General Electric LM2500

The General Electric LM2500 is an industrial and marine gas turbine produced by GE Aviation. The LM2500 is a derivative of the General Electric CF6-6 aircraft engine.

As of 2004, the U.S. Navy and at least 29 other navies had used a total of more than one thousand LM2500/LM2500+ gas turbines to power warships. Other uses include hydrofoils, hovercraft and fast ferries.

In 2012, GE developed an FPSO version to serve the oil and gas industry's demand for a lighter, more compact version to generate electricity and drive compressors to send natural gas through pipelines.

Design and development

The LM2500 was first used on the US Navy in December 1969 as part of comparative trials against the older and proven Pratt & Whitney FT4 for future use aboard the s. After the trials showed the LM2500 to have 20% less fuel consumption and comparable reliability, LM2500 secured the contract for use on the Spruance class, with the first units ordered in 1970. In this configuration it was rated to . Shortly thereafter it saw use aboard the s and the latter half of the decade saw their installation in the related s and s. It was also used by one of People's Republic of China's Type 052 Luhu missile destroyer (Harbin 112) acquired before the embargo.

The LM2500 was uprated to for the s, which were initiated in the 1980s and started to see service in the early 1990s, and the T-AOE-6 class of fast combat tanker.

In 2001 the LM2500 (20 MW) was installed in a sound-proof capsule in the South African Navy (Meko A-200 SAN) frigates as part of a CODAG propulsion system with two MTU 16V 1163 TB93 propulsion diesels.

The current generation was uprated in the late 1990s to over .

The LM2500 is typically installed within a metal enclosure that provides sound and thermal isolation from adjacent machinery spaces. This enclosure is comparable in size to a standard intermodal shipping container, although the engine’s dimensions slightly exceed standard container measurements. Air intake ducting is often designed to facilitate straightforward removal of the LM2500 from the vessel.

The LM2500+ is an evolution of the LM2500, delivering up to or 28.6 MW of electric energy when combined with an electrical generator. Two of such turbo-generators have been installed in the superstructure near the funnel of , the world's largest transatlantic ocean liner, for additional electric energy for the liner to reach higher sea speeds. Celebrity Cruises uses two LM2500+ engines in their s in a COGES cycle.

The LM2500 is license-built in India by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited;GE Marine Solutions Military page in Italy by Avio Aero; and in Japan by IHI Corporation. (Subsequent to the February 2024 reporting of an IHI company whistleblower; On April 24, 2024, IHI announced that investigation was underway by Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism of its subsidiary, IHI Power Systems Co., which had falsified its engine data since 2003, impacting over 4,000 engines globally.)

The LM2500/LM2500+ can often be found as turbine part of CODAG, CODOG, CODLAG propulsion systems or in pairs as powerplants for COGAG systems.

Naval application

United States

Amphibious assault ships

Cruisers

Destroyers

Frigates

Fast combat support ships

Roll-on/Roll-off

High endurance cutters

Littoral combat ships

Hydrofoils

Export

Frigates

Amphibious assault ships

Destroyers

Frigates

Corvettes

Frigates

Destroyers Type 052

Corvettes

Frigates

FREMM class

Corvettes

Frigates

Aircraft carriers

Frigates

Corvettes Next Generation Missile Vessels

Frigates

Fast attack craft

Aircraft carriers

Destroyers

Frigates

Offshore patrol vessels

Corvettes

Helicopter destroyers

Destroyers

Research vessels

Frigates

Corvettes

Frigates

Corvettes

Frigates

Destroyers

Frigates

Aircraft carriers

Amphibious assault ships

Frigates

Destroyers

Frigates

Aircraft carriers

Frigates

Aircraft carriers MUGEM class Destroyers

Frigates

Corvettes

Replenishment oilers

Frigates

Civilian operators Cruise ships (Holland America Line) (Princess Cruises) (Princess Cruises) (Celebrity Cruises) (Royal Caribbean International)

Ocean liners (Cunard)

Ferry (Buquebus)

Variants The LM2500 is available in three different versions: The LM2500 delivers with a thermal efficiency of 37 percent at ISO conditions. When coupled with an electric generator, it delivers 24 MW of electricity at 60 Hz with a thermal efficiency of 36 percent at ISO conditions. The improved, 3rd generation, LM2500+ version of the turbine delivers with a thermal efficiency of 39 percent at ISO conditions. When coupled with an electric generator, it delivers 29 MW of electricity at 60 Hz with a thermal efficiency of 38 percent at ISO conditions. The latest, fourth generation, LM2500+G4 version was introduced in November 2005 and delivers with a thermal efficiency of 39.3 percent at ISO conditions. Derivatives The GE TM2500 is derived from the LM2500, and mounted on a trailer that makes it possible to move it to wherever 30 MW of temporary electricity generation is required. It can be installed and commissioned in 11 days.

Specifications The basic LM2500 has a single shaft gas generator derived from the CF6 with an annular combustion chamber. The LM2500+ variants generate additional power by the addition of a "zero stage" to the compressor.

+ LM 2500 series gas turbine engines specifications Performance category LM2500 LM2500+ LM2500+G4 Compressor 16 HP 17 HP Turbine 2 HP, 6 LP Output 33,600 shp (25,060 kW) 40,500 shp (30,200 kW) 47,370 shp (35,320 kW) Fuel consumption Heat rate Exhaust gas flow Exhaust gas temperature 1,051°F (566°C) 965°F (518°C) 1,020°F (549°C) Turbine speed (rpm) 3,600 Thermal efficiency 36% 38% 39% Weight 4.7 ton 5.25 ton 5.25 ton

General Electric LM2500

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