Power for cogeneration at plastics plant

Siemens Gas and Power will provide three 33 MW SGT-700B industrial gas turbines for a Long-Term Program (LTP) with Ascend Performance Materials’ nylon intermediate and specialty chemicals facility in Decatur, Alabama, USA.

This project will allow Ascend Performance Materials to retire assets that currently provide process steam for the facility, derived in part from coal.

The US $175 million plan expansion will construct energy cogeneration units, which the company said will reduce emissions by more than 60% at the facility and accelerate the growth of expanding its core businesses. The Decatur plant is one of only four in the world that produces the chemical compound adiponitrile, or ADN, on a large scale. ADN is used in the production of nylon.

The LTP is scheduled for eight years. Under the terms, Siemens Gas and Power will perform all scheduled outages for the duration of the program. The LTP also calls for Siemens Gas and Power to upgrade, at the time of the first inspection, the B-series generators to C-series models (35 MW rating) to operate in a cogeneration application.

The gas turbines will be manufactured in Siemens Gas and Power’s Finspång, Sweden plant in time for project commissioning, which is expected in Q4 2021.

The SGT-700 gas turbine, with a 6500-rpm, two-stage uncooled free-power turbine that may operate at 50 to 105% of its nominal shaft speed, is designed for higher output and efficiency under a range of operating conditions. And with its high exhaust heat and ability to handle sudden load changes, the SGT-700 is ideal for simple cycle, combined cycle, cogeneration, and other heating applications, the company said.

“Ascend Performance Materials knew that gen-sets would help them meet their future power generation needs while also lowering their emissions,” said Gabriel Popescu, vice president of Siemens Energy Oil & Gas Services, North America. “They expressed that much of the reason they selected Siemens Gas and Power is the confidence they have in us and our product. We have supplied other power generation equipment to Ascend in the past, and we have the manufacturing and logistics expertise to support their future power needs within a very short delivery window.”

“This project is transformational for our company, and we’re pleased to have Siemens Gas and Power as our supplier,” said Phil McDivitt, president and CEO of Ascend. “Their proven track record and our shared commitment to sustainability make Siemens Gas and Power a natural choice for a partnership.”