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Large LPG Gas Engines

A number of LPG power plants in operation are using large LPG gas engine technology. Large engines are chosen for their superior efficiency, excellent high ambient temperature performance, operational flexibility and fuel flexibility. Dual- and multi-fuel technologies allow also operation on diesel, natural gas and ethane in addition to LPG.

Engines have the highest single cycle electrical efficiency of all thermal power generation technologies. Furthermore, high ambient temperatures and high altitudes have a marginal impact on the capacity and efficiency of engines. Other technologies may loose upto 30% of their capacity and suffer from high heat rates due to the combination of high ambient temperatures and high altitudes.

The operational flexibility of gas engine power plants is unsurpassed. Gas engines start and ramp-up to full load in 5 minutes. The multi-unit plant configuration allows maintenance on the units one at a time guaranteeing an extraordinary plant level availability which can not be matched by single or dual-unit plant configurations. Furthermore the number of starts and stops have no negative impact on maintenance intervals. Engines are therefore often the first choice for thermal back-up capacity for the integration of intermittent renewables such as solar and wind power. These plants are often started and stopped many times a day, depending on the solar and wind power generation.

Large gas engine plants are popular for flexible baseload generation in both large and small power systems. Thanks to the operational flexibility and multi-unit plant configuration they are very well suited also for smaller power systems on e.g. islands and isolated, remote grids. Industrial self-generation is also a common application for engines and these plants often make use of cogeneration or trigeneration technologies to further improve the overall efficiency.

Modern large engine power plants are modularized which significantly reduces the construction period at site. The modularisation also eliminates technical and construction risk to a large extent.

 

Features

  • Superior efficiency
  • Minor impact of high ambient temperatures on performance
  • Minor impact of high altitude on performance
  • Multi-unit plant configuration
  • Fast starts and stops without restrictions
  • Dual and multi-fuel technologies available
  • Closed circuit water cooling
  • Modularized construction

 

Benefits

  • Lowest fuel costs
  • No derating on summer days when the power demand is typically at its highest, i.e. no need to “oversize” plant to meet peak demand on a hot summer day
  • No derating on high altitudes, i.e. no need to “oversize” plant to meet peak demand on high altitudes
  • Excellent plant part load efficiency (start and stop units as per demand) and unbeatable plant level availability (maintenance of one unit at a time)
  • Unlimited fast starts and stops allow for large scale integration of solar and wind power without negative impact on thermal plant maintenance intervals
  • Fuel flexibility allows the use of back-up fuels, if required, and gives the option to hedge for the future in case of changes in fuel supply
  • Minimum water consumption
  • Fast track construction possible, elimination of technical and construction risk

 

Manufacturers (1) and Resources