To optimize plant performance and prevent expensive turbine damage, rapid control is critical for industrial power markets covering multiple energy sources. Maintaining turbine efficiency is an even higher priority today because of lower emission requirements and varying fuel sources due to the increase in unconventional natural gas sources, such as shale. Plant gas sources are primarily composed of methane, but typically there are extensive variations in higher hydrocarbons (C2+) as well. In fact, in some cases, over 18 percent variation has been recorded with fluctuations from 10 percent to 16 percent within one minute. Turbines have to be more flexible and need to present the above criteria over a wide range of loads because gas turbine power plants are often used only for peak loads.
Application:
Methane and higher hydrocarbons like ethane and propane behave differently during combustion. The variability of fuel sources can sometimes pose challenges for control and optimization, especially for combined cycle turbines with lower emissions. While a gas chromatograph can provide all the required measurements, the speed of response it provides is sometimes not sufficient for effective control.
The solution can often be a process gas analyzer (PGA) with a specific configuration of optical benches and filters that provide continuous measurement and the rapid response that’s required. In addition, an approximate calorific value (BTU) can be provided as long as the higher hydrocarbons are low in content. If this is not the case, the BTU value will be underestimated but never overestimated. Such values cannot be used for custody transfer but they may be adequate to prevent turbine damage and optimize performance. If the operator knows the variation of C2+ in the fuel sources, then that will substantially minimize the error.
Sneakers
Advantech, a leading industrial communication solutions provider, has announced the launch of two new GPRS IP Gateways. Designed for use in remote locations the EKI-1321 and EKI-1322 has two SIM card slots, reverse virtual COM and DDNS, Support for OpenVPN and also IPv6 and IPv4.
White Paper by Motorola: With the wide range of RTU (Remote Terminal units) and PLC (Programmable Logic Controllers) currently on the market, SCADA system engineers and decision makers face several challenges. Which classes of units provide the optimal functionality, expandability, and cost effectiveness for a given SCADA application?
Case Study by Yokogawa: PT. Tanjung Enim Lestari Pulp and Paper (PT. TEL) operates a pulp mill in Muara Enim, which is 130 km west of Palembang, the capital of Indonesia’s South Sumatra province. This is the only pulp mill in the world to produce high-quality, bleached-hardwood kraft pulp solely from plantation grown Acacia mangium trees. Using a single vessel hydraulic type continuous digester that is designed for lo-solids cooking, the pulp mill produces 500,000 tons of pulp per year, making it one of the largest mills in southeast Asia.
The Iraqi government has let a contract to a consortium of South Korean firms for the construction of a refinery in southern Karbala Province, Iraq, 100 km south of Baghdad.
With its new Sitrans LG series, Siemens is offering a flexible portfolio of guided wave radar transmitters suitable for virtually any type of industrial application. The modular design of the four basic versions Sitrans LG240, Sitrans LG250, Sitrans LG260 and Sitrans LG270, with numerous configuration options, allows for level measurement in the oil and gas, chemical, pharmaceutical as well as food and beverage industries. The modular radar transmitter covers a broad application spectrum for the measurement of liquids and interfaces, from aggressive materials to hygienic conditions and complies with SIL2 safety standard.
British oil and gas engineering firm Amec has agreed to buy Swiss-based rival Foster Wheeler for 1.9 billion pounds ($3.13 billion), the first sizeable acquisition in the sector for three years. Amec said the deal would increase its position and help more than double revenues in growing markets such as Latin America and the Middle East. The firm, which provides services and equipment for the oil and gas, mining, nuclear and renewable energy sectors, said the acquisition would also add oil and gas transport and refining capabilities to its existing extraction facilities. The deal, expected to complete in the second half of this year, will end a drought of major transactions in a sector where targets’ high growth forecasts have fuelled shareholders’ expectations of big takeover premiums, making it difficult for firms to agree on price.
Schneider Electric announces today that it has completed its acquisition of Invensys plc, a global automation player with a large installed base and a strong software presence.
CB&I has announced today it has been awarded a contract valued in excess of $55 million by the North West Redwater Partnership (NWRP), a joint venture between North West Upgrading Inc. and Canadian Natural Upgrading Ltd. CB&I will provide engineering, procurement and construction services for 18 storage tanks for bitumen feedstock and finished products for phase one of NWRP's new grassroots refinery in Sturgeon County, Alberta, Canada.