Gas Turbine Combined Cycle Plants Will Pay $800 Million for Water Treatment Chemicals This Year

Gas turbine and combined cycle (GTCC) power plants will spend less than nuclear or coal-fired power plants on water treatment chemicals this year. However, this segment will show higher growth than the other two segments. One of the variables is the Fukushima nuclear plant which will account for nearly 2 percent of all the power plant treatment chemical purchases this year. Nuclear accidents are, therefore, a significant consideration in any forecast.

This power market sector is continually analyzed in Water and Wastewater Treatment Chemicals: World Market, published by the McIlvaine Company.  (www.mcilvainecompany.com)

GTCC plants use treatment chemicals such as coagulants on the intake water.  This is converted to ultrapure water.  In the process, chemicals are used to adjust the pH and to remove contaminants. Additional chemicals are used with the steam to minimize high temperature corrosion.  The cooling water and wastewater also require a variety of chemicals.

One of the biggest markets is the retrofitting of peaking plants with heat recovery steam generators and steam turbines to combine the cycle. A number of operators in the Middle East routinely start with a peaking plant and later combine the cycle.  In the U.S., peaking plants are being converted not only because of the power needs but to minimize the greenhouse gas footprint.  A peaking plant emits nearly 40 percent more CO2/MW than a combined cycle plant.

There are a number of site specific variables which impact treatment chemical investment. One would be the silica content of the intake water. This varies by an order of magnitude depending on the water source. Another variable is the nitrates and organics in the source water.  The use of municipal wastewater as the source of GTCC plants is now common. When this source is utilized, the treatment chemical expenditures are higher than when more pristine sources are tapped.

Today GTCC plants are commonly cycled hundreds of times per year.  This creates problems which require additional treatment chemical expenditures.  Flow-Accelerated Corrosion (FAC) can cause leaks and ruptures in carbon steel piping, vessels and equipment.

The difficulty in obtaining water discharge permits is leading to adoption of zero liquid discharge.  The recycling and evaporation processes require treatment chemicals.  Purification of water used for inlet cooling to the turbine is another revenue generator for treatment chemical companies. For more information on Water and Wastewater Treatment Chemicals: World Market, click on:  http://home.mcilvainecompany.com/index.php/markets/27-water/449-n026-water-and-wastewater-treatment-chemicals.

McIlvaine also tracks each project and existing gas turbine plant.  For more information on this program, click on: 59EI Gas Turbine and Combined Cycle Supplier Program.

Lots of Mergers in the Gas and Liquids Flow, Control and Treatment Market

In the last year there have been hundreds of acquisitions in the $400 billion market which treats and controls air, gas, water and other liquids.  These transactions and the strategy behind them are reported in Air/Gas/Water/Fluid Treatment and Control: World Market, published by the McIlvaine Company.  (www.mcilvainecompany.com)

The largest segment is industrial valves. One of the smaller segments is air filtration. Acquisitions in the last year in these two segments are listed below:

        Recent Air Filtration Acquisitions          

Acquiring Company

Acquired Company

Eastman Chemical

Knowlton

Neenah Paper

Crane Technical

Lydall

Andrew

Mann + Hummel

Vokes

Clarcor

GE - BHA

Filtration Group

Porex

SWM

Delstar

PGI

Fiberweb

 

Recent Valve Company Acquisitions

IMI

Bopp & Reuther

Matt Holding

Dorot

SPX  (divesting)

Flow Control

Graco

Alco

Graco

High Pressure Pump

Siemens

Dresser Rand

Avk

Premier

Dover

Wellmark

Curtiss Wright

Engelmasa (Brazilian Valve Division)

Rotork

Xylem (UK Solenoid Valve Division)

Rotork

Youngtech

Rotork

Attuatori

Rotork

Renfro

Admiral

CPV

Krones

Evoguard

Kitz

Micropneumatics

Klinger

Westad

Samson

Ringo Valvulas

Emerson

Virgo

Emerson

Enardo

Cooper

Accuseal

Cameron

Douglas Chero

There are a variety of motivations involved in this market.  One is to expand the technology and product base.  Lydall makes filter media for HVAC but not for dust collection. Andrew makes media for dust collectors. So Lydall has more than doubled the filter media sales potential with the acquisition. Clarcor took a similar course but one step down the supply chain.  They furnish HVAC filters and with the purchase of BHA from GE they now are the leading dust collector bag company.

Another reason is to gain access to geographical market as witnessed by Curtiss Wrights’ Brazilian valve acquisition.

A third reason is vertical integration. An earlier acquisition by Clarcor moves them into the media business for face masks and HVAC.

Another motivation is to streamline companies and to make them more profitable. The SPX decision to separate its flow control from other businesses is a case in point.  Xylem is still in a repositioning mode several years after it was separated from ITT.

For more information on Air/Gas/Water/Fluid Treatment and Control: World Market, click on:  http://home.mcilvainecompany.com/index.php/markets/27-water/445-n064-air-gas-water-fluid-treatment.

Headlines for Utility E-Alert – January 30, 2015

UTILITY E-ALERT

#1208 – January 30, 2015

Table of Contents

COAL – US

 COAL – WORLD

GAS/OIL - US

 GAS/OIL – WORLD

 BIOMASS

NUCLEAR

BUSINESS

HOT TOPIC HOUR

For more information on the Utility Tracking System, click on:  http://home.mcilvainecompany.com/index.php/databases/2-uncategorised/89-42ei

Hot Topic Hour Registration

On Thursdays at 10:00 a.m. Central time, McIlvaine hosts a 90 minute web meeting on important energy and pollution control subjects.  These Webinars are free of charge to owner/operators of the plants. They are also free to McIlvaine Subscribers of Power Plant Air Quality Decisions and Utility Tracking System.  The cost for others is $300.00 per webinar.

See below for information on upcoming Hot Topic Hours.  We welcome your input relative to suggested additions.

DATE

SUBJECT

DESCRIPTION    

February 12, 2015

Gasification Air Pollution Control

More Information

February 19, 2015

Mercury Measurement and Capture

More Information

February 26, 2015

Power Plant Wastewater Treatment

More Information

March 5, 2015

Dry Scrubbing and DSI

More Information

Click here for the Subscriber and Power Plant or Cement Plant Owner/Operator Registration Form

Click here for the Non-Subscribers Registration Form           

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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