$425 Million Will Be Spent To Monitor Gas Turbine and Combined Cycle Plants This
Year
In 2014, the total market for air and water monitoring including field and
laboratory instruments will exceed $22 billion. Of this total, $2.6 billion will
be spent by the power industry. In this segment, more than $350 million will be
spent for air, water, liquid and gas measurement at gas turbine and combined
cycle plants. Industrial gas turbine operators provide an additional
market. Seventy-five million will be spent by the oil and gas extraction and
processing, refining and other industrial operators of gas turbines for their
monitoring needs. These forecasts segmented for each country are displayed
in Air and Water Monitoring World Market, published by the McIlvaine
Company. (www.mcilvainecompany.com)
This year, 75,000 MW of new utility electrical generating turbines will be added
to a world base of 1,100,000 MW already installed. In addition, a
large number of smaller turbines will be purchased by industrial plants which
are generating electricity and steam or are compressing gases and use gas
turbines to provide the compression power.
One of the fastest growing industrial sectors is the application of gas turbines
for landfill and sewage plant biogas. These plants require the measurement
of formaldehyde or other organic compounds. Measurement of H2S
is also required. Some utility and industrial operators burn oil.
Those units burning fuel oil as a secondary fuel typically need to install SO2
monitors.
Nearly all the turbines regardless of the application must measure NOx
continuously. In some cases this can be done with predictive systems, but
more typically is accomplished with continuous emissions monitoring systems.
It is also often necessary to install selective catalytic reduction (SCR)
systems which use ammonia as a reagent. Continuous measurement of
the ammonia slip is necessary for both control and regulatory goals. It is
also necessary to install a second set of NOx analyzers to determine
both the raw NOx as well as the NOx in the stack.
In the simple cycle mode, it is often necessary to add tempering air prior to
the selective catalytic reduction systems. Measurement of gas flow and
temperature is, therefore, required at multiple locations.
Some turbines are operated in the simple cycle mode, so no water is necessary
for cooling condensate. However, even these units require fogging or inlet
air cooling systems using deionized water. Hence, monitoring water quality
is necessary. For combined cycle operation, dry cooling is becoming more
popular. However, the vast majority of systems use wet cooling towers.
Companies such as Nalco and GE have automated chemistry systems to measure the
parameters and add chemicals to maximize the number of times the water can be
recycled.
The cooling water blowdown requires measurement of pollutant levels before and
after final purification. Zero liquid discharge systems are becoming
popular. These require various filtration and evaporation steps, all with
air and water monitoring requirements.
Monitoring the feedwater and the condensate where heat recovery steam generators
are utilized requires very accurate monitors for dissolved oxygen, flow, pH and
other parameters.
For more information on Air and Water Monitoring World Market, click on:
http://home.mcilvainecompany.com/index.php/markets/2-uncategorised/106-n031.
Coal-fired Power Plants Will Spend Just Under $1 Trillion for Products and
Services In 2014
Despite the popularity of alternatives, coal-fired power will continue to be the
leading type of power generation in the near term. This year coal-fired
power plants will spend $390 billion for new facilities and $579 billion for
upgrades, repairs and replacements. This results in a total expenditure of
$969 billion. Each of the thousands of projects and power plants which
will be spending this money are identified in two McIlvaine publications,
Utility Tracking System and Chinese Utility Plans. The reason
that China is singled out separately is that its purchases will equal those of
the other countries combined.
Expenditures for new power plants are made in advance of the date of start-up.
So, by viewing the value of power plants starting up in 2017, one gains
perspective on the 2014 outlays. Asia will dominate the market for new
coal-fired power plants.
New Coal-fired Boilers Starting Up in 2017
Continent |
1000 MW
|
$ Billions |
Total
|
130 |
390 |
Africa |
5 |
15 |
America |
1 |
3 |
Asia |
118 |
354 |
Europe |
6 |
18 |
All of these power plants will have expensive combustion systems including fans,
furnaces, heat exchangers, coal handling and ash removal. Most units will be
supercriticals with high pressures and temperatures.
All will have elaborate water treatment and steam cycle systems. Most will have
reverse osmosis membrane systems following several pre-treatment steps including
electrodeionization or ion-exchange. Sophisticated valves and pumps will be
needed to cope with the extreme conditions in the steam cycle. Wastewater
systems are becoming increasingly complex to meet the discharge limits set by
most countries.
Some units will use seawater on a once-through basis for cooling. Others will
use cooling towers and recycle most of the water. This will require filtration
and pumping expenditures. In the drought prone areas, dry cooling will be
used. This will result in significant expenditures for fans.
Over 80 percent of the new units will incorporate both flue gas desulfurization
and DeNOx. The complexity of the iteration between combustion
goals and air pollution control goals will require extensive optimization,
automation and control systems.
Expenditures at existing power plants will be close to $600 billion in 2014.
This includes major environmental upgrades in the U.S., Eastern Europe and,
particularly, China.
Expenditures
at Existing Plants in 2014 Based On the 2013 Installed Base
Continent |
1000 MW |
$ Billions |
Total |
1,935 |
579 |
Africa |
49 |
15 |
America |
352 |
104 |
Asia |
1,179 |
353 |
Europe |
355 |
107 |
Western Europe will continue to move toward biomass co-firing and optimization
of existing power plants to reduce CO2 emissions. A coal-fired boiler
which is converted from subcritical to supercritical operation can reduce
greenhouse gases by as much as 20 percent.
Ongoing environmental expenses include reagents such as lime, limestone and
ammonia. A number of SCR systems in the U.S. and Europe have been in
operation for many years. Catalyst is replaced every 3-5 years, but there
are other expenditures which accelerate with age. A minority of the
installations use fabric filters for particulate control. New bags are required
on a 4-5 year cycle. New belts are required for the gypsum dewatering on a 1-2
year cycle.
Water treatment chemical expenditures are significant. They are used to prevent
scaling and corrosion and to enhance separation processes. Seals and packing in
the pumps and valves must be replaced regularly due to the extreme conditions
found in the steam cycle.
The political and regulatory road blocks to the construction of new coal-fired
power plants are creating a very large market for products and services at
existing power plants.
For more information on:
Utility Tracking System,
click on:
http://home.mcilvainecompany.com/index.php/databases/2-uncategorised/89-42ei
Chinese Utility Plans,
click on: http://home.mcilvainecompany.com/index.php/databases/2-uncategorised/88-42eic
Renewable Energy Briefs
Cape Wind and Siemens Sign Major Offshore Wind Turbine Supply Agreement
Siemens and Cape Wind have signed a major contract in which Siemens will supply
Cape Wind its industry-leading 3.6-megawatt (MW) offshore wind turbines, an
offshore Electric Service Platform (ESP) and a service agreement for the first
15 years of commercial operations.
Siemens, the world’s leading offshore wind turbine manufacturer, will fabricate,
install and commission its 3.6-MW offshore wind turbines for Cape Wind. The
Siemens 3.6-MW offshore turbine has been the ‘workhorse’ of the global offshore
wind industry and has had an unparalleled track record on performance and
reliability. It has been the leading turbine used at existing offshore wind
farms and it is going to be used in at least eight other offshore wind farms
currently under construction or approaching construction.
Siemens is also providing Cape Wind with a long-term maintenance program for the
wind turbines and ESP for a period of 15 years. Siemens will hire locally to
fill the majority of its operations and maintenance positions at Cape Wind’s
future service headquarters on Falmouth Harbor on Cape Cod.
Siemens is subcontracting the manufacturing of the ESP to Cianbro to be
fabricated in its facility in Brewer, Maine. The ESP was designed for Cianbro by
Moffatt and Nichol Engineers of Norfolk, VA. The ESP will be located toward the
center of the offshore wind farm site and it will transform the voltage of the
electricity produced by the wind turbines.
Expanding Global Growth Predicated for Geothermal Energy
As the geothermal industry wraps up an exciting and challenging year, the sector
has positioned itself to grow more by 2020 than ever before. “We are seeing new
technology developments move forward and new projects being announced in every
region of the world,” remarked Karl Gawell, Executive Director, Geothermal
Energy Association.
This year, the industry surpassed 12,000 MW of geothermal power operational,
with about 600 MW of new geothermal power coming online globally. New geothermal
power came on line in Kenya, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Turkey, and Mexico, as well
as Oregon, Nevada and Utah in the United States. New project announcements have
increased the resource under development to about 30,000 MW.
The international geothermal power industry is poised to place between 500 and
1,000 MW on line per year for the rest of the decade. This year new geothermal
geologic studies or exploration moved forward in places as diverse as American
Samoa, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Azerbaijan, El Salvador, Ethiopia,
Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, St. Vincent and the
Grenadines, Taiwan, Thailand, Uganda, the United States, and Yemen.
Financing was announced for projects in Costa Rica, Dominica, Djibouti,
Ethiopia, Indonesia, Japan, Kenya, Mexico, Tanzania, and the United States,
while projects in drilling and start-of-construction phases made headway in
Chile, Germany, Guatemala, Italy, Japan, Montserrat, The Philippines, Rwanda,
and Zambia.
Trina Solar Signs Investment Framework Agreement to Develop 1 GW Solar Power
Plant Project in Xinjiang, Western China
Trina Solar Limited announced that it has signed an investment framework
agreement with the local government authority of Turpan Prefecture to develop a
1GW ground-mounted solar power plant project in western China's Xinjiang Region.
Under the agreement, the solar power plants totaling 1GW are scheduled to be
built in multiple phases over a four year time frame starting from early 2014.
The commencement of each phase of development is subject to certain conditions,
including approvals from the local government and State Grid. The first two
phases of the project, with installed capacity of 300 MW, are scheduled to be
completed and connected to the grid by the end of 2014, subject to receipt of
the required approvals. Upon receiving approval for phase one; Trina Solar will
also invest in the construction of a PV module production facility in the local
area to supply modules to the solar power plants.
Georgia Power Publishes Draft RFP for 2014 Advanced Solar Initiative
Georgia Power announced that it is soliciting proposals through combined
Requests for Proposals (RFP) process to fulfill nearly 500 megawatts (MW) of
utility-scale solar generation. The RFP includes 70 MW to complete the Georgia
Power Advanced Solar Initiative (GPASI) portfolio and 425 MW approved as part of
the company's 2013 Integrated Resource Plan (IRP). The RFP will be
conducted with oversight by the Accion Group, Inc., which is serving as the
Independent Evaluator for the process.
The company will accept comments on the draft RFP documents through January 31,
2014 and will host a RFP bidder’s conference at the company's Atlanta
headquarters on January 13, 2014.
In the fall of 2012, Georgia Power proposed, and the Georgia Public Service
Commission (PSC) approved, the company's GPASI program. The GPASI was launched
with no regulatory requirement and with a market-based design that does not put
upward pressure on customer rates. In 2013, as part of the company's IRP, the
PSC approved an additional 525 MW of solar energy to be procured with similar
requirements to prevent any upward rate pressures.
Anaergia Announces Strategic Investment in Large-Scale Biosolids Processing
Facility in California
Anaergia Inc., announced it has made a strategic investment in a large-scale
biosolids processing facility located in the City of Rialto, CA. Having acquired
the infrastructure and assets of the $160 million facility previously owned by
EnerTech Environmental Inc., Anaergia plans to improve efficiencies, upgrade
technologies and create a state-of-the-art organics processing facility using
proven, best-in-class technologies. These investments will allow Anaergia
to expand facility processing capacity in the same footprint, while helping
cities manage biosolid challenges and divert organic waste from landfills.
Upgrades to the Rialto Biosolids and Energy Facility are expected to be
completed in 2015 and will be centered on the construction of advanced anaerobic
digesters that will generate renewable energy for facility operation, reduce the
volume of biosolids required for heat drying and enable the acceptance of
additional organic waste streams at the site.
The ability to accept organic waste streams from residential, multifamily and
commercial sources offers a sustainable solution to cities striving to be
proactive to keep waste bills low for taxpayers and comply with state
regulations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from waste. Through processing
and digesting the organic waste in the anaerobic digesters, significant landfill
diversion and cost savings can be achieved.
For more information on Renewable Energy Projects and Update
please visit
http://www.mcilvainecompany.com/brochures/Renewable_Energy_Projects_Brochure/renewable_energy_projects_brochure.htm
Headlines for the December 20, 2013 – Utility E-Alert
UTILITY E-ALERT
#1155– December 20, 2013
Table of Contents
COAL – US
COAL – WORLD
§
MicroCoal® Technologies building Coal Upgrading Facility at Power
Plant in Kalimantan, Indonesia
GAS/OIL - US
GAS/OIL – WORLD
BIOMASS
NUCLEAR
BUSINESS
HOT TOPIC HOUR
§
“Selecting FGD Scrubber Materials” was the Hot Topic on December 19, 2013
§
Upcoming Hot Topic Hours
For more information on the Utility Tracking System, click on:
http://home.mcilvainecompany.com/index.php/databases/2-uncategorised/89-42ei
“Air Preheaters and Heat Exchangers” will be the Hot Topic on January 9, 2014
Air preheaters and heat exchangers including
condensers, feedwater heaters, economizers and others have played an
important role in maintaining the efficiency of power plants for over a hundred
years. These days however, air heaters and heat exchangers are increasing the
focus of efforts to reduce carbon emissions by increasing plant efficiency, to
help reduce emissions of other regulated pollutants and in water scarce areas,
to provide plant water by recovering the water in exhaust gases.
Heat exchangers are also now being used in new locations in power plants both to
extract more energy from the combustion process and to improve the performance
and efficiency of pollution control equipment. For example, placing a second
heat exchanger prior to the precipitator to control the temperature of the flue
gas can improve fine particulate and SO3 removal. Heat exchangers are
also employed to allow an SCR to operate after the particulate control systems
to avoid the problems associated with passing heavily particulate laden gases
through an SCR. A Gas-to-Gas (GGH) heat exchanger is used to reheat flue gas to
550-650°F before a tail-end SCR then a second heat exchanger recovers some of
the heat energy by cooling the gas back to about 250-350°F. A condensing heat
exchanger can also be used to condense air toxics out of a flue gas stream.
Other methods to allow heat exchangers to operate more efficiency are also being
investigated such as use of ceramic filters ahead of the heat exchanger or
addition of chemicals in the gas stream ahead of the exchangers. The ceramic
filter would remove particulates as well as SO2 reducing the
potential for SO3 caused corrosion. Adding chemicals to the gas
stream also eliminates SO3. The net result is that heat exchangers
can be operated at lower temperatures significantly improving their efficiency.
The following speakers will discuss issues that should be considered when
designing, specifying, acquiring and installing air heaters and heat exchangers,
how to determine where and how heat exchangers can be used to best improve
efficiency, help reduce pollutant emissions and reduce maintenance issues such
as minimizing flyash fouling or scaling and corrosion,
describe new applications of heaters and exchangers focused on improving the
efficiency of APC equipment to assist mercury and SO3 removal and
describe new technology under development or in testing for air heaters and heat
exchangers.
John Guffre
P.E., Research Scientist, Paragon Airheater Technologies, Inc.
Sterling M. Gray,
Manager, SBS Injection Technology, URS Corporation/Advatech, will discuss how to
improve thermal energy recovery from air preheaters.
Thermal energy recovery by an air preheater is typically limited by the presence
of sulfuric acid and other fouling compounds in the flue gas stream. By
eliminating these compounds from the gas upstream of the air preheater, its
thermal performance and efficiency can be dramatically improved. Recent
long-term testing by a leading air preheater manufacturer has shown successful
operation at flue gas exit temperatures as low as 220oF, providing up
to 3 percent improvement in plant heat rate and energy efficiency. Results
from testing and an economic analysis will be presented.
Bob McIlvaine
will review the use of condensing heat exchanger in New York,
the Hitachi and Mitsubishi heat exchangers used to improve precipitator
efficiency in Japan, the potential for the ceramic filter/heat pipe combination
and other potential opportunities for more complete heat extraction.
To register for the January 9, 2014 “Hot Topic Hour” on “Air
Preheaters & Heat Exchangers” at 10:00 a.m. (CST) click on:
http://www.mcilvainecompany.com/brochures/hot_topic_hour_registration.htm.
McIlvaine Hot Topic Hour Registration
On Thursday at 10:00 a.m. Central time, McIlvaine
hosts a 90 minute web meeting on important energy and pollution control
subjects. Power webinars are free for subscribers to either
Power Plant Air Quality Decisions or Utility Tracking System. The
cost is $125.00
for non-subscribers.
Market Intelligence
webinars are free to McIlvaine market report subscribers and are $400.00
for non-subscribers.
See below for information on upcoming Hot Topic Hours. We welcome your input
relative to suggested additions.
DATE |
SUBJECT |
|
January 9, 2014 |
Air Pre-Heaters & Heat
Exchangers |
|
January 16, 2014 |
Corrosion Issues And Materials
For APC Systems |
|
February 6, 2014 |
Review Of EUEC |
|
February 13, 2014 |
Impact Of Ambient Air Quality
Rules On Fossil-Fueled Boilers
And Gas Turbines |
|
February 27, 2014 |
NOx Catalyst
Performance On Mercury And SO3
|
|
March 13, 2014 |
Industrial Boiler Fuel Options:
Coal, Biomass Or Gas?
|
|
March 27 |
Mercury Control And Removal |
|
April 10 |
NOx And Ammonia Slip Measurement
|
|
To register for the “Hot Topic Hour”, click on:
http://www.mcilvainecompany.com/brochures/hot_topic_hour_registration.htm.
----------
You can register for our free McIlvaine Newsletters at:
http://www.mcilvainecompany.com/brochures/Free_Newsletter_Registration_Form.htm.
Bob McIlvaine
President
847-784-0012 ext 112
rmcilvaine@mcilvainecompany.com
www.mcilvainecompany.com