology for the last 20 years and offers a complete range of solutions to meet the most demanding speed, performance and capacity requirements for direct drives of pump and compressor systems for both land-based and offshore applications.

GE’s MGV induction motor, which runs up to 20,000 rpm, is based on a unique, patented design. More energy companies around the world are replacing their traditional motors with more efficient high-speed units—with GE now selling 10 MGV motors annually compared with one or two per year after the Power Conversion motors were introduced in 1992.

“Our MGV high-speed, direct-drive solution is a proven technology that has clear advantage over mechanical solutions such as gas turbines or motors with hydraulic couplings and offers increased value compared to traditional, geared electrical solutions,” said Georg Möhlenkamp, global product leadership manager for GE Energy Management’s Power Conversion business.

GE’s MGV design features greater overall drive system efficiency, offering customers significant energy savings because there are no losses due to a gearbox, and it has a smaller footprint that enables it to more easily be integrated into diverse environments. The motor either is provided with oil or magnetic bearings. In the magnetic option, as there are no lubrication auxiliaries, the magnetic bearings eliminate the optional oil lubrication systems for motors, thus reducing maintenance costs. Operators also enjoy greater noise reduction and availability.

An additional advantage: GE’s MGV motors can be paired with GE Oil & Gas centrifugal compressors as part of an integrated compressor line (ICL) package that offers customers reduced production, delivery and installation schedules for upstream, midstream and downstream environmentally friendly gas applications and is available in a power range up to 20 megawatts.

In GE’s ecomagination-qualified ICL solution, the MGV motor and centrifugal compressor are installed inside the same pressurized casing where processed gas is used to cool the motor, eliminating the need for an additional cooling system. Magnetic bearings eliminate the need for lubrication, which minimizes the need for system maintenance. The combination is more efficient than conventional electric drives that require additional gearbox technology. Ecomagination is GE’s commitment to provide innovative solutions that maximize resources, drive efficiencies and help make the world work better.

[mappress]
LNG World News Staff, September 19, 2012