Chemical Engineering December 2022 - 47

Siemens Energy
At most power plants, this is typically
done using diesel generators.
The battery system has the power
and capacity to provide three sequential
black starts of the newly
installed SGT-800 gas turbine
without recharging.
Siemens Energy is also supportFIGURE
2. A battery storage system ensured black
start capability of BASF's power plant, meaning that
site power was restored without relying on external
power networks
engine exchange at Schwarzheide
presented many unique challenges
for the project team, including
working in close quarters. Any vibration
during assembly or installation
of the SGT-800 turbine could
cause a shutdown of the second
running gas turbine, thus disrupting
energy supply to the plant and
impacting production.
A critical feature of the SGT-800
engine is its dry low-emissions
(DLE) combustion system, which
is capable of burning a wide range
of liquid and gas fuels, including
those with a high content of inert
gases and heavy hydrocarbons,
including diesel. The engine can
also handle fuels that contain up
to 75% hydrogen by volume. The
combustor and burner designs offer
single-digit CO emission levels and
emissions from oxides of nitrogen
(NOx) ranging from 9-15 parts per
million (ppm) over a wide range of
operating parameters.
Swapping out the old gas turbine
with the SGT-800 enabled BASF to
increase the power line's output by
more than 15% - from 40 MW to
52 MW. The existing generator in
the plant was also refurbished. This
consisted of revamping the direction
of rotation, optimizing the flowside
inlet channels in the rotor winding
and modifying the base frame.
Together, the combination of the
new gas turbine and refurbished
generator, along with several other
facility upgrades, resulted in a 4%
increase in the efficiency of the
power plant, translating into lower
fuel costs per kilowatt-hour and a
reduction in total GHG emissions
of around 16%.
Additionally, a battery energystorage
system was installed for
emergency power supply (Figure
2). The battery enables the black
start of the power plant without
relying on external power sources.
ing proactive risk management for
the gas turbine, including remote
monitoring and degradation forecasting.
In addition, where necessary,
augmented reality (AR) tools
will be utilized so that equipment
experts can remotely guide BASF
maintenance staff in isolating and
troubleshooting potential problems.
In this way, plant personnel
will have critical information available
remotely without Siemens
Energy personnel having to be
physically onsite.
Embracing partnerships
Even with a new gas turbine, refurbished
generator and modifications
made to the power plant at
the Schwarzheide production site,
the brownfield exchange was completed
with a much lower capital
investment than would have been
required if BASF had elected for
a complete power plant rebuild
(greenfield project).
The close cooperation between
Siemens Energy and BASF played
a critical role in smooth execution.
Each company was very transparent
throughout the process and
duly included each other to help
manage risks. Because of this, the
project was a success, and should
serve as a model in what is possible
when there is a clear vision for
decarbonization and extensive cocreation
between a chemical plant
operator and a power plant OEM. ■
Edited by Mary Page Bailey
Author
Bernd Kuenstler (Email: bernd.
kuenstler@siemens-energy.com)
joined Siemens in 2009 as part of
Siemens Turbomachinery Equipment
GmbH in Frankenthal, Germany.
In 2010, he joined the regional
sales department of the
Industrial Application Service and
since then has worked closely
with many customers in the
greater Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland and Hesse regions
from Mannheim and Mainz. In 2016, he became
part of the Siemens Account Management team for
BASF and assumed the key account manager role for
BASF when Siemens Energy was founded in 2020.
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