DESC's New Hydrogen Control System for Generators Enables Utilities to Produce More Power from Less Fuel
Tuesday November 28, 8:45 am ET
biz.yahoo.com
ORLANDO, Fla., Nov. 28 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Proton Energy Systems, a subsidiary of Wallingford, CT-based Distributed Energy Systems Corp. (Nasdaq: DESC - News), today launched the StableFlow(TM) Hydrogen Control System, a new product that enables electric power generating plants to produce more electricity more efficiently from less coal, oil or natural gas.
Introduced here at Power-Gen International, the product is expected to provide substantial production and economic benefits to utilities and other power plant operators by modernizing how they control the flow of hydrogen needed to cool their generating equipment.
A typical North American power plant operating two or three power generators produces about 300 megawatts of power. Proton's innovative StableFlow system -- which precisely regulates the quality of hydrogen "cooling" gas within a generator's casing -- enables efficiencies that have now been proven to save fuel costs up to $1,000 per megawatt of generating capacity per year.
Accordingly, the average 300 megawatt plant can save up to $300,000 per year by installing a Proton StableFlow system on each of its power generators -- at a total cost that will be recovered in less than one year of operation.
These potential savings were demonstrated in long-term tests conducted at a generating station in Dickerson, Md., owned by Mirant Corporation. The tests showed that StableFlow effectively maintains the hydrogen cooling gas within the generator casing at or above the generator's OEM (original equipment manufacturer) specifications. StableFlow Hydrogen Control Systems automatically regulate the rate of hydrogen gas venting from the generator, allowing for the continuous replenishment of gas from a high purity source.
Mike Bennett, operations manager at the Mirant Dickerson power plant, said, "Controlling hydrogen in our generators automatically with the StableFlow Hydrogen Control System has increased hydrogen purity from an average of 96% to greater than 99%, optimizing fuel efficiency and maximizing generator capacity. Based on the successful installation and performance of this system, we are considering similar installations on the remaining units at the plant."
This process is effective whether the cooling hydrogen is produced on site by Proton's revolutionary HOGEN® electrolysis-based system or from traditional trucked-in hydrogen. StableFlow technology enables a continuous purge through the electric generator that measurably increases operating efficiency and, as a result, the plant generates its power with less fuel that it would otherwise need to use.
Proton's StableFlow system enables power plants to realize cost savings by maintaining hydrogen purity, pressure and dew point levels in compliance with OEM specifications. It continuously monitors the generator casing on a real- time basis, controlling impure hydrogen venting and providing pure hydrogen replenishment as required. Its automated control replaces manual periodic hydrogen refilling and the resulting variability from OEM specifications.
OEM specification compliance reduces windage loss, optimizes electric generating capacity, reduces air emissions, extends equipment life and reduces contamination and corrosion for enhanced reliability. In addition, onsite hydrogen generation increases plant safety by reducing the amount of bottled hydrogen needed to be stored on premises.
Mark Murray, Proton's president, said: "The results of the study affirm what we have known all along. StableFlow is a more efficient way to ensure proper generator cooling. This is a broad need, since more than 70% of all power plant generators in the world use hydrogen for cooling." |
