E.On’s Ratcliffe-on-Soar powers on with WEG-driven SCR 19 December 2014

The future of E.On's Ratcliffe-on-Soar coal-fired power station by installing SCR (selective catalytic reduction) emission control plant, powered by eight high-efficiency WEG 4,300kW MGF710 motors equipped with variable speed drives (VSDs).

The move to cleaner running at Ratcliffe is required to comply with the Large Combustion Plant Directive (LCPD) regulations, intended to reduce emissions from UK coal and oil-fired power stations.

Those stations that do not comply were allowed to opt-out, but then limited to 20,000 operating hours between 2008 and 2015, before being closed down.

Meeting the first stage of reducing emissions at Ratcliffe required a flue gas desulphurisation (FGD) plant that removes sulphur dioxide.

This process, which is powered by two 750kW WEG MGF pump motors, is based on the chemical reaction between warm exhaust gases from the coal-fired boiler and atomised limestone slurry – which removes 92% of the sulphur dioxide.

The second stage of compliance required all plants to reduce NOx emissions from below 500mg/m3 to sub-200mg/m3 by 2016.

The SCR equipment injects ammonia into the exhaust stream which reacts with the gas and converts NOx into nitrogen and water – a process used widely in Germany and Japan, and reducing NOx emissions by 80—90%.

The project to install the SCR system between the boiler house and existing extraction system required the use of Europe's largest mobile crane and cost £200 million.

Since the FGD plant was already been driven by WEG machines, the firm was considered an ideal candidate for supplying the fan motors for the new SCR plant, says Mick Daulman, contracts and proposals manager at WEG.

"Ratcliffe Power Station is recognised as one of the most efficient coal-fired power stations in the UK and with the WEG motors delivering a confirmed 97.6% at peak efficiency they can only add to this reputation," comments Daulman.

"Our innovative VSD plays a key role in optimising the efficiency and reliability of our motors and is helping Ratcliffe reduce energy consumption and emissions even further," he adds.

Chris Bennett, senior electrical engineer at Ratcliffe Power Station, comments: "Any power we consume on-site has to be generated and represents a significant cost to the site.

"Although we produce up to 2,000MW from our four main turbines, that equates to 20,000 tonnes of coal per week, and any efficiency we gain from the operational plant is passed on to our overall site efficiency – which is a key performance indicator and something we take very seriously."

WEG is also provided availability and reliability guarantees with the motors, providing both the project specifiers and the maintenance teams with peace of mind.

Brian Tinham

Related Companies
E.ON UK Ltd
WEG Electrical Motors (UK) Ltd

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