TURBINE INSULATION (GAS TURBINE, STEAM TURBINE)

GAS TURBINE INSULATION SYSTEM

Gas turbines are high-temperature equipment at the center of thermal efficiency, safety, and operational sustainability in power plants and critical industrial facilities. Extreme temperatures occurring around turbine casings, exhaust lines, manifold areas, and combustion chambers directly affect both equipment performance and operating costs. Therefore, gas turbine insulation is not merely an insulation application; it is a multi-layered expertise field requiring correct engineering, material science, and process analysis.

As ERATHERM, with over 40 years of experience, we are one of Turkey's leading engineering firms offering solutions at the same technical level as global manufacturers in high-temperature insulation systems. We have been working for many years at the sites of global turbine manufacturers like General Electric (GE), Siemens Energy, Mitsubishi Power, Ansaldo Energia, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, and Rolls-Royce, acting as a reliable solution partner in both new projects and maintenance-revision processes.

The Critical Role of Insulation in Gas Turbines

Surface temperatures in gas turbines can vary between 300°C – 650°C. In combustion chamber and exhaust outlet areas, these values can reach 750°C and above. Therefore, the performance of the applied insulation system directly affects:
✔ turbine efficiency,
✔ fuel consumption,
✔ maintenance costs,
✔ equipment lifespan,
✔ personnel safety.

Incorrectly applied insulation systems can lead to:

Unnecessary heat loss
Metal fatigue in the turbine casing
Cracks due to thermal shocks
Excessive fuel consumption
Significant shortening of component lifespan
High cost losses during forced shutdowns
Therefore, insulation in gas turbines is an integral part of the process and requires a specific engineering approach for each model.

ERATHERM's Gas Turbine Insulation Engineering Approach

Each turbine model has different geometry, temperature zones, maintenance access needs, and thermal behavior. Therefore, ERATHERM's expert team applies the following engineering stages in every project:

Thermal Analysis and Simulation
Heat distribution / surface temperature / thermal stress analyses
Calculations compliant with ASHRAE – ISO 12241 – ASTM C680 standards.
Material Optimization
Different materials for each zone:

Ceramic fiber blankets
High-temperature mats
Aerogel composites
Silica fabrics
Special metal mesh-supported insulation
Modular Insulation Jacket Design
We produce jacket-type, removable insulation systems for ease of maintenance and repair.
Special Layered Structures for Exhaust Systems
Composite insulation systems resistant to high vibration and temperature for exhaust diffusers and exhaust lines.
Fire Safety-Focused Design
Solutions compliant with API – EN 13501 standards.

Insulation Jacket Technology – Next-Generation Solutions

In recent years, one of the technologies providing the highest efficiency in gas turbines is specially designed insulation jackets. ERATHERM also designs jackets in-house:

✔ Resistance up to 800°C
✔ Modular – removable for maintenance
✔ Prevents heat bridges
✔ Manufactured with 3D modeling according to site measurements
✔ Oil, chemical, and moisture protected
✔ High performance with low thickness

These jackets provide significant advantages, especially for:

Valves
Flanges
Injection lines
Turbine casing covers
Instrumentation points

STEAM TURBINE INSULATION SYSTEMS

Steam turbines are at the heart of high-pressure and high-temperature processes in thermal power plants, combined cycle facilities, refineries, chemical, and petrochemical plants. Surface temperatures in steam turbines range between 400°C – 550°C, and the quality of insulation applied in this area directly determines energy efficiency and equipment lifespan.

Therefore, steam turbine insulation requires a very different engineering approach compared to other insulation applications.

ERATHERM Insulation Inc., with 40 years of industrial experience, is one of Turkey's leading firms offering the most advanced insulation solutions for steam turbines. Our projects executed with energy sector giants have elevated our reliability, material knowledge, and technological capacity to a global level.

Critical Requirements in Steam Turbine Insulation

Incorrect or insufficient insulation in steam turbines can lead to the following risks:

Increase in energy losses by 15–35%
Metal expansion and fatigue in the turbine casing
Imbalance of the turbine
Personnel injuries due to high surface temperature
Unnecessary fuel consumption
Shortening of turbine lifespan
Therefore, both thermal and mechanical requirements must be evaluated together in steam turbine insulation.

ERATHERM's Steam Turbine Insulation Approach

Creation of Process Temperature Maps
Temperature and heat distribution measurements are taken at all points of the turbine casing.
Critical points are determined with thermal camera and surface analyses.
Design Suitable for Complex Geometries
Steam turbines have a much more complex casing structure compared to gas turbines.
Therefore, insulation must be specially designed for:

Corner transitions
Connection flanges
Actuator areas
Bearing areas
Steam inlet and outlet lines
Spray Insulation + Jacket Combination
As ERATHERM, we apply a hybrid method offered by few companies in Turkey:
✔ Mineral wool spray insulation in the inner layer,
✔ Insulation jackets in the outer layer.

This method:

Eliminates heat bridges
Provides perfect fit to the turbine casing
Offers high vibration resistance
Facilitates maintenance processes
ERATHERM is one of the firms with the most references for this application in Turkey.
Insulation Materials – Compatible with International Standards

Materials used in ERATHERM projects:

High-temperature glass wool
Ceramic fiber insulation blankets
Silica-based industrial fabrics
Aluminum – stainless steel frame structures
Aerogel composites
Mineral wool spray insulation systems
All materials comply with EN 13501, ISO 12241, and ASTM C411 standards.

High-Performance Insulation Jackets

In steam turbines, insulation jackets:
✔ Are high-temperature resistant
✔ Are removable
✔ Reduce maintenance times by 60%
✔ Lower thermal losses by 25–40%
✔ Reduce corrosion risk

These jackets are prepared using the turbine manufacturers' geometry-specific 3D models.

ERATHERM's Leadership in This Field

Global firms we have worked with for many years include:

GE Steam Turbines
Siemens Steam Turbine Division
Mitsubishi Steam
Doosan Škoda Power
MAN Turbo Systems
Alstom Power
These projects demonstrate that our company is not just an application team but an internationally recognized engineering firm.