Qafco cutaway gas turbine for TAMUQ

Texas A&M University at Qatar (TAMUQ) has recognised  Qatar Fertiliser Company (Qafco) for its donation of a cutaway gas turbine. The turbine has been designed for teaching purposes and will benefit engineering students with hands-on learning of turbine technology.

The turbine is located in Texas A&M at Qatar’s research atrium and can be seen by students, employees and visitors.

“Qafco offers tremendous support to Texas A&M at Qatar’s students and programmes, and we are grateful for yet another notable contribution,” said Dr Mark H. Weichold, Texas A&M at Qatar dean and CEO.

He said: “Qafco has been a longtime supporter of Texas A&M at Qatar and, like us, Qafco recognises the importance of hands-on learning as essential to a well-rounded education. We thank them for the donation of the Rolls -Royce Avon industrial gas turbine. This engine will give students first-hand experience with turbine technology and help them prepare for industry’s needs once they graduate. Qafco custom prepared the engine for Texas A&M at Qatar, and we are incredibly grateful for this donation of an engine not frequently seen in university environments. We appreciate this unique opportunity Qafco is providing our students.”

In addition to its on-of-a-kind turbine donation, Qafco announced at the recognition event that it will sponsor 10 students from Texas A&M at Qatar to receive theoretical and practical training at the Turbine Services and Solutions workshop in Abu Dhabi, which is licensed by Rolls Royce to carry out complete overhauls for such engines. Qafco will also arrange to conduct an in-house training for 20 students.

“Today it gives me great pleasure to present the Qafco turbine to Texas A&M at Qatar as a token of our appreciation for the relationship with the branch campus,” Khalifa al-Sowaidi, Qafco vice chairman and CEO said.

The Rolls-Royce Avon gas turbine was the first axial flow jet engine produced by the company and is one of the most successful gas turbine engines. It is used in a wide variety of aircraft as well as an industrial version. The turbine is used principally in the oil and gas industry to drive pumps and gas compressors with a smaller number used for electrical power generation and within the process industry. It was introduced to Qatar in Qafco 1 in 1972. Qafco achieved a world record for continuous operation, which still stands today, operating an Avon non-stop for 476 days (11,424 hours).