Gas Turbines History

Kawasaki Heavy Industries launched experimental operation of the first gas turbine of its own development in 1972, and brought the gas-turbine-driven power generation unit to the market in 1976. Since then, Kawasaki has developed a series of gas turbines and related hardware, and has been actively expanding its product range in various fields such as back-up power generators, co-generation systems, and driving units of machinery.

Currently, efforts continue to achieve improved efficiency, lower emissions, increased reliability, as well as other technological advances in the gas turbine industry that will be indispensable to future society.

1970

Test carried out on tank equipped with Gas Turbine.

Test carried out on truck equipped with Gas Turbine.

Test carried out on railroad car equipped with Gas Turbine.

Practical trial carried out on alternator equipped with Gas Turbine.

1972

Operation of first Kawasaki-developed KG72 Gas Turbine (220kW model for experimental use) began.

1973

Test carried out on pleasure boat equipped with KG72 Gas Turbine.

1974

Operation of S1A-01 Gas Turbine prototype (190kW) began.

1975

Operation of M1A-01 Gas Turbine prototype (1,200kW) began.

1977

First unit of GPS200 Alternator delivered.

1978

Operation of S2A Gas Turbine prototype (700kW) began.

1979

MGP200 Mobile Generator Set completed and first unit delivered to Hokkaido Electric Power Co. Inc.

First unit of Primary Gas Turbine Generator for use in escort vessels delivered.
First contract with an overseas agency.
New Enterprise First export unit of Generator Facility was delivered to VicRail, Melbourne Australia.

1980

Operation of M1A-03 Gas Turbine prototype (1,500kW) began.
Operation of S3 Gas Turbine prototype (90kW) began.

1981

Ten units of MGP250 Mobile Generator Set exported for first time.
Operation of S5 Gas Turbine prototype (20kW) began.

1984

First unit of 1,000kW-class Co-Generation System delivered to Tokyo Gas Co. Ltd. headquarters.

1985

Number of gas turbine deliveries reached 1,000 units.
Operation of M1F-03 two-shaft Gas Turbine prototype (1,500kW) began.

1987

Operation of M1A-13 Gas Turbine prototype (1,500kW), the first system used full-time, began.

1988

Operation of 2,300kW Cheng-cycle Co-Generation System began at Kawasaki's Akashi Plant.

Kawasaki joined the Ceramic Gas Turbine (CGT) Project.

1989

First unit of GPC15 Co-Generation System delivered.

Operation of M1A-23 Gas Turbine prototype (2,000kW) began.

1991

Operation of M7A-01 Gas Turbine prototype (6,000kW), equipped for the first time with an axial-flow compressor, began.
First unit of GPC20 Co-Generation System delivered.

1993

Export to U.S.A. began with delivery of 112 M1A-13 Gas Turbine units.

1994

First unit of GPC60 Co-Generation System delivered.

1995

1,500kW-class Dry Low-NOx Combustor developed and marketed as PUC15D Co-Generation System.

1996

Operation of M7A-02 Gas Turbine prototype (7,000kW) began.

1997

First unit of GPCS80, the first Combined Cycle System, delivered.

Kawasaki joined the Super Marine Gas Turbine (SMGT) Project.

1998

Kawasaki Gas Turbine Europe GmbH (KGE) established in Germany as hub for local sales and service activity.

Operation of S7A-01 Regenerative Cycle Gas Turbine prototype (730kW), the world's first small and medium sized heat exchangers, began.

1999

First unit of GPC70 Co-Generation System delivered.
Kawasaki Gas Turbine - Americas (KGT-A) established in U.S.A. as hub for local sales and service activity.
Kawasaki Gas Turbine - Asia (KGA) established in Malaysia as hub for local sales and service activity.

Kawasaki joined the Hybrid Gas Turbine (HGT) Project.

2000

Number of delivered gas turbines reached 5,000 units.
Kawasaki Machine Systems (KMS) established as hub for sales and service activity in Japan and Far East region.
Number of overseas installations exceed the 500 unit mark.
Operation of L20A Gas Turbine prototype (18,000kW) began.

2001

First unit of GPC60 SuperPLUS (Flexible heat and power Co-generation system) delivered.
L20A-powered GPC180 Co-Generation System installed at Kawasaki's Akashi Works, and operation began.

2002

Operation of M1A-33 Gas Turbine prototype (3,000kW) began.

First unit of GPC07D Regenerative Cycle Co-generation System delivered.

2004

First unit of GPCS500 Combined Cycle System using L20A delivered.

2005

Akashi Works Energy Center, which comprises 24.7MW Combine Cycle and 7.8MW Flexible Heat and Power Gas Turbine Power Plant, start-up.

2006

7.7MW class M7A-03 type Gas Turbine introduced.

2007

Received the 100th Order of the M7A Series.

2009

15ppm (NOx) M7A-03D type Gas Turbine introduced.

2010

1.7MW class M1A-17 type Gas Turbine introduced.

2011

9ppm(NOx) M7A-03D type Gas Turbine introduced.

2012

30MW class L30A Gas Turbine introduced.

History of Kawasaki

History
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