Pratt & Whitney develops PW4000 class turbofan engine

The PW4000 aircraft engine on which the FT4000 SWIFTPAC will be based

Pratt & Whitney Power Systems recently 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.

Modular design, proven features

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.

More than 41 percent efficiency

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 attractive source of power generation.

Gas-fired power plants produce less carbon dioxide when burned, than 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.