Gas-expansion turbine

This is an overview of the so-called "gas-expansion turbine" of unit EC 20.
Picture was taken from the top of the generator looking towards the turbine.
In this unit the natural gas expands from a supply pressure of 48 bar to pressures of 18 bar (for the gasturbine) and 6 bar for the burners of the boiler.
Normaly a pressure reducer is used for that but in this way the expansion of the gas in this little turbine produces at full load of the main unit about 5 Megawatts. So these Megawatts come for free and thus increase the efficiency of the total unit.
The turbine itself is highly insulated and in the machineroom safetyprecautions have to be taken when the unit itself is in service.

Better in LARGE.