1. Whitesand First Nation Case Study Preliminary Engineering Study 2012
Exploring Small Scale Biomass Fired Organic Rankin Cycle Technology As A Northern Ontario Energy Solution Workshop
Confederation College Thunder Bay Ontario March 13th, 2013

2. Whitesand First Nation Case Study
The Whitesand First Nation Biomass Energy Project proposes the construction of a green biomass fueled electrical power and heat Cogeneration Plant to be located near the Whitesand FN and the Armstrong Ontario community site. The new constructed plant proposed site will include the green biomass fueled electrical power and heat 3MWe Cogeneration Plant and a separate company solid wood fuel 8 MTPH Pellet Plant. Additional or waste heat is required from the Cogeneration Plant to operate the Pellet Mill biomass feedstock dryer, generate low pressure process steam and site building heat.
Genivar was contracted via Whitesand First Nation’s project lead Great North Bio Energy (GNBE) to complete a preliminary engineering study in early to GNBE. Scope was to examine available technology and produce a project budget estimate Opinion of Cost at a % accuracy.
Exploring Small Scale Biomass Fired Organic Rankin Cycle Technology As A Northern Ontario Energy Solution Workshop

3. Whitesand First Nation Case Study
The Whitesand First Nation, Armstrong and the railway town of Collins are currently provided electrical power on a local grid with the electrical powered by a Hydro One Remotes Diesel Generation Plant equipped with three 1 MWe diesel engine power generators.
Energy for the new facility will be normally provided by the on-site Wood Biomass Heat Source and Electrical Cogeneration System. Additional electrical power will be exported from the site and tied into the existing community local power grid. The existing grid diesel powered generators will be shut down but maintained as emergency power backup source available 24 / 7.
The proposed Plant Site is on the south side of the road across from the existing Hydro One Remotes Diesel Generation Plant.
Exploring Small Scale Biomass Fired Organic Rankin Cycle Technology As A Northern Ontario Energy Solution Workshop

4. Whitesand First Nation Case Study
Exploring Small Scale Biomass Fired Organic Rankin Cycle Technology As A Northern Ontario Energy Solution Workshop

5. Whitesand First Nation Case Study
Information from several past years shows the community typical average power requirement is 0.5MWe, with a minimum of about 0.3MWe & a maximum of about 0.7MWe. The estimated required electrical power generation for running the green biomass fueled electrical power and heat Cogeneration Plant along with the Pellet Plant is 2.2MWe. Thus for the worst seasonal case in order to operate the Cogeneration Plant, the Pellet Plant, and supply the nearby communities, 3MWe electrical power is required.
The project design energy island net electric power output is to be 3 MWe minimum while also delivering export heat for the pellet plant biomass feedstock drying and site building winter heating. The energy export component required for biomass drying requires 16 MW of heat or 55,816 PPH of steam at 22 PSIG. Also additional export heat of 1.23 million BTU/hr. at is required for site buildings winter heating demand. A small amount 1,350 PPH at 150 PSIG direct supplied steam or from an onsite electrical power steam generation boiler may also required for the Pelleting Process.
Exploring Small Scale Biomass Fired Organic Rankin Cycle Technology As A Northern Ontario Energy Solution Workshop

6. Whitesand First Nation Case Study
GENIVAR was requested by Great North Bio Energy Inc. to quickly investigate the type of biomass fueled heat and electrical production energy systems that would best suit the proposed location industrial processes.
The closed and open thermal cycle technologies assessed initially were:
1. Steam Rankin Cycle
2. Gasification
3. Organic Rankin Cycle (ORC)
Exploring Small Scale Biomass Fired Organic Rankin Cycle Technology As A Northern Ontario Energy Solution Workshop

7. Whitesand First Nation Case Study
GENIVAR was requested by Great North Bio Energy Inc. to quickly investigate the type of biomass fueled heat and electrical production energy systems that would best suit the proposed location industrial processes.
In the following table we rate the three technologies in a variety of categories within the scales (1 being worst and 5 being best)
Based on the evaluation, Steam Cycle and ORC Technologies were chosen to be looked at in greater depth.
Exploring Small Scale Biomass Fired Organic Rankin Cycle Technology As A Northern Ontario Energy Solution Workshop

8. Whitesand First Nation Case Study
Steam Rankin Cycle
The Steam Rankin Cycle is a commonly used Thermal Cycle for power generation. The technology associated with steam cycles involves the burning of biomass with excess oxygen in a boiler to produce steam, and then the steam is passed through a steam turbine expanding which drives a connected electric generator. The steam is condensed and returned to the boiler for reheating and repeat of the cycle.
Exploring Small Scale Biomass Fired Organic Rankin Cycle Technology As A Northern Ontario Energy Solution Workshop

9. Whitesand First Nation Case Study
Steam Rankin Cycle
The Global Energy Solutions Inc. Hurst Steam Boiler package system obtained for this study produces 65,000 PPH of superheated steam at 405 psig 750F. The plant total heat demands can be fulfilled in this project by using an Extraction Condensing Type Steam Turbine. This Hurst biomass steam boiler system provided by Global Energy Solutions Inc. has been grouped with a Turbo-Tech 5,485 HP / 3.2 MWe Multi-stage extraction and condensing Steam Turbine Package. This is a low cost, high efficiency integrally geared Turbo-Generator on a common skid base that is imported from India.
The total produced steam flow from the Steam Boiler is fed into the Turbine. At an intermediate turbine stage, a portion of the steam at a lower pressure and temperature is extracted for use in the Pelleting biomass feedstock belt dryer, process direct steam and for building heating.
Exploring Small Scale Biomass Fired Organic Rankin Cycle Technology As A Northern Ontario Energy Solution Workshop

10. Whitesand First Nation Case Study
Steam Rankin Cycle
The Steam Power Boiler Heat Source paired with a Steam Turbine power generation system generally is a more complicated system to operate and maintain then a Thermal Oil Heat Source paired with ORC Power Generation. It therefore requires higher technical qualified and Ontario certified operators on site. This can be a staffing problem for a remote site removed from larger communities.
Steam Boiler and Steam Turbines Systems have a long life span and require routine ongoing maintenance and a single annual preventative maintenance shutdown for the biomass Furnace / Steam Boiler. The steam boiler makeup water supply does require close monitoring and physically conditioning / chemical additives to prevent damage internally in the steam boiler. Also if the site has limited water availability as in this project, then steam condenser cooling system design and components will have to be for air cooling only which will usually impact capital costs higher.
Exploring Small Scale Biomass Fired Organic Rankin Cycle Technology As A Northern Ontario Energy Solution Workshop

11. Whitesand First Nation Case Study
Steam Rankin Cycles
Exploring Small Scale Biomass Fired Organic Rankin Cycle Technology As A Northern Ontario Energy Solution Workshop

12. Whitesand First Nation Case Study
Steam Rankin Cycle
Steam cycles offer an excellent technology for projects above 10 MWe due to their Capital cost/megawatt of output. Rule of Thumb on larger systems is a Project Cost of $4 million per MWe. Below 10 MWe, the capital cost associated with the per MWe generated and technology reduces their attractiveness historically with project capital cost rising to $6 + million per MWe.
The Global Energy Solutions Inc. proposal for a Hurst biomass steam boiler system combined with a Turbo-Tech imported 3.2 MWe Steam Turbine Package is a very cost effective package for a complete quality small scale 3 MWe power plant . The complete plant has been estimated at $4.5 to $5 million per MWe capital cost.
Exploring Small Scale Biomass Fired Organic Rankin Cycle Technology As A Northern Ontario Energy Solution Workshop

13. Whitesand First Nation Case Study
Steam Rankin Cycle
Exploring Small Scale Biomass Fired Organic Rankin Cycle Technology As A Northern Ontario Energy Solution Workshop

14. Whitesand First Nation Case Study
Steam Rankin Cycle
Exploring Small Scale Biomass Fired Organic Rankin Cycle Technology As A Northern Ontario Energy Solution Workshop

15. Whitesand First Nation Case Study
Steam Rankin Cycle
Exploring Small Scale Biomass Fired Organic Rankin Cycle Technology As A Northern Ontario Energy Solution Workshop

16. Whitesand First Nation Case Study
Steam Rankin Cycle Steam Turbine & Air Cooled Condenser
Exploring Small Scale Biomass Fired Organic Rankin Cycle Technology As A Northern Ontario Energy Solution Workshop

17. Whitesand First Nation Case Study
Steam Rankin Cycle Steam Turbine Air Cooled Condenser – Biomass Dryer
Exploring Small Scale Biomass Fired Organic Rankin Cycle Technology As A Northern Ontario Energy Solution Workshop

18. Whitesand First Nation Case Study
Organic Rankin Cycle (ORC)
Organic Rankin Cycle is classified as a Closed Thermal Cycle and is currently promoted in North America by Turboden / Pratt & Whitney. Turboden has 120+ installations in Europe in the 1-2 MWe size range. The technology involves combustion of biomass in a furnace / heat source, transferring the heat to a carrier fluid usually thermal oil that is heated up. The thermal oil at 250C to 310C then is used to transfer the heat energy into an organic fluid in order to vaporize it.
The vaporized organic fluid, usually silicon oil would then circulate and expand through ORC turbine driving the connected electrical generator to generate electricity. The organic fluid is routed through heat exchanger(s) which cool and condense the organic fluid so that it can be reheated for a new cycle. The large amount of heat removed into the Cooling Water (90- 93C) in order to condense the organic fluid can be used for other processes such drying biomass feedstock and winter building heating.
Exploring Small Scale Biomass Fired Organic Rankin Cycle Technology As A Northern Ontario Energy Solution Workshop

19. Whitesand First Nation Case Study
Organic Rankin Cycle (ORC)
Exploring Small Scale Biomass Fired Organic Rankin Cycle Technology As A Northern Ontario Energy Solution Workshop

20. Whitesand First Nation Case Study
Organic Rankin Cycle (ORC)
Exploring Small Scale Biomass Fired Organic Rankin Cycle Technology As A Northern Ontario Energy Solution Workshop

21. Whitesand First Nation Case Study
Organic Rankin Cycle (ORC)
2 MWe Unit
Exploring Small Scale Biomass Fired Organic Rankin Cycle Technology As A Northern Ontario Energy Solution Workshop

22. Whitesand First Nation Case Study
Organic Rankin Cycle (ORC)
Below 10 MWe, for biomass power plants the capital cost associated with the per MWe generated and technology reduces their attractiveness historically with project capital cost rising to $6 + million per MWe.
Turboden provides an ORC Power Generation System skid complete with transfer heat exchangers and 4160 Volt electrical generator. The package at this projects power generation size is available for purchase at around $1.25 million per MWe. To this base package in order to complete, additional costing must be added for buildings, foundations, primary biomass receiving / unloading, extended dried biomass storage, heat source furnace producing hot primary fluid, auxiliary equipment / services, a prepared construction site, all required process lines, fluids, pumps, air systems, electrical transformers, insulation, and installation labor for equipment …etc.
The complete cost effective package (green biomass Heat Source + ORC) for a quality small scale biomass fueled Turboden ORC 3 MWe module power plant has been estimated at $4 to $5 million per MWe capital cost.
Exploring Small Scale Biomass Fired Organic Rankin Cycle Technology As A Northern Ontario Energy Solution Workshop

23. Whitesand First Nation Case Study
Organic Rankin Cycle (ORC)
The Thermal Oil Heat Source paired with an ORC power generation system generally is a less complicated system to operate and maintain and elsewhere in the world requiring less technical qualified operators on the site.
The operation of the ORC plant is fully automatic in normal operating conditions as well as in shut down procedures without any need of supervision personnel. In case of fault conditions with system influencing effects, the ORC plant will be switched off automatically from the thermal oil circuit and from the electrical grid.
The sealed Turboden ORC systems generally require 3-5 hours mtce /week & one annual 2-4 day maintenance shutdown for inspection and routine maintenance that is provide under contract by Turboden.
Exploring Small Scale Biomass Fired Organic Rankin Cycle Technology As A Northern Ontario Energy Solution Workshop

24. Whitesand First Nation Case Study
Organic Rankin Cycle (ORC)
The ORC system is ideally suited for a site where large amounts of thermal heat are required as generally the ORC converts 80% of its fuel input energy into heat energy (recovered from cooling down the ORC working fluid) and only 20% into electrical power generation.
16MW Thermal to Biomass Dryer
3.2MW Electrical Power
Exploring Small Scale Biomass Fired Organic Rankin Cycle Technology As A Northern Ontario Energy Solution Workshop

25. Whitesand First Nation Case Study
Organic Rankin Cycle (ORC)
Exploring Small Scale Biomass Fired Organic Rankin Cycle Technology As A Northern Ontario Energy Solution Workshop

26. Whitesand First Nation Case Study
Organic Rankin Cycle (ORC)
Exploring Small Scale Biomass Fired Organic Rankin Cycle Technology As A Northern Ontario Energy Solution Workshop

27. Whitesand First Nation Case Study
Organic Rankin Cycle (ORC) Plant Layout
Heat Source
Biomass
ESP
ORC
Exploring Small Scale Biomass Fired Organic Rankin Cycle Technology As A Northern Ontario Energy Solution Workshop

28. Whitesand First Nation Case Study
Organic Rankin Cycle (ORC) Air Cooled Condenser – Biomass Dryer
Exploring Small Scale Biomass Fired Organic Rankin Cycle Technology As A Northern Ontario Energy Solution Workshop

29. Whitesand First Nation Case Study
Proposed Whitesand Power Plant & Pellet Plant Site Layout
Hydro One Remotes Diesel Generation Plant
Pellet Plant
Biomass Piles
Power Plant
Exploring Small Scale Biomass Fired Organic Rankin Cycle Technology As A Northern Ontario Energy Solution Workshop

30. Thank You
Exploring Small Scale Biomass Fired Organic Rankin Cycle Technology As A Northern Ontario Energy Solution Workshop