Custom Websites for Power Plants are the Next Step to achieve the
Interconnectivity of People
The power industry has been challenged to progress at the “hurry up” pace
endemic to Silicon Valley. One of the cited routes is the utilization of the
interconnectivity among machines. However, this progress requires better
interconnectivity of people. McIlvaine has introduced a free internet decision
system for power plants based around separate websites for gas
turbines/reciprocating engines and coal-fired power.
The value of this system to a power plant has been demonstrated at PacifiCorp
where use of the system along with a series of five webinars has shown the way
to lower cost NOx control for four coal-fired units. The decisive
classification tools in the system were important but the insights from the
“wise crowd” have been equally important. McIlvaine is now taking the next step
in interconnectivity with a website and decision system for all the Berkshire
Hathaway (BH) generation plants.
The website includes links to the decision systems but also includes an Alert
just for BH people. It includes details on each generating unit with continuing
updates. McIlvaine already tracks components and consumables such as the NOx
reagents and suppliers for the various gas turbine units. The coal-fired
power plant NOx project will use more reagent than any of the gas
turbine plants. The combination of H2O2 and urea may
be better than just urea. If this is true for the coal-fired power plants,
is there a benefit for the gas turbine plants?
Siemens, GE and Emerson are each proposing optimization systems for the coal NOx
project. The gas turbine plants in the fleet are newer and the operators have
insights on the latest technology. One upgrade was priced at $8 million if
the improved performance was achieved, but only $300,000 if it was not. The
decision makers for the coal project need to hear from the gas turbine plant
operators on this.
String wound condensate polishing filters for one of the coal-fired power plants
were replaced several years ago with 20 micron filters. However, at the time
there was speculation that the more expensive 10 micron filters would have been
worth the extra investment. A total lowest cost of ownership study on this
selection would be useful to all the coal and combined cycle gas plants. The
bidders list for Currant Creek lists Cuno as the only approved bidder. The Cuno
string wound filters were deemed too inefficient and that is why they were
replaced with Pall 20 micron filters at the coal-fired power plant. But
the condensate cooling at that plant is achieved with air cooled condensers.
This results in more contamination than when wet cooling is utilized. Also
Cuno has a range of filters. So an approved bidders list should specify filter
efficiency and take advantage of recent experience. In any case, a condensate
filter users group within the corporation would be desirable.
Valve and pump approved bidders’ lists for the water and steam applications for
one new gas turbine plant are included in the decision system. In its valve and
pump services, McIlvaine is writing about the many improvements in the product
offerings. This includes designs but also materials such as hard facings.
This list should be shared among all the plants and the “wise crowd” invited to
provide insights. There should be a BH power generation valve users group and
also a users’ group on pumps.
There are lots of individuals in the crowd who can provide valuable input on the
generation mix. Warren Buffet has been defending the policy of not
subsidizing photovoltaic solar owners in Nevada. They are paid 11 cents/kWh for
their electricity when the company can buy from central solar suppliers for 5
cents/kWh. At the heart of this dispute is the true cost of generation
when transmission and other costs are included. This true cost is influenced by
the fluctuations in demand and the contribution of all the other generation
sources in the system. Mid-American Energy filed changes to its private
generation tariff with the Iowa Utilities Board. It is now dedicated to 100
percent renewables over time. Wind energy will be the foundation.
Relative to the solar tariff, the company said “Most private solar customers
remain connected to the power grid for back-up power to use when the sun isn’t
shining.” However, they pay less for using the grid – customers who don’t
have private solar end up paying the difference. We believe the filing is a step
forward in the process to balance the needs of all customers and ensure that
customers who install private generation pay their share of the costs for
maintaining the grid. We will continue to move policies in a direction that
encourage private solar and wind development.
There is a commercial tomato greenhouse at the Currant Creek plant. It
produces 22 million pound of tomatoes per year. It uses heat and CO2
from the power generator but also is recovering a significant amount of water
from the flue gas (derived from hydrogen in the fuel). The grower operates
another plant in California and is building one in Canada. These plants
each use two 4 MW gas engines to provide the electricity, heat, light and CO2.
Their energy efficiency is greater than 80 percent. However, the produce
grows up to 40 percent faster because of the CO2. Therefore, you can
make a good case that the gas engines are more than 100 percent efficient and,
therefore, are better than wind or solar. This case is even stronger when
the grower uses biogas from the produce waste to fuel the engines. The recovery
of water from the exhaust at Currant Creek creates another ponderable. McIlvaine
has a common metric to measure the harm from CO2 vs. the recovery of
water in an arid area. Ten tons of recovered water is worth one ton of CO2.
Therefore, further quantification of the water recovery is important.
Much of the area in which the Berkshire plants are located is arid and sunny.
Many experts are predicting a huge future for indoor agriculture with gas
engines burning low cost natural gas or biogas. These engines will operate 24-7
unlike wind and solar. Data centers are investing in emergency engines to
provide up to 6 percent of all the energy potentially consumed in the region.
They could invest in NOx control equipment and switch to standby
service. Should gas engines be a bigger part of the fleet? Presently the long
range plans for PacifiCorp only include a fractional percent of energy from this
source.
The “wise crowd” of Berkshire people along with experts from the supplier and
consulting companies will have a unique tool to help make better
combustion, flow control and treatment decisions throughout the organization.
The long-range plan is to provide the custom websites for all the major utility
generators throughout the world. Since these are offered free of charge the
challenge is not obtaining the utility buy in but in the funding from the
supplier community who will benefit from the customer interface and the
mechanism to demonstrate that their products will result in the lowest total
cost of ownership (TCO).
For more information on the systems, click on:
59D Gas
Turbine and Reciprocating Engine Decisions.
44I Power
Plant Air Quality Decisions
31I
Renewable Energy Update and Projects
The Berkshire Hathaway “Wise Crowd” Decisions is available separately or as part
of a package.
For more information on the program contact Bob McIlvaine at 847-784-0012 ext.
112
rmcilvaine@mcilvainecompany.com
Scrubber Sales to Reach $7.4 Billion Next Year
Sales of scrubbers to industrial customers and not power plants will exceed $7.4
billion next year. This is the latest forecast in
Scrubber/Adsorber/Biofilter World Market. East Asia will be the
leading regional purchaser followed by NAFTA.
Absorbers will be the leading scrubber type. This includes packed towers
and tray towers. Adsorbers with carbon or other media will be the second ranked
product.
1 |
Absorber |
2 |
Adsorber |
3 |
Particulate |
4 |
Dry Scrubber |
5 |
Biofilter |
6 |
Other |
A large number of both dry and wet scrubbers are used to remove SO2,
mercury and HCl formed by the burning of municipal or industrial waste.
This will be the top ranked application.
1 |
Incinerators |
2 |
Wastewater |
3 |
Other Industries |
4 |
Metals |
5 |
Chemical |
6 |
Surface Coating |
7 |
Pulp & Paper |
8 |
Food |
9 |
Electronics |
For more information, click on:
N008
Scrubber/Adsorber/Biofilter World Markets
World Market for Air Filters Will Reach $7.6 billion Next Year
Sales of filters for indoor air will exceed $7.6 billion next year. This
is the forecast of the McIlvaine Company in Air Filtration and Purification
Market.
The medium efficiency segment will lead the way with twice the sales of other
segments.
1 |
M 5-6, F 7-9 |
2 |
G 1-4 |
3 |
H 10-17 |
4 |
Gas Phase |
5 |
Electronic |
Commercial buildings will be at the top in the ranking by application.
1 |
Commercial |
2 |
Other Industries |
3 |
Metals |
4 |
Residential |
5 |
Electronics |
6 |
Bioclean |
7 |
Power |
For more information on
N022 Air Filtration and Purification World Market
click on:
http://home.mcilvainecompany.com/index.php/markets/2-uncategorised/108-n022
Utility E-Alert Tracks Billions of Dollars of New Coal-fired Power Plants on a
Weekly Basis
UTILITY E-ALERT
Here are some Headlines from the Utility E-Alert – September 23, 2016
#1291 – September 23, 2016
Table of Contents
COAL – US
• Plans underway for
closing of Drake Power Plant Units
COAL – WORLD
• NECO is both a
Coal-fired Power Plant Operator and Valve Manufacturer
• CMEC and PPC sign MoU
for Coal-fired Power Plant in northern Greece
• Sino-British Partnership
developing 300 MW Stanari Coal-fired Power Plant
• Brand New Moorburg
Coal-fired Power Plant to be sold
The
41F Utility E-Alert
is issued weekly and covers the coal-fired projects, regulations and other
information important to the suppliers. It is $950/yr. but is included in the
$3020
42EI Utility Tracking System
which has data on every plant and project plus networking directories and many
other features.
Upcoming Hot Topic Hours
DATE |
HOT TOPIC HOUR
AND DECISION
GUIDE SCHEDULE
The opportunity
to interact on
important issues |
TBA
Markets |
Food
- Analysis
of 12 separate
applications within food and
beverage with analysis of valve,
pump, compressor, filter,
analyzer and chemical options;
impact of new technologies such
as forward osmosis. |
TBA
Markets |
Municipal Wastewater
-
Quality of pumps, valves,
filters, and analyzers in
Chinese and Asian plants; new
pollutant challenges; water
purification for reuse. |
TBA
Markets |
Mobile Emissions
-Reduction
in CO, VOCs, and particulate in
fuels, oils, and air used in on
and off road vehicles; impact of
RDE and failure of NOx
traps and the crisis in Europe
created by the focus on clean
diesel. |
Click here to Register for the Webinars
----------
You can register for our free McIlvaine Newsletters at:
http://home.mcilvainecompany.com/index.php?option=com_rsform&formId=5.
Bob McIlvaine
President
847-784-0012 ext. 112
rmcilvaine@mcilvainecompany.com
www.mcilvainecompany.com