focus simple, safe — and cylindrical 05, 2008 · focus simple, safe — and cylindrical ... the...

Ventureinto the world of industrial turbomachinery and oil&gas solutions

FocusSimple, safe — and cylindrical

Monitor New horizons for compression technology

SpotlightLofty logistics

Issue 10 | December 2008

Dear Reader,In this edition we come closer to the nuts and bolts of our industry, looking at equip-ment both field-proven and new to the market. In Rotterdam, Netherlands, we visit the third of a new type of FPSO, full of Siemens automation, control and power supply solutions. We introduce a brand-new compressor (STC-SI) which will be a competitive advantage for Siemens on the air separation market, and follow the pangs of ageing in a compressor struggling to maintain its useful life.

We take a close look at the future potential of steam turbines which have been the mainstay of the Siemens power generation business for the last century! They are the workhorses of many of our industrial customers. We show how they continue to advance to meet the technological demands of our changing world, and currently lead the field in solar thermal technology. Our gas turbines, too, have been meeting some lofty logistical challenges.

More on the inside pages. Enjoy reading!

Dr. Frank Stieler, CEOSiemens Energy Sector, Oil&Gas Division

Inside06

04 News flash Around the world A solar tower plant in Spain, steam-turbine generators for India, and an update on Siemens’ STC-ECO sealless motor compressor unit.

06 Focus Simple, safe — and cylindrical Sevan Marine’s unconventional approach to FPSO design and Siemens’ contributions.

12 Monitor New horizons for compression technology A new range of turbocompressors designed to match the requirements for the latest steam-turbine-driven air separation systems

18 Faces Economic growth and ecological stability Jan-Erik Rydén, head of the gas turbine business, and Markus Tacke, head of the steam turbine business, have their fingers on the pulse of market trends, customer wishes and technological potentials.

20 Log The Linde Easter story The demise and resurrection of a compressor at an air-separation plant in China.

22 Spotlight Lofty logistics A German power authority didn’t want just the standard turbine package, but expressed the desire for something a little out of the ordinary.

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Publisher: Siemens Energy Sector, Oil & Gas Division, Wolfgang-Reuter-Platz, 47053 Duisburg, Germany Responsible: Dr. Uwe Schütz Editorial team: Lynne Anderson (Head), Manfred Wegner Contact: [email protected] Contributing editor: Colin Ashmore Design: Formwechsel Designbüro, Düsseldorf Photography: Florian Sander, Ralf Thees Lithography: TiMe GmbH, Mülheim Printing: Köller+Nowak GmbH, Düsseldorf.

© 2008 Siemens AG. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical photocopying, or otherwise, without prior permission in writing from the publisher.

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Inside

December 2008 Venture 03

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News flash

04 Venture December 2008

1. 50 tons of smart compression technology: the STC-ECO about to be lifted to its testbed at Siemens’ Duisburg Mega Test Center.

2. In a solar tower plant arrays of mirrors (heliostats) concentrate the radiation from the sun onto a receiver at the top of a central tower, and the energy created is then fed into the power supply system.

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Around the world

Canned, clean and smart In its bright yellow cage, roughly 5 x 4 x 5 meters. the clean and shiny new STC-ECO, together with peripherals such as the cooling system, forms a neat and eye-catching, skid-mounted compact unit. Manufactured in Hengelo, Netherlands, the compressor is currently undergoing three months of in-house testing in Duisburg. This is a midway stop on the way to Statoil’s renowned K-Lab testing facility near Stavanger, Norway. Once there, the STC-ECO will be exposed to all kinds of strain and stress, chemical and mechanical, in order to determine its suitability for future upstream operations.

This second STC-ECO is the result of a contract agreed September 2007 between Siemens and Statoil, where Siemens undertook the qualifi-cation, development, and fabrication of a compact compressor for wet and non-clean gas applications, and Statoil carried out the subsequent stringent testing program of the completed compressor under non-clean gas conditions, simulating real subsea environments.

Said Gerold Hake, responsible for STC-ECO sales and marketing: “At Statoil’s K-Lab we have the unique opportunity to subject the STC-ECO to the proverbial ‘acid test’. We expect first results by summer 2009.”

Steam turbine for Spanish solar power plantSiemens has already sold over 40 steam turbines for solar thermal power plants and is undisputed world leader in this field. This new order, however, marks a departure from tradition, since it is the first solar-thermal reference for an SST-600 steam turbine, and is a break-through into central tower technology.

The turbine will be a Siemens double-casing SST-600 industrial steam turbine with a power output of 19 megawatts (MW). The double casing will protect the turbine from seasonal and even daily variations

in solar radiation, preventing it from cooling and shortening the pre-operation heating phase. The efficiency of the plant is further raised by the use of a reheater between the high-pressure and low-pressure parts of the turbine. This system also protects the turbine from damp and corrosion. These advantages have also been dem-onstrated by the larger turbines (50–80 MW) previously supplied to thermal solar plants and integrated combined-cycle solar power plants.

Markus Tacke, head of the Siemens industrial steam turbine business, observes: “Solar thermal power is one of the fastest-growing markets, and Siemens’ steam turbines are specially adapted to the needs of this technology, producing high-efficiency, environmentally friendly energy. We are proud to be market leader in this field and delighted to work with Sener in establishing this reference both for the SST-600 turbine and for the solar tower technology.“

Steam-turbine generators to IndiaIllustrating the versatility of the SST-600, the Indian utility Vadinar Power Company Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Essar Oil Ltd., has ordered four SST-600 steam-turbine generators for installation in a cogeneration plant in Vadinar in Gujarat Province.

Siemens will supply two 105-MW steam turbines, two 93-MW steam turbines and four generators. The four steam turbines will be manufac-tured in Brno in the Czech Republic, and the generators will be produced in Erfurt, Germany. In addition, Siemens will supply all instru-mentation and control equipment, electrical systems and auxiliaries, with delivery scheduled for completion by the fall of 2010. As of early 2011, the coal-fired plant will supply power and steam to the neighboring oil refinery operated by Essar Oil. Commissioning will be conducted from the Siemens facility in Vadodara, India.

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News flash


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Simple, safe — and cylindricalDesigned as an alternative to conventional ‘ship-shaped’ FPSOs, the Norwegian company Sevan Marine has designed, developed and is now successfully operating completely new floating production facilities based on an innovative, patented cylindrical concept, with automation, control, safety, navigation and telecoms systems — all supplied by Siemens Oil& Gas Offshore.

While so-called ‘peak oil’ production may or may not have been passed, it is generally acknowledged that the boom-times in the North Sea and other prolific fields have become a distant memory and ‘easy oil’ is long-gone. Today, oil companies are being forced to move to less accessible fields and operate under far more challenging conditions. This is especially true for the offshore oil and gas industry, which has moved increasingly to the develop-ment of deepwater reservoirs, while at the same time tapping smaller fields in shallow waters. As existing recoverable reserves continue to dwindle in large fields where current and mature technologies for drilling and production have hitherto provided economically viable solutions, a select number of specialist companies are now at the fore-front of technological development. New and improved systems are now being employed which allow a new generation of equipment suppliers and oilfield operators to exploit existing marginal fields and ‘stranded’ reser-ves, as well as to develop new — and frequently far smaller — discoveries at greater subsea depths, the ‘final frontier’ for offshore oil and gas exploration and development.

Floating choiceAmong the many new engineering technologies developed in conjunction with the oil industry majors, giant floating “ship-shaped” production and storage vessels have become the system of choice for the development of an increasing number of smaller, deepwater oil and gas fields. These Floating Production, Storage and Offloading vessels or FPSOs replace the fixed production platforms and pipeline systems which produce and export oil and gas from shallower fields and which are not technically or commercially viable for smaller, deepwater applications. FPSOs on the other hand, either in the form of ship-conversions using existing hulls, or as new-build vessels, can be towed out and anchored at the location of the offshore reservoir to form a ‘hub’ for the producing wells in the field.

Blowing in the windAlthough current-generation ‘floaters’ provide a technically sound solution for demanding deepwater and ultra-deepwater applications, they include a number of very costly and technically complex systems, require long lead-times and are very time-consuming to

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Mutual relationship: after Sevan’s Piranema and Hummingbird, the Voyageur is the third such cooperation between Sevan Marine and Siemens Oil & Gas Offshore, with both partners learning and advancing from project to project.

build, demanding the specialized facilities of a major shipyard. The necessary capacity to build or convert such large vessels limits the construction of conventional FPSOs to a small number of yards worldwide. Ironically, the very fact that most current-generation FPSOs are conventionally-shaped ships, designed prima-rily to move through the water efficiently with least resistance in one direction only, means that they are less suited to provide a stable platform. Under the action of waves and wind, ship-shaped vessels will tend to swing around their fixed moorings to point into the wind, an effect known as ‘weathervaning’. For FPSOs connected to multiple seabed wellheads by vulnerable and highly critical umbilicals, including the production risers carrying crude oil or gas, excessive relative motion could prove literally catastrophic. To mitigate the problem, risers are connected through swiveling couplings to a large and complex mooring-structure known as a turret, which can rotate to counter the effects of weathervaning.

The cylindrical solutionIn the light of mounting technical and financial pressures faced by the offshore oil and gas industry, some eight years ago Sevan Marine ASA, a leading Norwegian-based engineering group specializing in building, owning and operating floating units for offshore applica-tions, took an entirely fresh look at the requirements for FPSOs. Overcoming many of the disadvantages in building and operating a conventional ship-shaped vessel, Sevan’s innovative solution was designed for maximum stability with a favorable motion pattern. The cylindrical deck can accommodate large and heavyweight process systems and living quarters, while the space below the deck is used for oil and ballast tanks. Fabricated in steel, this simple, modular, symmetrical design eliminated entirely the need for complicated and cost-driving turret and swivel systems. The design-concept together with standard panel and block fabrication reduced overall complex-ity significantly and eliminated the need for

very large-scale construction facilities. This in turn allowed the widest possible choice of shipyard, resulting in significant savings in both cost and delivery time. Model testing was undertaken in 2001, and the contract for the world’s first cylindrical production and storage unit, named the FPSO Sevan Piranema, was signed with Brazil’s oil-giant Petrobras in 2004. The hull was built at the Yantai Raffles shipyard in China and towed to Keppel Verolme shipyard, Rotterdam for outfitting and assembly of the processing plant and topsides facilities before being towed out to the Petrobras Piranema oilfield off the coast of Aracaju in Sergipe, Brazil, to start commercial oil production in October 2007.

Star performanceOperating in ultra-deep water, starting at 1,000 meters and later to be moved out to 1,600 meters, and carrying up to 25 risers and umbilicals, this world-first cylindrical FPSO passed its 12-month production milestone

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Busiest place on-board: the Sevan Voyageur’s con-trol room just three weeks before the scheduled date of sailing.

Siemens automation and control solutions at the heart of the Sevan Voyageur: 6,000 cables, 4,500 I/Os, and — all in one row — more than 100 meters of switchgear cabinets.

without any major incident, despite weathering severe storms. Performing far better than even the most optimistic projections, the use of standard, service-proven systems and equip-ment from long-established suppliers inclu-ding Siemens, has resulted in outstanding safety and reliability. With a hull diameter of 60 meters and a circular deck covering an area of 3,220 square meters, the unit has a loaded draft of 18 meters. Developed specifically for operation in deepwater fields with relatively low yields, the Sevan 300 incorporates larger processing facilities than comparative conven-tional FPSOs and can handle a larger number of risers. Together with the ability to take on very large loads with large deck and storage areas, this provides a significant improvement in cost-effectiveness, while hydrodynamic stability and overall safety are also significantly enhanced. During its first year of operation the Sevan Piranema produced 2.9 million barrels of oil, exported by 14 shuttle tanker cargoes.

The Siemens connectionProcessing up to 30,000 barrels of oil per day, with a storage capacity of 300,000 barrels and a gas injection capacity of 3.6 million cubic meters per day, the Sevan Piranema relies on Siemens’ systems and equipment to control all vital operations. The 3.75 megawatts (MW) of

electrical power from the on-board generating plant is fed to medium- and low-voltage net- works throughout the vessel through Siemens transformers and distribution switchgear, with safety-critical services backed by uninter-ruptible power supply (UPS) systems. Direct current supplies for specialized equipment have also been supplied from the Siemens range, while all major electric drives are controlled by Siemens motor control centers. Siemens Oil & Gas Offshore has also supplied state-of-the-art automation systems covering process control and safety systems, including emergen-cy shutdown (ESD) and fire and gas (F&G) detection and control. Siemens power manage-ment and information management systems have been installed as standard, together with an on-board simulator for operator training. In addition, comprehensive telecommunications equipment from Siemens covers CCTV, video conferencing and entertainment systems, radio and satellite communications, telephone, paging and public address systems, as well as the FPSO’s navigational aids and general administration network.

Four — and countingFollowing the first FPSO contract for Petrobras, Sevan Marine has been awarded four more contracts for same-size units. Already in

successful production since September 2008, the FPSO Sevan Hummingbird is the first unit of this kind operating on Venture Production's Chestnut field in the harsh UK Central North Sea. In Fsebruary 2007, Oilexco North Sea Ltd. awarded Sevan a letter of intent for the third Sevan 300; at the time of writing, the unit is ready for tow out and installation at the Shelley field, also in the Central North Sea. Following these three first units, another two hulls are under construction in China, and a second contract from Venture Production is signed for one of these Sevan 300s.

Extending the conceptAlthough the cylindrical design for floating storage and production vessels is not unique to Sevan Marine, the company’s symmetrical, modular, highly-standardized approach coupled with conventional panel and block steel fabrication methods has provided an industry benchmark. Nevertheless, the compa-ny is now extending its patented concept with the addition of an ultra-deepwater drilling facility. The first of this new generation of Floating Drilling, Processing, Storage and Offloading vessels, the Sevan Driller FDPSO is currently under construction at Cosco’s Nantong shipyard in China. Designed to include the most advanced capabilities in the

Focus


“Simple and safe — that’s the beauty of Sevan’s concept.” Erskine Rozario, Sevan Marine’s site manager.

industry and with the highest environmental and safety standards, it will be capable of drilling wells to more than 12,000 meters in water depths in excess of 3,800 meters, and will have a storage capacity of up to 150,000 barrels of oil. On completion the vessel will be will be entering into a 6 year drilling for Petrobras operation in ultra-deep Brazilian waters.

Forward in partnershipAs well as extending its world-beating cylindri-cal-hulled FPSO design to include drilling, Sevan Marine is looking to use the concept for a range of other offshore applications. These include subsea installation and construction, LNG and LPG gas treatment and as a mobile service and accommodation platform. Plans also include the construction of latest-techno-logy ‘gas-to-wire’ power generating installations with carbon capture and storage capability, exporting bulk electricity to shore. Described by Sevan Marine as “the obvious choice” as a single one-stop-shop supplier, Siemens has forged a long-term relationship with the offshore company, working in partnership through mutual and ongoing trust and collabo-ration for what is clearly a bright future; for Sevan’s patented ‘simple, safe — and cylindrical’ concept.

Monitor

New horizons for compression technology Combining eco-friendly energy efficiency with operational flexibility, Siemens has developed a completely new range of turbocompressors designed specifically to match the requirements for the latest steam-turbine-driven air separation systems.

The past decade has seen an accelerating trend in thermal-based industrial processes towards the capture of ‘waste’ heat, using thermal energy to generate additional steam, raising overall thermal efficiency, reducing fuel consumption and cutting atmospheric emissions. A significant and increasing number of these heat-producing ‘exothermic’ processes incorporate integrated air-separation systems to provide the very large volumes of high- purity oxygen on which they are all based. These processes include coal-to-liquids (CTL) and gas-to-liquids (GTL) conversion technologies as well as power generation using the integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) process. Other applications encompass a range of indus-trial processes including steelmaking, while

the advance of ‘cleaner coal’ power-generation systems, including the latest carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies, are creating future new markets. The large majority of the air-separation systems used in these applica-tions employ the cryogenic distillation process, which relies on the differences in boiling points of gases to separate and purify them.

Cool compressorsEssentially a large-scale refrigeration system, the single most important element in a cryogenic air-separation plant is the compressor. In typical operation, filtered air is fed to a multi-stage compressor train, and contaminants including carbon dioxide and water vapor are removed. The compressed air is expanded and


Monitor


tion systems, where speed and outputs must be varied to meet production requirements. In order to meet this recent and growing market demand, Siemens has developed a completely new and innovative range of single-shaft air separation compressors designed for either electric motor or steam turbine drives, matching the operating parameters of exo-thermic processes and applications. Innovative rangeDesigned and engineered by the development team at the Duisburg production plant, the new Siemens “STC-SI” range is the result of an intensive 3-year research and development program, aimed directly at meeting both the current and future needs of cryogenic air separation plants in exothermic applications. Highly flexible in operation, smaller and more compact than integrally geared machines of similar rating, the new compressors in the range currently comprise five units covering volume flows from around 150,000 to 600,000 cubic meters of air per hour in power ratings from 8 megawatts (MW) to 50 MW. The machines are based on a conventional single-shaft design incorporating standard and well-proven major components, such as the overhanging 1.8-meter diameter impeller, bearings and inlet com-

pressor stator, but also including a number of innovative elements.

These engineering innovations include modular integrated intercooling, enabling the use of as many as three intermediate systems ensuring exceptionally efficient cooling. This design also provides increased efficiency of between 4 and 5 percent compared with existing single-shaft compressors. A completely new and patented high-efficiency water-separation system provides an excellent energy balance, while a new flow conduit minimizes internal pressure loss. The entire range is based on just five standard casings, enabling this highly complex and key component to be pre-ordered and held as a stock item. Together with modularized assemblies and construction, this ‘off-the-shelf’ system not only provides a high level of standardization, but a very significant reduction in delivery times — a particularly important advantage for international customers in the air separation market.

Small size — big advantageAlthough speed of delivery is a major selling-point, the modular design of the new STC-SI compressors offers a range of benefits, not least of which is the reduced cost, smaller size

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progressively cooled to around minus 185 degrees Centigrade and distilled to produce process oxygen. The other principal constitu- ent gases, nitrogen, krypton and argon, are removed separately as saleable by-products. The temperature of the liquefied oxygen is raised by heat exchange with incoming high-temperature air, returning it to its gaseous state before being fed under pressure to the main production process.

Matching the marketAs recently as five years ago around 90 percent of all compressors manufactured and supplied by Siemens for air separation applications were integrally geared machines powered by electrical drives and designed for fixed-speed operation. However, over this same timescale, the industry has seen a significant and continuing move towards exother-mic applications, where steam turbines are able to provide a more flexible, cost-effective and technically viable solution as compressor drives. Today, some 40 per cent of all new sales inquir-ies are for systems based on steam-turbine-driven compressors. Although rather standard integrally geared turbocompressors are ideally suited for fixed-speed applications, they do not provide an optimal solution for air separa-

The new STC-SI range of compressors features impellers with diameters of up to 1.8 meters, achieving a volume flow of up to 600,000 cubic meters per hour.

and lower weight, especially when compared to geared machines of equivalent rating. The overall reduction in ‘footprint’ not only allows easier handling and shipping, but faster and easier installation and commissioning with lower maintenance costs and reduced down-time which, together with optimized perform-ance for specific applications and high reliability from standard, well-proven modular components, cuts the total cost of ownership still further. While the new gearless design allows the use of conventional electric-motor drives, the compressors are specifically matched to steam-turbine systems and are capable of flexible operation over a range of speeds from 70 to 105 percent nominal rated maximum. This in turn allows the operator to increase or decrease the output from the air separation plant to compensate for seasonal variations in ambient temperature, a crucially important facility enabling the total plant effi-

ciency to be optimized over a range of condi-tions. As cryogenic air separation is an energy-intensive process, the ability to operate a compressor-based satellite plant, using a steam turbine fed from steam generated by ‘waste’ heat from the main process, eliminates the need for a separate electric-motor drive. This in turn decreases the parasitic load, raises overall plant efficiency and reduces its total ‘carbon footprint’.

Liquid assetsThe market for specialized exothermic indus-trial applications and processes is growing rapidly on a global scale. Designed to meet the demand within these growth areas for bulk oxygen supplied by cryogenic distillation plant, principally for the production of synthetic gas or ‘syngas’, the new STC-SI range of compres-sors is being targeted initially at both CTL and GTL applications. In these processes raw

feedstock, including hard coal, lignite, natural gas, petroleum coke or even biomass, is heated in a stream of pure oxygen to produce syngas, which consists of a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen. This is passed through reactors to convert the gas stream into ammonia, which is used to produce fertilizers, and methanol, which can then be converted into ultra-clean, sulfur-free petrol and diesel fuels, domestic fuel supplies and a wide range of petrochemical products, such as the olefins ethylene and propylene, and other vital industrial chemical feedstock.

The China connectionUnsurprisingly, the largest and fastest-growing market for both gas and coal liquefaction process plants is in the People’s Republic of China, where explosive economic growth has resulted in escalating demand for both energy and allied petrochemical products, with

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“Listening to our customers, we identified a number of challenges to which the STC-SI concept is the perfect answer.”

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particular emphasis on ethylene production, where demand and shortage of basic feedstock is outstripping production capacity. As part of the country’s 11th five-year plan, a number of construction projects — some completed, others under way — are planned to more than double China’s annual conventional ethylene capacity to reach 14 to 18 million tonnes by 2010. Despite this massive expansion, by 2020 further investments already in the pipeline could see the installation of an additional 20 million tonnes of ethylene capacity. Every indication shows that a significant part of this total will probably be manufactured by a new generation of plants producing petrochemicals from coal, one of China’s most abundant and cheapest energy resources. Although no commercial-scale plants have yet been com-pleted, there are 12 to 14 projects — some under construction, but most in the planning stage — to produce olefins from methanol in

China. The majority of these are based on CTL technology. According to official Chinese sources, the intention is to establish seven dedicated coal-to-chemicals production complexes and by 2020 to produce annually 66 million tonnes of methanol, 8 million tonnes of olefins and 20 million tonnes of DME, a petrochemical product with properties similar to liquid petroleum gas, which can be used as a clean fuel or fuel additive. Representing an investment of nearly euro 120 billion, China is looking to become the world leader in the production of chemicals from coal, using the very latest developments in exothermic CTL technology, creating a huge new market for cryogenic air separation systems using compressors powered by steam turbines.

Bright future Launched officially in March this year at the opening of the Mega Test Center in Duisburg,

the brand-new STC-SI compressors are already attracting very significant interest from major international customers in the continuous-process and petrochemical industries. Comple-menting the existing portfolio of products for air-separation applications, the addition of the STC-SI range means that the company now leads the world in supplying high-power, high- volume compressor systems within four separate engineering concepts. These cover process-independent volume flows of up to a staggering 1.3 million cubic meters of air per hour. With reactions to the launch being universally positive and the first requests for quotations currently being processed, the future for the new Siemens brainchild looks bound for success.

An innovative design takes shape: gypsum model of the STC-SI concept. Joint force: Jürgen Geisner (development) and Jörg Drüen (sales) are con-vinced that the STC-SI concept is bound for success.

Faces

Energy efficiency — for economic growth and ecological stability


Venture interviews the two leading players in Siemens industrial power generation, Jan-Erik Rydén, head of the gas turbine business, and Markus Tacke, who heads up the steam turbine business. Together they are a tough combo, with their fingers on the pulse of market trends, customer needs and new technologies.

Venture Jan-Erik, people are crying out for more energy, and at the same time we are accused of destroying our planet by emitting pollutants into the atmosphere whenever we light the boiler. What are you doing to reconcile these apparently conflicting demands?Rydén Efficiency is the key to reconciling the need for more energy, but producing it in an environmentally friendly manner. Efficiency just means getting the most out of your fuel and your equipment, with less wastage in the form of unused energy evaporating into the atmosphere. Our industrial gas turbines can, of course, be used as stand-alones in simple cycle, but we actively promote cogeneration or combined heat and power solutions since they harness the full potential of the turbine. The exhaust heat from the turbine can be captured, for example, and used to power a district heating or cooling system instead of being simply vented off. And, of course, we can combine our gas turbines with one of Markus’ steam turbines to create a combined cycle, to give extra power or to provide process steam for industries.

Venture: This covers basic power generation. How about for the Oil & Gas market?Rydén Here efficiency is even more important, as the oil and gas business has been shown in a recent study to use up to 20 percent of its generated energy in its own processes. Interestingly, we even have a combined-cycle concept for offshore applications which we have co-developed with Sevan, the so-called EPOS, electric power on sea. Electric-motor

compressor drive is another success story, but that’s uncharted territory for a gas-turbine man.

Venture Markus, the steam turbine is the venerable old man of power technology. Has it reached the peak of its development or is there still more that can be tweaked to increase and improve production?Tacke You will be surprised, the old man is alive and kicking! We continue to push the boundaries of what the individual turbines can achieve and to extend them to cover the gap between industrial and utility power turbines. For example we have recently extended the output of our largest turbine, the SST-900, from 180 megawatts (MW) to 250 MW with the help of advanced blading and steam-path technology. The wider range helps us to find the exact solution for the customer’s application, without over-dimensioning and wastage. So from that point of view we can say that efficiency is just as important for the steam turbines when it comes to utility power generation, while in typical industrial applications highest reliability comes into play.

Venture Jan-Erik, emissions must be the biggest issue for an environmentally conscious gas-turbine manufacturer to deal with. What methods do you use to limit emissions?Rydén Well, efficient machinery creates fewer emissions, of course. But we do have special-ized DLE (Dry Low Emissions) burners in our combustors, which are standard in all our modern machines using gas fuel, and available

as dual-fuel for gas and diesel. This is an area that we constantly aim to fine-tune and we are moving towards single-digit and ultra-low emissions, especially with our smaller turbines. We even have a turbine, the SGT-500, which can burn heavy fuels, or indeed biofuels, advan- tageously, which enables customers to buy such fuel cheaply on the spot market or use indigenous fuel previously considered too ‘dirty’ to use responsibly. This turbine has proven itself for marine applications, even in harbor, burning heavy fuel oil with no visible smoke.

Venture: Markus, the steam turbine is a clean player, but you have to generate the steam through some form of combustion. What is your contribution to ecology and economy? Tacke Actually, there are many ways to produce steam. Combustion heat is certainly the most common, but think also of heat from the sun: solar thermal applications using our steam turbines have become a technology of choice. And there are many sources of waste heat that can be turned into electricity by using steam turbines. For combustion processes, the boiler technology is significant, and anything, from fossil fuels and residuals to biomass, can be used as the heat source. We provide the turbines to match the customer’s overall plant concept, and each steam turbine is unique. With the exception of our low-range prede-signed models, which are virtually plug- and-play, the steam path is designed to fit each customer’s process, with exactly the right number of steam extractions, for example, to

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meet the needs of the specific industrial application. Global sourcing also helps to give us a competitive cost advantage, as does our world-wide manufacturing network. To put this all together, we design a machine that serves ecological and economic requirements, giving the customer more power for his money.

Venture: So, gentlemen, looking to the future, what changes or improvements do you envisage? Do your current products cover the market needs, or will there be some revolutionary new designs appearing that will boost performance and cut emissions?Tacke Our changes are more evolutionary than revolutionary! Constantly honing efficiency and reliability, using lighter and more durable materials, leaving no gaps in our technology, these are our concerns. We are also very aware of the need to respond to market trends and new technologies. Currently, for example, we cover 85 percent of the market for steam turbines in solar thermal plants with our reheat mid-size turbines whose design is perfectly

adapted to solar thermal processes. And we will continue to develop this technology to stay ahead of future developments, be it in industrial, oil and gas or renewable steam turbine applications.

Rydén Yes, our technology is sound, and is the keystone to our success. All our products are competitive in terms of reliability and perfor-mance. But performance is not only technical. Processes and people are also important. We are constantly working to update our processes to respond to the needs of a rapidly changing environment and to ensure that we continue to recruit dedicated and professional people so that we can maintain our momentum.

Venture: What are the environmental changes we are talking about? Rydén Changes in perception and behavior patterns, and they have already begun. We are all besieged by the image of a polar bear adrift on an ice floe and know that we have to act quickly to save the planet. Fossil power will

dominate for the next twenty years or so, but resources are rapidly becoming depleted and more difficult to access. We have to base our technology on thrift, to eke out the world’s resources and make them last longer. We also have to find and make best use of other sources of energy, so fuel, combustion and materials technologies are becoming increasingly critical to create a sustainable balance of life.

Venture: Anything to add, Markus?Tacke Well, to summarize, I would say that by taking care of what we sell, by working with our customers to cater for their precise needs, by fostering an innovative culture and increas-ing speed from innovation to product, and by utilizing our global network of competence we can continue to provide efficient and eco-friendly power for a long time to come. But increasingly, power producers and equipment providers will have to work with each other, not against each other, to follow a clear line of ecological responsibility.

Mr. Jan-Erik Rydén (b.1957) has been with the company since 1982 and has been head of the industrial gas turbine business since February, 2007. Jan-Erik studied electrical engineering at the University of Chalmers in Gothenburg, Sweden. He is married and has one daughter.

Dr.-Ing. Markus M. Tacke (b. 1965) joined the company in 1998 and has been head of the industrial steam turbine business since October 2007. Dr. Tacke studied engineering and took his doctorate at the University of Darmstadt, Germany. He is married and has four children.

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The Linde Easter story — demise and resurrection of a compressor


The fact that it is Easter, the most important feast in the Christian calendar, is suddenly irrelevant, although the symbolism may pass fleetingly through your mind as you speed through telephone lists and parts numbers on the way to a solution.

This is exactly what happened in the Linde (former BOC) Air Separation Plant in Maanshan, Republic of China, earlier this year. 19th March in fact. Within 24 hours the damage was identified, recorded and analyzed. Impeller A had suffered a 7 cm crack on one of its blades. As no deposits had built up it could be deduced that the crack had only recently occurred. The crack had opened up as the impeller expanded and very slight damage was caused to the contour ring on the circumference of the impeller.

The impeller needs to be replaced for service to continue. Outage means lack of production. But the customer has no spare rotor. What should be done? The Linde branch in Nanjing, just three hours away by road, has a similar rotor with an identical impeller. Could that be used as a substitute? This was the key question. Some six months earlier, Siemens and Linde had made the observation that such a swap would be complicated by different tooth width and higher rotation speed of the pinions. In the event of a problem it would be necessary to change the entire gear set, including contou-ring and volute inserts. Some adjustments to the oil spray bars, the volute casings and some stator parts would also have to be made. Additionally just swapping the impeller and

the contour ring could be a practicable alter-native.

But it is not just a question of resuming production, although that is the immediate imperative. It is just as important in the long term to find the root cause of the incident and prevent the same thing from happening again. It was decided that local engineers from Siemens China would investigate Impeller A in more detail when the compressor was dismantled. This would be done on Easter Sunday — March 23, 2008. Siemens China asked the customer to send the damaged impeller back to the manufacturing and service center in Duisburg, Germany, for fact-finding — and of course to clarify whether or not it was a warranty issue.

Meanwhile, it was decided that the spare Nanjing impeller could indeed be used. Tele- phones started buzzing, e-mails flew back and forth. Not only Siemens China, but also Linde’s own organization, were working flat out, to secure the spare rotor, arrange balan-cing, to hire or liberate a crane for the dis-assembly. Four days of solid work ensued, to disassemble the rotor, transport it to the new site, and reassemble it. By 28th March — nine days after shutdown — the replacement equipment was installed and was tested in situ the following day. The immediate crisis was over.

The schedule was hectic as can be seen from the log of Martin Stiegler, Siemens’ Service Director based in Beijing:

19th afternoon — customer experienced first shutdown19th late afternoon — customer found crack on Impeller A19th (11pm) — call to Siemens (Martin) from Linde Platform team in Shanghai (Bob)19th midnight — advised local Siemens engineer (Zhang Zhong Fei) to mobilize to site immediately).20th morning — got on first flight and arrived at site at 11am. (Zhu Jun, Martin, Zhang Zhong Fei).20th afternoon — after discussion with customer decided to dismantle compressor.21st — mobilized two additional Siemens local engineers (Yan Bing Guang and Meng Xiang Yu) to help with dismantling.22nd — mobilized Siemens local Senior Engineer (Bu Shao Feng) to help with dismant-ling and assembly23rd–26th — dismantling, balancing and reassembly.26th — demobilized two additional Siemens local engineers (Yan Bing Guang and Meng Xiang Yu)27th — mobilized foreign Siemens engineer (Mr. Ketteler) to site (called off from other site) for final check and start-up.28th — start-up of compressor29th — check on running status29th afternoon — demobilized Siemens engineers

The relationship between Siemens and Linde enabled the closest and unquestioning cooperation based on mutual trust. Of para-mount importance to all involved was to

Log

Martin Stiegler from Siemens’ service team China: “The root cause analysis has taken longer than we anticipated, but we do not want to cut corners or there is no point in carrying out the analysis. Our customer understands that it is in his and our best interests to drive the analysis to a successful conclusion, so that we can finally shake hands on a job well done and one that will not have to be done again. Practice makes perfect; and patience and people make perfect performance!”

Linde’s representative, General Manager Gordon Wang, comments on the incident:“Obviously it is extremely unfor-tunate when your equipment breaks down for any reason, but we cannot complain about the diligence and dedication of the Siemens engineers once the break-down had happened, especially from service team China. We so appreciated their great effort. The cooperation with our engineers

on site was immediate and comprehensive. Within ten days our plant was fully operational again, and we have every confidence that Siemens will analyze the root cause of the incident to ensure that there is no repetition.”

“Practice makes perfect; and patience and people

make perfect performance!”

resolve the problem with a prompt and satisfactory solution, and to take action to prevent the same type of incident from occurring again or elsewhere in the fleet.

In the aftermath of this crescendo of activity, some conclusions can be drawn.• Response — The response and mobilization

were very rapid as local engineers could be deployed

• Priority — Because of proximity and network-ing it was possible to bring in a Siemens engineer from another site.

• Preparation — The Linde platform team had previously written general technical clarifica-tions (2007) on the interchangeability of the spare parts. This degree of preparedness saved considerable time when the shutdown occurred.

• Open communication and trust — Speed was of the essence, so it was agreed to carry out all work without purchase orders or decisions on liability.

• Exellent Linde internal cooperation — Maanshan site worked very hard, provided cranes, mobilized the rotor from the Nanjing site, balanced the rotor and provided support labor.

As a corollary to the story, Siemens is currently closely discussing spare parts and availability strategies with Linde and has signed several contracts for capital spare parts to ensure availability in the unlikely event of damage. The original VK125 compressor was delivered in 2005 to BOC, an English company purchased by Linde in 2006.


Spotlight

Summer concerts were held around the event in front of the GuD1 building — with the SGT-800 standing behind the scenes.

A massive 250-tonnes mobile crane lifted the two packages — 90 tonnes each — through the roof of Würzburg's HWK combined heat and power plant.

Lofty logisticsThe Würzburg power authority had decided early in 2007 to increase the capacity of their existing combined-cycle plant to improve its economy. However, they didn’t want just the standard turbine package, but something a little out of the ordinary.

Tuesday August 5, 2008, the residents of Würzburg, Germany, gathered to watch the breathtaking and uplifting spectacle of an imposingly large and multi-tonne bright red box being winched slowly above their heads by a gigantic crane — also red — dangle tantalizingly, and then descend with infinite care through the roof of the power station where the turbine it contained will be put into service. The crane lift was a public celebra-tion in every sense of the word: this was their turbine, being delivered to their local utility. Not only were the local inhabitants invited to the event by the public-spirited utility, but in true German tradition, a beer tent was erected on the nearby parking lot to celebrate the successful installation.

And they were given a real show. This was not just a standard turbine package: during pre-sales discussion, the client expressed the desire for something a little out of the ordinary. Discussion oscillated between British Racing Green or Maranello Ferrari Red, but of course it was the Schumacher influence that was the winner!

The Würzburg power authority had decided early in 2007 to increase the capacity of their existing combined-cycle plant to improve its economy. This would be done by shaving off the heat and power peaks with an efficient combined-cycle technology, replacing the older gas-fired boilers. Having previously ordered a 43-megawatt (MW) SGT-800 gas turbine from Siemens in July 2003, to help cover its base load demand, it was natural for the authority to revert to Siemens when they needed to expand. This time the choice was for the smaller, recently uprated 30.7-MW SGT-700.

The plant, HKW Würzburg (HKW: German abbreviation for combined heat and power plant) consists of two blocks. The originally delivered

SGT-800 and associated boiler are in Block GuD1. (GuD: German abbreviation for combined-cycle). The SGT-700 is part of the new block, GuD2, replacing an older boiler. The excess electricity from the original block has been a source of income for HKW Würzburg, since they were able to sell it to the national grid. The new turbine will increase that potential.

This new unit is a so-called peak-shaver, which will operate in a cyclic mode according to demand. The SGT-700 has a boiler connected to the same steam circuit as the other boilers in the plant. This circuit supplies the steam turbines and the district heating grid via extractions in the steam turbine. It works on a daily cycle, at least during the summer, when heat requirement is low. To cover a peak in electricity requirement when the heat requirement is low, the output of the two turbines can be combined and regulated from a single boiler.

The gas turbine had come a long way to reach its final destination. It was delivered in two main packages by road transport from the manu-facturing facility in Finspong, Sweden, where it was fully tested prior to shipment. Each of the packages weighed almost 90 tonnes, which required a mobile crane with 250 tonnes’ lifting capacity for the muscle-flexing demonstration.

The installation was a challenge, since the power plant is located in the heart of the town amongst its cultural buildings and surrounding vineyards, but it was not insurmountable with modern technology at hand. The turbine now rests securely upon its foundation and is due to be in operation by January 2009.


Spotlight

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