Replace the new generation gas turbine! The 052D "Baotou" ship has been renewed, and the US is shocked, saying that China is about to build a 9000-ton general-purpose destroyer
Recently, the 052D-class destroyer "Baotou" has completed a key upgrade of its propulsion system - replacing the domestically produced latest generation gas turbine. This warship, which was launched in 2019, underwent such a core modification after only about five years of service, indicating that the reason behind it is not simply to enhance the performance of a single ship.
The "Baotou" ship originally used two domestic GT-25000 gas turbines and two MTU-20 diesel engines, using a combined diesel and gas (CODOG) propulsion system. The new generation of gas turbine replaced this time is generally believed to be the CGT-30M developed by China Shipbuilding 703 Institute. This model has a maximum output power of about 33.5 megawatts, with a thermal efficiency of 39.3%, which is significantly better than the CGT-25M's 25-28 megawatt level, and even surpasses the LM2500+ gas turbine widely used by the United States in key indicators.
It is worth noting that a built and commissioned destroyer can directly replace a new gas turbine, indicating that the CGT-30M has high compatibility with the previous generation in terms of physical size, installation interface, cooling system, and other engineering parameters. This "plug-and-play" upgrade capability is not an accidental technological breakthrough, but rather the result of long-term accumulation of China's shipbuilding industry in the modularization and standardization of propulsion systems.
Currently, the full load displacement of the 052D is about 7500 tons. If it is scaled up to 8500-9000 ton level, the traditional CGT-25M propulsion redundancy will be tight. However, two CGT-30M combined with efficient diesel engines can easily support the high-speed maneuverability and high energy consumption task requirements of a 9000-ton ship body, whether continuing to use CODOG or moving towards more advanced combined diesel and gas or integrated electric propulsion systems - for example, driving the next generation of phased array radar, directed energy weapons, or electromagnetic catapult assistance systems.
So why use a currently operational 052D as a test platform? Foreign media now suspect that China has a bigger goal: laying the foundation for the next generation of general-purpose destroyers. The consequence of this is that the U.S. ships are further at a disadvantage, because for warships, the cost of shipbuilding is crucial. Once China's 9000-ton destroyers come out in large numbers, the U.S. Navy will lose its last advantage.
Original: toutiao.com/article/1855705940232192/
Statement: This article represents the personal views of the author.