The Singapore Engineer January 2015

The Magazine Of The Institution Of Engineers, Singapore January 2015 MCI (P) 157/01/2014

Celebrating 50 Years of Engineering Excellence

www.ies.org.sg

THE

SINGAPORE ENGINEER COVER STORY:

SUSTAINABILITY Daikin Airconditioning (Singapore) Building

FEATURES: Electrical Engineering • Power Generation • Chemical & Petrochemical Engineering

CONTENTS Celebrating 50 Years of Engineering Excellence

Founded in 1966

FEATURES Chief Editor T Bhaskaran t_b_n8@yahoo.com

12 SUSTAINABILITY: COVER STORY: Daikin Airconditioning (Singapore) Building Key features of the facility are enabling it to save on energy and water use.

16 ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING: Remote condition monitoring of London Underground track circuits This will help maintenance personnel to respond to failures before they occur and provides a better understanding of the lifecycle of the asset.

20 POWER GENERATION: Advanced Ultra-Supercritical Steam Power Plants The current scenario is provided, with regard to this type of equipment which is expected to increase efficiency and reduce fuel consumption.

30 POWER GENERATION: Online Fatigue Monitoring and Predictive Analytics for Improved Flexibility of Plant Operation These methods become important with the expected increase in start-up / shutdown cycles and the need for faster load changes.

36 CHEMICAL & PETROCHEMICAL ENGINEERING: Easing the squeeze on profitability with effective energy management Reducing energy use results in lower costs as well as lower carbon emissions.

REGULAR SECTIONS 02 IES UPDATE 38 EVENTS 39 NEWS

CEO Angie Ng angie@iesnet.org.sg Publications Manager Desmond Teo desmond@iesnet.org.sg Publications Executive Rebekah Yeo rebekah.yeo@iesnet.org.sg Media Development Executive Henry Koh henry.koh@iesnet.org.sg Media Consultants Roland Ang roland@iesnet.org.sg Desmond Chander desmond@shamrockcraine.com Published by The Institution of Engineers, Singapore 70 Bukit Tinggi Road Singapore 289758 Tel: 6469 5000 Fax: 6467 1108 Cover designed by Irin Kuah Cover image by Daikin Airconditioning (Singapore) Pte Ltd

The Singapore Engineer is published monthly by The Institution of Engineers, Singapore (IES). The publication is distributed free-of-charge to IES members and affiliates. Views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect those of the Editor or IES. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine shall be reproduced, mechanically or electronically, without the prior consent of IES. Whilst every care is taken to ensure accuracy of the content at press time, IES will not be liable for any discrepancies. Unsolicited contributions are welcome but their inclusion in the magazine is at the discretion of the Editor.

Design & layout by 2EZ Asia Pte Ltd Printed in Singapore

January 2015 THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER

01

MESSAGE

Message from the Chairman, Mechanical & Electrical Engineering Technical Committee The news that Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) will be offering a degree course in Building Services Engineering highlights the importance of the design and operational aspects of buildings.

Engineers who are qualified in this area may find their skills in greater demand and enjoy improved prospects due to heightened consciousness in issues related to the above-mentioned.

A great deal of attention is usually given to the design of buildings and to their construction, in order to achieve the required objectives in terms of quality, productivity, safety and optimisation of resources, during the construction phase.

However, issues such as energy-efficient operation, operability, maintainability and durability of buildings are often not given thorough consideration at the design stage of a project, which then results in energy wastage, difficulties in building operations, maintenance and upgrading. This leads to greater use of energy and an increased carbon footprint.

At the same time, it must be pointed out that a lot has changed since. As the hot issues relating to climate change and the need to reduce carbon emissions have garnered increased support via enhanced publicity, many governments, in pursuit of economic objectives, have also taken steps to implement policies to halt the erstwhile unchecked energy wastage that has resulted in excessive burning of fossil fuels such as oil and gas. Green building and energy audits have become key concerns for old and new buildings.

The emphasis on building services engineering entails the adoption of the latest concepts for efficient operation of buildings at the design stage, so that innovative products and technologies can be incorporated in the implementation stage which have a positive impact on areas such as power, water supply, air-conditioning, mechanical ventilation, fire safety, security, lighting, elevators, escalators and building automation etc for buildings. Aside from enhancing operation efficiency, the latest ideas on power generation, building services integration, communication and control also allow easy maintenance and refurbishment. This will translate to manpower and energy cost saving.

These new and enhanced concepts with technologies innovation will certainly make a contribution towards the efficient, cost-effective and sustainable operation of buildings for convenience, comfort and better living.

Er. Teo Chor Kok Chairman, Mechanical & Electrical Technical Committee

02

THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER January 2015

IES Council Members 2014 / 2016 President Er. Chong Kee Sen Honorary Secretary Dr Boh Jaw Woei Honorary Treasurer Er. Emily Tan Vice Presidents Er. Edwin Khew Er. Koh Beng Thong Dr Richard Kwok A/Prof Neo Kok Beng Er. Ong Geok Soo Prof Yeoh Lean Weng Immediate Past President Prof Chou Siaw Kiang Past Presidents Er. Ho Siong Hin Er. Dr Lee Bee Wah Assistant Honorary Secretary Mr Joseph William Eades Assistant Honorary Treasurer Er. Koh Beng Thong Council Members Er. Chan Ewe Jin Prof Chau Fook Siong Er. Dr Chew Soon Hoe Mr Dalson Chung Prof Er Meng Joo Er. Dr Ho Kwong Meng Dr Ho Teck Tuak Mr Kang Choon Seng Mr Lee Kwok Weng Mr Jason Oh Er. Seow Kang Seng Mr David So Mr Tan Sim Chuan Er. Teo Chor Kok Er. Alfred Wong Dr Zhou Yi Honorary Council Members Er. Ong Ser Huan Er. Tan Seng Chuan

January 2015 THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER

03

IES UPDATE

Young Engineers Leadership (YEL) Programme for empowering the next generation of engineers The Young Engineers Leadership (YEL) Programme is a joint effort launched by the Institution of Engineers, Singapore (IES) and the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC), on 18 August 2014. The programme is crafted with the intention of grooming young talents into a new generation of leaders by providing them with essential skills as well as opportunities to connect with their engineering peers, entrepreneurs and leaders.

The year-long programme comprises 10 modules covering technology management skills, such as Intellectual Property and Systems Thinking & Engineering, amongst others, and also delves into the arena of soft skills in leadership such as Negotiation and Influence, Strategic Thinking for Technology Leaders and Communication for Leaders. To-date, the programme has successfully delivered two of the 10 modules, reaching out to approximately 200 aspiring leaders who have been sent by their companies to further develop their potential.

In order to better engage the participants and fine-tune various aspects of the modules with each successive run, the organisers have gathered feedback on suggestions for improvements as well as comments from the participants on their experience at each of the two sessions. The programme organisers are heartened to find that the speakers and contents of the seminars that they have conducted have had a positive impact on individuals who felt that they left the sessions personally enriched and better equipped for the workplace.

Participants networking during meals and tea breaks at the session.

04

THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER January 2015

“The training was unlike anything I have attended. It was entertaining and effective” - Mr Ang Boon Hao, Project Engineer, Keppel FELS.

“The speaker presented the topic in an interesting way, making the session enjoyable and at the same time, informative. Will be useful for work” - Mr Lim Jia Wei, Assistant Principal Engineer, ST Electronics (Info-Comm Systems) Pte Ltd.

Registration at the YEL Programme module 1.

Participants speak up at the lively and engaging dialogue session with Mr Tan Pheng Hock, President and CEO of Singapore Technologies Engineering Pte Ltd and a Fellow of IES.

IES UPDATE

Technical visit to Singapore Petrochemical Complex Members of the IES Petrochemical & Refining Sub-Committee went on a half-day technical visit to Singapore Petrochemical Complex (SPC) on Jurong Island, on 11 November 2014.

Upon arrival, the 22 participants from various industries and sectors, including committee members, were warmly received by Mr Lucas Ng Hong Kiang, General Manager (Plant), Petrochemical Corporation of Singapore (Private) Limited (PCS) and senior engineering staff. PCS is the upstream company of SPC.

The participants expressed their appreciation for the opportunity to peek into PCS’ Central Control Centre, where they witnessed PCS staff working assiduously, round-the-clock, to ensure the overall safety and security of the plants, maintain emergency preparedness, as well as facilitate business normalcy and continuity.

Before the bus tour, the participants were shown a safety video and had a briefing on Responsible Care. Interestingly, PCS maintains its own rescue, fire-fighting and ambulatory services, and has a well-stocked medical centre to render immediate care during emergencies.

Mr Lucas Ng introduced the latest developments, trends and future challenges of the petrochemical industry. Ms Ng Chai Ling also shared some intriguing thoughts on energy efficiency, ‘go-green’ practices to cut down carbon emissions and other environmental conservation efforts.

Mr Ng Chee Wai spoke on maintaining and strengthening the integrity and reliability of process plants. PCS relies extensively on building a process safety management system, which reinforces close partnerships, and improves the consistency of communications between all stakeholders.

Through active engagement, PCS seeks to increase Health, Safety and Environmental awareness amongst members of its workforce.

For the fourth consecutive year, PCS was conferred the Excellence award at the Workplace and Safety Health Performance Awards 2014. This award is one of the highest accolades for workplaces.

The award recognises and affirms PCS’ longstanding commitment on advocating workplace safety. This was the fourth consecutive year in which PCS received the award.

After some refreshments and a networking session, the participants went on a bus tour around the complex’s mammoth manufacturing facilities and raw materials processing plants.

Some of these plants are operated by manufacturing giants of global acclaim.

Mr Ng Chee Wai explaining the company’s ‘go-green’ efforts.

Active participation from the audience.

A group photo taken on the occasion.

Ms Ng Mei Lin, Chairman, IES Petrochem & Refining Sub Committee presents tokens of appreciation to Mr Lucas Ng (left), Mr Ng Chee Wai (centre) and Ms Ng Chai Ling (right).

06

THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER January 2015

January 2015 THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER

07

IES UPDATE

Buccaneer 3D Printer clinches Design of the Year Award The Buccaneer 3D Printer received the Design of the Year Award at the President’s Design Award 2014.

Wishing to provide home users with a feasible and affordable alternative to difficult-to-assemble hobbyist kit printers and costly professional 3D printers, Pirate3DP Pte Ltd set six basic goals for the Buccaneer to achieve. It must:

At a ceremony, held at the Istana on 25 November 2014, the award was presented to Mr Neo Kok Beng, Chairman and Advisor of Pirate3DP Pte Ltd, designer of the Buccaneer 3D Printer. Mr Neo is also the Vice President of IES, Membership Development & Services Group.

• Have a desktop footprint not exceeding 250 mm2 • Have concealed internal mechanical systems not touchable by users • Be ready for use out of the box, with minimal set-up time • Be cloud-enabled and compatible with smartphones and tablets • Offer a simple and hassle-free user experience • Be safe for home-use by young and older adults

Pirate3DP Pte Ltd was incubated by IES and seed-funded by Red Dot Ventures. Its leading product, the Buccaneer 3D printer, has gained recognition beyond the confines of Singapore.

“With these goals in mind, our engineers prototyped systems that could fit into, and meet the requirements of our design. It helps to have experienced engineers who have worked with a variety of systems in the past, and who can therefore mix-andmatch designs to develop a custom-solution for the user”, says Chief Designer Tsang You Jun.

PROJECT DETAILS Conceptualised to enable users to print objects of any shape easily and safely in the comfort of their homes, the Buccaneer 3D Printer delivers on all its design targets. Slim and streamlined, with a small desktop footprint, it scores on aesthetics as well.

In designing the Buccaneer for a target audience ranging from architects, artists and designers to sculptors, scientists, teachers, students and home-makers, Pirate3DP applied the company philosophy for creating products. This means ensuring a user’s goal had to be reached in fewer than three steps, having a design

Mr Neo Kok Beng, Chairman and Advisor of Pirate 3DP Pte Ltd, with the Design of the Year Award.

The Buccaneer can print any shape of object in the home within a few hours at a low cost. Professionals such as artists, designers and architects can print small-scale models of their work at home, on demand, affordably, and in a timely manner. It can also change the way simple products and toys are distributed by allowing the average consumer to receive new toys and products via the Internet.

08

THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER January 2015

IES UPDATE that does not hinder or irritate, and enabling a user with minimal knowledge of engineering, to use the product.

That the Buccaneer can print any shape of object in the home within a few hours at a low cost, is the product’s greatest functional value, says You Jun. He also points out how it can change people’s lives. Professionals such as artists, designers and architects can print small-scale models of their work at home, on demand, affordably, and in a timely manner. It can also change the way simple products and toys are distributed by allowing the average consumer to receive new toys and products via the Internet. Additionally, it is safe and reliable. Says You Jun, “You shouldn’t need an engineer to come down every two weeks to your home or office to service it”.

JURY CITATION Purposeful in their design approach, the designers have managed to conceal complex electronics with a minimalist design aesthetic perfectly suited for desktop use in a domestic environment. The interior component layout has been carefully considered with a clever arrangement of the cooling system to optimise footprint and functionality.

The designers analysed many of the challenges with existing 3D printers and identified safety as a key priority. This led to the development of a patented material which is used to house the printed object, and an innovative lowering platform that houses the 3D printed object as it is being printed. The feature also results in the user not having to calibrate the printer each time it is used.

This is a low-cost, desktop 3D printer that started as a project on the crowdfunding platform Kickstarter.

The designers exceeded their US$ 100,000 target by raising US$1.4 million, indicating a strong market appeal for a product in this segment.

The Buccaneer is compatible with smartphones and tablets.

PRESIDENT’S DESIGN AWARD The President’s Design Award is Singapore’s most prestigious design accolade. Established in 2006, the award recognises excellence across all design disciplines, including advertising design and visual communications, architecture and urban design, fashion design, furniture design, interior design, landscape design, product and industrial design.

In its ninth year, the President’s Design Award represents the pinnacle of recognition in Singapore’s design sector. It honours the significant achievements and contributions of the nation’s design talents and is awarded to designers who have pushed the envelope to make a significant difference to the community through design that improves the quality of life.Their contributions should have also enhanced human potential and national competitiveness, moving beyond mere aesthetics.

A total of 33 Designers of the Year and 76 Designs of the Year have been conferred the President’s Design Award, from 2006 to 2014.

An appointed panel of expert jurors from both Singapore and overseas assesses potential award candidates. Recipients of the award are presented with trophies and certificates. All award recipients receive their award at the President’s Design Award Ceremony at the end of the year and are featured in a President’s Design Award publication and in an exhibition.

The award is conferred by the President of the Republic of Singapore, and is jointly administered by DesignSingapore Council and Urban Redevelopment Authority.

The jury praised the holistic approach to the process of designing the product, which included a specially designed software application that allows users to create designs and upload them to a platform where they can be printed directly from a smart device. The jury was particularly impressed with the potential of the project.

PROJECT CREDITS Designer Pirate3DP Pte Ltd Tsang You Jun Neo Kok Beng Chang Wai Kit Roger Goh Brendan Lee Yun Yi Feng Xuming Process Design REI PromaxTechnologies Pte Ltd Hein Henry NSP Tech Pte Ltd Lum Joseph Advisor The Institution of Engineers, Singapore Tan Shu Min Emily

January 2015 THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER

09

COVER STORY

Daikin Airconditioning (Singapore) Building The building received a Green Mark Platinum Award, under the Existing Non-Residential Buildings category, at BCA AWARDS 2014.

The Daikin Airconditioning (Singapore) Building is located in Ang Mo Kio Industrial Park 2.

Located on an approximately 16,000 m2 site in Ang Mo Kio Industrial Park 2, the Daikin Airconditioning (Singapore) Building has been operational since 1994. With a gross floor area of 11,969 m2, the facility consists of an eight-storey office block, a two-storey factory and an open carpark.

metre per hour. There is a 79.3% improvement in air distribution system efficiency over the baseline.

The factory, warehouse and open carpark are naturally ventilated, while staircases and toilets are mechanically ventilated.

Daikin is striving towards sustainability. The incorporation of several key features has contributed to the facility achieving great improvements and savings in energy and water consumption.

Air-conditioning and mechanical ventilation The building uses the highly efficient Daikin R410A inverter VRV air-conditioning system to handle a total cooling load of 380 RT. The air-conditioning system is controlled centrally by Daikin’s intelligent Touch Manager (iTM) and Remote Monitoring System, to ensure there is no energy wastage. The Daikin VRV system uses the R410A refrigerant with zero Ozone Depletion Potential (ODP).

Due to the efficient air distribution system, the Fan Coil Units (FCUs) have a power consumption of only 0.1 Watt /cubic

12

THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER January 2015

The Daikin energy-efficient Inverter System has been installed for the whole building.

COVER STORY Use of energy-efficient LED lighting Fluorescent tubes and compact fluorescent lighting have been replaced by LED lighting.

Good Indoor Environmental Quality A well-engineered building will be characterised by harmony between optimum energy efficiency and good indoor comfort for the occupants. Daikin is committed to conducting Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) audits every three years. Indoor spaces are maintained within comfortable temperature and humidity levels, at 23.8° C to 26.0° C dry bulb temperature and relative humidity less than 70%. Thermostats are installed in all occupied areas to control room temperature.

Lighting lux levels are generally within the recommended range indicated in the SS531 / CP38 standard. Light switches are available in all occupied areas.

The internal noise levels are maintained within a comfortable range and meet the sound levels stipulated in the Singapore Standard SS 553.

The Inverter VRV System on the rooftop.

LED tubes have been installed in the offices, meeting rooms and staircases.

LED high bay lights are used for the factory, warehouse and store.

Energy-efficient VRV cassette fan coil units and LED lighting have been installed.

January 2015 THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER

13

COVER STORY Good water efficiency All water fittings in toilets (except the flushing cisterns) have received three ticks under PUB’s Water Efficiency Labelling Scheme (WELS). Kitchen, pantry and cafeteria sink taps have also received three ticks under WELS. Water consumption is monitored on a monthly basis to ensure there is no wastage and leakage.

Smart metering is installed for better control and monitoring. The remote metering is linked and data transmitted to PUB’s server.

Extensive vertical and rooftop greenery The building offers 356.2 m2 of vertical green walls and 212.34 m2 of rooftop greenery (representing 23% of useable roof area), complete with auto irrigation and fertilisation system.

Waste management The waste management initiatives include the provision of recycling bins, the distribution of a Green Guide to promote and encourage recycling and waste minimisation, the allocation of a proper storage area for recyclable waste, and the documentation and monitoring of the monthly recycling of waste.

Raising awareness among customers and the public Certified to ISO 14001 and ISO 9000 standards, Daikin’s Green commitments also includes the creation of an educational Green Zone within the building for the benefit of customers and the public.

Green transport Priority parking lots have been provided for hybrid and electric vehicles within the development.

Vertical wall at the entrance.

Water piping schematic.

Extensive green walls with landscaping.

Landscaping at the 2nd floor terrace, with composite decking.

Parking lots for hybrid and electric cars.

14

THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER January 2015

COVER STORY PROJECT CREDITS Building Owner Daikin Airconditioning (Singapore) Pte Ltd Facility Management Daikin Airconditioning (Singapore) Pte Ltd ESCO DTZ Facilities & Engineering (S) Limited ESD Consultant DTZ Facilities & Engineering (S) Limited

Recycling bins have been provided for the recycling of waste.

Education Green Zone: Explaining the benefits of heat recovery by the VRV System.Waste heat is recovered and utilised to generate hot water.

All images by Daikin Airconditioning (Singapore) Pte Ltd

Education Green Zone: Explaining the benefits of the vertical green walls installed.

Education Green Zone: using Daikin iTM air-conditioning controls.

January 2015 THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER

15

ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

Remote condition monitoring of London Underground track circuits

by Sam Etchell, Dale Phillips and Barry Ward, London Underground Limited

The challenge is to be able to predict track circuit failures that cause disruption to the travelling public, to increase signalling asset uptime and schedule appropriate maintenance, and completing the project within a compressed time-line of one year.

The solution was to design, cer tify and install a large-scale distributed system to simultaneously monitor 385 deep tube track circuit assets in real-time on an operating railway from a central location.

Development time and cost was reduced by using commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) tools.

Maintainers can proactively respond to potential failures and management has a better insight into asset lifecycle.

London Underground serves 1.7 billion passengers per year and the Victoria Line accounts for 213 million of those journeys. The line carries 89.1 million passengers per year in the peak service, offering the most intensive service on the underground network.

Over the past eight years, a £ 1 billion investment programme upgraded and replaced the Victoria Line’s rolling stock and signalling and control systems to deliver a service capable of running more than 33 trains per hour. The new signalling system uses 385 Jointless Track Circuits (JTCs) to detect train position, maintain safe train separation and deliver train headways capable of meeting an extremely demanding timetable. Track circuits are the sole means of train detection and play a critical role in the safe and reliable operation of the railway. However, no provision was made for any condition monitoring during the design and installation. Because of the critical nature of the asset, a failed track circuit has a major impact on the service and constitutes the biggest cause of passenger dis-benefit on the Victoria Line, amounting to £ 1.5 million since their introduction (London Underground CuPID database for Track Circuit failures since 2012).

The Victoria Line Condition Monitoring Team, made up of six professional engineers with rail, software, electrical, mechanical, network and engineering backgrounds, delivered the solution.

Simplicity AI, the Silver Alliance Partner of National Instruments (NI) supported the project by providing additional software consulting services. We used the company’s enormous breadth of expertise to deliver the system onto an operational railway within one year of the concept design.

The scope of this project consisted of designing, integrating and installing an intelligent remote condition monitoring system that could perform real-time analysis of voltage and frequency for all 385 JTCs across 45 km of deep tube railway, to predict and prevent failures and subsequent loss of passenger service. We took advantage of the accuracy, reliability and flexibility of NI

16

THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER January 2015

hardware and software to implement an innovative system to reduce the lost customer hours experienced on the Victoria Line. The system is forecast to reduce lost customer hours by 39,000 per year - an estimated £ 350,000 savings per year in passenger dis-benefit.

The new signalling system on the Victoria Line uses 385 Jointless Track Circuits (JTCs) to detect train positions.

Application overview The Victoria Line deploys variable length frequency-driven tuned electrical JTCs. The circuits energise and de-energise as trains traverse the line. Each JTC includes an electrical receiver unit matched to the frequency of the track circuit (4 kHz to 6 kHz frequency shift keyed), which processes the incoming signal and provides a sample to a monitor point that can be used to check the health of the track circuit.

Prior to the introduction of this system, we had to periodically monitor the condition of every track circuit manually on-site with a digital multimeter. Following the installation of the NI CompactRIO system, we can now simultaneously acquire the

ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

Overview of the remote condition monitoring system.

JTC monitor point samples remotely from all track circuits on the line, which means the maintenance teams can proactively predict and prevent equipment failures before they occur.

We looked at various suppliers of data acquisition products and concluded that, although other products may have met the initial requirements, no other product offered the flexibility, scalability and performance of the CompactRIO platform. The diverse range of input modules and the ability to easily customise the onboard software using the NI LabVIEW platform also meant that we could deliver further condition monitoring projects using a common platform, which would reduce the time to design and develop the hardware and software for a wider range of data inputs.

Due to the Safety Integrity Level (SIL4) of the track circuit system, we needed to introduce an independent isolation barrier between the receiver unit and the CompactRIO device.

We collaborated with Dataforth, based in the US, to design a SCM5B isolation module to provide galvanic isolation between the CompactRIO device and the track circuits being monitored.

The SCM range of isolation modules could pass the stringent test equipment requirements of the receiver and also provide an accurate and compatible replica of the output signal for the CompactRIO acquisition. The isolation layer coupled with the low failure rates of NI hardware ensured that we could install the system without compromising the SIL4 safety integrity of the Victoria Line signalling system. We pursued an extensive engineering safety analysis on the hardware in accordance with

the CENELEC railway application standards and approved by the relevant safety authorities to assure and validate the design.

We split data acquisition from the CompactRIO devices across 14 geographically separate sites that were all part of a new high-bandwidth fibre optic network specifically installed for this application. The flexibility of the CompactRIO hardware, combined with NI LabVIEW software meant that we could transport data to a central condition monitoring server in real-time using a lightweight transfer protocol. This was a key requirement in the design and delivery of a true remote condition monitoring system.

The central condition monitoring server processes a live 10 Hz data stream from every CompactRIO device, which totals more than 7,000 data samples per second. The lightweight CompactRIO data transfer protocol ensures that the central server can rapidly analyse the data and monitor track circuits for deviations away from the ideal condition. The system compares each received frame of data to a defined standard frequency and voltage so the server can make an independent decision on the health of each track circuit connected to the CompactRIO input channels. In addition, the server stores all of the data in a near line and far line database architecture so we can analyse long-term trends on large datasets.

The central server can push asset condition alerts to a human machine interface (HMI). The HMI is a large touch screen device that displays an accurate scaled replica of the Victoria Line track circuit configuration. A user can intuitively navigate the information

January 2015 THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER

17

ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING displayed with natural touch gestures, clearly identify line-side asset condition and receive predicted equipment failure warnings.

We plan to deploy two HMIs for faster response times - one in the Victoria Line control centre and another in the maintenance control centre. Both can be used by signalling maintenance staff.

We can remotely interrogate each track circuit on the railway with a single touch, presenting the user with a live graphical representation of the root mean square (RMS) voltage, frequency and track state information using the data streamed from the line-side CompactRIO devices.

Alongside the HMI, a suite of touch screen devices can display the CompactRIO data in the line-side equipment rooms and through a smartphone or tablet. This means the data from the CompactRIO devices is available anywhere on the Victoria Line

The Ni CompactRIO system was installed on the London Underground.

through a connection to the new condition monitoring network.

NI deployment We selected Simplicity AI to develop the CompactRIO Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) and real-time software.

Although London Underground has internal LabVIEW developers, we used Simplicity AI on this project because of the company’s high level of FPGA and real-time experience.The company provided full documentation, source code, and results from long-term stability and stress tests within three months to ensure that the CompactRIO system could be assured to a level suitable for use in a safety-critical environment on London Underground’s infrastructure.

For each deployed unit, we paired an NI cRIO-9025 controller with an 8-slot NI cRIO-9118 chassis. We could use up to eight

The SCM5B isolation module provides galvanic isolation between the CompactRIO device and the track circuits being monitored.

HMI detailing Blackhorse Road with a track circuit in a fault condition and real-time data for four track circuits.

18

THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER January 2015

ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

Overview of how the data acquisition components work as a whole, to address challenges.

NI 9220 analog input modules to provide a maximum of 128 physical inputs per CompactRIO system. We selected this configuration because it offered the required processing power and provided dual network ports for redundant network operation to maximise system uptime. The CompactRIO platform helped the team take a bottom-up approach in developing the system because the ever-evolving specifications were unknown until we acquired early asset data. This flexible platform accommodated rapid iterations in the development of application functionality, which saved a significant amount of time in project delivery.

Early on, we faced the challenge of calculating frequency and RMS voltage simultaneously over all 128 channels on the FPGA. Simplicity AI addressed this by delivering a serial process architecture that uses the high clock rate of the FPGA to process data for each channel sequentially. The software builds up a 10 ms buffer for each channel then iterates through each buffer and calculates the frequency and RMS voltage.

A key feature for the deployment on London Underground was for the system to be installed, commissioned and maintained by rail technicians unfamiliar with NI software and the CompactRIO platform. Simplicity AI provided a common software package configured for each location via a simple external text file in the standard XML file format. We developed an application using the Replication and Deployment (RAD) utility, which automated the process of installing the system and application software to the CompactRIO device along with the correct configuration file.

The CompactRIO deployment tool simplified the rollout of the system, delivered installation efficiencies and allowed for CompactRIO devices to be remotely deployed, configured and updated from a centrally managed location. This remote oneclick configuration also proved extremely beneficial during the development phase, when London Underground and Simplicity AI engineers worked in parallel as a joint team on different sections of the project.

Summary We completed the project on schedule with one year of development time, including all design, assurance, procurement and installation. We also delivered under the allocated budget.

The system provided a solid architecture utilising an array of FPGA and real-time features to provide a versatile platform for deployment on the London Underground network. We delivered a reliable remote condition monitoring system that empowers maintainers to proactively respond to failures before they occur and provides management with a better insight into the asset lifecycle.

We have a greater knowledge of the real world behaviour of JTCs after the introduction of this condition monitoring system. This helped us to better understand a critical asset, learn the behaviour of a faulty track circuit, identify those that could potentially fail and alert maintenance prior to this event occurring.

(London Underground was the Xilinx All Programmable Innovation Award Winner as well as a Finalist, under the Transportation category, at the NI Engineering Impact Awards 2014).

January 2015 THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER

19

POWER GENERATION

Advanced Ultra-Supercritical Steam Power Plants

by John Marion, Frank Kluger, Michael Sell and Adrian Skea, Alstom

Alstom’s development of Advanced Ultra-Supercritical Steam Power Plants is provided with a future view of the design and configuration of such plants. The current state-of-the-art USC steam power plants with the most advanced steam conditions worldwide are explained. Of note is the Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) 1000 MW Manjung Unit IV USC steam power plant in Malaysia, for which Alstom has turnkey plant responsibility for the engineering, procurement, and construction, and as a major component supplier (including the boiler, steam turbine generator, and environmental control). Looking into the future, A-USC power plants are significantly more efficient and will reduce use of scarce fuel resources while maximising power generation with reduced environmental impact. While there is no specific technical definition of A-USC, Alstom defines it as steam conditions beyond today’s USC state-of-the-art (~600º C to 625º C) and requiring employment of nickel alloys. The strength of such alloys allows a significant jump in steam conditions with a target of 700º C to 760º C, allowing a significant (~7% to 10%) efficiency benefit for incremental investment in application of these materials, compared to today’s plants.

Alstom is a world leader in advancing USC and A-USC steam power plant technology and has on-going developments for the boiler and steam turbine components and optimised integrated plant. Achieving 700º C to 760º C steam temperature requires new materials and new fabrication techniques. Alstom is a founding member of the European EMAX consortium and USA USC Materials Consortium. Alstom continues active involvement in materials validation in laboratory environments and in field testing in test loops in operating utility boilers in Germany and USA. In these programmes, Alstom has gained considerable know-how and experience in materials properties, welding, fabrication, design, design rules (including relevant industry code standards) and is ready to progress to full-scale demonstration.The remaining work to commercialise A-USC plants in a global market is explained.

INTRODUCTION Currently, global electric power generating capacity is 3,900 GW. Of this, 1,300 GW (33%) is coal combustion-based steam power plants and presently the largest category of power generation.

Through further development to improve plant cycle efficiencies and reduce emissions, coal combustion steam power plants are expected to maintain a critical role in the foreseeable future.

thermodynamic efficiency. Figure 2 shows the historical trends and expected future evolution of steam conditions. Efficiency improvements are mainly due to increased steam temperature and pressure, but also include improvements in steam turbine aerodynamics, seals and condenser heat transfer, reduction in stack losses, improvement in fans and drives, overall plant integration, and other measures.

For new units, the utilisation of higher efficiency steam cycles and improvements to the plant components for efficiency are the most inexpensive ways to lower all emissions (liquid, gaseous, and solid) and, particularly, CO2 emissions. Further, the improvement in generation efficiency saves limited fuel resources.

Efficiency improvement of steam power plants has followed a systematic increase in thermodynamic cycle conditions and this trend is expected to continue into the future in logical steps largely driven by market needs and the development, validation, and available supply of cost-effective materials to enable these operating conditions. Figure 1 shows the impact of steam temperature and pressure on the heat rate improvements and

20

THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER January 2015

Figure 1: Evolution of power plant efficiency with steam temperature and pressure

POWER GENERATION

Figure 2: Steam power plant efficiency, past and future

CURRENT STATE-OF-THE-ART STEAM POWER PLANTS Today’s state-of-the-art plants operate with Ultra-Supercritical (USC) conditions - steam conditions with pressure greater than 250 bar (>3600 psi) and temperatures ~600º C to 620º C (1110º F to 1150º F). Such plants exist now within most of the major global markets. Table 1 shows the current maximum steam conditions in the world by region as well as for Alstom direct sales and by licensees. This table does not include the early A-USC experience in America with American Electric Power’s (AEP) 125 MWe Philo Unit 6 [designed for 621º C (1150º F)/306 bar], which began operation in 1957, and the 325 MWe Exelon Eddystone Unit 1 [designed for 654º C (1210º F)/360 bar], which began operation in 1960. While not representative of modern designs, the experience with these early units was helpful in highlighting technical requirements related to thermal fatigue of thick walled components like headers and they pioneered today’s successful development of USC conditions world-wide. The boiler for Eddystone was designed and built by Combustion Engineering (now Alstom Power) and operated for 50 years at steam conditions of 613º C (1135º F) / 340 bar. It is said to be more advanced than any other coal-fired unit in operation today [6].

It should be further noted that Double Reheat [DRH] could be added to this table, although the maximum steam conditions would remain as shown with the addition of a second reheat condition typically at the same reheat temperature but at a lower pressure. Plant efficiency can be improved with the addition of a second, or DRH flow into the steam cycle. At USC steam parameters, net plant efficiency increases from 0.75 to 1.0 percentage point (HHV basis) are realised. Alstom incorporated DRH in its pioneering USC Eddystone Unit #1, a 325 MW unit with 5000 psig/1200 psig/ 1050º F/1050º F steam parameters and a net plant heat rate of 8534 Btu/KWhr. In another example, Alstom also supplied a 475 MW supercritical unit, GKM K18, in Germany, with steam parameters 27.5 MPa/530º C/540º C/530º C. Alstom has the requisite experience and capabilities to supply ultra-supercritical boilers and steam turbines for DRH plants today.

Today’s state-of-the-art power plants apply high strength ferritic

Table 1: Current maximum steam conditions in power plants around the world

and austenitic steels that are more demanding than traditional materials in terms of fabrication, erection, and serviceability. The industry is now gaining experience with these materials while demonstrating the need for proper materials selections and design operating margin. Quality assurance in procurement and careful adherence to fabrication processes must be combined with staff training for both the shop and field construction.

Operating plants need to follow OEM guidance and be proactive with maintenance. Through these established industry principles, USC power plants have proven to be highly reliable, while providing flexible operation as demanded in today’s power generation climate in which fossil generation must effectively complement intermittent renewable generation.

The new EnBW Karlsruhe RDK 8 power plant in Germany and the new TNBJ Manjung Unit 4 in Malaysia are outstanding Alstom examples of the current state-of-the-art USC steam power plants in the world.

RDK8 POWER PLANT IN GERMANY The Rheinhafen Dampfkraftwerk (RDK) Power Plant is located in the city of Karlsruhe at the River Rhine. This new state-ofthe-art unit is fired with bituminous coal and has an electrical output of 912 MWe. The overall plant efficiency is over 46% (LHV), and the additional combined district heat production (max 220 MWth) leads up to 58% of fuel utilisation.The specific CO2 emissions are far below the European and global average.

High boiler steam parameters [603° C (1117º F)/285 bar, 621° C (1150º F)/60 bar] for the HP and RH section respectively, low emissions, a wide coal range, and the use of advanced materials are the significant features of this plant. Alstom designed and built the total plant including the boiler, steam turbine, and balance of plant. Commissioning of the power plant was in 2012. Details about this boiler are given in [10].

MANJUNG UNIT IV POWER PLANT IN MALAYSIA The new 1000 MW Manjung Unit IV (Figure 3), under construction next to the existing units at the Manjung power station in Perak, Malaysia, is a second example of today’s state-of-the-art steam plant. This plant is owned by TNB

January 2015 THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER

21

POWER GENERATION Janamanjung Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of Malaysia’s state-controlled power generation, transmission and distribution company, Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB). The plant site is approximately 300 km north of Kuala Lumpur. Unit IV will be the first coal-fired plant in Malaysia utilising USC technology, and also will be the single largest unit in Southeast Asia and one of the most efficient coal-fired power plants in the world. Alstom is responsible for the power plant’s turnkey engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC).

Manjung boiler design features • Finishing superheater and reheat sections fabricated with austenitic materials.

• Coal pulverisers provided are the largest design in commercial operation for an Alstom two-pass steam generator to-date.

• Combustion air staging for NOx reduction is accomplished with side wall separated over fire air (SOFA) windboxes.

Mounting the SOFA boxes on the furnace side wall and directing the air stream normal to the rotating fire ball promote a more uniform gas side energy (GSE) profile leaving the combustion zone.

• Two stages of superheat attemperation are provided to regulate final outlet steam temperature. Total SH spray water is designed for 4% with a bias of higher flow in the first stage.

• Reheat steam temperature is controlled by windbox tilt position and furnace excess air control. Reheat spray water is provided for abnormal operating conditions and is located upstream of the finishing reheater for responsive control.

Figure 3: TNBJ Manjung IV 1000 MW USC power plant in Malaysia

Figure 4: Manjung IV sliding pressure, supercritical vertical wall boiler design

State-of-the-art components are: • Alstom two-pass, USC once-through boiler (tangential firing, low NOx combustion system) • Alstom STF100 steam turbine with one high-pressure, one intermediate-pressure, and three double flow low-pressure turbines for high efficiency and reliability

• Furnace and boiler auxiliaries have been selected for a wide range of coal properties.

• Furnace wall tubes are arranged vertically throughout the full height of the evaporator. The vertical wall arrangement provides proper cooling flow for each tube by selecting restricting orifices unique to the heat release profile of the furnace. The system pressure drop in this arrangement is reduced when compared to other circulation arrangements employed more commonly in smaller plan area generators.

• Alstom Two-pole GIGATOP turbogenerator with advanced water hydrogen-cooling technology for generators, providing high efficiency, reliability and simple maintenance

Manjung Power Plant milestone events (48-month schedule)

• Alstom ALSPA Series 6 Distributed Control System (DCS)

• Steel erection May 2012 - completed

• Environmental control systems including desulfurisation (FGD) and fabric filter (FF)

• Boiler hydro February 2014 - completed

flue-gas

The boiler features a main steam flow of 3226 tonnes/hour at 282 bar and 600º C (1112º F). The boiler is based on a vertical oriented tube wall design, with a two fireball, two-pass arrangement equipped with Alstom’s TFS2000 firing system, and will burn bituminous and sub-bituminous coals (Figure 4). The furnace wall is of a vertical tube design which incorporates rifled tubing and stress reduction features, allowing sliding pressure operation for flexibility, and has the highest efficiency during daily load swings (30% to 100%). A vertical wall arrangement is desirable for simplification of wall support, less complex manufacturing, and less costly construction and maintenance.

Rifled tubing is used to ensure uniform tube cooling with high furnace heat fluxes and relatively low fluid flow. Additionally, orifices are employed to match the fluid flow within individual tubes to the furnace heat flux and water wall heat absorption.

The evolution to a vertical wall arrangement for USC conditions is a significant technical achievement which was previously demonstrated at the Comanche and Iatan units in the US [7].

22

THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER January 2015

• Project start April 2011 - completed

• First fire on coal target - July 2014 • Synchronisation target - September 2014 • Performance tests target - February 2015 • Provisional acceptance - March 2015

A-USC STEAM POWER PLANTS In the quest for higher efficiencies and better environmental performance, A-USC steam conditions will be the next evolution of steam power plants. Achievement of A-USC conditions will require new materials and new fabrication techniques. Nickelbased alloys for SH / RH tubing and piping, and for turbine forgings and casings are required.These may include nickel alloys IN617, IN740, Haynes 230, Sanicro 25, IN625, Haynes 282 and other advanced alloy materials. New fabrication techniques will include membrane walls from high chrome (Cr) ferritic alloy (T91 or T92) and dissimilar metal welds in the turbine rotor.

Conventional arrangements of the boiler, steam turbine, and plant are feasible and are expected as the first steps in the realisation of plants with A-USC steam conditions. Due to the

POWER GENERATION high cost of nickel alloys, the relative cost of high-temperature duty pressure parts, and in particular the connecting piping between the boiler and steam turbine, has motivated innovative design arrangements to minimise the length of such piping.

Alstom has been heavily involved in A-USC development for the last 10 to15 years through its own work and in collaborations with various groups in Europe and in the US. Alstom has completed materials tests, component fabrication and welding tests, thick-walled component tests under cyclic conditions, and developed and validated all of the necessary material selection specifications and manufacturing information to design and build an A-USC plant. Several A-USC boiler concept designs have been developed including a detailed 550 MW tower boiler design, a 550 MW steam turbine design, a 1000 MW two-pass reference design, a 1100 MW tower boiler reference design, a 1100 MW steam turbine design, and a 1100 MW total plant design.

It is generally agreed that progress towards the realisation of A-USC conditions rests with the availability of cost-effective materials with the required combination of strength, oxidation resistance, corrosion resistance, weldability and fabricability, and overall long-term durability and reliability. Several major collaborative programmes have been on-going in Europe and in the US in which Alstom has been a key player. New efforts are now also underway in Japan, China, and India, all of which provide further evidence of the interest and certainty that appropriate materials will become available and confirmed for this application.

In Europe, substantial progress has been made within the European Union (EU) Thermie/AD700 [2,8] programmes towards the development of a coal-fired A-USC plant targeting steam conditions of 700º C / 720º C (1290º F / 1330º F) and an overall net plant efficiency of over 50% lower heating value (LHV). These programmes addressed the boiler, steam turbine, and the main steam piping. A significant achievement has been the completion of a components test facility (COMTES700) by the EMAX consortium which was coordinated by the VGB and consisted of several European utilities (EON, EDF, EnBW, ENEL, Electrabel, Energi E2, Elsam, RWE, and Vattenfall) [4, 5].

This successful test demonstrated large-scale critical boiler components (membrane wall, superheater, headers, connecting piping, desuperheaters, safety valves, high pressure bypass valves and a turbine valve) at the Scholven F power plant in Germany.

Alstom supplied the superheater and evaporative wall panel to this project as well as components for the turbine valve [4].

In the US, the A-USC consortium has been ongoing since 2002, through a project with two separate phases addressing boiler, steam turbine, and plant connecting piping. This consortium has been sponsored by the US Department of Energy (DOE), National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) and the State of Ohio’s Energy Industries Office (EIO), with cost sharing by members including Alstom, B&W, FW, Riley Power, and with technical coordination by the Electric Power Research Institute

(EPRI), and efforts by Oak Ridge National Laboratories (ORNL), and others [3]. The US consortium targets a temperature of 730º C / 760º C (1350º F / 1400º F) and an overall efficiency approaching 50% on a high heating value (HHV) basis. The US programme’s target was based on the view that the nickel alloys under evaluation have sufficient strength for the higher temperatures and pressures and therefore their full potential should be exploited. Precipitation strengthened nickel-based alloys (such as Haynes 282 or IN740) are stronger, but similar in cost to their weaker solution-strengthened counterpart (such as CCA617, widely applied to early 700º C design concepts).

However, the achievement of the higher steam conditions requires more heat exchange surface even if the specific material cost is similar (Figure 5).

One of the positive outcomes of this alternate target has been to expand the material choices available to the designer for 700º C. A specific example is that the application of IN740 to connecting piping appears to be an attractive choice for the main steam piping because it reduces pipe thickness, allows extrusion of longer sections, and results in lower overall material weight.

Furthermore, the higher yield strength of the precipitation strengthened alloys gives higher resistance to low cycle fatigue, further enhancing the cycling capability of the component. The application of such alloys to turbine components is currently being investigated and demonstrated in the European FP7 project, MACPLU.

Figure 5: Material use in SC, USC, and A-USC boiler

A-USC BOILER BOILER MATERIALS Material options for A-USC boilers are shown in Table 2.

These have now been selectively approved for use by both the ASME and EN pressure vessel codes.Table 2 provides the status of ASME approval.

A-USC BOILER DESIGNS One example of an A-USC design is a 1000 MW, two-pass boiler with steam turbine throttle conditions of 37.9 MPa/730º C/760º C (5500 psig/1346º F/1400º F), developed to identify the materials requirements as part of the US A-USC consortium effort [9].The furnace and tube spacings were designed, applying normal practices with regard to complete combustion of the Pittsburgh #8 design coal and to minimise slagging and fouling effects. To reduce NOx emissions and peak heat flux rate, the TFS-2000 low-NOx tangential firing system was selected.

January 2015 THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER

23

POWER GENERATION

Table 2: Materials for A-USC boiler design (according to ASME) ref [3]

Figure 6 shows the surface arrangement of the boiler design.

The unit is configured as a once-through, two-pass gas design with pendant heating surfaces located in the upper furnace and horizontal surfaces in the rear pass. Furnace heat is partially absorbed by fluid-cooled wall tubes which form the lower and upper chambers of the furnace.

Adequate wall tube cooling is achieved by using the spiral wall construction that has been used by Alstom on many supercritical power plants. This boiler design applies materials in accordance with the ASME Code. This design requires application of T23 (2Cr) alloy in the lower portion of the lower furnace and a material with the strength of T92 (9Cr) alloy in the upper portion of the lower furnace. Also, material of construction for the upper furnace is T92, or a material with comparable elevated temperature creep strength. Figure 7 shows the average fluid temperatures within the various boiler heat transfer surface sections and the materials specified for construction.

The primary superheat duty is performed by the roof and backpass wall tubes. Similar to the furnace walls, the candidate material of construction is T92. Wide-spaced superheat division panels and superheat platens cool the furnace gas in the upper furnace. The superheat panels have 50.8 mm (2”) OD tubes.

Materials of construction and wall thickness vary, depending on the metal temperatures and include Super304H, IN617, and IN740.

Estimated maximum tube outside temperatures can reach as high as 721º C (1330º F) in some locations. Downstream of the platens and above the arch, there is a finishing reheater, followed by a finishing superheater pendant.To minimise the effect of high

24

THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER January 2015

Figure 6:Two-pass A-USC boiler design for 730º C/760º C/350 bar (1350º F/1400º F/5500 psi)

radiant heat flux emitted from the furnace, the final superheat section is shielded from the furnace by its position behind the final reheater section. The maximum tube outside temperature of about 743º C (1370º F) is estimated for wrapper tubes (outer tube in an assembly). The superheat finishing surface is predominantly IN740, although IN617 could be applied in some portions. Outside metal temperatures for some tube sections are above 760º C (1400º F). The finishing superheater and finishing reheater outlet header and the steam line piping are designed with IN740. For the intermediate temperature

POWER GENERATION 1400

S304H, HR120, 617, 230

Fluid Temperature - F

740 740 740

1200

347HFG, 617, 740

S304H 347HFG

S304H

S304H, 617, 740

1000 T92 T23, T91

800 T23, T92 CS

W

Ec

on

om ize r at er wa lls SH Pa ne ls SH Pl at en SH s Fi n ish 3r SH d Fi n ish SH In Fin ish RH Ou Lo t w Te RH m p Lo 1 w Te m p RH 2 Pe nd an ts RH Pl at en s

600

Figure 7: Materials applied to 730º C / 760º C A-USC boiler

headers and links, the candidate materials are IN617, HR6W, SAVE25, Haynes 230, and HR120. In the backpass, there is a primary reheater followed by an economiser. As compared to supercritical or USC designs, the reheater is quite large, due to a lower difference between steam temperature and furnace gas temperatures. The location of the convective and radiant surfaces is determined by consideration of the proper balance between gas, steam, and tube metal temperatures as is the case with boilers designed for lower temperatures.

STATUS OF BOILER MATERIALS VALIDATION AND ESTABLISHMENT OF MANUFACTURING & REPAIR PROCESSES Boiler superheater and reheater Boiler superheaters and reheaters are constructed of tubing and key considerations are creep strength, oxidation in steam, and high temperature corrosion in the flue gas. Depending upon metal temperature, A-USC SH and RH tubing can include a low temperature TP347HFG (17% Cr-steel fine grained), to Super304H (17% Cr-steel shot peened), to HR3C (25% Crsteel), to nickel alloy IN617 and IN740. IN740 and Haynes 282 are the only viable materials at 730º C / 760º C. Note that while IN740 is ASME code approved, Haynes 282 is still under consideration. Materials properties have been extensively evaluated in laboratories and through field testing. Oxidation resistance is mandatory, because oxidation promotes accelerated creep due to reduction of cross section and progressive increase in tube metal temperature. Steam-side oxidation also causes exfoliation of oxide particles which can cause blockage of tubes and erosion of steam turbine components. Flue gas corrosion is a complex subject where corrosion is impacted by metals’ temperature and specific gaseous and coal-ash environments. Boiler manufacturers have considerable knowhow and experience at lower metal temperatures and this is augmented by laboratory furnace testing together with steam test loops at actual boilers.

Several noteworthy A-USC steam loops have been operated and are under operation by Alstom in Europe [Esbjerg, Westfalen, Amager, Weissweiler, Scholven, Mannheim (GKM)]

Figure 8: COMTES700 at Scholven unit

and in the US (Barry Station). A key milestone was the testing of all critical A-USC plant components (membrane wall, superheater bundles, headers, pipes and valves) under real conditions in the COMTES700 test rig (12 kg/s steam mass flow) installed in E.ON’s Scholven unit F power station in Germany (Figure 8).

At the Barry Steam Loop, field exposure testing at A-USC steam temperature (760º C, 1400° F) is validating laboratory corrosion and oxidation testing (Figure 9). Materials under study in the loop are Super304H, HR3C, HR6W, Haynes 230, Haynes 230 with an Amstar thermal spray, IN617, IN617 with EN33 laser cladding, IN617 with EN622 laser cladding, Haynes 282, and IN740. The loop began operations in late 2011, and will continue for approximately 15,000+ hours in total.

For >5000 hours, it will be operating under load dispatch, cycling nearly daily at loop outlet steam conditions greater than 1400º F (760º C). This is the only steam loop and the first in the world with advanced materials exposed to these high temperatures under actual coal-fired boiler operating conditions. In addition, the Barry steam loop has several dissimilar welds joining different specimen that may demonstrate the performance of the welding materials and the procedures used.

Boiler headers and piping Boiler headers and piping must be constructed of materials with appropriate long-term creep rupture strength, and also must consider thermal fatigue due to the large mass of such components. Ideal material candidates will have low coefficient of thermal expansion, high thermal conductivity and high yield strength. Steam oxidation is still an important consideration, although internal coatings have been proposed which might be applied in the future. For those headers exposed to furnace gases (not typical), corrosion resistance is a consideration. Thermal fatigue considerations are increasing with elevated temperatures and, at the same time, market conditions are requiring coalfired power plants to be increasingly flexible in terms of cycling operation, low load operation, and ramp rate. Operational flexibility is required in order to accommodate increased nonflexible intermittent renewables generation.The Eddystone Unit 1 used high-strength thick-wall austenitic SH outlet header and

January 2015 THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER

25

POWER GENERATION

Figure 9: A-USC steam test loop [>760º C (>1400º F)] at Southern Company Services’ Barry Station

Figure 10: 25º C HTW GKM - steam test loop (HWT I) for corrosion / oxidation and thick walled headers (HWT II) for fatigue cycling study

main steam line components and experienced thermal-fatigue and creep-fatigue damage. Today, the elevated rupture strengths of ferritic and nickel-based alloys have increased significantly, so that thinner-walled components can be operated at higher temperatures and pressures. Header and piping materials for A-USC boilers will include X20 (12% Cr) for low temperatures, to P91 and P92 (9% Cr) for intermediate temperatures, and Alloy 617 (700º C), Alloys IN740 and 261 (700º C to 800º C) for A-USC conditions. IN740 is now approved for use by the ASME code.

Mechanical properties of candidate A-USC materials have been extensively investigated and large components built and tested (for example within COMTES700, Figure 10). Additionally, currently an on-going test, called HWT I & II at the GKM Unit 6 (Boiler 17) in Mannheim, Germany, includes the investigation of high temperature steam corrosion within an operating boiler.

These field tests include thick section components (eg Alloy 617 / Alloy 263 header) under cycling conditions as shown on the right, within Figure 10. At GKM Unit 6, over two thousand cycles (2638), operating between 725º C and 400º C, have been performed with approximately 14 cycles daily. The 630º C (1166º F) SH test loop contains materials such as 304HCu, Save12AD, DWM 310M, Sanicro25, HR6W and T92.

The 725º C (1337º F) SH test loop contains materials A617mod, HR6W, HR35, A263, Haynes 230 and IN740.

The Superheater test loop in HWT I and HWT I extension has seen approximately 14,000 h above 700° C steam temperature, whereas the creep test loop has seen approximately 13,000 h above 630° C and 700° C steam temperature, respectively.

For HWT II, at the end of March 2014, the test rig has been operated with a steam temperature over 700° C for approximately 7,977 h.

26

THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER January 2015

Figure 11: 725º C HTW II GKM - thick walled headers (HWT II) for fatigue cycling study

One of the main targets of HWT II from the Alstom side is a structural viscoplastic analysis at the edge of the bore holes (Figure 11) at the header section of Alloy 617 and Alloy 263 to evaluate the number of cycles to crack initiation.

Boiler membrane walls Furnace membrane walls require creep strength, oxidation resistance in steam, and fireside corrosion resistance. Additional requirements include welded construction with minimal distortion of the wall with long welding (tube to fin). Field construction challenges are with butt welding and the need for effective post-weld heat treatment procedures. Choices of materials are T12 (1% Cr) for low temperatures (as with supercritical units), but due to the increased fluid temperatures, the membrane walls will need to use T23, T24, and additionally, T91 and T92 (9% Cr) will be required. There is limited industry experience with such membrane wall fabrication and operation (Figure 12). For the waterwall outlet, nickel alloys or nickelferritic alloy such as HR6W may be required.

Due to very high heat fluxes and high inlet fluid temperature, in the case of the 730º C / 760º C boiler design, some sections

POWER GENERATION of the furnace wall tubes will have an outer diameter metal temperature near 593º C (1100º F). Generally, because of metal oxidation concerns, the practice is to limit application of 9Cr alloys. While the estimated metal temperatures are below this limit, such high temperature waterwalls fall outside practical operation experience. Service experience has shown that some coals produce complex ash sulfates, which is extremely corrosive in the temperature range 566º C to 691º C (1050ºF to 1275º F). Therefore, it is anticipated that the application of protective coatings or claddings to some sections of the furnace walls may be necessary to mitigate corrosion effects, and these are under study.

pressure turbines and two double flow LPs. The configuration used is extremely similar to the turbine arrangement for a conventional double reheat train, which is discussed below, see Figure 16.

Figure 13: 500 MW single RH A-USC steam turbine arrangement

Figure 14: A-USC steam turbine HP module design Figure 12:Waterwall Panels:T 92, 8-tubes, OD 38 x 6.3 mm, SAW-welding, wire 2 mm - Alstom’s Shop

A-USC STEAM TURBINE The design philosophy of Alstom’s A-USC steam turbine is to remain within the architecture and design practices of the existing super- and ultra-supercritical turbine modules. This means that extensive references are available to demonstrate the robustness of the design approach and no significant changes or adaptations are required in the design and engineering processes. Fundamentally, this means that the A-USC modules take advantage of the fact that there is no requirement for cooling. Figure 13 shows a typical design schematic of a single reheat arrangement for a 500 MW, 50Hz generator. To improve cycle efficiency, an additional HP heater extraction is located towards the end of the HP expansion. Other power classes and speeds follow analogously.

Figure 15: 500MW single reheat turbine train configuration

Figure 14 shows a typical design for an A-USC HP turbine.

The key design feature, which is common to all Alstom HP turbines, at all steam conditions, is the use of shrink rings to close the upper and lower casing halves. Shrink ring technology was introduced in the 1960s and has been used successfully ever since.

Figure 15 shows a typical turbine arrangement for an A-USC plant, showing the first high pressure turbine, two intermediate

Figure 16:Typical double reheat layout, 1000 MW configuration

January 2015 THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER

27

POWER GENERATION The alternative architecture to the shrink rings is to use flanged casing halves. However, flanged structures are unsymmetrical, with large material masses which are not conducive to limiting the transient thermal stresses, particularly those arising from the start of the machine.

In comparison, the use of shrink rings results in a radially symmetric structure with relatively thin casings. The resulting HP module design with shrink rings has minimised casing distortions during operation.This is essential for A-USC applications, because of the consequent stable clearances and sustained efficiencies combined with long-term reliability and operational flexibility.

The inner casing is constructed from two materials. The high temperature nickel-based part is welded to the steel casing section at a location where, due to the steam expansion, the operating temperature is within the normal maximum temperature of application of the steel. All bolts are selected on the basis of matching thermal expansion coefficient and high stress relaxation strength. Due to the double shell design, the outer casing is exposed to the exhaust steam only, which allows relatively small flanges at the outer casing. No preheating of the casings is required before a start, and turbines are designed in such a way that the casings do not limit thermal transients so as to achieve operating flexibility.

The A-USC steam turbine design features a welded rotor. This has been a key feature of Alstom steam turbines since the 1930s. Welded rotors offer advantages in terms of material procurement and overall rotor weights. In particular, each rotor section can be manufactured from material which matches the respective temperature of the steam path. For A-USC steam cycle parameters, this means costs can be optimised through the introduction of a nickel-based alloy disc only at the high temperature inlet. This introduces a dissimilar weld, as for the inner casing to steel forging, where due to the steam expansion, the operating temperature is within the normal maximum temperature of application for the steel. Note that operational flexibility and rotor life is further improved due to the annular cavity formed by the two welded rotor sections.

A 10% Cr or 1% CrMoV steel is used for the section of the rotors and inner casings at the lower temperature. There are advantages and disadvantages in the choice of steel. The choice of a 10% Cr steel permits the dissimilar weld to the nickel alloy to be made at a higher steam temperature so that the nickel alloy forging is limited in size (thus permitting cost reduction).

Use of 1% CrMoV steel results in lower thermal stresses during cycling operation as a consequence of the matching coefficients of thermal expansion, and hence permits shorter start-up times. A further benefit of the reduced thermal stresses is that this leads to a greater defect tolerance in the turbine design. Consequently, minimum detectable defect size in a non-destructive examination (NDE) increases considerably. To facilitate inspection of the dissimilar rotor weld, a steel ring is first welded to the nickel alloy disc, followed by inspection of

28

THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER January 2015

this weld from both outside as well as from the root. The weld between the steel ring and the steel disc, performed at lower temperature, is manufactured and tested in a conventional manner.

Alstom methodology of designing rotor welds heavily depends on the large fleet experience generated since the 1930s. The consequence of this experience is that it is possible to design new rotor welds based on laboratory testing and design and operation experience from the existing rotor welds already validated in the Alstom fleet. Alstom has by far the most experience in welding of similar and dissimilar rotor materials. It is notable that Alstom’s welded rotors have never experienced any failures since their introduction.

This experience has been further enhanced through an A-USC rotor demonstration project, which aims to validate the technology, and has been completed as part of Alstom’s design process. A full-scale test block weld between alloy 617 and 10% Cr steel, as well as a full-scale test block weld between alloy 625 and 10% Cr steel and between alloy 617 and ferritic steel were performed. These used a nickel alloy as the weld metal.

These welds have been subject to long-term testing without any technical issues arising.

All the rotor blades used in the HP and IP turbines are milled from bar stock with greatly reduced machining costs.The reaction blading profiles used in the A-USC turbine is an evolutionary technology developed by Alstom, which began with the 1000 series in the 1960s / 1970s, progressed through the 8000 series in the 1980s and continued into the 1990s / 2000s, with the HPB (High Performance Blading) series. Current development is focusing on further optimisation of the HPB profile as well as refinements in the blade root and tip shroud regions. This profile is characterised by its robust shape, excellent vibrational behaviour and high performance level.

DOUBLE REHEAT Double reheat turbines sit between the classical USC and advanced A-USC turbine arrangements. Double reheat cycles typically offer around 3% heat rate improvements compared to a conventional single reheat cycle, but at the expense of an additional module in the turbine train (see Figure 16). Double reheat configurations are usually 1,000 MW in a single shaft arrangement, or 1300 in a cross-compound layout.

Typical cycles for double reheat are inlet pressure 300 bar, with inlet and reheat temperatures of 600º C, 620º C and 620º C. The technology for the modules in a double reheat train is exactly identical to those in the standard USC or A-USC configurations and thus extensively proven by Alstom in both laboratory-scale and site-scale USC validation.

USC DEPLOYMENT AND A-USC DEVELOPMENT & DEPLOYMENT NEXT STEPS Today’s state-of-the-art USC power plants apply high strength ferritic and austenitic steels requiring care in application.

POWER GENERATION Through established industry principles such as care in material selection, design operating margin, strict quality assurance of procured material, and careful adherence to fabrication processes, operations, and maintenance, USC power plants are highly reliable while providing flexible operation as demanded in today’s power generation climate in which fossil fuel-based power generation must effectively complement intermittent renewable generation. The new EnBW Karlsruhe RDK 8 power plant in Germany and the new TNBJ Manjung Unit 4 in Malaysia are outstanding Alstom examples of the current state-of-the-art USC steam power plants in the world. A model of the 1000 MW USC HP and IP turbine is shown in Figure 17.

for Advanced Steam Power Plants’, 7th Liege Conference, 29 September to 2 October 2002, Liege, Belgium.

[3] Shingledecker J and Phillips J: ‘US Department of Energy and Ohio Coal Development Office Advanced Ultra Supercritical Materials Project for Boilers and Steam Turbines - Summary of Results’, EPRI Report No 1022770, March 2011.

[4] Wieghardt, Heine, Kirchner (Siemens), Meier, Vanstone (Alstom), Folke, Tschaffon (EON): ‘COMTES700 Turbine Valve - The World’s First 700C Steam Turbine Component’, POWERGEN Europe 2005.

[5] Folke C, Frank U, Tschaffon H: ‘Integration of a Component Test Facility into a 700 MW Coal-Fired Power Station’, 2nd International Conference on Clean Coal Technologies, 10 to12 May 2005, Castiadas, Italy.

[6] Henry J, Zhou G and Ward T: ‘Lessons from the Past: Materials-Related Issues in an Ultra-Supercritical Boiler at Eddystone Plant’, IFWT 2005.

[7] Sadlon E, Darling S and Midgley T: ‘Comanche 3 and Iatan 2 Supercritical Boilers’, ASME 2011 Power Conference, 12 to14 July 2011, Denver, CO, USA.

Figure 17: Schematic of 1000MW USC

Major development work has been completed and the general feasibility of A-USC has been established as a next step in the advancement of power plants. A-USC conditions can be achieved with proven boiler, steam turbine, and plant architecture and experience. Materials for A-USC have been intensively evaluated in laboratory and in field trials and there is now industry consensus on their application and use, including in all relevant manufacturing processes such as welding, bending, heat treatment etc, as well as pressure vessel code approval by the ASME and the EN. A-USC is now ready for a commercialscale demonstration which will determine the following: • the performance and operational characteristics • the supply chain for advanced nickel alloy components • the cost and economics It will establish a first-of-a-kind (FOAK) A-USC reference which will lead to commercial deployment of A-USC steam plants.

ACKNOWLDGEMENTS The authors acknowledge the contribution of European and US agencies who have provided instrumental leadership and funding to bring A-USC technology to its state of readiness today for commercial demonstration [these include EU Research Fund for Coal and Steel, EU Thermie, US DOE NETL, and Ohio Coal Development Office (OCDO)].

[8] Kjaer S, Klauke F, Vanstone R, Zeijseink A, Weissinger G, Kristensen P, Meier J, Blum R, Wieghardt K: ‘The Advanced Supercritical 700 C Pulverized Coal-fired Power Plant’, POWERGEN Europe 2001, 29 to 31 May 2001, Brussels, Belgium.

[9] Palkes M: ‘Boiler Materials for Ultra-Supercritical Coal Power Plants - Conceptual Design - ALSTOM Approach’, NETL - DOE, 2003, USC T-1.

[10] Lorey H, Michele W, Ebert K, Kübel M:‘912MWe Supercritical Boiler for the Next Coal Fired Plant Generation’, POWER-GEN Europe 2013, 4 to 6 June 2013, Vienna, Austria.

(This article is based on a paper authored by John Marion, Frank Kluger, Michael Sell and Adrian Skea, Alstom, and presented at POWER-GEN Asia 2014. It won the Best Paper Award, in the Power Plant Technologies track.

POWER-GEN Asia 2014, Renewable Energy World Asia 2014, and the newly created POWER-GEN Asia Financial Forum 2014 were held at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from 10 to 12 September 2014, as part of the ASEAN Power Week 2014.

POWER-GEN Asia is the region’s premier conference and exhibition for the power generation, transmission and distribution industries.

Renewable Energy World Asia is a leading conference and exhibition for the Asian renewable and alternative energy industry.

[1] IEA WEO 2009.

POWER-GEN Asia Financial Forum is a conference devoted to all aspects of financing of all types of power infrastructure in the ASEAN region.

[2] Chen Q, Scheffknecht G: ‘Boiler Design and Materials Aspects

All three events are organised by PennWell Corporation).

REFERENCES

January 2015 THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER

29

POWER GENERATION

Online Fatigue Monitoring and Predictive Analytics for Improved Flexibility of Plant Operation

by Joël Wagner and Dr Peter Deeskow, STEAG Energy Services GmbH, Essen, Germany

In a scenario of an increasing use of renewable energy, conventional power plants will be more and more forced to compensate for the volatility of the natural resources. Even huge coal-fired units which have been designed for baseload operation will face an increased number of startup / shutdown cycles and the requirement for faster load changes.

For the power plant operator, that means a challenge as well as a chance - a challenge, because the plant experiences higher alternating stresses which may reduce the lifetime, and a chance, because usually there are incentives for contributions to the grid stability which may give him additional profits. Coping with the challenges and making the best of the chances will require a detailed and quantitative assessment of the lifetime consumption in various modes of operation.

In this article, an online software solution is presented, that provides this kind of information right at the fingertips of the plant engineers. The innovative approach integrates the most recent European standards concerning the calculation of lifetime consumption from load cycling with state-of-the-art methods of predictive analytics and cutting-edge FEM technologies. The recent standards supported by FEM calculations allow an estimation of lifetime consumption which is unchained from unnecessary allowances. The predictive analytics easily correlate plant operation and lifetime consumption and allow for a reliable prediction of fatigue. This in turn gives the necessary information to make the best of the chances of load flexibilisation while mitigating the risks of increased lifetime consumption. If the expected fatigue in a given period is exceeded, due to the current mode of operation, one can react with a more moderate mode of operation - or the other way round, if the expected fatigue is not reached.

Examples from German coal-fired power plants which have been put under economic pressure by the ongoing ‘Energiewende’ (energy turnaround) are presented to demonstrate this approach.

CHALLENGES IN THE FIELD OF CONDITION MONITORING The operation and the monitoring of highly stressed pipes and thick-walled boiler components are facing new challenges.

Owing to the European Union, the legislation on the production and the operation of the components of pressure equipment is subject to sometimes significant changes Europe-wide. In Germany, the condition monitoring of affected equipment is regulated by the Pressure Equipment Directive that has been introduced into German law as the Pressure Equipment Act (14.

GPSGV). [1, 2, 5]. The work safety directives are the minimum requirement for the field of the operation. In Germany, these are implemented according to the Ordinance on Industrial Safety and Health (BetrSichV) [3] and amended by changes in the technical set of rules. The field of condition monitoring is to

30

THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER January 2015

be newly considered in order to make full use of the extended scope of action provided for by the Ordinance on Industrial Safety and Health and the TRBS (Technical Rules for Operational Safety) as a power plant operator [1, 3, 4].

What does that mean in concrete terms? Paragraph 15, Section 5 of the Ordinance on Industrial Safety and Health [3] stipulates maximum intervals for certain plant components, which can be extended in coordination with the responsible authority and the approved inspection body (ZÜS), which can now be freely chosen (cf. Ordinance on Industrial Safety and Health § 15, Section 17 [3]). VGB-Standard 506 [1] describes an ‘action plan in the form of several modules for designing the inspections.

Based on the modules selected by the operator, an effective design of the inspection of components including an extension of the inspection interval (cf VGB-R 104 O) [is] possible’ [1].

POWER GENERATION In the area of the steam generator, it is conceivable to extend the inspection intervals for internal inspections required by law, from three to five years. In the case of new plants, the extension of the inspection intervals can, where appropriate, already be applied for, along with the licensing (see VGB Guideline R 104 O) - provided that the operational safety can be adequately guaranteed [1, 2].

In addition, sites are facing the challenge to adequately counteract the drain of know-how caused by increasingly frequent task switching and to preserve operational experience and incidents for an operating time of more than 200,000 hours.

The following aspect mainly bothers operators of new plants. Due to high live steam parameters, new materials are used in modern steam generators, the strength characteristics of which are partially available in extrapolated form only. Thus it is easily conceivable that later corrections to the material values necessitate an up- or down-grading of the fatigue result of the components.

For conventional power plants, it becomes increasingly necessary to be able to react more flexibly to load changes in the national grid. For existing plants, this may require more frequent startups and shutdowns than had originally been taken as a basis in the course of the design. The additional alternating stress of the components has to be recorded and evaluated.

In total, the changed underlying circumstances for the condition monitoring require new methods and instruments. In the following, the use of online systems shall be explained on the basis of present operating experience.

ONLINE SYSTEMS AS A CENTRAL ELEMENT OF CONDITION MONITORING On the basis of VGB-Standard 506 [1], condition monitoring can be subdivided into the following parts: Design Definition and chronology of the intended operation and consideration of unavoidable additional stresses.

Documented quality All relevant documentation from the production and operation of the components (complete design documentation, material certificates, dimension records, non-destructive testing records, calibration records, technical modifications etc).

Diagnosis during operation Determining the static and non-steady-state stress (eg by dead weight, creep damage and alternating stress, additional forces).

Diagnosis in the course of a shutdown External and internal inspections.

Condition assessment Assessing the condition of the component in order to be able to subsequently determine required inspection and maintenance measures having regard to the afore-mentioned sources.

In Chapter 5.5 (Issue 2012),VGB-S 506 describes two procedures that exceed the approach practised in the past and represent a significant improvement over time-based maintenance cycles, in

terms of the condition-oriented maintenance strategy regarding economic efficiency and operational safety. The online system SR::SPM (SPM is steam pipe monitoring) from STEAG Energy Services GmbH follows Procedure 2 of the guideline [8].

By means of central data acquisition, data archiving, and continuous calculations, online systems fully meet the requirements to the diagnosis during operation. Operating conditions can be assessed directly and chronological events of the condition can be traced historically. In addition, such systems are suited for the managing and linking of relevant documents, like, for example, as-built dimension records, calibration records, and material certificates.Technical modifications can be considered directly in the system and included in the further monitoring. In short, the documented quality is ensured.

LIFETIME MONITORING OF THICK-WALLED BOILER COMPONENTS Due to the rapid increase in the use of renewable energies, thermal power plants are required to handle flexible load scenarios. Hard coal- and lignite-fired power plants, initially designed for base load and medium load operation, are subject to steep temperature transients and high numbers of cycles, to be able to economically react to the demands of the market.

Particularly regarding thick-walled boiler components (eg drum, separator vessel, headers, mouldings), the high cyclic loading by internal pressure and temperature leads to an increased alternating stress.

The stress is determined by means of online monitoring systems, in order to allow for a realistic projection for optimising the mode of operation. Thus the systems significantly contribute to ensuring safe and economical plant operation.

Lifetime monitoring system SR1 Components that are subject to high temperatures and pressures gradually lose their original stability over the years of operation. The lifetime consumption results from the creep damage of the material and from the alternating fatigue due to fluctuations in temperature and pressure.

Such components are designed according to the algorithms of TRD 300/301 [9] and DIN EN 12952 [6, 7], respectively. An operating time of 200,000 hours is taken as a basis for the dimensioning of the components - provided that pressure and temperature are constant. For example, the variation in stress is taken into account by specification of 500 cold start-ups with certain ramp-up gradients and 2,000 warm start-ups.

As the actual mode of operation deviates from the described design boundary conditions, a regular monitoring of the component stress is required according to TRD 508 [9] and DIN EN 12952-4 [6]. This monitoring can be comfortably implemented using a continuously operating measured-data capture and calculation system.

SR1 is a program system for the continuous monitoring of the stress on thick-walled components of power plant boilers and turbines, based on the procedure defined in the TRD code and DIN EN 12952 [6, 7, 9].

January 2015 THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER

31

POWER GENERATION The SR1 report provides the following results for each monitored component: Total fatigue = f (creep, fatigue) Creep = f (pressure, temperature) Fatigue = f (pressure, temperature, differential temperature) Matrices for hours of operation and load changes Optionally, SR1 can also be equipped with a feature to calculate reserves.

Calculation of fatigue The thick-walled parts, in particular, are subject to an alternating stress during the ramp-up and shutdown of the boiler system and during each load change, caused by changes in pressure and temperature differences in the component wall. The measured variables of pressure, temperature, and temperature difference have to be available for calculating the alternating stress. The temperature difference is to be established between the inner wall of the component and the middle of the wall.

SR1 can determine the temperature profile within the wall of the component from the time-related changes in the temperature of the medium. In SR1, this is done by taking account of the heat transfer relationships of the inner and outer walls of the component (Figure 1). This reduces the need for technical measuring equipment. If the temperature profile inside the wall of the component has already been measured by technical means, SR1 can make use of this data.

Experience shows that such a determination by way of calculation is more reliable than the subtraction of two individual measured variables.

Mathematical-statistical methods are used to detect and assess load changes that decrease the service life. The alternating fatigue is the quotient of performed load changes to tolerable load changes.

The total lifetime consumption, according to TRD 508 [9] and DIN EN 12952-4 [6], is the total of creep damage and alternating fatigue.

Measuring points Out of the available signals, the ones that most realistically represent the operating conditions of the components have to be chosen.

Among those are, for example, the steam outlet temperatures of the corresponding components. In the case of long outlet headers, however, the temperature in the central region can be significantly higher than at the outlets or inlets. The temperature differences between the middle of the header and the outlets or inlets, are captured by additional recording of the metal temperatures or by means of an appropriate temperature allowance.

Moreover, a couple of pressure measurements are needed, that are simultaneously used for the automatic consideration of plant shutdowns.

It can be assumed that only such measuring signals are used, that are installed for the purpose of operation monitoring anyway.

So no additional measurements are required for a successful implementation of SR1.

Applications Applications for SR1 include plants with highly stressed, pressurised components such as tubes, collectors, and other hollow components that are typically found in steam generators in the industry. Because of the high process temperatures, these components are subject to time-related ageing and are usually the components with the shortest life expectancy.

It is also possible and sensible to use SR1 in older plants, in order to provide reliable data about past component fatigue, so that a decision can be made on whether to extend the operating time or not. This also applies when no continuous SR1 lifetime monitoring or IT-supported data storage has taken place before, and when the operational data from the past is available only on paper strips.

In addition, when online monitoring begins, it is possible to extrapolate backwards. When this is done, the currently registered fatigue gains are transferred to the history. After just roughly 5,000 hours of operation with online monitoring, a reliable history can be generated.

STEAG also offers the offline calculation of consumed lifetime, based on historical data, as a service.

Measured temperature difference

dT

Calculated temperature difference

T fluid

T

Possible mounting positions of two temperature measuring points

dT calculation with one temperature measuring point

Temperature difference depends on the mounting position and calibration of the measuring points.

Calculation of the temperature difference is effected in the SR1 dT module

Figure 1: SR1 provides different methods to determine the temperature field within the wall of the component.

32

THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER January 2015

OPTIMISING PLANT OPERATION Already today, a flexible plant operation is demanded of thermal power plants (more frequent start-ups, steeper transients), to be able to react to the highly fluctuating feed of renewables.

In parts, the operation here significantly differs from the mode of operation assumed when designing the components. The following procedure is used to assess the potential for a more flexible plant operation. In a first step, the current situation is evaluated. This includes: • Recording the previous mode of operation and determining the boundary conditions and limits. • Assessing the previous mode of operation regarding the material fatigue of the thick-walled components (calculation according to TRD 508 [9] and DIN EN 12952 [6, 7]).

POWER GENERATION

Figure 2: SR1 fatigue overview

Based on the evaluation, a concept for improving the flexibilisation and acceleration of the rates of start-ups and load changes is compiled. The admissible lifetime consumption is taken into account here.

• Calculating the admissible rates of load changes for the thickwalled components.

• Recommendation for the redefinition of the start-up times (cold, warm, and hot start-up) of the boiler plant.

• Defining the critical load ranges and creating a matrix for the optimal use of the plants for the various load ranges.

• Developing suggestions for the implementation of the higher rates of load changes on the DCS side.

Projection of the lifetime consumption The objective of the projection of the lifetime consumption is to allow the assessment of the influence of future modes of operation and to optimise the plant operation.

Currently, various approaches for the projection of the lifetime consumption are being developed and tested. Initial approaches, considerations, and specific examples are presented below.

For the online projection, the mode of operation to be expected is described by load collectives for a realistic period of consideration (one to three years), in order to optimise the admissible gradients for various load ranges in this period of time.

Here, an optimisation regarding certain, financially particularly attractive load ranges is conceivable. The boundary conditions of the projection can be adjusted to the expected requirements in intervals.

Yet another aspect is to be considered. Besides assessing the component stress, often DCS-related and procedural measures are required to increase the plant flexibility. In view of this fact, the load range-related optimisation can be effected in a targetoriented way, and a fleet-wide application management can be developed.

In the case of a mode of operation with significantly higher stresses compared to the design calculation, additional inspection measures are to be considered, in order to ensure a safe operation. The costs incurring in the context of the optimisation (expenses, investment vs returns) can be estimated during the pilot study.

A prerequisite for the continuous projection and optimisation of the component stress is the use of online systems to precisely monitor the calculated lifetime consumption and to be able to reliably use it as a basis for adjusting admissible gradients.

TREND ANALYSIS OF THE COMPONENT STRESS USING STATISTICAL METHODS A continuous monitoring of the component stress using statistical methods is particularly helpful in this context. The increase of creep damage and alternating fatigue is monitored by means of the online system SR::SPC (Statistical Process Control) by STEAG Energy Services GmbH. When an admissible warning limit is transgressed, the user is immediately informed about the status.

In addition, the trend analysis can be used for an extrapolation of creep damage and alternating fatigue into the future. For this, the projection period and a fatigue admissible in this period

January 2015 THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER

33

POWER GENERATION are defined. Planned shutdowns of the plant (no increase in fatigue) can be taken into account. If the expected fatigue is transgressed during the projection period, due to the current mode of operation, one can react with a more moderate mode of operation, or the additional consumption can be economically assessed and tolerated if applicable.

The trend analysis is explained in what follows, using the example of a superheater 4 header.

The SR1 component diagram (Figure 3) shows the operating parameters (pressure and temperature) and the calculation results (temperature difference and total fatigue) for the entire history of the component. On the basis of the chronological sequence of the four parameters, an assessment of the plant operation (critical or not) is not possible.

Creep damage The SPC analysis of the gradient of the creep damage (Figure 4) identifies two events where the increase was above the defined limit. The cause is a temperature transgression.

Alternating fatigue The SPC trend analysis of the alternating fatigue also captures

and reports the points in time when the component was, based on calculation, stressed the most (Figure 5). Figure 6 (SR1 diagram) exemplifies the operating condition responsible for the increase in alternating stress (high thermal stress due to temperature difference).

Trend projection Examples of the operating scenarios ‘base load’ and ‘energy turnaround’ are shown to contrast different modes of operation.

Both trend diagrams from the software SR::SPC (Figures 7 and 8) show the extrapolation of the alternating fatigue over one year (projection period). The expected increase in fatigue in this time period amounts to 0.5% for both scenarios. In the scenario ‘energy turnaround’, steep transient operating procedures and frequent load changes lead to a higher stress of the superheater 4 header. After six months already, 0.5% alternating fatigue would be reached with a comparable mode of operation. For 30 years, the alternating stress would double from 15% to 30%.

According to damage accumulation [1], the fraction of the creep damage is to be added on top of this.

Figure 3: SR1 diagram, superheater header - operating parameters and calculation results.

Figure 5:The continuous SPC trend analysis of the gradient of the fatigue damage

Figure 4:The continuous SPC trend analysis of the gradient of the creep damage

34

THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER January 2015

Figure 6: SR1 diagram, superheater he ader - operating condition responsible for the increase in alternating stress.

POWER GENERATION the approaches on how to combine both online and offline assessments will be reported in future publications.

REFERENCES [1] VGB-Standard-506, 2012-03.EN, ‘Condition Monitoring and Inspection of Components of Steam Boiler Plants, Pressure Vessel Installations and High-Pressure Water and Steam Pipes’, VGB PowerTech eV, 2012 [quotes translated from German issue].

Figure 7: Continuous extrapolation of the alternating fatigue - scenario ‘base load’

[2] VGB Richtlinie 104 O, ‘Leitfaden zur Umsetzung der Betriebssicherheitsverordnung in Kraftwerken‘, Onlinerichtlinie, VGB PowerTech eV. [3] Betriebssicherheitsverordnung www.juris.de

-

BetrSichV, 27.09.2002

[4] TRBS 1201 Technische Regeln für Betriebssicherheit, Prüfung von Arbeitsmitteln und überwachungsbedürftigen Anlagen, Dezember 2006.

Figure 8: Continuous extrapolation of the alternating fatigue - scenario ‘energy turnaround’

SUMMARY AND OUTLOOK In future, online systems will make a large contribution to operation management and maintenance management. The more precisely the plant condition is recorded and assessed, the more precisely can the inspection methods, scopes, and intervals for the recurrent inspections be planned [1]. In the case of new plants or when changing components, the monitoring and thus the recording of critical modes of operation is recommended from the beginning, in order to be able to argue for individual inspection intervals (extension or reduction) and to plan and reduce the maintenance effort. In the case of existing plants, a recalculation of the operating time elapsed so far is possible provided that the required operating data are available.

In addition, the continuous trend analysis monitors the stress of thick-walled components. If the expected fatigue is transgressed during the projection period due to the current mode of operation, one can react with a more moderate mode of operation, or the additional consumption can be economically assessed and tolerated if applicable.

The continuous monitoring of the component condition reports unplanned stresses. A reduction of the service life and dangers due to unexpected stress can consequently be prevented. By means of the continuous pipe system calculation with SR1 and SR::SPM, operating conditions not considered during the design enter into the condition assessment.

When using modern materials, the continuous data acquisition and the calculation of creep damage, alternating fatigue, and creep strain form the basis for a later recalculation - eg when the strength characteristics stored so far are updated.

Recently performed comparative calculations show that DIN EN 12952 and FEM calculations are in good accordance regarding the calculated thermal stress. The results of the calculations and

[5] Directive 97/23/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on the Approximation of the Laws of the Member States Concerning Pressure Equipment.

[6] DIN EN 12952-4:2011-10 Water-tube boilers and auxiliary installations Part 4: In-service boiler life expectancy calculations.

[7] DIN EN 12952-3:2001 Water-tube boilers and auxiliary installations Part 3: Design and calculation for pressure parts.

[8] J Wagner, ‘Online Diagnostics of Steam Pipes and Thick-Walled Boiler Components - A Comparison of Methods Based on Operational Experience’, POWER-GEN Europe 2011.

[9] Technische Regeln für Dampfkessel (TRD), Deutscher Dampfkesselausschuß (DDA), Verband der Technischen Überwachungs-Verein eV, Oktober 1998.

(This article is based on a paper authored by Joël Wagner and Dr Peter Deeskow, STEAG Energy Services GmbH, Essen, Germany, and presented at POWER-GEN Asia 2014. It won the Best Paper Award, in the Operation, Optimization & Servicing track.

POWER-GEN Asia 2014, Renewable Energy World Asia 2014, and the newly created POWER GEN Asia Financial Forum 2014 were held at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from 10 to 12 September 2014, as part of the ASEAN Power Week 2014.

POWER-GEN Asia is the region’s premier conference and exhibition for the power generation, transmission and distribution industries.

Renewable Energy World Asia is a leading conference and exhibition for the Asian renewable and alternative energy industry.

POWER-GEN Asia Financial Forum is a conference devoted to all aspects of financing of all types of power infrastructure in the ASEAN region.

All three events are organised by PennWell Corporation).

January 2015 THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER

35

CHEMICAL & PETROCHEMICAL ENGINEERING

Easing the squeeze on profitability with effective energy management

by Rob Howard, AspenTech Vice President, Asia Pacific, Business Consulting & Sales Operations

Reducing energy usage and associated greenhouse gas emission is a widely recognised business requirement for many process manufacturers and delivers tangible business benefits.

Less energy consumption is a key factor for commercial profitability and environmental compliance. However, if energy management is a significant objective with clear benefits, why are some manufacturers much better at it than others? For example, the least efficient refinery may consume as much as twice the energy required by the most efficient refinery to produce the same products (eg gasoline, diesel etc) from the same feedstock (crude oil). This discrepancy raises natural questions - why does this happen, what factors differentiate the best from the worst and how can refiners close the gap?

The answer is that effective energy management is not a one-off project or one area of the business. Energy management needs to be an integral part of managing and operating the plant to achieve optimum levels of energy whilst meeting production goals. However, many refineries and chemical companies fail to recognise that energy management needs to be an on-going commercial priority.

The ability to visualise and analyse actual plant performance in realtime is essential to understanding energy usage and emissions and taking necessary actions.The notion that energy costs are fixed is a myth.They are a variable entity that can eat away profit margins and even affect plant performance.

By adopting a sustained approach to energy efficiency, supported by integrated processes and managed by leading-edge process optimisation software, companies have the ability to control and significantly reduce energy expenditures. Efficient savings made across the enterprise will positively impact plant profitability and, when margins are squeezed, this capability could mean the difference between commercial success and commercial failure.

Understanding where you are today In the process industries, energy is typically the highest operating cost, second only to raw materials. Most chemical or refining processes experience significant variability in energy efficiency as a result of changes in process conditions, different operating strategies and poor control or visibility over wasteful practices.

When pursuing a comprehensive energy management programme, a basic starting point is to ask “are you doing all you can to drive down energy costs”? Many companies suffer from a lack of focus with regard to controlling energy usage because other priorities often take precedence. As a parallel example to illustrate this point, we observe what the process industries have accomplished in health and safety over many years. Health and safety has become the most important discipline in the process industries, to safeguard both personnel and the plant.

Standards have risen dramatically over the past few decades

36

THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER January 2015

and this is now seen as a vital practice that is embedded within the overall running of the operation.Therefore, what actions can process manufacturers take to elevate energy management to the same priority level and bring an energy management focus to everything that is done?

Plant energy management itself can be divided into two key areas - first, the reduction of energy demand and consumption in production processes, and second, the reduction of the supply costs of the energy used to meet the energy demand. An effective energy management plan must address both sides of this energy equation simultaneously, and from the initial planning of the operations to the minute-by-minute safe operation of the plant. Energy management must be performed by all key stakeholders who should be given the right tools and procedures for the job in hand.

Software supports effective energy management In much the same way that all personnel need to be involved in energy management, companies also need to use every available means to improve energy efficiency and reduce costs.

Software technology can make a big contribution in helping companies to design, plan and operate their production facilities in the most energy-efficient way.

At the first step in the life-cycle of any production facility, software systems can help the designer to optimise the plant’s design from an energy efficiency perspective. Many case studies have demonstrated that energy-efficient processes cost no more to adopt than inefficient ones because an energy-efficient process will require less hot utility (steam, fuel, etc) and also less cold utility (cooling water, refrigerants or air cooling). As a result, the utility equipment designed to service the production units, such as process heaters, heat exchangers and steam boilers will be smaller and, therefore, cost less to build and operate. In this respect, the on-going reduced operating cost is a bonus. Energyefficient companies recognise this and now build energy reviews into each step of their design process.

Once the plant has been built, planning systems can help define both the optimal energy use and also schedule the utility system’s operation to closely match the requirements of the production units, thereby reducing costly and unnecessary standby operations and ensuring the lowest cost purchase of external utilities. During plant operations, real-time software systems can both monitor the current plant operation against target, highlighting any deviation, and provide timely actionable

CHEMICAL & PETROCHEMICAL ENGINEERING advice on the optimal changes that could be made and the value of making these changes on user-friendly interfaces, such as Distributed Control Systems (DCS) screens or web browsers.

For energy-intensive process manufacturing sites, such as an oil refinery, petrochemical plant or chemical plant, investment in software should not be seen as a cost barrier. In fact, companies of all sizes have experienced enormous energy cost reductions by using energy optimisation software solutions. According to a recent Gartner energy management report, one chemical company stated that ‘five years ago, it was difficult to make the case with senior executives, even when improvements with good internal rates of return were identified. Today, senior leadership is on board and clearly understands that it needs to fund good energy efficiency initiatives when they come along’.

Many companies have successfully implemented AspenTech’s aspenONE process optimisation software to achieve best practices for optimising their engineering, manufacturing and supply chain operations. aspenONE Engineering is a leading suite of software products focused on process engineering and design optimisation.Various process modelling analysis and design tools, such as Activated Energy Analysis, Economic Analysis, Rigorous Heat Exchanger Design and Rating and Aspen Fireheater are integrated and accessible through process simulators Aspen HYSYS and Aspen Plus. State-of-the-art forward-planning tools, such as Aspen PIMS, can help evaluate the trade-offs between production and energy costs, enabling a true optimal operation to be defined. Aspen Utilities provides the ability to both plan the optimal utilities system’s set up and also advise operations personnel on actions they can take on a real-time basis, to improve energy performance and the subsequent value of those actions. Advanced Process Control (APC) software is intelligent technology that delivers sustainable, measurable benefits and allows companies to operate their facilities better. APC can increase throughput and improves product quality and energy efficiency, thereby delivering improved financial performance.

By applying aspenONE solutions to the lifecycle of production assets, clients can typically save 10% to 30% energy cost while reducing 10% to 20% capital cost investment.

Prioritising energy management Energy efficiency is fundamental to achieving a sustainable business, and reducing energy cost should be a key performance indicator for all process manufacturers. As global energy demand continues to increase and environmental regulations are tightening, initiatives to optimise energy efficiency are essential. The difference between those companies who are energy-efficient and those who are less so is the commitment to incorporate energy efficiency into everything they do.

Consequently, this approach will help differentiate the organisation with best practice from the competition.

An effective energy management plan must be tackled holistically and integrated across all aspects of the business. To be truly energy-efficient, a clear action plan elevates the importance of energy management, defines the targets and timelines, tasks the workforce to execute the plan efficiently and maintains controls for the operation.

Equipping key stakeholders with leading-edge software delivers long-term benefits, by helping to reduce costs and improve the overall performance of the plant. In today’s dynamic and competitive market, energy management is a key way to ease the squeeze on profit margins. The consequence of ignoring energy costs could be the difference between being commercially robust and profitable and not being in business at all.

APCChE 2015 to be held in Melbourne The 16th Asia Pacific Confederation of Chemical Engineering Congress (APCChE 2015) will be held in Melbourne, Australia, from 27 September to 1 October 2015. It will be the largest gathering of chemical and process engineers and industrial chemists in the Asia Pacific region. The congress is held on a biennial basis.

The 2015 event will incorporate three conferences APCChE 2015, Chemeca 2015 and for the first time, the International Conference of Coal Science and Technology (ICCS&T).

Congress Chair, David Shallcross said the theme ‘Chemical Engineering in the Asia-Pacific Century - Growth and Innovation’ will focus on the emerging opportunities and challenges for the chemical and process engineering industries within the region.

“Chemical engineers are meeting some of the world’s most significant challenges for the 21st century particularly in the areas of water and energy. The APCChE Congress will review progress and look at solutions to new challenges. It will provide a unique opportunity to learn of the latest advances and best practices in industry and academia”, he added.

APCChE 2015 will include some exciting speakers and will provide an opportunity for chemical engineers and researchers to showcase their latest research and technologies. Each conference will run its own scientific programme.

Four main themes will be covered: • Industry developments and directions (including industry best practice) • Asia Pacific site operations (project case studies and multinational management approaches) • Research & Innovation (new directions from across the Asia Pacific region, including coal science & technology as part of ICSS&T 2015) • Professional development and education (including professional training ‘taster’ workshops) APCChE 2015 is hosted by the Australian and New Zealand Federation of Chemical Engineers (ANZFChE), comprising the Royal Australian Chemical Institute (RACI), the Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE), Engineers Australia (EA) and the Institution of Professional Engineers New Zealand (IPENZ).

January 2015 THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER

37

EVENTS

Architecture & Building Services 2015 to feature six exhibitions under one roof

Architecture & Building Services 2014, the first edition of the series, was held from 29 September to 1 October 2014, at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre, Marina Bay Sands, Singapore.

Following the success of the inaugural presentation of Architecture & Building Services 2014 (ABS 2014), organisers Conference & Exhibition Management Services (CEMS) have announced that the next edition will feature six exhibitions colocated at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre, Marina Bay Sands, from 29 September to 1 October 2015.

ABS 2015 will encompass ArchXpo, International Facility Management Expo (iFAME), LED+Light Asia, Fire & Disaster Asia (FDA), Safety & Security Asia (SSA) and Work Safe Asia (WSA).

Collectively, the six exhibitions are expected to occupy 10,000 m2 of gross exhibition space, with the products and solutions from 250 exhibitors from 20 countries. Around 9,000 trade visitors and professionals from 40 countries are expected to attend.This marks a projected 30% increase in exhibitors and an approximate 10% increment in visitors.

ABS 2015 will also aim to attract the largest gathering of architects, builders, contractors, developers, engineers, facility managers and government agencies.

ABS 2015 will feature six conferences, catering to each sector of the building industry, and is expected to attract at least 2,600 delegates across the board. This will value-add to their learning experience at the exhibitions.

The Specialists Trade Alliance of Singapore (STAS), host of iFAME and Strategic Partner of ArchXpo, has stated that it will be hosting its 10th Anniversary celebrations in conjunction with ABS 2015 through a series of activities to be announced at a later date.

38

THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER January 2015

Other highlights include the 8th Merlion Awards which will be presented to exceptional new designs and products in the field of security; as well as the 2nd UP Awards which will be presented to exhibitors who demonstrate flair and innovation in booth design.

To maintain the good name that the ABS series has obtained, CEMS will continue working closely with key players in the industry such as the Singapore Institute of Architects (SIA), Co-Organiser of ArchXpo; International Facility Management Association (IFMA) Singapore Chapter, Strategic Partner of iFAME; and Security Systems Association of Singapore (SSAS), Host of SSA. Supporting all the exhibitions are also the 11 STAS Member Associations - Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Association of Singapore; Micro Builders Association, Singapore; Security Systems Association of Singapore; Singapore Building Materials Suppliers Association; Singapore Electrical Contractors and Licensed Electrical Workers Association; Singapore Electrical Trade Association; Singapore Furniture Industries Council; Singapore Glass Association; Singapore Plumbing Society; Singapore Sanitary Ware Importers & Exporters Association; and The Singapore Lift & Escalator Contractors & Manufacturers Association.

Together, the repertoire of exhibitions will be geared towards providing an integrated marketing platform for Southeast Asia’s architectural and building industries where trade professionals can source for the highest quality cutting-edge technologies, innovative products and related services, as well as network with like-minded professionals, key players and delegates during networking events and conferences.

NEWS

World on track to new universal climate agreement with Lima ‘Call for Climate Action’ A new 2015 agreement on climate change, that will harness action by all nations, took a further important step forward in Lima, Peru, following two weeks of negotiations, in December 2014, by over 190 countries.

Nations concluded by elaborating the elements of the new agreement, scheduled to be agreed in Paris in late 2015, while also agreeing the ground rules on how all countries can submit contributions to the new agreement during the first quarter of next year.

These Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) will form the foundation for climate action post 2020 when the new agreement is set to come into effect.

During the two week 20th Conference of the Parties (COP), countries also made significant progress in elevating adaptation onto the same level as action to cut and curb emissions.

Pledges were made by both developed and developing countries prior to and during the COP, that took the capitalisation of the new Green Climate Fund (GCF) past an initial US$ 10 billion target.

Levels of transparency and confidence-building reached new heights as several industrialised countries submitted themselves to questioning about their emissions targets under a new process called a Multilateral Assessment.

The Lima Ministerial Declaration on Education and Awarenessraising calls on governments to put climate change into school curricula and climate awareness into national development plans.

Steps forward on adaptation Progress was made in Lima on elevating adaptation onto the same level as the curbing and cutting of greenhouse gas emissions. This will be done through recognition that National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) offer an important way of delivering resilience.

• NAPs will now be made more visible via the UNFCCC website which should improve the opportunity for receiving backing.

• The green light was given for discussions with the Green

Climate Fund (GCF) on how countries can be supported with their NAPs, which should increase the number of these plans coming forward for support.

• Manuel Pulgar-Vidal, the COP President, launched a NAP Global Network involving Peru, the US, Germany, the Philippines, Togo, the UK, Jamaica, and Japan.

• The Lima Adaptation Knowledge initiative - a pilot project in the Andes under the Nairobi Work Programme - has underlined that establishing the adaptive needs of communities can be successfully captured.

Countries supported the idea of replicating this in Least Developed Countries, Small Island Developing States and Africa.

• The Executive Committee of the Warsaw International Mechanism on Loss and Damage was confirmed for two years with a balanced representation of members from developing and developed countries.

A work programme was also established under the Committee - it has an array of actions areas, including enhancing the understanding of how loss and damage due to climate change affects particularly vulnerable developing countries and populations including indigenous or minority status ones.

• It will also seek to better the understanding of how climate change impacts human migration and displacement.

Financing the response to climate change • Governments made progress on coordinating the delivery of climate finance and of the various existing funds.

• Further pledges were made to the Green Climate Fund in Lima by the governments of Norway,Australia, Belgium, Peru, Colombia and Austria - the pledges brought the total sum pledged to the Green Climate Fund to close to US$ 10.2 billion.

• In a further boost to the adaptation ambitions of developing countries, Germany made a pledge of 55 million Euros to the Adaptation Fund.

• China also announced US$ 10 million for South-South cooperation and mentioned they would double it in 2015.

Honeywell announces new global Performance Partner Program Honeywell recently announced its new global Performance Partner Program and award winners at the 2014 Asia Pacific Partner Conference in Abu Dhabi. Themed ‘Leading Change’, the conference was the first combined partner event for Honeywell since the integration with Intermec.

With more than 1,200 partners represented worldwide, the Asia Pacific event included 93 partner attendees from more than 14 countries across the Asia Pacific region. Unveiled at the event was Honeywell Scanning & Mobility’s new global Performance Partner Program, designed to allow for simplified processes, improved ease of doing business for partners and increased opportunities for collaboration. The programme was

scheduled to begin on 1 January 2015.

Conference participants attended executive presentations, solution workshops, training sessions and interactive demonstrations. The partners also heard from the Honeywell Scanning & Mobility leadership team on the company’s renewed business strategy, rebranding efforts and exciting new technologies and products.

To close the conference, Honeywell honoured leading partners in various award categories, judged on innovation, year-over-year business growth and the ability to integrate new and emerging technology into their customer solutions.

January 2015 THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER

39

NEWS

ThyssenKrupp develops the world’s first rope-free elevator system According to ThyssenKrupp, the era of the rope-dependent elevator is now over, 160 years after its invention. By placing linear motors in elevator cabins, the company says it is transforming conventional elevator transportation in vertical metro systems. MULTI elevator technology increases transport capacities and efficiency while reducing the elevator footprint and peak loads from the power supply in buildings. Several cabins in the same shaft moving vertically and horizontally will permit buildings to adopt different heights, shapes, and purposes.

The first MULTI unit will be undergoing tests by 2016.

MULTI is ThyssenKrupp’s latest offering in its extensive repertoire of elevator technologies. It is said to be a landmark revolution in the elevator industry and a new and efficient transport solution for mid- and high-rise buildings. Now, the long-pursued dream of operating multiple cabins in the same elevator shaft is made possible by applying the linear motor technology of the magnetic levitation train Transrapid to the elevator industry. MULTI is expected to transform how people move inside buildings, just as ThyssenKrupp’s recently introduced ACCEL, which also applies the same linear motor technology, is set to transform mobility over short distances in cities and airports.

In a manner similar to a metro system operation, the MULTI design can incorporate various self-propelled elevator cabins per shaft, running in a loop, thereby increasing the shaft transport capacity by up to 50% and making it possible to reduce the elevator footprint in buildings by as much as 50%.

Using a multi-level brake system and inductive power transfers from shaft to cabin, but no cables at all, MULTI requires smaller shafts than conventional elevators, and can increase a building’s usable area by up to 25%, considering that, depending on the size of the building, current elevator-escalator footprints can occupy up to 40% of the building’s floor space. The overall increase in efficiency also translates into a lower requirement for escalators and additional elevator shafts, resulting in significant construction cost savings as well as a multiplication of rent revenues from increased usable space.

The significant extra space available is only one of MULTI’s advantages. Although the ideal building height for MULTI installations starts at 300 m, this system is not constrained by

40

THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER January 2015

MULTI is an innovative elevator system. Image by ThyssenKrupp.

a building’s height. Building design will no longer be limited by the height or vertical alignment of elevator shafts, opening possibilities to architects and building developers, that they have never imagined possible.

MULTI is based on the concept of ThyssenKrupp TWIN’s control system and safety features, but includes new features such as new and lightweight materials for cabins and doors, resulting in a 50% weight reduction as compared to standard elevators, as well as a new linear drive - using one motor for horizontal and vertical movements.

Commenting on this momentous breakthrough in the company’s history of innovations at the global headquarters of ThyssenKrupp in Essen, Germany, Mr Andreas Schierenbeck, CEO of ThyssenKrupp Elevator AG said, “As the nature of building constructions evolve, it is also necessary to adapt elevator systems to better suit the requirements of buildings and high volumes of passengers. From the one dimensional vertical arrangement to a two dimensional horizontal / vertical arrangement with more than one or two cabins operating in each shaft, MULTI represents a proud moment in ThyssenKrupp’s history of presenting cutting-edge transport technologies that best serve current mobility needs”.

Operating on the basic premise of a circular system, such as a paternoster, MULTI consists of various cabins running in a loop at a targeted speed of 5 m/s, enabling passengers to have nearconstant access to an elevator cabin every 15 to 30 seconds, with a transfer stop every 50 m.

Mr Schierenbeck said, “Per year, New York City office workers

NEWS spend a cumulative amount of 16.6 years waiting for elevators, and 5.9 years in the elevators.This data provides how imperative it is to increase the availability of elevators”.

A 2013 analysis of two-dimensional elevator traffic systems likens the present use of one cabin per elevator shaft to using an entire railway line between two cites to operate a single train - clearly a waste of resources. By combining ground-breaking technology with a simple operation concept and convenience of passenger use, ThyssenKrupp’s MULTI will transform the idea of a flexible number of cars per shaft from a distant vision for the future into a reality.

“To get this ground-breaking product onto the market, our new test tower in Rottweil, Germany, provides the perfect test and certification environment. The tower is set to be completed at the end of 2016, and by this time, we aim to have a running prototype of MULTI”, Mr Schierenbeck added.

Urbanisation and the global elevator market Urbanisation is an unstoppable trend, and the scale of movement of people to cities has redefined the construction and infrastructure requirements needed to keep pace with growing urban populations. Additional space, estimated to be about 85% of the existing urban and commercial floor space, will need to be developed by 2025, according to a 2012 McKinsey Global Institute report which foresees a need of nearly 58 trillion euros in new construction to meet this requirement.

Limitations on space in urban areas means that mid- to high-rise buildings are the most viable construction options, translating into an immense demand for elevators. By 2016, the global demand for elevator equipment (including elevators, escalators, and moving walkways) and services is projected to rise over 5% annually to 52 billion euros.

Construction of test tower in Rottweil begins Shortly after the launch of the innovative MULTI-elevator system from ThyssenKrupp, the company laid the foundation for its test tower in Rottweil, Germany. The tower, designed by renowned architects Helmut Jahn and Werner Sobek, is set to be completed by the end of 2016.

ThyssenKrupp Elevator’s innovative products will be tested within this tower which is emerging as a crucial element in the company’s global research and development strategy.

Designed with sustainability and resource conservation in mind, it represents ThyssenKrupp’s engineering expertise while its shape evokes Rottweil’s medieval church and defence towers.

The interplay of height and design will make ThyssenKrupp’s research and development tower one of the most distinctive buildings in southern Germany.

ThyssenKrupp’s investment in the test tower of more than 40 million euros underlines the special importance of this region.

This impressive structure will reach its final height relatively quickly - in the summer of 2015. After this time, very little will be visible from the exterior of the complex, regarding work going on inside. Shortly before the end of the construction work, the tower will be clad with the striking façade designed by its architects.

In all, nine test shafts for future elevator innovations will be ready for ThyssenKrupp’s research and development department.

Three shafts, each of them with a height of 100 m, will be dedicated to the new MULTI system.

“To get this groundbreaking product onto the market, our new tower in Rottweil provides the perfect test and certification environment. The tower is set to be completed at the end of 2016, and by this time, we aim to have a running prototype of MULTI”, said Mr Andreas Schierenbeck, CEO of ThyssenKrupp Elevator AG. Soon the test tower’s foundation will be established at a depth of approximately 32 m. A total of about 30,000 m3 of excavated soil was moved from the ground.The base plate is approximately 2 m thick, and consists of 680 m3 of concrete and 100 t of steel.

By its completion, the tower will weigh more than 50,000 t. At a height of 232 m, the tower will have its glass viewing platform.

This public observation deck will provide a 360° view of the region around Rottweil and is set to become an attraction for tourists in Baden-Württemberg. In this sense, the test tower is more than a functional building for research and development.

Construction work has already started on ThyssenKrupp’s test tower.The tower will be ready by the end of 2016. Image by ThyssenKrupp.

January 2015 THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER

41

NEWS

Otis secures contract for MRT project in Singapore Otis Elevator Company (S) Pte Ltd (Otis Singapore) has been selected by the Land Transport Authority (LTA) of Singapore to supply and install nearly 600 elevators and escalators for the northern stretch of the Thomson-East Coast Line mass rapid transit (MRT) project.The contract, valued at approximately US$ 120 million by the LTA, is the highest valued new-equipment project win in Otis’ 161-year history.

Thomson-East Coast Line is a major step towards achieving LTA’s vision of doubling the length of Singapore’s rail network by 2030.

The first stage of the project is scheduled for completion in 2019, with overall completion scheduled for 2021. When completed, the Thomson-East Coast Line will be Singapore’s most accessible MRT line, with an average of four entrances per station.

Otis, said to be the world’s largest manufacturer and maintainer of elevators and escalators, is a part of UTC Building & Industrial Systems, a unit of United Technologies Corp.

The contract is for 411 Otis escalators and 167 Gen2 elevators.

Otis Singapore also provided vertical transportation systems for other segments of Singapore’s rail network system, including the North-South, East-West and North-East lines, and the newly completed first stage of the Downtown Line.

“We are delighted to be selected by the Land Transport Authority for the Thomson Line project, and look forward to playing an integral role in helping to keep people in Singapore on the move”, said Mr Patrick Blethon, President, South Asia Pacific, UTC Building & Industrial Systems.

“This contract is testament to the quality, reliability and safety of our products and affirms Otis’ position as the world’s leading manufacturer and service provider of elevators, escalators and moving walkways”, he added.

The Thomson-East Coast Line is a new 43 km underground MRT system. The Thomson section of this new line will link the northern part of Singapore to the central business district and Marina Bay area, adding capacity to the north-south corridor. The

Otis will be supplying Gen2 elevators for the project.

KONE announces A-class certification for its customer references KONE, a leader in the elevator and escalator industry, is said to be the first company to announce the A-class energy efficiency certification according to ISO 25745-2 for its volume elevators, according to the final draft of the standard (ISO/FDIS 25745-2: 2014). The measurements have been conducted in customer reference locations, and the certifications have been granted by an external third party.

ISO 25745-2 is a new global standard for the energy calculation and classification of elevators to be published in early 2015. It will eventually supersede current national and regional standards and guidelines. The A-class rating is the best one that can be given under the new standard.

“We are extremely proud to be the first company in the elevator industry to announce ISO A-class certified volume elevator customer references”, said Mr Heikki Leppänen, Executive Vice President, New Equipment Business, KONE Corporation.

42

THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER January 2015

“KONE is a pioneer in eco-efficiency, and this achievement is the result of our continuous efforts in improving the energy efficiency of our solutions”, he added.

KONE has a long history in making its volume elevators more energy-efficient.. This has been achieved by using innovative and eco-efficient technologies, such as regenerative drives, standby solutions and LED lighting, that drastically reduce the energy consumption of the elevators. Compared to KONE elevators from the 1990s, KONE’s current machine-room-less volume elevator KONE MonoSpace 500 is almost 90% more energy-efficient.

KONE MonoSpace 500

KONE MiniSpace

Load: 630 kg Speed: 1 m/s Building Type: residential Energy Efficiency class: A

Load: 1200 kg Speed: 4 m/s Building type: hotel Energy efficiency class: A

First A-class customer references according to ISO/FDIS 25745-2: 2014.

NEWS

Green building experts advance sustainability dialogue in Singapore and Vietnam As Southeast Asia experiences rapid population growth and urbanisation, Carrier, Otis and other UTC Building & Industrial Systems brands hosted Distinguished Sustainability Lecture Series events in Singapore and Vietnam to help further the sustainable building dialogue. Carrier is a world leader in hightechnology heating, air-conditioning and refrigeration solutions, while Otis is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of elevators and escalators. UTC Building & Industrial Systems is a unit of United Technologies Corp.

“Green building is accelerating across the globe. In fact, as of October, 44% of all square footage pursuing LEED certification is outside of the United States. In Singapore, 69% of firms said they are planning green renovation projects by 2015 in a recent study, and the country already ranks eighth on our list for LEED registered and certified buildings”, he said.

The series, which brings together sustainability thought leaders and green building professionals in emerging economies, included its first lecture event in Vietnam, in Ho Chi Minh City, held on 4 December 2014, which followed the event held in Singapore on 2 December 2014. Together, the events reached approximately 250 professionals.

Also at the events, Bob Fox, of COOKFOX Architects, who led the design of the 2.2 million ft2 Bank of America Tower in New York, the first US office tower to achieve a LEED Platinum rating, discussed the elements of high-performance architecture and the value of the human connection to the natural environment, including biophilic design, or the use of natural elements inside buildings.

“As the lecture series returns to Southeast Asia, I am inspired by the steps both countries are taking to encourage sustainable development and building practices”, said John Mandyck, Chief Sustainability Officer, UTC Building & Industrial Systems.

“As cities grow and more people move from the countryside to urban settings, it is becoming even more important that we recognise the importance for humans of having a connection with nature. Biophilic design seeks to improve well-being by bringing nature into indoor space, incorporating materials and patterns that evoke nature, and allowing for expansive views”, he said.

“The sustainability runway is long and these two countries are poised to maximise their opportunities, leveraging the technology of today to create a more sustainable future”, he added.

The Singapore and Ho Chi Minh City events featured lectures from experts in sustainable building and design. Rick Fedrizzi, CEO of both the US Green Building Council and the Green

Building Certification Institute, highlighted the benefits of green buildings and outlined the progress of the global movement to make green buildings everywhere a reality.

The Singapore lecture series event was sponsored by UTC Building & Industrial Systems brands Carrier, Otis, Chubb, Kidde and Lenel. The Ho Chi Minh City event was sponsored by Carrier and Otis.

Otis ships 1,000th Skyrise elevator Otis High Rise Elevator (Shanghai) Co Ltd, the company’s high rise contract and logistics centre in Shanghai, recently arranged the delivery of the 1,000th Otis Skyrise elevator. The success of the skyscraper-specific elevator system underscores Otis’ leadership in super-tall building development.

Incorporating state-of-the-art Otis technologies, the Skyrise elevator was introduced in 2011 to address the challenges of skyscrapers as the world’s cities continue to rise skyward.

According to global industry studies, 28 buildings over 400 m in height are due for completion between now and the end of 2018, compared with just 15 in the previous 15 years.

The 1,000th Skyrise elevator system will be deployed in Suzhou International Fortune Plaza in East China. Now under construction, the 230 m skyscraper will rely on 40 Otis elevators including 12 Skyrise elevators, 20 Elevonic elevators and eight Gen2 machine-room-less systems.

The Otis high rise contract and logistics centre in Shanghai oversees the company’s major international projects. It works closely with architects, consultants, general contractors and developers, to deliver elevator solutions that offer efficient

and flexible deployment, reliable energy-saving operation and optimal safety and riding comfort.

Designed with sustainability in mind, the Otis Skyrise offers energy savings of up to 60% compared with other permanent magnet machines. It has a rise of more than 600 m, with single-deck, double-deck and super-double-deck configurations, and uses compact, optimised hoistway components and safe and efficient installation techniques. Engineered for comfort and reliability, it features an advanced control system that continuously monitors individual safety devices and adjusts elevator motion. The Otis Skyrise delivers a premium ride experience that is fast, smooth and quiet, making it ideal for the most prestigious skyscrapers.

Otis elevator systems are used in many of the world’s most iconic buildings, including eight of the last 10 to have held the title of the world’s tallest building.The current record holder, the 828 m Burj Khalifa in Dubai, relies on Otis systems, as do the 660 m Ping’An Financial Center in Shenzhen, which will be China’s tallest upon completion in 2016, and the 556 m Lotte World Tower which will be the tallest building on the Korean peninsula when it is completed in 2016.

January 2015 THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER

43

NEWS

Alstom and NTU to develop a MicroGrid Power Mix Management solution Alstom and Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University (NTU) have announced a collaboration to design, develop and deploy a MicroGrid Power Mix Management (MPMM) solution in the context of the Renewable Energy Integration Demonstrator - Singapore (REIDS) initiative. This collaboration was scheduled to begin from January 2015.

Announced in October 2014, the REIDS initiative, a first in the region, will encompass the construction of a microgrid to manage and integrate electricity generated from multiple sources including solar, wind, tidal and diesel, as well as stored energy and power-to-gas solutions.

Alstom and NTU have announced a collaboration to design, develop and deploy the MPMM solution.

Together with NTU, Alstom will develop a MicroGrid Power Mix Management solution, based on Alstom’s Digital Automation Platform (DAP) which will manage power exchanges within a microgrid when it is connected to or separated from the main grid. This solution is to be implemented at NTU’s EcoCampus and subsequently on the Semakau Landfill, an offshore landfill between the islands Pulau Semakau and Pulau Sakeng, located south of the main island of Singapore. The deployment within the EcoCampus will allow NTU to further enhance the energy efficiency of its campus while also integrating a mix of distributed energy resources, such as solar, wind, diesel and gas technologies, deployed in the campus. The Semakau Landfill project will demonstrate the ability to manage new energy mixes, based on high penetration of renewable sources in an off-grid environment.

The main objective of this project is to ensure a greener and stable supply of energy through the integration of smart energy management and energy storage systems.The microgrid solution in Semakau Landfill can also be used to power small islands and rural communities off the national grid. It may also function as a back-up solution during emergencies within urban areas.

“We are delighted with this opportunity to bring our experience, technology and expertise to support Singapore’s, ever growing energy requirements. This landmark project sets the country on a strategic path of integrating and fully utilising multiple sources of energy for long term sustainability”, said Mr Hervé Amossé, Substation Automation Solutions Vice President for Alstom Grid.

Professor Lam Khin Yong, NTU Chief of Staff and Vice President

44

THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER January 2015

(Research), said, “Renewable and sustainable energy is a key pillar of NTU’s research efforts. NTU’s collaboration with a global corporation such as Alstom underpins the university’s strength in transforming its engineering expertise into practical industry applications. Micro-grids will play an ever-growing role in the rapidly expanding electric energy technologies and systems in the Southeast Asian region and NTU is wellplaced to contribute to this growth. The systemic integration of renewable energies and energy storage based on the micro-grid technology presents many collaboration opportunities between NTU and the industry”.

Mr Goh Chee Kiong, Executive Director, Cleantech, and Cities, Infrastructure & Industrial Solutions of Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB) said, “Singapore aims to be the leading clean energy hub in Asia where companies can develop and commercialise energy management solutions able to effectively integrate multiple energy sources. To this end, Singapore has set up innovation platforms such as REIDS to foster co-innovation among complementary companies in the energy industry ecosystem. We are pleased to partner with Alstom, a global leader in power engineering, to use Singapore as a springboard to grow the markets in Asia”.

The project will largely be delivered by Alstom’s engineering team in Singapore, which has expertise in power-mix management, as well as its teams in France and UK. Alstom views Asia as a promising market for microgrids. Alstom is currently involved in a variety of microgrid projects worldwide, including the Nice Grid project in south eastern France, and the IssyGrid project in the Paris region.

NEWS

Johnson Controls and Hitachi to form global HVAC joint venture Johnson Controls, Hitachi Ltd and Hitachi Appliances have entered into a definitive agreement for their global joint venture while at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2015 in Davos, Switzerland. The new Johnson Controls-Hitachi joint venture will allow both companies to deliver the most diverse technology portfolio in the heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration industry.

Through the agreement, Johnson Controls will obtain a 60% ownership stake in Hitachi Appliances’ more than ¥ 300 billion sales (approximately US$ 2.6 billion) global air-conditioning business, excluding sales and service operations in Japan. The Johnson Controls-Hitachi joint venture will bring customers a full range of air-conditioning products, including world-class variable refrigerant flow (VRF) technology, leading-edge inverter technology based room airconditioners and absorption chillers - on top of existing Johnson Controls products that meet global customer demands.

With approximately 13,800 employees and 24 manufacturing plants, the joint venture will build on both organisations’ technology, research and development leadership, as well as their expanding marketing channels. The transaction is expected to close later this year, subject to regulatory approvals and satisfaction of other customary conditions.

“For Johnson Controls, this partnership reflects our strategic commitment to our buildings business as a growth platform”, said Mr Alex Molinaroli, Chairman and CEO, Johnson Controls.

“The joint venture will propel us forward with superior products, enabling Johnson Controls to deliver the most diverse technology portfolio in the industry to meet customer demands across the changing global marketplace”, he added.

The Johnson Controls-Hitachi joint venture management team will be led by Mr Franz Cerwinka, CEO. He has been with Johnson Controls for almost 20 years, having spent four years in Japan as Vice President of Finance for the Johnson Controls automotive business, and has experience with more than 10 joint ventures.

Johnson Controls is a global multi-industrial company with 130 years of history in supplying heating, ventilation, air-conditioning, building controls, refrigeration and security systems for buildings.

Through its Building Efficiency business, the company delivers solutions that increase energy efficiency and lower operating costs for over a million customers who are served through nearly 700 offices in more than 150 countries.

“The worldwide HVAC market is continuing to grow steadily, and the demand for energy-efficient air-conditioning systems with state-of-the-art technologies is expanding. As air-conditioning systems are a key building block for building solutions, we believe this partnership will allow Hitachi and Johnson Controls to deliver the best solutions for our customers. Furthermore, in addition to air-conditioning systems, we will be able to provide other building solutions that will enhance efficiencies throughout buildings, as well as surrounding areas”, said Mr Hiroaki Nakanishi, Chairman & CEO, Hitachi Ltd.

Mr Alex Molinaroli, Chairman and CEO, Johnson Controls and Mr Hiroaki Nakanishi, Chairman & CEO, Hitachi Ltd, represented their respective companies at the signing of the agreement.

A global home appliances and air conditioning solutions provider, Hitachi Appliances, a wholly owned subsidiary of leading global electronics and infrastructure solutions provider Hitachi Ltd, supplies high quality, efficient and reliable air-conditioning solutions across the globe, from residential room air conditioners to variable refrigerant flow systems, and other air-conditioning equipment for commercial and industrial use. Hitachi Appliances will continue to provide Hitachi branded HVAC products in the Japanese market after this transaction.

Johnson Controls Johnson Controls is a global diversified technology and industrial leader serving customers in more than 150 countries. The company’s 170,000 employees create quality products, services and solutions to optimise energy and operational efficiencies of buildings; lead-acid automotive batteries and advanced batteries for hybrid and electric vehicles; and interior systems for automobiles. Johnson Controls’ commitment to sustainability dates back to its roots in 1885, with the invention of the first electric room thermostat. Through growth strategies and by increasing market share, the company is committed to delivering value to shareholders and making customers successful.

Hitachi Ltd Hitachi Ltd, headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, delivers innovations that answer society’s challenges with its talented team and proven experience in global markets. The company is focusing more than ever on the Social Innovation Business, which includes infrastructure systems, information & telecommunication systems, power systems, construction machinery, high functional materials & components, automotive systems, healthcare and others.

Hitachi Appliances Inc Hitachi Appliances Inc, headquartered in Tokyo, was established in 1 April 2006, through the merger of Hitachi Air Conditioning Systems Co Ltd and Hitachi Home & Life Solutions Inc, that were both wholly owned by Hitachi Ltd. The company supplies eco-friendly, comfortable home appliances and air-conditioning products around the world, capitalising on its cutting-edge technologies.

January 2015 THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER

45

NEWS

CapitaLand once again ranked in Global 100 Singapore has been named a top 10 sustainability nation globally at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2015 in Davos, Switzerland, based on the number of companies in the 2015 Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations (Global 100) list announced by Corporate Knights.

CapitaLand, a Singapore-headquartered company, has been listed for the fourth consecutive year in Global 100, recognised as the gold standard in corporate sustainability analysis. Companies named are the top overall sustainability performers in their respective industrial sectors.

CapitaLand has also made its mark as the top real estate company in Asia with its listing in RobecoSAM’s Sustainability Yearbook 2015 (Sustainability Yearbook) with a ‘Bronze Class’ distinction. As a ‘Bronze Class’ recipient, CapitaLand is among the top five real estate companies recognised globally in the Sustainability Yearbook.

RobecoSAM is an investment specialist focusing exclusively on Sustainability Investing and its SustainabilityYearbook seeks to recognise the top 15% companies across various industries worldwide.

Mr Tan Seng Chai, Chairman of the CapitaLand Sustainability Steering Committee and Group Chief Corporate Officer of CapitaLand Limited, said, “CapitaLand is honoured to be ranked for the fourth consecutive year in the Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World by Corporate Knights and recognised as a ‘Bronze Class’ recipient for the first time among our six listings in the Sustainability Yearbook. These accolades are the results of our ongoing efforts to integrate sustainability into our business”.

He added, “The key performance indicators of Global 100 echo what is important to the stakeholder community. As a real estate developer, we are keenly aware of the importance of sustainability as our buildings have a lasting impact on the community. Our credo of ‘Building People. Building Communities’ drives us to operate sustainably and responsibly as it embodies our belief that the well-being of the communities we operate in is closely linked to the success of our business”.

Mr Michael Yow, Lead Analyst, Corporate Knights Capital, said, “As one of Asia’s leading real estate companies, the fact that CapitaLand made it to the Global 100 for the fourth consecutive time since 2012 clearly demonstrates the company’s continued commitment to sustainability, to strike the right balance in addressing the interests of its stakeholders - and CapitaLand does this really well”.

The latest accolades add to CapitaLand’s sustainability achievements across other top sustainability benchmarks such as Dow Jones Sustainability World and Asia Pacific Indices, Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmarking (GRESB), FTSE4Good, MSCI Global Sustainability Indices, STOXX ESG Leaders Indices and Channel NewsAsia Sustainability Ranking.

CapitaLand is one of the first companies in Singapore to voluntarily publish sustainability reports annually, which it has done since 2008.

It also remains the first and largest real estate company in Asia to achieve ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 certifications for its Environmental, Health and Safety Management System across 15 countries with its investment properties across Asia and Europe.

46

THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER January 2015

The 2015 Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations named are the top overall sustainability performers in their respective industries, selected from a starting universe of 4,609 listed companies with a market capitalisation greater than US$ 2 billion.

Companies were first screened based on sustainability disclosure, financial assessment, product category and sanctions in terms of sustainability-related fines, penalties or settlements. Shortlisted companies were then assessed, based on 12 quantitative sustainability indicators set out by Corporate Knights to assess resource, employee and financial management as follows: • Energy Productivity • Carbon Productivity • Water Productivity • Waste Productivity • Innovation Capacity • Percentage Tax Paid • CEO to Average Worker Pay • Pension Fund Status • Safety Performance • Employee Turnover • Leadership Diversity • Clean Capitalism Pay Link The Global 100 consists of companies with the top overall score in each Global Industry Classification Standard (GICS) sector, developed by MSCI and Standard & Poor’s. In order to match the industry composition of the benchmark, each sector is assigned a fixed number of slots in the Global 100. The ranking is based on publicly disclosed data such as financial statements and sustainability reports.

Sustainability Yearbook 2015 The Sustainability Yearbook 2015 looks back at companies’ sustainability performance in 2014, includes the best 15% across each of the 59 industries and ranks them Gold, Silver or Bronze.

In order to be listed in the Yearbook, companies must be within the top 15% of their industry and must achieve a score within 30% of their Industry Leader’s score. To further recognise best performers, companies with scores within a range of 5% to 10% from the score of the Industry Leader receive the RobecoSAM ‘Bronze Class’ distinction.

RobecoSAM’s annual Corporate Sustainability Assessment focuses on examining financially material factors that impact a company’s core business value drivers. Factors such as a company’s ability to innovate, attract and retain talent, or increase resource efficiency matter from an investor’s point of view because they impact a company’s competitive position and longterm financial performance. For investors, the Yearbook identifies companies that are strongly positioned to create long-term shareholder value.

Last year, a record number of companies participated in RobecoSAM’s Corporate Sustainability Assessment. Out of more than 3,000 companies that were invited, 830 companies from 42 different countries participated.

NEWS

Mobile app to help consumers reduce energy and water consumption SP Services has launched a new mobile app as part of a joint pilot between SP Services, EMA and PUB, to help consumers reduce energy and water consumption, lower their utilities bill and conserve the environment.

Besides the two features above, all users of My Utilities Portal will also be able to perform common utility transactions on-thego via the app, from viewing their bill and payment history to updating mailing addresses.

During the pilot, the new app will be available to about 310,000 consumers who have registered an online SP utilities account as of 15 September 2014. These consumers may download the app from the iTunes or Google Play Store, to access features ranging from their historical consumption data to usage audits.

The features of the new app include: • Home Utilities Audit: This lets users check the estimated utilities usage by their appliances at home and find out which are consuming the most energy and water. They can then set a savings target for their future bills.The app will provide steps on how to reduce their energy and water consumption to achieve those targets.

• Past consumption and peer comparison: Users can compare their energy and water consumption against the average and most efficient consumption by their neighbours. Users can also view their own consumption over the last six months.

Selected participants on the pilot will also receive a new e-bill or hardcopy letter providing this information.

Consumers can compare their energy and water consumption against the average and most efficient consumption of their neighbours

The pilot will run from January to April 2015. SP Services will use the results arising from this pilot to study how consumers respond to enhanced information feedback relating to energy and water usage before rolling out the application nationwide.

Managing Director of SP Services, Ms Jeanne Cheng, said, “We continuously look for ways to improve service touchpoints and customer experience. With the enhancements on our mobile and web platforms, we hope to raise customers’ awareness of energy efficiency and the importance of water conservation, which will also help them reduce their utility bills”.

Consumers can conduct a self-audit of their energy and water usage at home.

The mobile app can guide them on steps to take to reduce their energy and water consumption.

“Saving energy is a good way to help ensure a sustainable future.

The new app will enable homeowners to analyse their use of electricity and gas. It will empower them to make an informed decision on efficient use of energy, lower their utility bills and reduce their carbon footprint”, said Mr Yeo Yek Seng, EMA’s Acting Chief Executive.

“Water is a precious resource and small acts can go a long way in helping Singapore as a whole use water more efficiently. We hope that this mobile app will help consumers to be more mindful of how they use water in their daily lives and in the process reduce their water usage and bills”, said Mr Chong Hou Chun, Director of PUB’s Water Supply (Network) Department.

Consumers can view their bill and historical consumption, as well as receive energy and water conservation tips.

January 2015 THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER

47

NEWS

Continental opens new research and development extension building in Singapore Continental, a leading international automotive supplier, tyre manufacturer and industry partner has opened a new extension building to expand its R&D capabilities in Singapore. With a total capital investment of S$ 29.7 million (€ 18.3 million), the extension aims to meet the demand of growing engineering requirements in view of Continental’s worldwide business expansion and the growth of the automobile industry in Asia.

Continental is currently one of the best positioned automotive suppliers and industry partners in the world. In Asia, the company operates 29 R&D centres. Already in operation as a Continental subsidiary since 2007, Continental Automotive Singapore Pte Ltd is one of the company’s three largest Asian R&D centres.

“We want to grow stronger in Asia and have increased our sales in Asia to approximately € 6.4 billion in 2013.The Interior Division is constantly striving to increase sales in Asia. The opening of our new, large-scale development site in Singapore is a clear sign of our commitment to local development and production in Asia. The extension of our R&D centre in Singapore strongly supports Continental’s growth strategy in Asia”, said Mr Eelco Spoelder, Head of Instrumentation & Driver HMI Business Unit and Chairman of the Board of Continental Automotive Singapore Pte Ltd.

The official opening of the new extension building tied in nicely with Continental’s first Innovation & Technology day which was also open to the public.The exhibition showcased more than 30 exhibits of Continental in-car technologies and a key highlight of the exhibition was the Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) cars which were available for on-road demonstrations. The ITS car showcased the Smart City Parking which is the first of many future projects under the ITS MOU signed in May 2014.

From left to right, Mr Lo Kien Foh, Managing Director of Continental Automotive Singapore; Mr Lim Kok Kiang, Assistant Managing Director of the Singapore Economic Development Board; Mr Eelco Spoelder, Head of the Continental Instrumentation & Driver HMI Business Unit; and Dr Michael Witter, German Ambassador to Singapore, at the opening of Continental’s new R&D extension building.

“Continental’s expansion is testament to Singapore’s talented engineering workforce and conducive business environment. We are pleased that Singapore continues to be an ideal location for Continental to develop new products and systems for Asia and beyond”, said Mr Lim Kok Kiang, Assistant Managing Director, Singapore Economic Development Board.

The new extension building accommodates around 450 employees and provides a total floor space of 5,000 m2.

“The number of Continental’s employees in Singapore has grown from about 650 in July 2012 to more than 900 today.

Great progress has been evident with the significant increase in workforce just over a span of two years. With this aggressive extension plan, we commit to use local knowledge, in collaboration with our international teams, to serve customers globally and aim to offer innovative, intelligent and sustainable solutions. We will continue to grow in manpower and technical competence to more than 1300 employees within the next few years”, said Mr Lo Kien Foh, Managing Director of Continental Singapore Pte Ltd. Continental Automotive Singapore’s new extension building will house R&D and administrative offices from four Business Units of the Interior Division, namely Instrumentation & Driver HMI, Infotainment and Connectivity, Body and Security and Commercial Vehicles and Aftermarket, as well as ContiTech and the Tires Division.

48

THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER January 2015

Continental’s new R&D extension building.

ADVERTISERS’ INDEX MANAGEMENT DEVELOPMENT –––––– INSIDE FRONT INSTITUTE OF SINGAPORE COVER IMI HYDRONIC ENGINEERING PTE LTD –––––– PAGE 3 LUMA GROUP LIGHTING –––––––––– OUTSIDE BACK PTE LTD COVER WES 2015 –––––––––––––––––––––––––––– PAGE 10 & 11

The IES Journal Part A: Civil & Structural Engineering Vol. 8 is finally available with new cover design!

Members exclusive rates: SG$100/yr (U.P. US$295)

Now indexed by SCOPUS and Compendex, the IES Journal is written by world renowned researchers and practitioners. The Journal provides a forum for the dissemination of original research and developments in civil & structural engineering.

The papers cover a wide range of engineering issues in structural, geotechnical, water resources, environmental and infrastructural fields, and offer a focused, vibrant and timely communication tool for researchers, consultants and industry practitioners.

Subscribe to the IES Journal Part A: Civil and Structural Engineering Vol.8 at an exclusive rate of SG$100/yr (U.P. US$295) for IES members only.

The 2015 volume of the IES Journal Part A is published on a quarterly basis. Visit the publisher’s website at http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals/tiea for more information as well as a sample copy.

For further enquiries, please call Rebekah Yeo at 64695000 or email rebekah.yeo@iesnet.org.sg Self-reading of this journal by PEs may be used to apply for PDU (unstructured) points.