Sulzer to Expand Gas Turbine Driven Equipment Test Facility

19.12.2002

Sulzer Pumps is to invest a further £1.87 million at their plant in Leeds (UK) to upgrade the existing gas turbine driven equipment test bed to be capable of running units up to 30 MW at full load.

Sulzer to Expand Gas Turbine Driven Equipment Test Facility

Computer generated view of the new Sulzer Pumps test facility at their plant in Leeds, UK

This will further strengthen their position as one of the world’s leading companies for packaging and testing large centrifugal pumps and compressors. The ability for a pump manufacturer to test 30 MW gas turbine driven pumps on their own premises and under their own control will be totally unique and will meet the growing need for larger, higher pressure pumps to be fully string tested before shipment, often to remote locations.

A new building 62mx23mx20m high will replace the existing facility and will allow up to 2 x 30 MW and 1 x 10MW gas turbine driven sets to be assembled at the same time inside it. The freestanding steel framed building has been carefully designed to control noise emissions to acceptable levels for the local environment. Two 60 tonne cranes will be installed allowing lifting of even the largest equipment. Two freestanding dry cooling towers will effect heat dissipation from the equipment. A permanent exhaust duct 2.5m X 40m long will be installed to control the output from the building.

The existing facility has now been dismantled and work has started on construction of the new building, which is due for completion in June 2003.

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