General Electric LM2500

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The General Electric LM2500 is an industrial and marine gas turbine produced by GE Aviation. The LM2500 is a derivative of the General Electric CF6-6 aircraft engine.

As of 2004, the U.S. Navy and at least 29 other navies had used a total of more than one thousand LM2500/LM2500+ gas turbines to power warships. Other uses include hydrofoils, hovercraft and fast ferries.

In 2012, GE developed an FPSO version to serve the oil and gas industry's demand for a lighter, more compact version to generate electricity and drive compressors to send natural gas through pipelines.

Design and development

A heavy lift lowers the main propulsion module into the hull of USS Bunker Hill (CG-52) during construction at Ingalls Shipbuilding. The module consists of two General Electric LM2500 gas turbine engines and a Westinghouse gear reduction unit.

The LM2500 was first used on the US Navy GTS Admiral W. M. Callaghan in 1969, after the original Pratt & Whitney FT4 gas turbines experienced many technical problems. Later, they were used in US Navy warships in the Spruance class of destroyers and the related Kidd class, which were constructed from 1970. In this configuration it was rated to 21,500 shp (16,000 kW). This configuration was subsequently used into the 1980s in the Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigates, and Ticonderoga-class cruisers. It was also used by one of People's Republic of China's Type 052 Luhu Class Missile Destroyer (Harbin 112) acquired before the embargo.

The LM2500 was uprated to 26,500 shp (19,800 kW) for the Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, which were initiated in the 1980s and started to see service in the early 1990s, and the T-AOE-6 class of fast combat tanker.

In 2001 the LM2500 (20 MW) was installed in a sound-proof capsule in the South African Navy Valour class (Meko A-200 SAN) frigates as part of a CODAG propulsion system with two MTU 16V 1163 TB93 Propulsion Diesels.

The current generation was uprated in the late 1990s to over 30,000 shp (22,000 kW).

The LM2500 is typically installed within a metal enclosure that provides sound and thermal isolation from adjacent machinery spaces. This enclosure is comparable in size to a standard 40-foot (12 m) intermodal shipping container, although the engine’s dimensions slightly exceed standard container measurements. Air intake ducting is often designed to facilitate straightforward removal of the LM2500 from the vessel.

The LM2500+ is an evolution of the LM2500, delivering up to 40,200 shp (30,000 kW) or 28.6 MW of electric energy when combined with an electrical generator. Two of such turbo-generators have been installed in the superstructure near the funnel of Queen Mary 2, the world's largest transatlantic ocean liner, for additional electric energy for the liner to reach higher sea speeds. Celebrity Cruises uses two LM2500+ engines in their Millennium-class cruise ships in a COGES cycle.

The LM2500 is license-built in India by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited; in Italy by Avio Aero;^{[citation needed]} and in Japan by IHI Corporation. (Subsequent to the February 2024 reporting of an IHI company whistleblower; On April 24, 2024, IHI announced that investigation was underway by Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism of its subsidiary, IHI Power Systems Co., which had falsified its engine data since 2003, impacting over 4,000 engines globally.)

The LM2500/LM2500+ can often be found as turbine part of CODAG, CODOG, CODLAG propulsion systems or in pairs as powerplants for COGAG systems.^{[citation needed]}

Naval application

United States

Amphibious assault ships

• America class
• USS Makin Island (LHD-8)

Cruisers

• Ticonderoga class

Destroyers

• Arleigh Burke class
• Kidd class
• Spruance class

Frigates

• Constellation class
• Oliver Hazard Perry class

Fast combat support ships

• Supply class

Roll-on/Roll-off

• GTS Admiral W. M. Callaghan
• Watson class

High endurance cutters

• Legend class

Littoral combat ships

• Independence class

Hydrofoils

• Pegasus class

Export

Algeria

Frigates

• Erradii class

Australia

Amphibious assault ships

• Canberra class

Destroyers

• Hobart class

Frigates

• Adelaide class
• Anzac class

Bahrain

Frigates

• RBNS Sabha (90)

Brazil

Corvettes

• Inhauma class
• Barroso (V34)

Canada

Frigates

• Halifax class

Chile

Frigates

• Adelaide class

China

Destroyers

• Type 052-class

Denmark

Corvettes

• Niels Juel class

Egypt

Frigates

• Al-Aziz-class
• FREMM class
• Oliver Hazard Perry class

Finland

Corvettes

• Pohjanmaa class

France

Frigates

• Aquitaine  class
• Horizon class

Germany

Frigates

• Baden-Württemberg class
• Brandenburg class
• Bremen class
• Sachsen class

Greece

Frigates

• Hydra class

India

Aircraft carriers

• INS Vikrant (2013)

Frigates

• Nilgiri class
• Shivalik class

Corvettes

• Next Generation Missile Vessels

Indonesia

Frigates

• Thaon di Revel class

Fast attack craft

• Mandau class

Italy

Aircraft carriers

• [[{{{1}}} Cavour (550)|{{{1}}} Cavour (550)]]
• [[{{{1}}} Giuseppe Garibaldi (551)|{{{1}}} Giuseppe Garibaldi (551)]]

Destroyers

• Durand de la Penne class
• Horizon class

Frigates

• Bergamini class
• Lupo class
• Maestrale class

Offshore patrol vessels

• Thaon di Revel class

Israel

Corvettes

• Sa'ar 5 class

Japan

Helicopter destroyers

• Izumo class
• Hyūga class

Destroyers

• Asahi class
• Atago class
• Kongō class
• Maya class
• Murasame  class
• Takanami class

Research vessels

• JS Asuka

Morocco

Frigates

• Mohammed VI

New Zealand

Frigates

• Anzac class

Norway

Frigates

• Fridtjof Nansen class

Pakistan

Frigates

• Jinnah class
• Oliver Hazard Perry class

Corvettes

• Babur class

Peru

Frigates

• Lupo class

Philippines

Corvettes

• BRP Conrado Yap (PS-30)

Poland

Frigates

• Oliver Hazard Perry class

Portugal

Frigates

• Vasco da Gama class

South Africa

Frigates

• Valour class

South Korea

Destroyers

• Chungmugong Yi Sun-sin class
• Gwanggaeto the Great class
• Sejong the Great class

Frigates

• Ulsan class

Spain

Aircraft carriers

• [[{{{1}}} Príncipe de Asturias|{{{1}}} Príncipe de Asturias]]

Amphibious assault ships

• [[{{{1}}} Juan Carlos I|{{{1}}} Juan Carlos I]]

Frigates

• Álvaro de Bazán class
• Bonifaz class
• Santa María class

Taiwan

Destroyers

• Kee Lung class

Frigates

• Cheng Kung class
• Oliver Hazard Perry class

Thailand

Aircraft carriers

• HTMS Chakri Naruebet

Frigates

• Bhumibol Adulyadej class
• Naresuan class

Turkey

Aircraft carriers

• Mugem class

Destroyers

• TF-2000 class

Frigates

• Barbaros class
• İstif class
• G class

Corvettes

• Ada class

Replenishment oilers

• TCG Derya (A-1590)

Venezuela

Frigates

• Lupo class

Civilian operators

Cruise ships

• Vista class (Holland America Line)
• Coral class (Princess Cruises)
• Gem class (Princess Cruises)
• Millennium class (Celebrity Cruises)
• Radiance class (Royal Caribbean International)

Ocean liners

• Queen Mary 2 (Cunard)

Variants

The LM2500 is available in 3 different versions:

• The LM2500 delivers 33,600 shp (25,100 kW) with a thermal efficiency of 37 percent at ISO conditions. When coupled with an electric generator, it delivers 24 MW of electricity at 60 Hz with a thermal efficiency of 36 percent at ISO conditions.
• The improved, 3rd generation, LM2500+ version of the turbine delivers 40,500 shp (30,200 kW) with a thermal efficiency of 39 percent at ISO conditions. When coupled with an electric generator, it delivers 29 MW of electricity at 60 Hz with a thermal efficiency of 38 percent at ISO conditions.
• The latest, 4th generation, LM2500+G4 version was introduced in November 2005 and delivers 47,370 shp (35,320 kW) with a thermal efficiency of 39.3 percent at ISO conditions.

Derivatives

• The GE TM2500 is derived from the LM2500, and mounted on a trailer that makes it possible to move it to wherever 30 MW of temporary electricity generation is required. It can be installed and commissioned in 11 days.

Specification

The basic LM2500 has a single shaft gas generator derived from the CF6, comprising a 16 stage compressor driven by a two stage air-cooled HP turbine. The combustion chamber is annular. Shaft power is generated by a 6-stage power turbine mounted in the gas generator exhaust stream. Additional power is obtained from the LM2500+ by the addition of a zero stage to the compressor, making 17 stages in all. Specifications for three models of LM2500 series gas turbine engines:

LM 2500 series gas turbine engines specifications

Performance Category	LM2500	LM2500+	LM2500+G4
Output	33,600 shp (25,060 kW)	40,500 shp (30,200 kW)	47,370 shp (35,320 kW)
Fuel consumption	0.373 lb/shp-hr (227 g/kW-hr)	0.354 lb/shp-hr (215 g/kW-hr)	0.352 lb/shp-hr (214 g/kW-hr)
Heat rate	6,860 Btu/shp-hr (9,705 kJ/kW-hr)	6,522 Btu/shp-hr (9,227 kJ/kW-hr)	6,469 Btu/shp-hr (9,150 kJ/kW-hr)
Exhaust gas flow	155 lb/s (70.5 kg/s)	189 lb/s (85.9 kg/s)	205 lb/s (93 kg/s)
Exhaust gas temperature	1,051°F (566°C)	965°F (518°C)	1,020°F (549°C)
Turbine speed (rpm)	3,600	3,600	3,600
Thermal efficiency	36%	38%	39%
Weight	4.7 ton	5.25 ton	5.25 ton

See also

Related development

• General Electric CF6
• General Electric LM1600
• General Electric LM6000
• General Electric LMS100

Comparable engines

• Rolls-Royce MT30

Related lists

• List of aircraft engines

External links

• Official GE Aviation page for LM2500 (GEAE).
• Official GE Aviation page for LM2500+.
• Official GE Aviation page for LM2500+G4.
• FAS information page on US Navy LM2500 usage
• SA Navy Valour class frigate page
• Power Generation plants
• Simple and combined cycle 50 Hz
• Simple and combined cycle 60 Hz