The University of Alberta added a second Steam Turbine Generator (TG2) at the campus Heating Plant to optimise the use of their steam and power generation assets.
The University selected a condensing unit with a high pressure section to accept main steam, and an extraction point to that from the exhaust of the existing turbine TG1 used to satisfy the campus heating load. The turbine generator is equipped with an air cooled condenser.
The new 25 MW turbine generator, TG2, supplements the power generation of the existing TG1 during times when the campus demand for steam exceeds the capacity of TG1 to supply it, and the cost of import power is greater than the cost of generating condensing power in TG2.
The new TG2 was installed with TG1 fully operational requiring special care during the civil works to ensure that TG1’s operation was not interrupted. In addition, tie-ins to the main steam lines were arranged at times when campus demand was low enough to allow the main steam system to be out of service without impacting the university campus.