The following are synopses of papers and working cost/operational reports published in the Power Engineer from 1997 to date
Volume 28 Issue 2 June 2024 Paper 657
The future of Hydrogen – the ends of the rainbow
Alderman Professor Michael Mainelli The Rt Hon Lord Mayor Of London
This paper is based on the Worshipful Company of Fuellers’ 2024 Ezra Lecture delivered by Alderman Professor Michael Mainelli, The Rt Hon The Lord Mayor of the City of London, at Imperial College, London.
Hydrogen presents a new economic opportunity for the UK, unlocking thousands of jobs and billions in investment, powering and decarbonising industry. The UK Government estimates that the hydrogen economy could create 100,000 jobs by 2050 and unlock £11 billion in private investment.
The Government has set out plans to create a stable and secure hydrogen market. Industry and investors will be needed to make these ambitions a reality. Britain’s longstanding energy-intensive sectors struggling to decarbonise believe hydrogen is their solution – tying the fate of many UK jobs and businesses to the growth of hydrogen in Britain.
Volume 28 Issue 1 March 2024 Paper 656
Prospects for nuclear energy in the UK
Kathryn Porter, Watt Logic
The UK Government’s commitment to nuclear power has strengthened significantly in recent years as concerns over energy security have risen, due to the uncertainty created by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and a growing realisation of the risks posed by a reliance on renewable generation. Nuclear power has no carbon dioxide emissions in operation and, unlike wind and solar power, is not intermittent.
However, while this is superficially positive, the Government is still too tentative in its ambitions. It intends to see one new large-scale nuclear power station reach its Final Investment Decision by the end of this Parliament (likely to be in 2024), but the only contender is Sizewell C, a reactor of a type that it’s developer, EDF, has struggled to deliver elsewhere. At the same time, most of the existing fleet of nuclear reactors is scheduled to close by March 2028, leaving only Sizewell B running until the opening of the reactor at Hinkley Point C, now expected in September 2028.
The Government has shown an interest in small modular reactors (SMRs) and advanced modular reactors, with a particular focus in recent years on high-temperature gas-cooled reactors, which could be suitable for a range of industrial applications, including the production of hydrogen.
However, none is expected to enter service before the next decade and – so far – only one SMR design, from Rolls-Royce, has begun the process to license its design in the UK.
Volume 27 Issue 5 December 2023 Paper 655
Time to accept that wind farm costs are not falling
Kathryn Porter, Watt Logic
There has been a consistent narrative that the cost of building new windfarms is falling, with falling subsidy prices being offered as evidence. I have challenged this narrative in the past, pointing out that evidence from the accounts of windfarms themselves does not support this argument, citing the work of Professor Gordon Hughes at the University of Edinburgh, and indeed his work as subsequently been replicated by Andrew Montford ofthe Global Warming Policy Foundation (“GWPF”). However, there is another big reason to question this narrative: turbine manufacturers are losing money hand over fist.
Falling subsidy prices at the same time as massive manufacturing losses makes no sense and is clearly not sustainable. Of all of the projects that secured Contracts for Difference (“CfD”) agreements in the most recent subsidy round, known as AR4, only two have actually taken their Final Investment Decision (“FID”) – Scottish Power’s East Anglia 4 project, and Moray West which is a joint venture between EDP Renewables and ENGIE.Ørsted has warned that Hornsea 3 could be at risk without Government action “to maintain the attractiveness of the investment environment”. It has said it will make its final investment decision later this year.
Volume 27 Issue 4 September 2023 Paper 654
Synergy Study – Heat Recovery from hydrogen Production
Corresponding Author: Guy Robertson, Co-Authors: Emily Agus/Amey Karnik/Dan King/Lisa Pardini/Aimilios Spinoulas, The Energy GovernancePartnership (um.dk)
Globally, governments and industry are becomining increasingly aware that hydrogen has an important role to play in delivering carbon reductionambitions and net zero targets. Indeed the UK’s Hydrogen Strategy 1 suggests that 250–460TWh of hydrogen could be needed by 2050. Making up to 35% of the UK’s final energy consumption, the primary role of this hydrogen would be to displace natural gas in parts of the energy system,and/or to act as an energy storage medium.
Within the context of net zero, hydrogen production processes comprise: Green hydrogen production and Blue hydrogen production. Such hydrogen production processes produce substantial quantities of waste heat and, to date, very little attention has been given to this significant by-product, and the opportunities it presents.
In March 2021, Ramboll Energy was appointed by the Embassy of Denmark to undertake a synergy study assessing the potential links betweenfuture hydrogen production and associated waste heat recovery for use in district heating/heat network applications.
The key objectives of the synergy study were to:
Create a vision for waste heat recovery from hydrogen production; highlight potential investment opportunities; and re-capture and solidify wider interest in waste heat recovery.
Building on inspiration from Europe, particularly Denmark, the synergy study focussed on the UK based on an ambitious programme for developingboth hydrogen and district heating/heat network infrastructure.
Volume 27 Issue 3 August 2023 Paper 653
2023 Operational Report
Volume 27 Issue 2 June 2023 Paper 652
‘Greening’ a Country: UK Energy Use Scenarios and Considerations
Pericles Pilidis, Uyioghosa Igie, Vishal Sethi, Suresh Sampath and Theoklis Nikolaidis –
Cranfield University
There is an emerging consensus that to decarbonise human activities, a wide range of economic sectors need to coordinate and integrate their efforts. The authors propose that, as part of this process, these efforts need to be examined strategically at a very high level. An attempt in this direction is offered in the present analysis. The unit to decarbonise has been chosen to be the United Kingdom, a major economy and the professional residence of the authors. Official country-
level energy statistics were compiled, integrated, converted and collated to permit such an exercise. These statistics are comprised of detailed information about energy consumption in different sectors. Some inconsistencies and uncertainties were bridged with reasonable assumptions and projections. This information provided a useful basis on which to examine replacement scenarios to decarbonise. Although there is an element of speculation and uncertainty in the results, several major relevant observations and conclusions emerge. It is assumed that the transport requirements are covered by hydrogen and electricity. Also, for civil aviation and the first generation of hydrogen airliners, 85% of conventional fuel will be replaced by liquid hydrogen. Six scenarios were examined based on varying combinations of increasing renewable systems, nuclear energy, gas turbine engines and combinations of these. The analysis shows that aviation will be the largest consumer of hydrogen. In an extreme renewable expansion, hydrogen-fuelled gas turbines can play an important role in matching supply and demand, and that carbon capture and storage will play an important role. The primary conclusion is the large increase (four to five times) in electricity demand, where a significant fraction, 35 to 40%, will be devoted to the production of hydrogen.
Volume 27 Issue 1 March 2023 Paper 651
The value of flexible fuel mixing in hydrogen-fueled gas turbines – a techno-economic study
Simon Öberg, Mikael Odenbergera, Filip Johnsson
In electricity systems mainly supplied with variable renewable electricity (VRE), the variable generation must be balanced. Hydrogen as an energy carrier, combined with storage, has the ability to shift electricity generation in time and thereby support the electricity system. The aim of this work is to analyse the competitiveness of hydrogen-fueled gas turbines, including both open and combined cycles, with flexible fuel mixing of hydrogen and biomethane in zero-carbon emissions electricity systems. The work applies a techno-economic optimisation model to future European electricity systems with high shares of VRE.
The results show that the most competitive gas turbine option is a combined cycle configuration that is capable of handling up to 100% hydrogen, fed with various mixtures of hydrogen and biomethane. The results also indicate that the endogenously calculated hydrogen cost rarely exceeds 5 €/kgH2 when used in gas turbines, and that a hydrogen cost of 3–4 €/ kgH2 is, for most of the scenarios investigated, competitive. Furthermore, the results show that hydrogen gas turbines are more competitive in wind-based energy systems, as compared to solar-based systems, in that the fluctuations of the electricity generation in the former are fewer, more irregular and of longer duration. Thus, it is the characteristics of an energy system, and not necessarily the cost of hydrogen, that determine the competitiveness of hydrogen gas turbines.
Volume 26 Issue 5 December 2022 Paper 650
Synchronous Condensers with Flywheel for supporting power grid inertia: achievements and experience after first year of commercial operation
Roberto Biondi, Mauro Priano
Synchronous condensers with directly coupled flywheel play a key role to maintain high voltage grid stability and power quality with the continuous increase of renewable sources and consequent shutting down of conventional power plants.
In response to dedicated commercial contracts to provide grid stability services with Italian Transmission System Operator, TERNA Rete Italia, Ansaldo Energia developed, manufactured, and installed 8 Synchronous Condensers with under vacuum flywheel (1750 MJ inertia each) for Synchronous Condenser plants realized in cooperation with ABB/Hitachi Power Grid.
At present day, five of these units are in commercial operation, depending on their execution stage, they are monitored on site or remotely by Ansaldo Energia personnel.
This article, after a brief description of flywheel design and of the experience gained during the erection, commissioning, and operation of these synchronous condensing plants presents the Synchronous Condenser plus Under Vacuum Flywheel solution made by Ansaldo Energia as a reliable and already available technology for the energy transition and beyond.
Volume 26 Issue 4 August 2022 Paper 649
2021 Operational Report
Volume 26 Issue 4 September 2022 Paper 648
30 MW Heavy Fuel Burning Diesel Power Plant, Mollendo, Peru
Colin W Dawson
Mollendo is in Southern Peru, situated on the Pacific Coast. The closest major city is Arequipa, connected by road to Mollendo, the journey taking approximately two hours. The closest seaport is Matarani, which is only a short distance from Mollendo. The electrical power utility serving this area is Empresa De Generacion Electrica De Arequipa S.A. (EGASA) who has their head offices in Arequipa; they generate power for domestic and industrial use, including several mining operations.
This paper describes the technology utilised in the engine design, and in the associated systems design, which was considered state-of-the-art at the time of construction, in order to ensure the highest possible reliability, fuel efficiency and user friendliness. The design incorporates the expertise gained by Mirrlees Blackstone over the 50 years they have been involved in supplying heavy fuel burning medium speed diesel engines, for both power generation and marine propulsion.
Volume 26 Issue 2 June 2022 Paper 647
Demonstration of the benefits of SAE 30 stationary gas engine oil in full scale engine tests
Thijs Schasfoort and Zoe Fard, Petro-Canada Lubricants, a subsidiary of HF Sinclair
Torsten Gehrmann and Steffen Hollatz, MAN Truck & Bus SE, Germany
This paper evaluates the benefits of an SAE 30 monograde stationary gas engine oil (SGEO) in comparison with SAE 40 monograde SGEOs with the focus on two main areas. First, to demonstrate and quantify the positive impact of lower viscosity on the fuel consumption rate, and second to demonstrate the faster lubrication of hard to reach points in the engine during startup. The current industry recognised fuel efficiency test methods for passenger car and on-road diesel engine sectors are not suitable for evaluating the fuel efficiency performance of a gas engine oil because of the significant differences in fuel type, engine operating conditions, and oil formulations. This paper, therefore, describes comparative studies of three different gas engine oils in a modern MAN E3262 E302 gas engine that was carefully adapted and fully instrumented. The performance of each oil with respect to fuel efficiency was assessed in an extensive program comprising endurance testing, stationary tests on various load/speed points and dynamic tests running the engine fired as well as non-fired (motored).
Another part of the test program explores the lubrication of hard to reach points in the engine, e.g. valve guide. The paper describes how the SAE 30 monograde oil results in faster lubrication of these parts during startup in comparison with the SAE 40 oils.
Keywords: Stationary gas engine oil, viscosity, SAE 30, fuel efficiency, start-up lubrication, wear reduction
Volume 26 Issue 1 March 2022 Paper 646
GT Air Intake Filtration – Filtration Reliability Vs Filters’ Life
Gianluca de Arcangelis FAIST Anlagenbau Gmbh
Gas Turbine Air Intake Filtration (AIF hereafter) has become a popular topic in view of the asset and performance costs resulting by letting dirt, solubles, corrosive and erosive particles through to the compressor and to the GT hot parts.
Extensive research has been conducted and many papers have been written on the topic of GT AIF with reference to the available standards En779-2002, En779-2012, ISO16890 and ISO29463. However, as we see following, these standards bear shortcomings.
Volume 25 Issue 5 December 2021 Paper 645
Green House Gas Emission Reduction and Extension of Facility Life of a Power Plant – Exemplified at a Brownfield Gas Turbine Installation
R. Krewinkel, S. Theis, B. Ćosić, T. Pöhler, S. Parzigas MAN Energy Solutions SE, Oberhausen, Germany, S. Mombeck, evo AG, Oberhausen, Germany
Constraints and regulations in terms of environmental aspects, like emissions, as well as fuel costs and the lack of flexibility can make the operation of older simple cycle gas turbine or co-generation plants less attractive. Also, the power demand may have changed considerably since the installation of the current core engine, making the plant over- or under-sized. The costs of the actual power generation equipment or the core engine represent only a fraction of the total costs of a power plant. Furthermore, if the core engine is a gas turbine, the auxiliary equipment, waste heat recovery unit etc. have a lifetime that exceeds that of the turbine by far. These factors can lead to a situation in which the operator would like to replace solely the gas turbine with as few modifications to the existing infrastructure as possible.
The path to a decision for such a refurbishment predominantly based on anticipated future challenges in power generation and the demand for enhanced fuel-flexibility, shall be exemplified based on a case study for a German local utility. Here, after a feasibility study, one aero-derivate gas turbine with an ISO power output of 25.5MWel was replaced by a newer MGT8000 industrial gas turbine with an ISO power output of approx. 9MWel. The new turbine is fitted into a brownfield site and existing peripheral equipment and ducting are utilized to the highest possible extent. The required modernisations and rework as well as the resulting challenges up to and including commissioning shall be discussed. First operating experiences shall be reported as well.
A brief outlook on possible (co-) firing of hydrogen or other gases and the necessary adaptations to the newly installed gas turbine for these fuels shall be provided.
Volume 25 Issue 3 August 2021 Paper 644
2020 Operational Report
Volume 25 Issue 4 September 2021 Paper 643
The Development and Introduction of High Temperature Optical Pressure Sensors in Gas Turbine Combustion Monitoring Applications
Ian Macafee Oxsensis Ltd
The increasing demands made on lower emissions, fuel and load flexible combustion systems continue to challenge engine architectures and instrumentation systems. Direct mount high temperature combustion stability sensors are needed, and these are being integrated into gas turbine control systems, to allow machines to reliably operate Dry Low Emissions (DLE) systems within progressively tightening standards. Some engine OEMs and customers wish to move away from waveguide (indirect) measurement systems.
Oxsensis addressed this by applying Fabry-Perot optical interferometry techniques and creating robust, high temperature sensor structures which were linked with light management techniques and components from the optical telecommunications industry. This means that pressure- sensitive ceramic optical structures are non-electrically fibre- connected to an opto-electronics card and this arrangement replaces piezo-electric or piezo-resistive electrical instrumentation chains. Oxsensis managed the design and development to solve key technical risks including front end material selection and mechanical design, thermal shock, vibration sensitivity, process design, and opto-electronic systems integration. Oxsensis has demonstrated progress in Optical pressure sensing in gas turbine applications including the direct benefits of close coupled sensors in lieu of remote sensing using sensing lines or ‘waveguides’.
Volume 25 Issue 2 June 2021 Paper 642
Examination of carbon-neutral fuels for utility-scale power generation
Terry Raddings GE Power,UK, Jeffrey Goldmeer GE Power Schenectady, NY US
The increased focus worldwide on reducing carbon emissions from power generation assets has led to remarkable rates of renewables installation. As these energy sources make up a growing portion of the landscape, challenges arise in balancing the electrical grid given the intermittent nature of renewables and their lack of storage capability.
To reduce strain on systems, gas turbine units are ready now provide reliable, dispatchable power to the grid in a dense footprint and deliver low or zero-carbon electricity. By leveraging alternative fuels that generate less or no carbon emissions from combustion, such as synthetic methane, renewable (bio) fuels, and hydrogen (H2), gas turbines serve a critical role in the power transformation currently underway.
New units and the existing installed base can run on a variety of fuel blends, with 100% H2 fuels resulting in carbon-free operation. This paper outlines the global drivers, challenges, and opportunities for hydrogen-based fuels in power generation and how GE’s turbine technology and unparalleled fuel expertise provides a clear framework for implementation in a decarbonized energy future.
Volume 25 Issue 2 June 2021 Paper 641
Optimising the UK’s shift to a Renewable-powered Economy
Ville Rimali, Jyrki Leino Wärtsilä Energy
This report shows what is possible to achieve by 2030 based on current policy ambitions and the technical constraints and market structures that govern the UK energy system today. The UK can go further, faster. New developments we know are coming this decade – from electric vehicles to electric heating – will transform our energy system. They will also require more power and more flexibility to ensure the system can balance new supply and demand as millions of “batteries on wheels” are connected.
Flexibility is the key to unlocking higher levels of renewables in the next 10 years and enabling a pathway to a net-zero energy system by 2050 or before.
Volume 25 Issue 1 March 2021 Paper 640
The Effect of Compressor Degradation on the Optimised Divestment Schedule of an Intercooled Gas Turbine Utilising Associated Gas
M Obhuo, R Douglas, D Aziaka, D Igbong, I Obhuo, A Oyeniran, P Pilidis
Associated gas flaring has not only amounted to compounding environmental problems but has also resulted in huge economic loss. Due to the rich methane content of this fuel resource, it is a viable source of fuel for energy generation using gas turbines. This study presents a model and methodology which would serve as a guide while evaluating the impact of degradation on the divestment of redundant units of the LMS100 gas turbine engine and the economic utilisation of associated gas.
The Cranfield University performance simulation tool, TURBOMATCH was used in modelling hypothetical but realistic intercooled gas turbine engines. Economic models were generated by implementing the performance results in three degradation scenarios within the Techno-Economic and Environmental Risk Assessment (TERA) framework. Optimised divestment schedule results from Genetic algorithm showed that degradation delays the divestment time of redundant intercooled engines. This implies that the level of compressor degradation is directly proportional to the divestment time.
Volume 25 Issue 1 March 2021 Paper 639
An Operational Report on 30 months of Battery Electric Vehicle usage in the UK
Alison and Trevor Owen
This Institution was founded in 1913 to exchange operational data and experience with a new technology which happened to be a diesel engine. This paper follows in that tradition by providing feedback for those considering the use of a battery powered vehicle or for those who have already adopted such technology.
Many governments are incentivising the use of electric vehicles as a part of an ongoing campaign to reduce car emissions. In driving away from a dealership in an electric vehicle there are many aspects of ownership and usage which are not generally covered by instruction manuals or dealership handover routines and are only gained by experience.
This article covers the experience gained across both technical and commercial fronts by two Chartered Engineers and represent personal views as opposed to those of any manufacturer or supplier. Whilst the experience and feedback relate to one make of BEV operating in the UK many of the issues raised could apply to any make of BEV in any location.
Volume 24 Issue 4 December 2020 Paper 638
Review of opportunities for gas turbine generators in the changing electricity system of the United Kingdom
Steve Nutt
In line with national and international recognition that global warming is the result of human activity1 , in recent years renewable generation technology is increasingly replacing fossil fuelled generation. For practical and economic reasons this results in an increased use of power electronics to connect these new energy sources to the grid network, with a consequential reduction in the amount of synchronous generation connected to the grid.
The effect of this change is twofold, firstly a reduction in network fault levels, with synchronous generation typically contributing about three times their rating to the local network whereas the newer technologies contributing little more than their own rating. Secondly, the stored energy (or inertia) of the network is also reduced, with synchronous generation typically contributing between about three and five times rating whereas, in the event of system disturbances, the newer technologies only contribution is small, due to the decoupling effects of the interfacing convertors.
These same observations apply with respect to HVDC submarine links which, although extremely useful with respect interconnecting the grid networks of adjacent land masses, i.e. Great Britain to Ireland and Great Britain to Continental Europe, due to their high capital costs they tend to be fully utilised in either one direction or the other, with little evidence to date of their potential to provide fast support to a distressed grid being utilised.
Volume 24 Issue 3 September 2020 Paper 637
Development of Hydrogen and Natural Gas Co-Firing Gas Turbine
Kenji Miyamoto, Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems, Ltd (MHPS)Co-Authors: Kei Inoue (MHI), Tomo Kawakami, Sosuke Nakamura, Satoshi Tanimura, Junichiro Masada
The introduction of hydrogen energy is an effective option to obtain sustainable development of economic activity while helping prevent global warming.
The Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. (MHI) Group is promoting research and development of a large gas turbine with hydrogen and natural gas co-firing capabilities. This effort is supported by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO).
With a newly developed combustor, a 30vol% of hydrogen co-firing test has been successfully completed. This co-firing capability results in a reduction in carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions of 10% when compared to conventional natural gas thermal power plant.
Volume 24 Issue 2 June 2020 Paper 636
The Benefits of LPG as the Fuel for Decentralised Power Generation
Michael Welch, Siemens Energy
While Western Europe and parts of North America concentrate on deep decarbonization and net zero carbon emissions from power generation by 2050 or earlier, much of the rest of the world faces a different problem: access to secure, affordable electricity.
In the modern world, electricity is essential for economic growth and for improving the quality of life. With limited or no grid infrastructures in many places – and over 1 billion people still without access to any electricity – islands, rural towns and cities and related industries have relied on their own decentralized power generation. Traditionally these power plants rely on diesel or heavy fuel oil, two of the most polluting fuels with high CO2 emissions and high levels of pollutant emissions, which contribute to the premature deaths of close to 4 million people per year globally due to poor air quality.
While renewables are being developed globally, these schemes on a small scale rarely solve two parts of the energy trilemma: they may be good for the environment, but the affordability is questionable due to the high initial investment costs, and they do not provide security of supply.
LPG-fuelled gas turbine-based decentralized power generation can address all these major issues. Not only is LPG a clean burning fuel with a low carbon footprint, but it is also competitively priced, readily available, easily transportable and simple to store. The advent of bioLPG will further enhance its credentials as a bridging fuel to natural gas and a zero-carbon future. Decentralized power generation using LPG can thus help achieve greater electrification globally, bringing affordable secure power and helping to improve the quality of life for tens of millions of people across the globe.
Volume 24 Issue 1 March 2020 Paper 635
Replanting of King’s Lynn CCGT – Flexible operation and extended life
Hassan Joudi, Ryan Broughton – WSP UK
The King’s Lynn CCGT Replant project during 2017-19 included the replacement of a Siemens V94.3 gas turbine, with a new Siemens SGT5-4000F (version 7) gas turbine. With the original plant designed for baseload operation, the replant project objectives included improving the plant’s output, flexibility, efficiency and reliability to enable two-shifting operation to better meet the changing demands of the UK electricity market, whilst also giving a further 15-20 years life extension and reducing the plant’s environmental emissions. The capital investment required was significantly lower than an equivalent new build plant of the same capacity.
WSP, in collaboration with Centrica, and with the support of Siemens, carried out a feasibility assessment of the project. This involved comparing original design conditions versus potential upgraded performance and the intended future operating regime. Using a risk based, value engineering approach, modifications and refurbishment work were identified for the steam turbine, generator and Heat Recovery Steam Generator (HRSG). The result is a plant which has significantly shorter start-up (cold, warm, hot) and shutdown times and higher load ramp rates in a wider load range and which reuses existing infrastructure.
Volume 23 Issue 5 December 2019 Paper 634 (Heritage Paper)
Rootes TS3 opposed piston two stroke diesel engine
Trevor Owen
An article on the Rootes/Commer/Tilling-Stevens TS3 engine range was first published in the Power Engineer in 2008 as part of a series of heritage papers designed to record the history of various engine makes and specific types. This resulted in contact being made with IDGTE during 2019 which provided further detailed information on the engine history. The feedback reaffirmed ongoing active interest in this engine range in New Zealand with fully refurbished and new engines being available. The article has been revised and extended to incorporate the additional information and photographs.
Volume 23 Issue 5 December 2019 Paper 633
The impact of Electric Turbo Compounding on Gas Genset CO2, VOC & greenhouse emissions
Keith Douglas, Head of Performance Engineering, Bowman Power
This paper explores the ramifications from the current increase in wide scale adoption of gas powered gensets for power generation, including the associated rise in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
By exploring the use of a novel waste heat recovery system, we demonstrate how reducing Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) emissions can reduce fuel costs, reduce GHG emissions and prepare organisations for forthcoming legislation. This includes an analysis of the four main sources of VOC emissions on gas gensets, their effects and how these can be reduced through adoption of Electric Turbo Compounding (ETC) technology (see figure 1).
Further supporting evidence is shown covering the results of field measurements from trials of the waste heat recovery system across three gensets running three different fuel types. A feasible operating map is included to help guide the reader on where the system can be applied and future potential for the technology.
Volume 23 Issue 4 July 2019 Paper 632
Operational Report 2018
Volume 23 Issue 3 October 2019 Paper 631
Decarbonizing power generation through the use of hydrogen as a gas turbine fuel
Michael Welch, Siemens Industrial Turbomachinery Ltd.
The power generation industry has a major role to play in reducing global greenhouse gas emissions, and carbon dioxide (CO2) in particular. There are two ways to reduce CO2 emissions from power generation: improved conversion efficiency of fuel into electrical energy, and switching to lower carbon content fuels.
Gas turbine generator sets, whether in open cycle, combined cycle or cogeneration configuration, offer some of the highest efficiencies possible across a wide range of power outputs. With natural gas, the fossil fuel with the lowest carbon content, as the primary fuel, they produce among the lowest CO2 emissions per kWh generated. It is possible though to decarbonize power generation further by using the fuel flexibility of the gas turbine to fully or partially displace natural gas used with hydrogen. As hydrogen is a zero carbon fuel, it offers the opportunity for gas turbines to produce zero carbon electricity. As an energy carrier, hydrogen is an ideal candidate for long-term or seasonal storage of renewable energy, while the gas turbine is an enabler for a zero carbon power generation economy.
Hydrogen, while the most abundant element in the Universe, does not exist in its elemental state in nature, and producing hydrogen is an energy-intensive process. This paper looks at the different methods by which hydrogen can be produced, the impact on CO2 emissions from power generation by using pure hydrogen or hydrogen/natural gas blends, and how the economics of power generation using hydrogen compare with today’s state of the art technologies and carbon capture. This paper also addresses the issues surrounding the combustion of hydrogen in gas turbines, historical experience of gas turbines operating on high hydrogen fuels, and examines future developments to optimize combustion emissions.
Volume 23 Issue 2 June 2019 Paper 630
Early Hydro-Electric Power Plants at Niagara
Mike Raine
Volume 23 Issue 1 March 2019 Paper 629
Hybrid trigeneration concepts for power, steam and hot water production
Karim Saidi, Hajo Hoops, Ulrich Orth and Sven-Hendrik Wiers
The Cogeneration systems are well known as highly efficient solutions with high savings, low costs in operation and very interesting flexibility. This important flexibility enables covering the daily fluctuations of power and heat demands.
In order to increase the efficiency, the flexibility and the economic benefits, some advanced cogeneration solutions are introduced. It is defined as the combination of Gas Turbines, Gas engines and also Batteries. These solutions are named Hybrid Cogenerations systems.
The technical and economical evaluations of the Hybrid cogeneration systems are for power, steam and hot water productions. The study compares the performances of Hybrid concepts and the standard solutions. This study uses gas turbines and gas engines of the MAN Energy solutions portfolio.
Volume 23 Issue 1 March 2019 Paper 628
The development, history and future of the industrial gas turbine: Part 2 – The update
Ronald Hunt
The first part of this paper was published by IDGTE in the 2011 Paper 582 [120] and this covered the first fifty years of the industrial gas turbine from 1939-1999. Part II brings the story up to date and includes developments up to 2017, the charts having been brought up to date. This account of the history of the industrial gas turbine documents the development of gas turbines for power generation, off-shore, locomotive, marine and other land based applications. A key part of preparing this history has been the documentation of manufacturers and gas turbine models produced each year since 1940. The aircraft engine is generally excluded from the scope of the work and only referred to, in so far as it is related to the development of industrial gas turbines whilst aero-derivative turbines are included.
The author gratefully acknowledges the permission to publish the material provided, photographs, data, encouragement and assistance of all the companies and organisations referred to. Sincere thanks and appreciation is given to the many individual contributors for this work and all who have given significant support to the work and generously given of their time and experience, providing data and reference material thus making this historical account possible and full of past experiences.
This paper is a shortened version of the full history which the author is currently having published as a book.
Volume 22 Issue 4 December 2018 Paper 627
The RWE Developed System for Monitoring of Gas Turbine Air Intake Filtration Performance including Site Test Results
John Macdonald, RWE Generation UK
Compressor fouling occurs when there is unfavourable air quality and low efficiency
inlet air filters. The impact on the gas turbine is reduced efficiency and output.
Historically the GT OEM installed standard filters regardless of the local air quality and the Operator tried alternatives through a trial and error process that took years. This was made difficult as suppliers claimed filter efficiencies that could not be verified.
RWE, in partnership with Veotec, developed a portable system capable of sampling the air quality across each stage of filtration in-situ and measuring the number and size of particles in each sample.
The equipment was installed at an RWE CCGT and airquality and filtration efficiency was determined. From these measurements and performance data, a revised filter configuration was developed, installed and tested at site. This was carried out in less than two years. This paper describes the issue, the new equipment and the site test results.
Volume 22 Issue 3 September 2018 Paper 626
Charles A Parsons and the Gas Turbine: A Contribution to the History of the Industrial Gas Turbine
John Bolter, Newcastle upon Tyne
Volume 22 Issue 3 September 2018 Paper 625
MAN industrial gas turbines for clean and flexible power – solutions for international power generation markets
Robert Krewinkel, Ulrich Orth, Detlef Viereck and Sven-Hendrick Wiers
The development of gas turbines for smaller power ranges is currently driven by the trend towards decarbonization, the move towards decentralized power generation with combined heat and power (CHP) applications as well as high operational flexibility regarding the choice of fuel and variation of power output to compensate for the fluctuations of power generation due to the increased use of renewable sources.
This paper will deal with MAN industrial gas turbines for the 6 MW class, the MGT6000, which provide clean and flexible power for such challenging requirements. These engines are available as a single-shaft version for electric power generation, optimized for CHP applications, as well as a two-shaft version for mechanical drives.
Technical design features such as the Advance Can Combustor (ACC) Technology for very low NOx and CO emissions and the use of additive manufactured (AM) components will be highlighted. In addition results of extended testing of the gas turbine driving an electric generator, which was conducted to investigate the transient behaviour of the MGT6000, will be presented.
Apart from these technical features of the gas turbines, solutions for the international power generation market will be discussed. CHP applications for different industries will be presented and the benefit of digital services such as life monitoring of machine data or trend analysis of operational data will be demonstrated.
Volume 22 Issue 2 June 2018 Paper 624
Optimizing The Performance Of A 500kW Diesel Generator: Impact Of The Eo-Synchro Concept On Fuel Consumption And Greenhouse Gases
Mohamad Issa, Jean Fiset, Mohammadjavad Mobarra ,Hussein Ibrahim, Adrian Ilinca
The power generation for many remote areas such as telecommunications infrastructures, mining facilities and isolated residential areas, is historically ensured with Diesel engine generators. The economical cost of energy is therefore very high not only due to inherent cost of fuel but also due to transportation and maintenance costs. The environmental cost of energy is also high as the use of fossil fuels for electricity generation is a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions. On the other hand, the shipping industry is under great pressure to reduce its environmental impact. If no measures are taken, emissions are projected to increase 50-250% by 2050, while the Paris convention requires a significant reduction to achieve 2oC global warming target. Moreover shipping already contributes to 15% of the global emissions, which is also projected to increase if no measures are taken.
In previous work, we have explored and evaluated a new technique based on the Eo-Synchro concept to reduce fuel consumption and minimize the unit cost of electricity; a general savings of 7% of fuel consumption was found when the Eo-Synchro concept was applied on a 75KW Diesel Generator (DG). As a continuity of these previous works, experimental tests have been carried out on a 500KW DG to evaluate the performance of fuel consumption and gaseous emission characteristics when the Eo-Synchro concept is applied.
The experimental results show a significant fuel saving up to 15% can be obtained at low power loads and up to 5% at high power loads. On the other hand, the emission of nitrogen oxides (Nox) and of carbon dioxide (CO2) are 5,8% lower when the Eo-Synchro concept is used. The results for the other emissions are also shown in the figures and tables. Based on our results, an assessment of fuel savings and greenhouse gases reduction is presented for an off-grid mine site located in the Canadian North. A savings of 4% on fuel consumption and GHG emissions has been registered at high power loads.
Volume 22 Issue 2 June 2018 Paper 623
Upgrading Combined Heat and Power Generation Plant at Thames Water Mogden Sewage Treatment Works
David Linsell, Thames Water
This paper describes the work in 2016 to install 3 x 2MWe biogas combined heat and power (CHP) generators at Mogden Sewage Treatment Works (STW). These were to replace the 4 x 2.4 MWe dual fuel engines installed in the early 1990s. The current project was achieved in good order despite the challenges provided by limited space, an operational site, a new to Thames Water contracting strategy and the regulatory deadline imposed by closure of the Renewable Obligations Certificate (ROC) regime.
This paper follows on from an IDGTE Technical Visit to Mogden STW in October 2016. The paper includes a summary of Sludge Processing by Thames Water, operations at Mogden STW, the Mogden CHP Project, the Thames Water CHP fleet and maintenance and some future developments.
CHP has been part of the Thames Water, and its predecessors, business at Mogden since 1936. In the 1980s the state of CHP developments across Thames Water were presented papers in the IDGTE journals written by the late Harry Maurer:
Paper 458 – CHP Installation in Medium Sewage Treatment Works H F Maurer
Paper 483 – Small Scale Combined Heat & Power Plants in Thames Water Provinces H F Maurer
Volume 22 Issue 1 March 2018 Paper 622
A Brief Review of Condition Monitoring Techniques for Gas Turbines
Yu Zhang
Gas turbines have played a key role in aeronautical industry, power generation and as mechanical drives for pumps and compressors. To monitor the efficiency and reliability of gas turbines, the employment and improvement of a remote condition monitoring and fault diagnostic system is of great importance. This paper introduces a scheme of condition monitoring for gas turbines, including sensor validation, steady-state and transient operation discrimination, and novelty or fault detection. Moreover, the methodologies are categorised as knowledge-based rules, signal processing-based techniques and model-based approaches. Among them, model-based approaches further take account of white-box, black-box and grey-box modelling techniques. The strengths and weaknesses of the methods are discussed, and future work in this research area is also recommended.
Keywords: Gas turbine; condition monitoring; fault diagnosis; signal processing; grey-box modelling.
Volume 22 Issue 1 March 2018 Paper 621
Using the fuel flexibility of Gas Turbines to decarbonise Power Generation
Michael Welch, Siemens AG
The power generation industry has a major role to play in reducing global greenhouse gas emissions, and carbon dioxide (CO2) in particular. There are two fundamental ways to reduce CO2 emissions from power generation: improved conversion efficiency of fuel into electrical energy, and switching to fuels with lower carbon contents.
Gas turbine generator sets, whether in open cycle, combined cycle or cogeneration configuration, offer some of the highest efficiencies possible across a wide range of power outputs. With natural gas, the fossil fuel with the lowest carbon content, as the primary fuel, they produce among the lowest CO2 emissions per kWh generated. It is though possible to decarbonise power generation further by making use of the fuel flexibility of the gas turbine, by fully or partially displacing the natural gas used, or by switching to lower carbon fuels such as propane or LPG in place of diesel and fuel oils.
In a number of industries, an off-gas containing hydrocarbons is produced which is often flared, creating CO2 emissions. These off-gases can be used to generate power locally in decentralised power plants, displacing the need to import power from centralised fossil fuel power plant and thus decreasing global CO2 emissions. Alternatively, ‘surplus’ renewable power generation can be used to create hydrogen, which can be stored and used as a gas turbine fuel when renewable power generation is low, displacing all or a percentage of the fossil fuel used. As hydrogen is a zero carbon fuel, it offers the opportunity for gas turbines to produce zero carbon electricity.
This paper examines the potential to use a wide range of unconventional low carbon fuels and hydrogen in industrial gas turbines, and reviews operational experience gained in various industries and the future potential developments for further decarbonisation of power generation.