Chinese power units start up ahead of schedule

Successful installation and start-up of Emerson Ovation control system helps two new Yuhuan ultra-supercritical power units synchronise to the power grid eight months ahead of schedule

Emerson Process Management has announced that its Ovation expert control system has been successfully implemented at Huaneng Yuhuan Power Plant Units 1 and 2.

Emerson won the USD7 million contract to automate the four unit, 4000-MW, coal-fired plant in April 2005.

The plant, which is owned by Huaneng Power International, is the first 1000-MW-per-unit power plant in China, as well as the country's first to use ultra-supercritical technologies.

Unit 1 of the Huaneng Yuhuan facility successfully completed the 168-hour performance test - a significant milestone for new plants coming online - on 28 Nov 2006 - making it China's first 1,000-MW ultra-supercritical unit in commercial operation.

Unit 2 synchronised to the power grid just weeks later, on 15 Dec 2006, and completed the 168-hour performance test on 30 Dec 2006.

It is estimated that about 11 billion KWh of electricity will be generated by these two ultra-supercritical units annually.

Start-up of Units 3 and 4 - Phase 2 of the project - is slated for 2008.

The Emerson Power and Water Solutions industry centre designed the comprehensive control strategy, and co-ordinated and supervised the engineering and installation of the Ovation control system.

The Ovation system, which boasts a number of industry-leading advanced technologies and is a key component of Emerson PlantWeb digital plant architecture, monitors and controls the data acquisition system, modulating control system, sequence control system, furnace safeguard supervisory system, and electrical control system for all major plant components, including the boiler, turbine, generator and balance of plant processes.

"When selecting a control system for this ground-breaking facility, we wanted a proven solution that offered superior technology, engineering and support.

As we anticipated, we found the Ovation system to be reliable, user-friendly and efficient - factors that contributed to our ability to put the plant into commercial operation eight months ahead of schedule," said Mr Wu Hechun, a supervisor in the Huaneng Power International Instrument and Control division: "In recognition of the exceptional Emerson products and dedicated field engineers, Yuhuan Power International has honoured the company with a supplier award of excellence".

The Emerson Ovation system was designed and built for the power generation industry and has been proven in thousands of installations.

Ultra-supercritical plants use new advanced clean coal technology that allows operation at elevated steam temperatures and pressures.

Ultra-supercritical technologies are expected to become more prevalent in China because they can boost the efficiency of coal-based electricity generation by more than 50 percent, while maintaining superior environmental performance.

Yuhuan Units 1 and 2 are currently the cleanest, most efficient and most advanced ultra-supercritical units in the world, as illustrated by the plant thermal efficiency, which is more than 45 percent (compared with a typical sub-critical plant thermal efficiency of 30-38 percent), as well as a fuel conversion rate of less than 288.5 grams/KWh (0.64 lbs./KWh).

"Over the years, Emerson has been honoured to play a role in a number of pioneering power projects," said Bob Yeager, president of Emerson Power and Water Solutions: "We are especially pleased to be involved in this project, which in addition to meeting the growing electricity needs of China, marks a significant accomplishment for the power generation industry in general, and Yuhuan Power International in particular".

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