Early Westinghouse Gas Turbine Power Generating Unit
Dublin Core
Title
Early Westinghouse Gas Turbine Power Generating Unit
Alternative Title
Westinghouse Gas Turbine Power Generating Unit
Subject
Westinghouse Electric Corporation
Description
This photograph shows the installation of the first Westinghouse 40MW model W501A gas turbine, located at the Dow Chemical Company's on-site power generation facilities in Freeport, Texas. Dow was a major customer of Westinghouse gas turbine generators and was a pioneer in application of gas turbines for industrial on-site power generation, combined with exhaust heat recovery for production of process steam or additional power. Dow’s first gas turbine, also installed in this way at the facility in Freeport, was a Westinghouse 30MW model W301, which started operation in 1965. In all, Dow installed some 20 Westinghouse gas turbines in Texas and at their site in Plaquemine, Louisiana. Today, this combined heat and power (CHP) application of gas turbines is commonplace and is also known as gas turbine cogeneration.
Originally called the Westinghouse Electric Company, George Westinghouse (1846-1914) founded his manufacturing company in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on January 8, 1886. In 1889, he renamed his business the The Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Company. Westinghouse's primary products include turbines, generators, motors and switchgear related to the generation, transmission, and use of electricity. The company changed its name to Westinghouse Electric Corporation in 1945. In 1981, the company began to relocate its division headquarters for the Steam-Turbine Generator Divisions from Pennsylvania (turbines from Lester and generators from Pittsburgh) to Orlando, Florida. The Power Generation Business Unit (PGBU) building was located in The Quadrangle, at 4400 Alafaya Trail. Originally, Westinghouse had purchased a large plot of land for future development that extended westward from Alafaya Trail to Rouse Road. The original headquarters was located on several acres of that land parcel close to Alafaya Trail.
In 1994, after a major corporate management shuffling, and a top-level decision to change from an industrial manufacturing company to primarily a broadcasting/communications company, Westinghouse bought the CBS Network and changed its name to the CBS Corporation. As the PGBU grew in size, other buildings in the area were leased and then, after PGBU was sold to Siemens Corporation of Germany in 1998, additional buildings (Quad II and Quad III) were added to the original complex at the Quadrangle. From 1998 to 2003 the Orlando operation was known as Siemens-Westinghouse, after which the name of Westinghouse was dropped. The operation has been known as Siemens from that time forward.
Originally called the Westinghouse Electric Company, George Westinghouse (1846-1914) founded his manufacturing company in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on January 8, 1886. In 1889, he renamed his business the The Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Company. Westinghouse's primary products include turbines, generators, motors and switchgear related to the generation, transmission, and use of electricity. The company changed its name to Westinghouse Electric Corporation in 1945. In 1981, the company began to relocate its division headquarters for the Steam-Turbine Generator Divisions from Pennsylvania (turbines from Lester and generators from Pittsburgh) to Orlando, Florida. The Power Generation Business Unit (PGBU) building was located in The Quadrangle, at 4400 Alafaya Trail. Originally, Westinghouse had purchased a large plot of land for future development that extended westward from Alafaya Trail to Rouse Road. The original headquarters was located on several acres of that land parcel close to Alafaya Trail.
In 1994, after a major corporate management shuffling, and a top-level decision to change from an industrial manufacturing company to primarily a broadcasting/communications company, Westinghouse bought the CBS Network and changed its name to the CBS Corporation. As the PGBU grew in size, other buildings in the area were leased and then, after PGBU was sold to Siemens Corporation of Germany in 1998, additional buildings (Quad II and Quad III) were added to the original complex at the Quadrangle. From 1998 to 2003 the Orlando operation was known as Siemens-Westinghouse, after which the name of Westinghouse was dropped. The operation has been known as Siemens from that time forward.
Source
Original 33mm slide: Private Collection of Harry Jaeger.
Date Created
ca. 1968
Contributor
Jaeger, Harry
Is Format Of
Digital reproduction of original 33mm slide.
Is Part Of
Westinghouse Electric Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.
Format
image/jpg
Extent
104 KB
Medium
33mm slide
Language
eng
Type
Still Image
Coverage
Dow Chemical Plant, Freeport, Texas
Accrual Method
Donation
Mediator
History Teacher
Economics Teacher
Geography Teacher
Science Teacher
Provenance
Originally owned by Harry Jaeger.
Rights Holder
This resource is provided here by RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.
Curator
Jaeger, Harry
Cepero, Laura
Digital Collection
Source Repository
Private Collection of Harry Jaeger
External Reference
"Dow in Freeport, Texas." Dow Chemical Company. http://www.dow.com/locations/texas/freeport/.
Zanyk, J. Cogeneration Combined Cycle Achievements by the Dow Chemical Company in the Conservation of Energy. 1985.
"History." Westinghouse Nuclear. http://www.westinghousenuclear.com/About/History.
"Westinghouse Power Generation Booklet." RICHES of Central Florida. https://richesmi.cah.ucf.edu/omeka2/items/show/6422.
Still Image Item Type Metadata
Original Format
33mm slide
Collection
Citation
SWRA, “Early Westinghouse Gas Turbine Power Generating Unit,” RICHES, accessed April 27, 2024, https://richesmi.cah.ucf.edu/omeka/items/show/6437.