en.Wedoany.com Reported - The first domestically developed megawatt-level natural gas residual pressure turbine generator unit with automatic distribution function, independently developed by Harbin Electric Corporation, has been operating continuously and stably for six months at the Zaozhuang gas transmission station on the Shandong-Jining line, with cumulative power generation exceeding 1.1 million kWh. This unit converts the previously wasted pressure differential into electricity that can be directly fed into the grid.
This unit is China's first domestically developed power generation equipment with automatic distribution function and the ability to seamlessly switch with the original gas transmission process of natural gas stations. Harbin Electric Corporation's National Engineering Research Center for Power Generation Equipment conducted customized design, achieving 100% localization of the entire unit. The technical team, in collaboration with National Pipeline Network Group Shandong Branch and Zhong'ang Xinda (Shandong) Energy Technology Co., Ltd., overcame key technologies such as efficient wide-load design and intelligent control regulation, innovatively adopting HIRTH gear coaxial design and skid-mounted integrated design processes. This enables the unit to achieve functions such as 60% to 180% flow wide-load regulation, rapid one-key start-stop, seamless switching, and automatic distribution. To address challenges such as electrical prefabricated cabin construction, multi-system interlocking logic, and full-station ESD linkage protection, the team established a bidirectional safety protection mechanism of "machine-trip-power, power-trip-machine," achieving deep coupling between the power generation system and the station safety system.
Since the project was connected to the grid and put into operation on December 30, 2025, Harbin Electric Corporation has continuously cooperated with the owner unit to optimize operating conditions, overcoming challenges such as the coordinated operation of stable gas supply and efficient power generation. Through improvement measures such as matching regulating valve openings, optimizing the lubricating oil temperature control circuit, and upgrading cooling fans, the team resolved the issue of frequent unit shutdowns under extreme winter and summer temperatures, maximizing the recovery of pipeline residual pressure energy while ensuring stable downstream gas supply.
Harbin Electric Corporation will further explore the operational potential of natural gas residual pressure power generation equipment, iterate intelligent control solutions, and systematically summarize the technical experience of complete equipment operation and maintenance, providing localized core equipment support for the green and low-carbon transformation of the natural gas pipeline network.
