26/06/2022

Steam turbine

We are pleased to announce that the works on the preparation of a key element of the Waste to Energy plant have been completed. This relates to the steam turbine, which will be delivered to the capital of Warmia and Mazury at the end of September 2022.

The steam turbine together with the boiler is the heart WtE. It converts the heat energy obtained in the boiler from the waste incineration process into mechanical energy The machine will drive the generator via a gearbox installed on the turbine frame. At the same time, steam will be transferred from the turbine to the heat exchangers, which will be used to heat water in the district heating network.

The turbine was manufactured at Doosan Škoda Power in Plzeň, Czech Republic. Its commission acceptance took place in the middle of June. The technical condition of this core element of the installation, on behalf of @Dobra Energia for Olsztyn, was carried out by @Sebastian Metka. He was accompanied by representatives of the general contractor, i.e. Doosan Lentjes and Doosan Enerbility.

Talking about thermal waste conversion installations, this key element, chosen especially for the plant in Olsztyn, can be considered unique in the whole country. It is due to a so-called “back-pressure turbine”, which makes it possible to maximise the heat from waste incineration for the production of electricity and heat. As a result WtE achieves very high energy efficiency. From the energy stream contained in the waste delivered to WtE boiler (with a capacity of 48 MW), the turbine-generator can generate approximately 11 MW of electrical power and 32 MW of thermal power. Such capacity will cover around 35% of heat demand of Olsztyn’s residents and will result in producing over 73,000 MWh of electricity , which translates, among other things, into more than 83,000 hundred-watt light bulbs being lit 24 hours a day, all year round.

In addition to the production of the turbine, a huge logistical challenge will be its transportation. The  turbine unit alone, without operating fluids (including 8 m3 of oil) and valve drives, weighs more than 70 tonnes. The weight of accessories such as the control and automation cabinet, the frame for the generator and the weight of the electricity generator itself must be added to the above as well, which is another several tonnes. The turbine will be delivered to Olsztyn by road. This will be a so-called oversize transport.

The delivery of the turbine to the construction site is scheduled for 29 September this year. The journey of the component from the Czech Republic to Olsztyn will take approximately two days. The electricity generator, however, will be delivered to WtE on the same day by a separate transport, which will travel all the way from India.