COGENERATION

3,300 KWE COGENERATION SYSTEM SUPPLIED TO A CERAMIC MANUFACTURER IN ITALY

AB ENERGY SPA has supplied and installed a methane-fuelled ECOMAX 33- a 3,300 KWE CHP system - to a site in Maranello (MO).Italy, owned by Gruppo Cerdisa Ricchetti, leader in Italy in the production of quality ceramic coatings. The installation was carried out by the White Energy Group who specified an ECOMAX 33 supplied by AB. The cogeneration plant will save 1,400 TOE during the company’s production cycle, equal to a reduction of 2,800 tons of CO2 emitted every year. “In looking for ways to to reduce the environmental impact of an energy-intensive company like ours, the support of White Energy Group and partners has been very important,” comments Marco Fregni, CEO of Ceramiche Ricchetti. “ This was a plant which was built quickly and without impeding the normal activities of the facility. This allows us to cut both costs and emission pollutants.” The ECOMAX - Model 33 - Methane Gas Cogeneration Plants from ABB is part of the ECOMAX Natural Gas line available to the industrial and commercial sector cogeneration plants fuelled with methane gas, which combine structural compactness and versatility with high energy performance. Thanks to the savings on fuel costs for producing electricity and heat, cogeneration represents a competitive advantage for companies which decide to use it, points out AB ENERGY - there is also the security of a constant supply of the energy necessary for the different processes to consider as a benefit. Through the solutions of the ECOMAX® Natural Gas Line it is possible to produce electricity and heat starting from a single fossil source, natural gas. Electricity can be used for industrial use, for civil heating or for cooling and air conditioning systems (trigeneration). A spokesperson comments: “AB specialists identify the plant which is most compatible with the energy needs and with the technologies already present in the company. Great flexibility is guaranteed by the nature of ECOMAX® and the generation solution is distributed as a modular package. This has brought innovation all over the world.” The technology offers the following advantages: *Easy configuration, which meets the needs of all markets *Ease of transport and installation *Time and risk optimization in the installation and commissioning phase *Interconnection with existing plant systems *Availability of service assistance even in difficult situations. ECOMAX® is said to offer the ideal solution for the efficiency of energy-intensive structures. Suitable for many industrial, tertiary and service sectors, cogeneration responds effectively to the needs of energy-intensive realities, characterized by high consumption of heat and electricity. In fact, a cogeneration plant simultaneously produces electricity and thermal energy from a single energy source inside an integrated system. This is why we use the phrase combined heat and power. Therefore, using the same fuel (natural gas) to generate two energy carriers (electricity and heat) makes it possible to increase the effective use of the source fuel up to 85%, with the resulting reduction in energy costs and CO₂ emissions, compared to the separate production of electricity and heat. The use of the heat generated during the process, which would otherwise be lost, allows cogeneration to obtain the highest levels of energy efficiency and performance, with the advantage of being able to manage energy production continuously, reliably and safely. A cogeneration plant consists of an Otto cycle engine, powered, in this case, by natural gas, which produces mechanical energy that is conveyed through an alternator to generate low voltage electricity, which is then transformed into medium voltage electricity. Heat recovery takes place on two fronts: * from the engine cooling water, using a plate-type heat exchanger that allows obtaining high-temperature water; *from the flue gas fumes, which, being close to 400°, can be used to produce hot water, superheated water, steam or diathermic oil through a boiler, or be used pure in the process. Energy produced includes electric power (to be sold to the network) and thermal energy. The simultaneous production of electricity and heat allows a reduction of over 30% in the consumption of raw energy sources, bringing the total efficiency of the process to 85%. Since the energy produced will be used mainly by the company that produces it, transmission and distribution losses that occur when electricity circulates on normal electricity networks are also avoided. Cogeneration from natural gas allows a significant commitment towards protecting the environment: the greater efficiency of the energy production process leads to less CO2 and greenhouse gas emissions, with a consequent reduction in the environmental impact. Cogeneration is an ideal solution for areas which are frequently affected by blackouts or with low performance or non-widespread networks.

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