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Super cool in Detroit
20 December, 1998
The US Department of Energy has awarded a contract for the world's first high temperature superconductor (HTS) power cable system in an electric utility network. The HTS cables will triple the power throughput of the copper cables they will replace in the Frisbie Station in Detroit.

Going supercritical: once-through is the key
20 December, 1998
As large gas turbine combined cycle plants reach the 60 per cent thermal efficiency landmark, heat recovery steam generators are moving into the realm of supercritical steam conditions. New boiler designs favour the high-pressure once-through mode, leading to more compact design and lower costs. J F Galopin, CMI, Belgium

IGCC: poised for growth?
20 December, 1998
The use of gasification for power generation has been waiting in the wings for years – a technology for the future that many utilities feel is complex, too expensive and unproven. Recent experience on both sides of the Atlantic nevertheless reinforces its relevance to power generation – as a means of using coal and low value feedstocks in the cleanest possible way. But to be truly competitive using coal alone, natural gas prices need to rise or bigger turbines need to be used.

Know your acronyms – or else
20 December, 1998

Recent power plant contract awards
20 December, 1998

Rounding off has ups and downs
20 December, 1998

The chrysalis of Caterpillar
20 December, 1998

Possibly the finest liquid fuel in the world
20 December, 1998
A recent development from Kansas University has the potential to make the production of synthetic diesel fuel economically feasible.

Kyoto commitments: CHP will help the UK
20 December, 1998
At the UK Combined Heat and Power Association's National Conference held in London on 19 November 1998, UK government minister, Michael Meacher, stated that combined heat and power (CHP) will make a vital contribution to meeting the UK's climate change targets for CO2 emissions reduction.

Underground plant at Kyröskoski
19 October, 1998

Air gap monitoring helps out at Grand Coulee
19 October, 1998

Computer surveillance – Big Brother keeps watch on diesel engines
19 October, 1998
Advances in electronics are transforming the diesel engine business in such areas as design, data control and monitoring systems. In its new 1300 series EDi, Perkins Engines has incorporated what it calls 'electronic intelligence'. Currently at an early stage of implementation for use in stationary power, this offers a number of benefits.

The name of the game is a flexible friend
19 October, 1998
Radical changes in the electricity market have led to increasing pressure on plant operators to optimise station efficiency. Advanced control technology can help to maximise production efficiency, provide information for competitive bidding and to adhere to emissions regulations. Advanced Plant Management Systems (APMS) are being increasingly installed to do this, the latest example being Rugeley power station in the UK.

Eskom takes a cool look at high temperature reactors
19 October, 1998
The high temperature gas cooled reactor (HTGR) has a number of attractive inherent safety features, although there are none currently in commercial operation. South African utility Eskom, which has two pressurized water reactors at Koeberg, has a major programme underway to investigate the feasibility of the HTGR as a future option for its system.

Shift the pressure
19 October, 1998

Bayer Dormagen goes for captive CHP
19 October, 1998
Under contract to RWE Energie, the huge German chemical process plant operator Bayer is installing, like many other major industrial installations, its own major combined heat and power (chp) plant. The plant at Dormagen in the Rhine valley near Dusseldorf will have its Siemens V94.2A based 580 MWe combined cycle chp station operating by the middle of 2000. This plant, along with an existing gas fired boiler and Frame 5 gas turbine unit, will replace the existing lignite-fired power plant, resulting in a massive reduction of emissions to the environment.

Enstedtværket competes after turbine upgrade
19 October, 1998
Life extension and upgrading of the 630 MWe Enstedværket power plant close to the German border at Aabenraa in Denmark has brought increased output to 660 MWe, 4.6 per cent lower heat rate, reduced environmental impact and a saving in coal burn of 60 000 t/a at very low investment and outage costs. This kind of plant upgrade is now the preferred investment of the World Bank.

Bolt induction heating technology promises reduced outage
20 September, 1998
Global privatisation, and the economic demands of the competitive market, are forcing power plant owners to examine operational efficiency and outage times. Privatisation has also encouraged development of gas turbines. Gas turbines typically require maintenance every two years, and owners must closely evaluate turbine outage times. Swift and efficient bolt removal is vital. Hydratight, which has long argued the case for hydraulic bolt tensioning, also champions induction heating technology.

Testing time for microturbine CHP
20 September, 1998
Research and development is crucial in enabling companies to ensure their long-term survival. This is, ultimately, a question of producing and commercially developing new processes, products and applications which will be attractive in future energy market. To achieve that aim, Vattenfall has built a demonstration CHP plant for a microturbine.

SPRINT spray intercooling augments LM6000 output
20 September, 1998
By injecting water between the low pressure and high pressure compressors of an aeroderivative gas turbine, GE-IAD engineers have demonstrated that a 9 per cent increase in output accompanied by reduced life cycle costs can be achieved. Designated the SPRINT system, uprated LM 6000 units with augmented efficiency have been introduced to the market. The first two production units, both supplied to Southern Electric Power Generation in England for mid-merit independent power generation plants at Chickerell in Dorset and Burghfield in Berkshire, have each clocked in excess of 500 operating hours since start-up in early April 1998. MPS visited the Chickerell installation in late July 1998.