CKPower’s - Bangpa-in Cogeneration honoured at Asian Power Awards

The project aims to reduce power consumption for the delivery of fuel gas mass flow to gas turbines and efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Energy company, CKPower secured the Power Utility of the Year - Thailand category at the 2023 Asian Power Awards for their "PistonPowerSaver: Enhancing Gas Compression Efficiency Project," instrumental in developing their Bangpa-in Cogeneration Project (BIC). This achievement reaffirmed CKPower's status as one of the region's largest producers of renewables-based electricity and highlighted their commitment to maintaining one of the industry's lowest carbon footprints.

BIC operates by harnessing and distributing energy in the form of steam and electricity, derived from the chemical energy in natural gas, which is then converted into both electricity and steam. At the core of this operation are three gas compressors (GC), each with four cylinders, equipped with four suction valves, totaling 16 suction valves for each GC. Additionally, a recirculation valve redirects fuel gas to the suction side if the gas pressure exceeds the specified requirement after pressure buildup.

This power plant also utilises natural gas through the main pipeline supplied at 25 [barg].

However, the gas turbine engine, the primary machine used to convert chemical energy into heat and electricity, requires a fuel natural gas pressure of 51 [barg]. Therefore, BIC utilises its gas compressors (GCs) to raise the fuel natural gas pressure from 25 [barg] to 50 [barg] before delivering it to the gas turbine engine.

The project's objective is to enhance energy efficiency by reducing the number of gas compressor suction valves for fuel gas delivery to gas turbines from 16 valves to 10 valves. This is achieved by closely monitoring the recirculation process to ensure an adequate amount of fuel gas is delivered to the gas turbines. Furthermore, the engineering team ensures the plant's reliability by recalculating the pipeline pressure after one gas compressor unit is tripped, and this process continues until the standby unit is fully operational.

A secondary plan is in place to ensure power plant reliability. This plan relies on a functional logic: "If only one gas compressor (GC) is operated for more than 12 seconds, one of the gas turbines shifts into a full-speed, no-load condition." In this mode, the gas turbine continues to run but does not generate power, requiring only a minimal fuel gas mass flow.

Throughout the project execution, unloader valves were activated to close recirculation valves, reducing power consumption from 980 kW to 860 kW. This energy-saving initiative results in approximately 375,000 kWh/year saved and a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions of 109,954 kg of CO2/year, leading to annual savings of approximately THB 885,000.

The achievement is a result of the strategic efforts undertaken across all of CKPower's power plants in energy management and environmental enhancement. These efforts aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and enhance resource management efficiency without affecting electricity generation. Furthermore, they promote innovation stemming from the expertise and know-how of its employees.

The Asian Power Awards, now in its 19th year, serve as a platform to celebrate and honour companies and projects that have taken innovative and game-changing steps to address the impacts of the climate crisis and meet the increasing energy demand.

The Asian Power Awards is presented by Asian Power Magazine. To view the full list of winners, click here. If you want to join the 2024 awards programme and be acclaimed for your company's revolutionary innovations and initiatives in the power industry in Asia, please contact Julie Anne Nuñez at julie@charltonmediamail.com.