Many advantages from combined heat power solutions

By Our Corporate Bureau

CHENNAI, DEC. 11. A seminar organised in Chennai by Solar Gas Turbines of the U.S. on December 6 highlighted various issues in cogeneration such as the types of combined heat power systems (CHPs), selection criteria, heat recovery methods and equipment, system design and optimisation, controls, using single fuel source.

Cogeneration is the simultaneous generation of useful electricity and heat (or steam), in a single power plant. It has long been used by industries that need heat for process as well as electricity such as sugar, pulp and paper, chemical, food processing, fertilizer, pharmaceutical, petrochemical and refinery, automotive tyres, and in service sectors like hotels and hospitals.

All the southern States are deficient in power. Also except Andhra Pradesh the other southern States have to transport coal from the eastern region, by rail and / or by rail-sea-rail. Coal based plants are also not environmental friendly.

In this situation, the gas finds in both Krishna-Godavari, and Cauvery basins offer natural gas (fuel) for electricity generation with cogeneration of process heat, if the gas turbine route is taken. Small sized plants of up to 50 MW gas turbine combined heat power (CHP) offer both economical and short gestation solutions, near gas finds in Andhra Pradesh, Pondy and Tamil Nadu. Industries instead of going in for diesel/fuel oil based plants, can now avail of the gas turbine CHPs.

The interactive seminar also discussed various total power solutions with particular reference to equipment, operation and maintenance, financial participation, project development, equity ownership and asset management.

There were over 60 participants, both from private and public sector organisations, from cement, chemical, ceramics, engineering, fertilizer, petrochemical and refinery, steel, utilities such as TNEB, APSEB and KPC, and consultants in the power sector.

The key speakers were Mr. Graham J. Benjamin, Director, Solar Gas Turbine Asia, Mr. Steven J. Szymanski, Director, Caterpillar Asia (Solar Gas Turbine Inc., is a Caterpillar group company).

Solar Gas Turbines has about 40 installations in India including two in Chennai.

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Section  : Business
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