AECC's 4 MW DR40 Gas Turbine Completes 72-Hour Trial Run

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On October 22, the DR40 gas turbine, China's first 4 MW-class gas turbine independently developed by AECC South Industry, successfully completed a 72-hour long-term trial run test. The test was conducted entirely in combined heat and power (CHP) operation mode, with the unit operating stably throughout and all test parameters meeting design expectations. This gas turbine is primarily targeted at the emergency power generation and distributed energy markets, suitable for emergency power supply vehicles, data center backup power, and CHP systems. Following the completion of this test, it is now ready for market promotion.

The DR40 gas turbine is based on the mature core engine of the DR30 gas turbine independently developed by AECC South Industry, following a serialized development approach. The R&D team leveraged the technical achievements from the DR30 program in low-emission improvements and performance optimization, with a focus on optimized design of the gearbox, combustor, and turbine components to enhance the unit's adaptability and operational reliability under various operating conditions.

The DR30 series has already established a track record of actual deliveries. According to the 2026 semi-annual report of AECC Aviation Power Co., Ltd., more than 20 DR30 gas turbines have been delivered to users cumulatively; the DR30B and DR40 have completed functional and performance testing; and subsequent models including the DR40B, DR40C, and DR40E are undergoing conceptual design. This 72-hour long-term trial run further completed the continuous operation verification of the DR40 in CHP mode.

AECC South Industry will subsequently carry out market application promotion of the 4 MW-class gas turbine, focusing on demand from data center backup power, mobile emergency power generation, and distributed combined cooling, heating and power systems. The DR40 has currently completed unit-level long-term trial run verification; related applications will still require equipment selection and system integration tailored to specific projects.