Ergon, Inc. - 4.72 MW CHP System - Case Study
Quick Facts
LOCATION: Vicksburg, Mississippi
MARKET SECTOR: Crude Oil Processing
FUEL: Natural Gas
MAX CAPACITY: 4.72 MW
IN OPERATION SINCE: 1994
EQUIPMENT: Solar 60 Gas Turbine
Ideal Electric Co. Generator
VolcanInternational Waste Heat Boiler
Economizer and Exhaust System
Davis Combustion Systems Duct Burner
Effox Diverter Valve
USE OF WASTE HEAT: Create Steam for Refinery
YEARLY SAVINGS: $1.7 million through steam production
Project Overview
The Ergon, Inc facility in Vicksburg is a crude oil processor as well as a producer of asphalt products. In 1994, the facility installed a CHP system tsupply the plant with reliable electricity while alstaking advantage of the ability tuse the waste heat tcreate steam for the refinery. The prime mover of the system is a gas fired turbine that has a maximum capacity of 4.72 MW. The steam that is produced by the waste heat from the turbine is delivered tthe refinery at a pressure of 650 psi. It can produce 50,000 lb/hr at this pressure. While the production of the electricity is more costly than buying it from the utility provider, the steam production saves Ergon an estimated $1.7 million per year.
Reasons for Installing CHP
The CHP system at Ergon was installed in order tprovide a stable electrical source for the plant’s processes. At the time of installation, the plant was experiencing a high number of outages due tinconsistencies with the utilities provider. Even though the outages are nlonger common, the CHP system is still in use today sthat it can continue tproduce the steam that is needed for the refinery.
Equipment List
- Solar Taurus 60-7301 Gas Fired Turbine
- Ideal Electric Co. Generator
- VolcanInternational Waste Heat Boiler
- Economizer and Exhaust System
- Davis Combustion Systems Duct Burner
- Effox Diverter Valve
- Heat Recovery Steam Generator
Natural Gas is used tfuel the gas fired combustion turbine. The shaft power created from the turbine is converted telectrical energy using an accompanying generator that was manufactured by Ideal Electric Company. With this generator, the work from the turbine can produce 4.72 MW of electricity. All of the generated power is used for processes within the facility.
The CHP unit at Ergon utilizes a Heat Recovery Steam Generator (HRSG) System. This portion of the CHP unit is responsible for producing steam from waste heat recovered from the turbine/generator set. The HRSG system in place at Ergon can produce 50,000 lb/hr of steam at a pressure of 650 psi. The HRSG is made up of a VolcanInternational, Inc. waste heat boiler, a Davis Combustion Systems, Inc. duct burner and control system, and an economizer and exhaust system.
At Ergon, the HRSG system can produce steam with or without the waste heat from the turbine/generator with the use of the duct burner. This allows Ergon greater flexibility in the operation of their CHP system. The 650 psi steam that is produced is used, as is the electricity, in the process. The CHP system alsproduces low pressure steam at 135 psi which is used by facility processes as well.
The entire CHP system is governed by demand. As the need for electricity or steam fluctuates, sdoes the use of the CHP system. This requires an operator tclosely monitor the use of the CHP system.
Customer comments
No comments were found for Ergon, Inc. - 4.72 MW CHP System - Case Study. Be the first to comment!