Cogeneration pays off for Security Pacific

Journal Article · Thu Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1983 · Pipe Line Ind.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6771364

The electrical supply is so critical to an operations center that all such facilities should have a standby generating capability, according to Russell A. Silliman, Vice President of The Austin Company. The size of such a system would depend on the degree of the owner's desire for protection, and local electric utility regulations. As an example, Silliman cited the decision by Security Pacific National Bank to install gas turbines and cogenerate electricity at its new Brea Operations Center in Brea, Calif. Now, when conditions permit, the Brea Operations Center is in a position to sell electricity to Southern California Edison. Austin conducted some studies that indicated the cogeneration system would pay out in four years, based on 1979 fuel costs. The Brea Operations Center burns natural gas (a 30-inch gas line runs through the site) in three Allison 501 jet engines that generate 3.0 megawatts of power each. Two turbines power the building, and one is on standby. The power system was sized to carry the facility's entire initial load of 6000 KVA using three steam turbine generators to supplement the gas turbine units. The waste heat from each gas turbine exhaust is put through a waste-heat boiler to generate steam. The steam is piped to two 1.8 megawatt Trane-Murray steam generators to develop additional electricity. Heat exhausted from steam turbines is recovered by a forced hot water system which is piped to two 1,400-ton absorption chillers. The chillers supply chilled water to the building as well as to the data processing equipment. The initial building cooling load is 1,500 tons, with future load estimated at 2,500 tons. There are two 750-ton electric centrifugal chillers available in case the absorption chillers require maintenance shut-down or the Brea Operations Center is forced to take power from Southern California Edison. Also, there is a 10-day standby supply of oil for the gas turbines in case of interruption of the natural gas line.

• OSTI ID: 6771364
• Journal Information: Pipe Line Ind.; (United States), Journal Name: Pipe Line Ind.; (United States) Vol. 56:6; ISSN PLINA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
320304* -- Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization-- Industrial & Agricultural Processes-- Waste Heat Recovery & Utilization
AUXILIARY SYSTEMS
BOILERS
COGENERATION
COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS
DEUS
ENERGY SOURCES
ENERGY SYSTEMS
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUEL GAS
FUELS
GAS FUELS
GASES
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
NATURAL GAS
ON-SITE POWER GENERATION
PAYBACK PERIOD
POWER GENERATION
PUBLIC ENTERPRISES
STEAM GENERATION
STEAM GENERATORS
VAPOR GENERATORS
WASTE HEAT UTILIZATION
WASTE PRODUCT UTILIZATION