Innovation
Novel fuel-saving innovation for
small power producers (SPPs)
Berkprai Cogeneration Power Plant is a small power producer (SPP) with capacity of 99.46 MW. Located in Tambon Berkprai, BanPong District, Ratchaburi Province, the power plant secures a 25-year Power Purchase Agreement. Holding a 35 percent stake in the power plant,RATCH invented a nouveau “Electricity and steam generation combined with 3 systems” that offers higher generation efficiency and lower heat rate or less fuel consumption compared to typical SPP power plants. With the technology, heat rate is efficiently maintained for both on-peak and off-peak periods, resulting in lower production cost and a significant decrease in GHG emissions.
The invention makes use of gas turbine, steam turbine and gas engine. Compared to the generally-used model for cogeneration power plants, the combined system replaces a gas turbine with 3 gas engines which allow greater flexibility and efficient support to Daily Start/Stop (DSS) a sordered by the customer (Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand).
Electricity and steam generation combined with 3 systems at Berkprai Cogeneration Power Plant
Elements of Gas Turbine System for electric and steam generation
No.1 = Air Compressor
No.2 = Combustion chamber
No.3 = Gas Turbine
No.4 = Heat Recovery Steam Generator (HRSG)
Elements of Gas Engine System for electric and steam generation
No.6, 7, 8 = Gas Engine
No.9,10,11 = HRSG
Elements for steam Turbine System
No.5 = Steam Turbine
The innovation reduces fossil fuel consumption per a unit of electricity about 300 BTU/kilowatt- hour, or 4 percent of fuel saving compared to other SPPs. Meanwhile, the peak and off-peak plant efficiency stays at 47.05 percent, above the average rate of SPPs at 42.92 percent. The Equivalent Availability Factor is at 98.75 percent, against the 89.97 percent average EAF of SPPs. RATCH is registering the innovation with the Department of Intellectual Property and plans to install the technology at RATCH Cogeneration Power Plant’s extension phase to minimize heat rate and GHG emissions per kilowatt-hour.
The Air Inlet Filter
Under the Gas Turbine Efficiency Enhancement project for Ratchaburi Combined-Cycle Power Plant’s gas turbine, to mitigate global warming impacts, Ratchaburi Combined Cycle Power Plant studied and implemented actions to reduce the temperature of air feeding the Air Inlet Filter, to increase gas turbine efficiency, so that the power plant can address customer demand and reduce fuel consumption.
Ratchaburi Combined Cycle Power Plant increases gas turbine’s contracted capacity when temperature goes up by 1-5 degrees Celsius.
Heat rate improved, reducing fuel consumption and hence cut production cost.
GHG emissions will be reduced as fuel consumption per production unit drops, which will ease climate impacts and slow down an increase in global temperature.
