AES Gener is the second generating company in Chile and the main thermoelectric generator, and provides 4.068 MW (including Guacolda S.A.), equivalent to a share of 22%, whereas 3,797 MW of thermoelectric capacity and 271 MW of hydroelectric capacity. The plant provides electrical power to the Norte Grande Interconnected System (SING) through its subsidiaries: Norgener S.A. (Norgener), Empresa Electrica Angamos S.A. (Electrica Angamos) and TermoAndes S.A. (TermoAndes) in Argentina. The Norgener complex has a coal thermal power station in the city of Tocopilla, northern Chile, which contributes with 277 MW to the SING. At this location, the turbine cooling system uses seawater. Cooling circuits usually contain deposited impurities associated with the origin of the water, which bring negative consequences including efficiency reduction in the heat exchange process and the need of continuous maintenance to remove these solids, finally resulting in loss of productivity.

The cooling circuit had fully manual metal screen filters, however, these did not deliver the proper water quality to protect the circuit and there was a high quantity of solids. The filters had a high degree of corrosion as the construction materials were not suitable for use with seawater. In addition, since the filters were manually operated, cleaning relied 100% on the operators. This required too much maintenance and manpower to clean the screen filter. The cleaning frequency was more than once a week, at difficult times of the day and night and there were even leakages to the outside because the filter casings were heavily corroded. This caused system delays and problems supplying good quality water for the cooling circuit. The customer decided that the best solution would be to have an automatic, self-cleaning filtration system, constructed of materials suitable for use with seawater with the goal of ensuring system continuity.

Amiad’s advantages compared to the competitors were its commitment with the client, the filter construction material, and the system configuration as the space available for installation was restricted. Considering the available space, the solution designed for the required 1,400 m³/h flow rate was 2 units of 12 x 4″ SW Galaxy batteries (100 micron each) to be placed one on top of the other. This doubled to two refrigeration units. The washing process is performed with an external water source at 6 bar, with a customer-owned pump, head by head, i.e. 24 washes per system are performed.

Results

The client is very satisfied with the results obtained by the filters; they have been operating since December 2016 and have been running as expected without any interruptions. Amiad’s filters have significantly improved the filtration quality, reducing the need to clean the heat exchanger after the filter and helped to decrease booster pump failure, also after the filter. Amiad supplied an automatic filtration system that is low in energy consumption, high in efficiency and performance that delivered the expected results.

Vietnam Releases Draft Power Plan as EVN Steps Up Push to Cap Renewables

Vietnam’s Ministry of Industry and Trade has released a draft of the country’s influential 2021–2030 power development plan. The draft plan, which is open for public comment until March 17, includes a vision for the country’s energy development to 2045. The release of the draft comes as the government-owned utility, EVN, is advocating renewable energy should be capped at 20–25 percent of the grid. Renewable generation currently accounts for about 24 percent of the country’s current capacity of about 70,000 megawatts (MW).

India Explores Major Investments in Hydrocarbons and Renewables in Russian Arctic Region

India is exploring the possibility of major investments in fossil fuels and other areas of the energy sector in Russia’s Arctic region, which is a new global source for both renewables and non-renewables.

India’s current investment in Russia stands at $15 billion in oil and gas projects and it is looking to expand its presence in the new oil project being developed by the Russian national oil company Rosneft in the Arctic, according to people aware of the matter.

The Indian Ambassador to Moscow hinted in a recent briefing for local media in the Russian capital at India’s growing interests in the Arctic region.

GEOTHERMAL

Nalco Cleaning Program Increases Geothermal Power by 10% at Mexican Plant

As a result of the chemical cleaning program recommended and advised by Nalco Water, the unit reported a three-MW/hr. increase in electric power generation per unit once placed back in operation.

Likewise, in a joint operation of the geothermal power plant, the vacuum pumps were cleaned and repaired, and the cooling tower film type fill was changed to a hybrid type fill. This enabled the power plant to bring the unit up to nearly 27-MW of generation, thus eliminating the derating completely. https://www.ecolab.com/stories/geothermal-in-mexico

Saltpower Using Toyobo Membrane For Forward Osmosis

Hollow fiber forward osmosis (FO) membranes manufactured by Toyobo Co. Ltd. have been adopted at a first of its kind osmotic power plant in Denmark. The pilot plant is operated by Danish venture firm SaltPower ApS with support from industrial machinery maker Danfoss A/S and engineering firm Semco Maritime A/S.

The osmotic power plant is located at one of Denmark’s district heating systems, which have been developed and widely used for many years. In district heating systems, produced heat in the form of hot water or steam is converged in one location and distributed through a network of pipes to commercial establishments and homes. Geothermal, saline water pumped up from underground wells, is used as a heat source. The plant uses geothermal How osmotic power generation works Geothermal wastewater Turbine FO membrane Fresh water (more) wastewater, which has returned to the underground wells, to obtain saline water for osmotic power generation. The plant’s output of 20 kilowatts is the largest capacity for this type of osmotic power generator in the world as of November 2018, according to Toyobo’s research

The plant started a demonstration in September 2018 and aims to put the membrane to continuous operation. The FO membrane, in which hollow fibers are densely packed in a cylindrical pressure vessel, is a kind of semipermeable membrane that permeates water molecules and filters out molecules and ions above a certain size.

Toyobo developed hollow fiber semipermeable membrane in the 1970s, applying spinning technology nurtured in its textile production business. Since the early 1980s, Toyobo’s reverse osmosis (RO) membrane using the technology, which filters saline water into fresh water, has crafted an excellent reputation for its filtering capabilities and durability, and has been adopted at desalination facilities mainly in the Middle East Countries. The osmotic power plant generates electricity by using energy derived from the difference in the salt concentration between fresh water and geothermal water, or saline water pumped up from underground wells. When saline water comes in contact with fresh water over the FO membrane, which filters out salt content from saline water, water currents are created in the saline water due to the difference in osmotic pressures. These currents turn the turbine for generating electricity.

Osmotic power using geothermal water is attracting attention as a novel renewable energy that, unlike solar or wind power, is unaffected by weather or time of day. Hollow fiber forward osmosis (FO) membrane (more) Toyobo’s FO membrane has an internal structure in which densely packed hollow fibers enable water to flow efficiently, generating stable water currents at a low pressure loss for turning the turbine. In addition, the membrane is robust enough to withstand the high water pressure needed for efficient osmotic power generation, a property that Toyobo’s RO membranes possess. These features prompted the Danish osmotic power plant to use the FO membrane.

Toyobo, SaltPower and other entities are scheduled to build a one-megawatt-class osmotic power plant that harnesses Toyobo’s FO membrane in Denmark by the end of 2021 and later in other European countries. Toyobo plans to actively market the FO membrane to energy-saving desalination plants and industrial wastewater concentration systems.

OIL-FIRED

Sigma DAFs Supplied for Combined Desalination/ Power Plant in SA

SIGMA DAF has manufactured for a major client in Saudi Arabia, 2 DAF-FPHF350 with a maximum treatment capacity of 880 m3 / h.

The function of these types of equipment is to act as a pre-treatment of seawater in a desalination plant for the operation process of a power plant. These DAFs are designed to remove more than 90% and 98% of oils and fats, and algae, respectively.

CO₂

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Engineering to Test Carbon Capture Technology at Technology Centre Mongstad in Norway

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Engineering (MHIENG), part of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Group, has entered into an agreement with Technology Centre Mongstad (TCM) to test its proprietary solvent for capturing CO₂ at the amine plant located in Mongstad, Norway. The test campaign will start in May.

The proprietary solvent to be tested is the KS-21TM, an amine-based adsorbent used in the “Advanced KM CDR Process™” newly developed by MHIENG in collaboration with Kansai Electric Power Co., Inc. (KEPCO). Its long-term usage will be demonstrated in Norway, one of the world’s most advanced countries with respect to environmental regulations on CO₂ capture, in a quest to achieve commercialization within 2021. Compared to the earlier KS-1TM solvent, which has been adopted at 13 commercial plants delivered by MHIENG, KS-21TM has a number of advantageous properties such as lower volatility and greater stability against degradation. The newer solvent is also expected to enable reduced running costs and other economic benefits.

At a time when CO₂ capture needs are expanding in the United Kingdom and Europe, the test program at TCM, which has state-of-the-art facilities and specialized knowledge, will confirm KS-21TM’s long-term durability and assess its environmental impact, thus providing MHIENG with technological data relating to its significantly higher CO₂ capture rate. The test program will enable MHIENG to set a timetable for KS-21TM’s commercialization, opening the way for the company to expand orders in the UK and European markets.

Since its establishment in 2012, TCM, equipped with the world’s largest-scale CO₂ capture testing facilities, has provided users with profound knowledge, online analysis, and advanced analytical technologies relating to the trace components of gas emissions. Its data accumulated through testing exceed 1,000 categories and contribute significantly to commercialization of absorbents.

On reaching the new agreement with TCM, Kenji Terasawa, MHIENG President & CEO commented: “MHI Group today is strengthening its efforts in the energy transition field, to help realize a carbon neutral world on a global scale. For many years, MHIENG has strived to minimize CO₂ emissions from gas emissions, utilizing its cutting-edge technologies. Today we possess reliable and economically feasible carbon capture technologies supported by more than three decades of research and development activity and a robust track record of commercial plants around the world. TCM’s abundant knowledge and experience in environmental impact assessment, and its state-of-the-art testing environment, will raise the level of our CO₂ capture technologies further, enabling us to accelerate business expansion in the vital UK and European markets. We expect the new testing program will contribute to realizing carbon neutrality in the years ahead.”

Ernst Petter Axelsen, CEO at TCM, also welcomed the new collaboration. “It’s very satisfying that a leading capture technology developer like MHIENG has chosen TCM as the arena for their carbon capture tests. Our staff is ready to ensure effective execution of the tests, and to provide expert advice throughout the campaign.”

BIOMASS

Verdo Uses RO Pre-Treatment At District Heating Plant

Verdo (former Energi Randers Produktion A/S) is situated at the harbor of Randers at the foot of its 127-m chimney. The station produces 223.000 MWh a year. It supplies electricity to 32.000 recipients and district heating to 10.500 customers.

The combined heat and power plant produces electricity and heat energy in joint production. Make-up water for both a high-pressure steam boiler and for distribution of the district heating are needed.

The make-up water for the high-pressure steam boiler is demineralized according to the patented water treatment principle of UPCORE, combining all the known advantages of water demineralization through ion exchange with the counter-flow principle. After the UPCORE unit, the water is polished in a mixed bed unit, leaving the demineralized water with a final conductivity of under 0.07 μS/cm and a silica content of less than 0.01 mg/litre. The water treatment plant comprising two lines connected in parallel. Each line is dimensioned for a flow rate of 5 m3/h.

The make-up water for the distribution network of the district heating is produced in a RO-PLUS unit. RO-PLUS units are designed for a recovery rate up to 90%, compromising neither the reliability nor the water quality. As pre-treatment of the feedwater to the reverse osmosis unit, a softening unit is used. This water treatment plant has a flow rate of 15 m3/h and the conductivity of the demineralized water will be under 10 μS/cm.

Furthermore, the PLC controls are integrated into the existing SCADA system of the heat and power plant.

GAS TURBINE

Tata Consulting Meets Steam Blowing Challenges at Indonesian GTCC Plant

Tata Consulting Engineers Ltd. (TCE) was retained as the engineering consultant for detailed design and engineering services of a combined cycle project in Indonesia. The plant was commissioned in December 2018 and is currently in commercial operation.

A steam blowing operation is one of the critical pre-commissioning activities carried out in new power projects where construction is completed, and the commissioning phase is ongoing. This activity is performed on the critical steam piping of the steam cycle circuit to ensure that any scales, oxides of metal, and slag left behind in the piping internals during the welding process are removed prior to initiating steam turbine operation.

The steam cycle circuit typically refers to all the piping that is connected between the heat recovery steam generator (HRSG) and the steam turbine. This is an important activity to be completed by the engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contractor as part of steam turbine original equipment manufacturer (OEM) start-up requirements. Otherwise, any leftover metal particles or scales formed within the pipes can travel along with the steam into the steam turbine and can cause pitting/damage on the turbine blades. In some cases, the damage can be catastrophic in nature. The criteria or guidelines for cleaning the steam piping are set by the steam turbine OEM and need to be fulfilled by the EPC contractor.

The experience gained by a project team during the steam blowing operation for a combined cycle power project is described in this article. The details of the steam blowing procedure (such as calculations, construction details, step-by-step sequence, and methodology to execute the steam blowing procedure) are not covered in this article. Rather, the focus is drawn more toward challenges faced during execution of the SBO at the site and solutions used to overcome the difficulties. To understand the necessity of this procedure in detail, readers should review literature available in the public domain. Another source to help
https://www.powermag.com/innovative-engineering-results-in-successful-steam-blowing-operation/

GE Will Supply Power Generation Equipment For a New Generating Block at JSC Tatenergo’s Zainskaya State District Power Plant (SDPP) Located in Zainsk, Tatarstan Republic, Russia

The new combined cycle plant will be designed and built by the Turkish engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) company ENKA, as part of the modernization project of one of the largest power plants in Tatarstan. GE will supply a 9HA.02 gas turbine, as well as a STF-D650 steam turbine, one triple pressure with RH Heat Recovery Steam Generator and H78 and A78 generators.

The new 858 MW CCGT power plant will benefit from the technology capable of reaching more than 64% net combined cycle efficiency. When construction of the new power plant is complete, Zainskaya SDPP is expected to become one of the most efficient power stations in Russia.

Zainskaya SDPP was built in the 1960s and is one of the largest combined heat and power plants in Russia today, with a capacity of 2.2 GW. The plant connects Russia’s European energy system with the energy systems in the Urals and Siberia regions, and generates approximately 25% of the power consumed in Tatarstan, including the Republic’s capital city Kazan. Replacing some of the plant’s outdated steam units with the latest 9HA gas turbine technology will significantly increase the efficiency of the power plant, reduce the natural gas consumption and emissions, while also driving down the cost of electricity, GE said.
https://www.dieselgasturbine.com/news/GE-Supplying-Turbines-For-Russian-Power-Plant-Upgrade/7011933.article

Mitsubishi SCR Will Be Key to the New Ammonia-fired Gas Turbine

Mitsubishi Power has commenced development of a 40-megawatt (MW) class gas turbine that is fueled by 100% ammonia (NH₃). The project was started in response to the increasing global focus on decarbonization. As firing of ammonia produces no carbon dioxide (CO₂), carbon-free power generation is achieved. Going forward, after combustion and other testing, Mitsubishi Power is targeting commercialization in or around 2025. When achieved, it will mark the world’s first commercialized gas turbine to make exclusive use of ammonia as fuel in a system of this scale, and will aid in the promotion of decarbonization of small to medium-scale power stations for industrial applications, on remote islands, etc.

Mitsubishi Power is working to reduce environmental impact through the development of high-efficiency power generation technologies. Until now, the company has pursued technological developments enabling a transition from natural gas fuel used in gas turbine combined cycle (GTCC) systems, which currently emit the lowest amount of CO₂ among thermal power generation systems, to hydrogen, which emits no CO₂. In tandem with pursuing active use of ammonia, the company has also been developing a system in which the waste heat from a gas turbine reconverts ammonia into hydrogen and nitrogen for use in hydrogen gas turbines. This development is carried out as part of a program by Japan’s New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) “Technology Development Project for Building a Hydrogen-based Society: JPNP14026.”

Developing a method for directly combusting ammonia will further expand Mitsubishi Power’s lineup of carbon-free power generation systems. A challenge needing to be addressed with direct combustion of ammonia is the production of nitrogen oxide (NO_x) caused by oxidation resulting from the combustion of the nitrogen component of the fuel. Mitsubishi Power is aiming to resolve this issue through commercialization of a gas turbine system that combines selective catalytic reduction (SCR) with a newly developed combustor that reduces NO_x emissions, for installation in the company’s H-25 Series gas turbines (output: 40-MW class), which has a rich operational track record spanning the globe.

Ammonia, which is a compound consisting of hydrogen and nitrogen, is a highly efficient hydrogen carrier, and it can also be directly combusted as fuel. In recent years, attention has begun to focus on ammonia from two perspectives: achieving carbon neutrality through transition to a hydrogen society, and minimizing environmental impact caused by existing energy modes. Expectations are held that early introduction of ammonia-based power generation equipment at power companies and independent power providers (IPPs) will promote ammonia’s future use as a carbon-free fuel.

Going forward, Mitsubishi Power will work to advance the energy transition as a member of MHI Group. By prioritizing its resources into expanding its gas turbine power generation and other efficient, environmentally friendly generation technologies, the company will contribute to the stable supply of power, indispensable to global economic development, and the protection of the environment through the promotion decarbonization.

Yara Not Only Makes SCR Reagents But Will Make The Ammonia Fuel

Yara International ASA (Oslo, Norway) has announced plans for 500,000 metric tons per year (m.t./yr) of green ammonia production in Norway, powering emission-free shipping fuels and decarbonized food solutions.

“Ammonia is the most promising hydrogen carrier and zero-carbon shipping fuel, and Yara is the global ammonia champion, a leader within production, logistics and trade. I am excited to announce that a full-scale green ammonia project is possible in Norway, where we can fully electrify our Porsgrunn ammonia plant,” says Svein Tore Holsether, President and Chief Executive Officer of Yara.

Ammonia’s chemical properties make it ideally suited for the hydrogen economy. It does not require cooling to extreme temperatures, and has a higher energy density than liquid hydrogen, making it more efficient to transport and store. Ammonia is therefore the most promising hydrogen carrier and zero-carbon shipping fuel.

Building on its long experience and leading position within global ammonia production, logistics and trade, Yara aims to capture opportunities within shipping, agriculture, and industrial appli-cations, in a market expected to grow by 60 percent over the next two decades. Against this backdrop, Yara announces plans to fully electrify its ammonia plant in Porsgrunn, Norway with the potential to cut 800,000m.t./yr. of CO₂, equivalent to the emissions from 300,000 passenger cars.
https://www.chemengonline.com/yara-announces-world-scale-green-ammonia-project/

NewTeck Sensors For More Efficient Valve Operation

NewTek Sensor Solutions said its HAR Series of hermetically sealed linear position sensors provide critical position measurement in the monitoring and control of steam turbine valves in power plants.

Designed especially for power plant rehabilitation programs, these AC-operated LVDTs serve as OEM replacements for legacy applications, offering the same fit, function, and reliability as original units, the company said.

Gas turbines use various valves (control, gate, transfer, bleed) for different operations. Using position feedback on valves from the HAR LVDT Position Sensors, operators can ensure they are opened and closed according to control schemes for more efficient plant operations. Just a 2% increase in efficiency can translate into millions of dollars in savings annually, the company said.

Well-established for measuring the position of steam turbine valves, the HAR Series of Displacement Sensors are reliable and resilient in harsh environments, offering highly accurate feedback with long life. Hermetically-sealed to IP-68, these LVDT Position Sensors can withstand high shock and vibration while operating over a wide operating temperature range of -65°F to 400°F. A right-angle configuration stops debris from accumulating inside the sensor body. Units are available in measurement ranges from ± 0.05 to ± 10 in.

https://www.dieselgasturbine.com/news/NewTek-position-sensors-for-steam-turbine-valves/8010538.article

Oglethorpe Power Corporation Seeks To Acquire Natural Gas-Fired Combined-Cycle Generating Facility from the Carlyle Group

Global investment firm, The Carlyle Group Inc. affiliate Southeast PowerGen, LLC and electric membership corporation, Oglethorpe Power Corporation, announced that Oglethorpe, on behalf of a select group of members, has entered into a purchase and sale agreement to acquire Effingham County Power, a 511 megawatt operating combined-cycle generating and transmission facility located in Rincon, GA, from Southeast PowerGen.

This facility represents a critical baseload asset and is one of the most efficient natural gas-fired generating facilities in Georgia. The facility entered commercial operation in August 2003 and consists of two GE combustion turbines and one steam turbine. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Upon closing, this will be Oglethorpe's fifth acquisition of gas-fired generation in Georgia in the last 12 years, totaling almost 3,000 megawatts.

Nalco 3D TASAR Helps Optimize Cooling Water at Termoelectrica

Termoelectrica, a power plant in Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico needed to reliably respond to power demand fluctuations from heavy agriculture and industry in the area. The cooling tower became the focus for optimizing water and energy savings as well as improved staff safety.

The plant uses grey water in its cooling tower, which reduces the plant’s freshwater use. But grey water can carry high concentrations of calcium, sulfate, and chloride, which contribute to scaling and performance issues. Nalco Water conducted studies to determine the optimal cycles of chemical concentration in the cooling tower to minimize water use and avoid scaling. The team implemented 3D TRASARTM Technology for Cooling Water to reduce scaling which included continuous monitoring of performance from a remote control room and the application of cutting-edge chemical products.

“Nalco Water has unique polymers that work via charge reinforcement to carry impurities out of a cooling tower before they settle as scale and deposits,” said Fernando Garcia, district manager, Nalco Water. “We tailor our solutions to the specific conditions and needs of our customers. Our customized approach helped Termoelectrica significantly improve use of grey water in its cooling tower.

RECIPROCATING ENGINES

Wartsila Supplying Engines and Gas Valves for Artic LNG 2 Project

Wärtsilä will supply the dual-fuel engines for six new 172 500 cbm LNG carrier vessels being built to serve the Arctic LNG 2 project in Russia’s Arctic waters. The order, which is valued at more than €100 million, was placed by Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering. There is an option for a further four ships.

Each vessel will be fitted with six Wärtsilä 46DF dual-fuel engines, plus gas valve units and auxiliaries. Deliveries of the equipment will commence in August 2021.

“This is a major newbuild project, and we were able to propose a technical solution that ensures clear benefits and cost savings for the customer. Our experience with LNG applications is unmatched, and this order represents an acknowledgement of that fact,” says Östen Lindell, sales director, East Asia & China, Wärtsilä Marine Power.

Wärtsilä has earlier supplied the engines for 15 ships serving the Yamal LNG project, as well as numerous dual-fuel engines for other LNG carriers built at the Daewoo yard.
https://www.dieselgasturbine.com/news/wrtsil-supplying-arctic-lng-vessels/8010011.article

ANDRITZ Supplies the Scrubbers and Dust Collectors for Ship Engine Exhaust

ANDRITZ supplies complete solutions for emission control to the maritime industry. Its exhaust gas cleaning systems (EGCS) include scrubbers and filtration solutions and all the ancillary equipment as well as installation supervision, commissioning, and after-sales service. ANDRITZ is the only company that supplies two completely flexible system solutions for cleaning exhaust gas on board maritime vessels — SeaSOx Scrubber (the common and well-known wet scrubbing system) and SeaSOx Dual/Multi Filtration. Due to the demand for exhaust gas cleaning solutions for use at anchor or during a stay in port, SeaSOx Barge is an additional option for vessels without a scrubber or filtration solution installed. Tailor-made solutions cover all possible options and combinations to develop the perfect solution for each vessel and customer. The EGCSs from ANDRITZ can be installed on all types of new-build vessels or retrofitted to ships already in service.

The different technologies are characterized as follows:

1) SeaSOx Scrubber, using seawater for exhaust gas cleaning, suitable for merchant vessels worldwide. The I-type or U-type scrubbers in round or rectangular shape are provided for all possible applications (open loop, closed loop, hybrid ready, hybrid).

2) SeaSOx Dual/Multi Filtration, without wash water, for merchant vessels operating in coastal waters and inland waterways, ferries, feeders, RoRo, RoPax, cruise ships, and so on. There is no discharge of wastewater into the sea and no dry dock is required for installation.

· SeaSOx Dual Filtration: To remove SO_x and PM.

· SeaSOx Multi Filtration: An all-in-one solution for SO_x, NO_x, and PM removal.

3) SeaSOx Barge, an all-in-one solution to remove SO_x, NO_x, and PM from exhaust gas during stays in port – suitable for connecting to any type and size of vessel.

ANDRITZ provides a unique and complete dual/multi filtration EGCS solution for the maritime industry. The scope of supply includes filter bags, silos, automation, integration engineering, emission monitoring, residue transport system, sealing air fans, exhaust gas dampers, valves, piping, engineering supervision, commissioning, and after-sales service. ANDRITZ’s SeaSOx filtration has been certified by DNV GL with a MED-G certificate, the first of its kind worldwide.

Based on a proven technology that has been used for decades in land-based projects, this dry exhaust gas cleaning system has now been adapted for maritime applications. The technology uses sodium bicarbonate as absorbent for the removal of SO₂ and SO₃. In addition to SO_x, all kinds of particles like dust, soot (black carbon), ultrafine, and respirable particulates are removed to the highest extent possible (more than 99.9%). The next step in ANDRITZ’s ongoing technology developments includes the removal of NO_x, making the system future-proof when it comes to more stringent emission requirements for shipping.

Saudi Cement Producer Renews Wärtsilä O&M Agreement for Second Time Based on Uninterrupted Performance

Wärtsilä has signed a 5-year Operation and Maintenance (O&M) agreement with the Saudi Arabian cement producer Umm AlQura Cement Co. This will be the third agreement term for the customer’s captive power plant installation. The initial 3-year long-term agreement was signed in 2015, and thereafter renewed once. Following the continued efficient and reliable performance of the power plant, this latest contract was renewed for five years in November 2020.

The 47 MW plant is located in Taif City in Western Saudi Arabia. It operates with five Wärtsilä 32TS engines, a two-stage turbocharged version of the standard Wärtsilä 32 engine series, which features low fuel and lube oil consumption. Since the plant supplies the power needed to operate the cement production facility, reliability and availability are essential. This twice renewed O&M agreement provides clear evidence that these essentials are being met.

Wärtsilä Expertise Centre in Dubai provides versatile and extensive support for the site team in ensuring uninterrupted power generation for the cement production facility. This support comprises 24/7 remote guidance and technical support with Augmented Reality video streaming, operations surveillance, performance deviation alerting, remote troubleshooting, data analysis and asset diagnostics with advanced tools.

“The Wärtsilä 32TS engine with two-stage turbo charging is optimized for reliable performance in extreme ambient conditions. It is designed to deliver outstanding efficiency with reduced fuel and water consumption in high altitudes and hot temperatures. This makes it ideal for locations such as this plant in Saudi Arabia and is a key factor in the plant’s continued efficient operation,” said Haidar Al Hertani, Managing Director, Wärtsilä Saudi Arabia.

Wärtsilä Combined Heat and Power Plant Helps Germany to Reach Its Green Energy Goals

The recently completed combined heat and power (CHP) plant supplied by technology group Wärtsilä to Kraftwerke Mainz-Wiesbaden (KMW) in Germany has been officially handed over for commencement of commercial operations. The handover took place on December 23 allowing municipal energy provider KMW to reliably provide 100 MW of electrical power. The CHP plant feeds the excess heat generated during power generation into the Mainz district heating network. From this, Mainz customers are supplied with sufficient heat to supply around 40,000 modern single-family homes.

The state-of-the-art plant operates with ten gas-fueled Wärtsilä 34SG engines. The operational flexibility of the plant enables KMW to start and stop the engines without limitations as fast as in 2.5 minutes. This provides essential grid balancing support as the power system incorporates ever increasing renewable sources, namely wind and solar. It also allows KMW to operate in the short-term balancing markets, since power output can be quickly adjusted to respond to fluctuations in the power demand, as signaled by the electricity price.

Wärtsilä supplied and built the plant on a full engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contract. The scope also includes a comprehensive 15-year maintenance agreement that guarantees the plant’s availability and reliability. The services provided include on-site support.

NUCLEAR

Forsmark Power Installs NX Filtration Nanofilter

For the local production of drinking and process water for the Forsmark power plant in Sweden, ProMinent, a multinational water treatment systems supplier, installed an innovative water treatment system based on hollow fiber nanofiltration membranes of NX Filtration, specialist in innovative membrane solutions.

The feed water is taken from a local, highly-colored lake with temperatures close to 0˚C in the winter. This feed water goes through a simple one-step process consisting of, initially, 74 dNF40 hollow fiber nanofiltration modules of NX Filtration. This system removes bacteria, viruses, and organics, including color, from the lake water. The resulting product water is used for drinking water and for process water in the Forsmark power plant.

Compared to the existing system, which is based on coagulant injection, dissolved air flotation and sand filtration, the new nanofiltration setup offers various benefits. It ensures better removal of organics, micropollutants and other contaminations. It avoids the use of chemicals in pretreatment, and it reduces the number of process steps, which also results in a smaller physical footprint of the system.

Jonas Lindqvist, sales manager at ProMinent, said, “We previously worked with NX Filtration’s technology for a bottled water application in eastern Europe and quickly understood that this disruptive technology could also address Forsmark’s water challenges. With the use of NX Filtration’s MexPlorer test unit, we were able to quickly determine the potential of hollow fiber nanofiltration technology for Forsmark’s application. Compared to other alternatives, the hollow fiber nanofiltration technology showed significantly better performance with regards to organics removal.”

Robert Gerard, commercial director at NX Filtration, said, “We are proud to supply Forsmark with our innovative hollow fiber nanofiltration membranes, which enable a simple and sustainable process of producing clean and affordable drinking and process water. Compared to traditional methods, we reduce the number of filtration steps, we avoid the use of chemicals in pretreatment and significantly reduce energy consumption during operation.”

BUSINESS

CECO Reports Slightly Lower 4^th Quarter Revenue

Revenue of $82.9 million, compared with $89.4 million
Gross profit of $26.2 million (31.6% margin), compared with $30.0 million (33.6% margin)
Operating income of $3.7 million, compared with $7.0 million
Non-GAAP operating income of $8.8 million, compared with $9.6 million
Net income of $1.8 million, compared with $8.4 million
Non-GAAP net income of $5.6 million, compared with $9.6 million
Adjusted EBITDA of $9.9 million, compared with $10.1 million
Earnings per diluted share was $0.05, compared with $0.24
Non-GAAP earnings per diluted share of $0.16, compared with $0.27
Bookings of $77.2 million, compared with $67.7 million
Backlog of $183.1 million, compared with $189.1 million as of September 30, 2020
Cash and Cash equivalents of $36.0 million, compared with $35.6 million
Bank Debt of $74.0 million, compared with $67.3 million

CECO Environmental Corp. Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2020 Results (prnewswire.com)

Mixed Reality Installation of Ecolab Chlorine Dioxide Generators

Ecolab used mixed reality to guide the installation of PURATE chlorine dioxide generators at multiple facilities for one of the largest independent midstream energy infrastructure companies in the U.S. These installations mark Ecolab’s first use of mixed reality to install, test and deliver a chlorine dioxide generator solution for cooling tower operations at an energy plant.

Mixed reality combines elements of virtual reality and augmented reality to create a blend of the physical and digital world that users experience through mixed reality headsets. Ecolab leveraged the technology to install three PURATE generators, which generate ClO2 and can be more effective than bleach or bromide solutions in controlling the fouling and microbial problems that can reduce the efficiency of heat exchangers in cooling towers (EPA Reg. No. 1706-242).

“Due to the travel, social distancing and plant access restrictions in effect for COVID-19, a typical installation process that involves several on-site engineers was not possible for this company,” said Steve Kramarczyk, a corporate account manager for the Global Heavy division of Ecolab. “Still, the company wanted to realize the cost and logistics savings PURATE offers, so we were able to use mixed reality to safely oversee its installation.”

By wearing a mixed reality headset, a single Ecolab field representative was able to transmit on-site visuals and critical data to a team of Ecolab engineers working remotely. Similar to a guided space mission, the engineers, whose combined experience totaled more than 50 years, were then able to guide the representative through a variety of operations at the plant that included:

· Inspection and planning.

· An installation process in the cooling towers that involved lifting the PURATE generator into place with a crane

· Inspecting valves, monitors, electronics and checking for leaks

· Mechanical and control testing of the PURATE generator, wet testing it with water, and finally, testing it with its chlorine dioxide chemical solution.

The installations took approximately 1.5 days each and the results were near instantaneous. The PURATE ClO2 solution is more effective than competitive products, which results in fewer shipments of chemicals to the company’s plants. This means there is less time spent onboarding supplies, reducing logistics and labor needs, as well as the time spent handling chemicals, which contributes to the customer’s health and safety goals. Fewer chemicals on site enables the company to better optimize its available plant space. PURATE also operates in a wider pH balance than bleach or bromide, which will offer the midstream company more flexibility in its treatment options in the future.

“Digital technologies like mixed reality will have a transformative effect in the energy sector,” Kramarczyk said. “Not only will companies that embrace them be able to perform major equipment installations, but they will also be able to better assess risk, monitor their operations and improve their efficiency. Ecolab has spent decades building relationships with our customers and learning about the innerworkings of their operations. It’s this intimate knowledge that enables us to leverage our digital solutions effectively for our customers.”

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