Independent Innovation Forges the Core: Domestic Steam Turbines Empower a New Green Energy Ecosystem

Over the past five years, China has broken through more than 150 key core technologies, filling numerous technical gaps in high-parameter steam turbine units. From traditional fossil fuel power models to a series of products covering multi-scenario applications, domestic steam turbines are writing a new chapter in the localization of high-end equipment through independent iteration. As a private technology enterprise deeply rooted in this field, Luoyang Hanfei Power is also keeping pace with industry trends. By focusing on the R&D of key waste-heat power generation technologies and the manufacturing of steam turbine auxiliary equipment, the company is injecting robust momentum into the construction of China's new energy system.

Guided by the energy transition and the "dual carbon" goals, steam turbines, as the core equipment in the power sector, are undergoing a leap from "catching up" to "running neck and neck" and then to "taking the lead." Recently, Harbin Electric Corporation Steam Turbine Plant independently developed China's first "high-parameter, large-capacity, adjustable" double-cylinder medium-pressure extraction unit, which successfully passed its 168-hour test run. This marks a significant breakthrough in China's combined heat and power (CHP) equipment sector, elevating its technological capabilities to internationally advanced levels.

Decades of Cultivation: Overcoming Core Technical Barriers

Steam turbines are hailed as the "power heart" of the power equipment manufacturing industry. The demands for high parameters and wide-load operation impose extreme requirements on materials, structural design, and manufacturing precision. To break the long-standing dependence on imported high-end models, Chinese steam turbine enterprises have devoted decades to cultivation, progressing from introduction, digestion, and absorption to independent innovation, gradually building a fully self-sufficient and controllable industrial chain.

"The integrated application of the double-medium-pressure cylinder design and steam extraction valve heating technology enables the unit to reduce standard coal consumption by over 200,000 tons annually while maintaining stable heating even at a 30% deep load regulation," explained a technical expert from Harbin Electric Corporation Steam Turbine Plant. This unit overcomes bottlenecks such as large pressure difference operation and efficient wide-load adaptation, filling the domestic gap for high-efficiency units with multi-level industrial steam extraction. It has been selected for the National Energy Administration's catalog of major first-of-its-kind technological equipment. Concurrently, North Heavy Industries Group independently developed a 1000MW-class high-efficiency boiler feed pump turbine, pioneering intelligent internal switching technology for multiple steam sources. Its performance indicators lead the industry, further enriching the domestic steam turbine product portfolio.

Low-Carbon and Intelligent: Activating New Drivers for Green Development

The global energy structure's shift towards green and low-carbon solutions is driving steam turbine technology upgrades towards higher efficiency, intelligence, and low-carbon operation. Currently, technologies like digital twins and artificial intelligence are deeply integrated into the entire R&D, operation, and maintenance processes of steam turbines, empowering the equipment. The self-developed 3D digital twin system for steam turbines by Power Plant Group constructs high-fidelity digital models, enabling real-time equipment condition monitoring, fault prediction, and energy efficiency optimization. Its fault prediction accuracy exceeds 90%, significantly reducing operation and maintenance costs.

In the field of energy-saving and noise reduction, the deep noise reduction technology developed by Jingjie Company of CHN Energy utilizes 3D spatial acoustic simulation and new material applications to establish a precise noise reduction system. This improves the working environment without hindering equipment maintenance. Related achievements have received national innovation awards in the power industry. Furthermore, through optimized flow path design, the thermal efficiency of domestic steam turbines has generally increased to over 45%, providing solid support for green electricity consumption and efficient energy utilization.

Global Expansion: Taking "Chinese Power" to the World

From major domestic CHP projects to overseas distributed energy projects, domestic steam turbines are expanding their application boundaries with excellent performance. Data indicates that China's steam turbine export value is projected to exceed $3.8 billion in 2025, with the Middle East, Africa, and Southeast Asia becoming core growth markets. Luoyang Hanfei Power is also actively expanding its presence. Leveraging its advantages in small-scale waste heat recovery turbines and customized auxiliary equipment, the company is gaining prominence in the industrial energy efficiency upgrade sector.

"In the future, we will continue to align technical standards internationally, strengthen innovations in materials and cooling technologies, and focus on new directions like optimizing adaptation for green electricity-based steam generation systems," stated an industry expert. As a core piece of equipment for converting green electricity, steam turbines need to continuously enhance their compatibility with new energy-based steam generation scenarios. This will facilitate full-chain coordination between front-end clean steam production and back-end efficient power generation, which is also a crucial path for the industry's low-carbon transition. Domestic steam turbines will seize opportunities in the global energy equipment competition with a more comprehensive product portfolio and more advanced technological capabilities. Luoyang Hanfei Power will concentrate on niche segments such as waste heat utilization and distributed energy adaptation, deepening the R&D and optimization of auxiliary equipment adaptation technologies. By empowering industrial upgrades with precise technical services, the company will join the entire industry in building a clean, low-carbon, safe, and efficient energy system.