Benefits of MS 6001B Gas Turbine in Cogeneration: The UEM Power Plant Case

Abstract

Long before the neologism “Cogeneration” was coined (around 1978), UEM’s Chambière Power Plant—which dates back to the turn of the century—was already supplying the city of Metz, east of France, with combined heat and power. In 1992, Chambière experienced a major turning point in its history with the installation of a new unit based on one MS 6001B “Heavy Duty” gas turbine. This model, rated 38 MWe-ISO and burning natural gas or fuel oil, has become the core of a new cogeneration unit exhibiting outstanding performance: • efficiency higher than 80 percent (LHV) providing a 20 percent energy saving in comparison to a conventional plant, • low pollutant emissions (NOx , CO, HC) and low contribution to the greenhouse effect (CO2 ). The gas turbine has been equipped with two steam injection devices, for DeNOx and power augmentation, respectively, resulting in a very flexible system. After describing the power plant and giving its main achievements in the fields of energy and emissions, the paper briefly presents several improvements intended to protect both the turbine and the environment.