GE tests carbon fiber enclosure for marine gas turbine

General Electric’s marine solutions business has completed a weight and noise attenuation testing between a carbon fiber-based gas turbine enclosure and steel module.

GE said Monday test results showed that the lightweight composite-based module for the LM2500 marine gas turbine reduced noise by 60 percent and weight by approximately 2,500 kilograms compared with the steel enclosure.

Brien Bolsinger, a vice president and general manager at GE, said the weight and noise reduction associated with the use of the carbon fiber-based module is “vital on weight- and size-constrained surface combatants.”

The U.S. Navy and General Dynamics’ Bath Iron Works subsidiary helped develop the new lightweight composite enclosure for LM2500.

GE said it expects the initial composite enclosure to be available by 2019 for integration with the service’s DDG 51 destroyer ships.