Utility companies processes

All process plants require both steam and electric power in their operations. Power is cither purchased from local utility companies or generated at the plant site. Even if power is generated by the process plant, arrangements for standby power from the local utility must be made for emergency purposes. Steam is rarely purchased but is generated at the plant for use in the process and as a driving medium for pumps and compressors. 

This term includes, power, steam, compressed air, cooling and process water, and effluent treatment unless costed separately. The quantities required can be obtained from the energy balances and the flow-sheets. The prices should be taken from Company records, if available. They will depend on the primary energy sources and the plant location. The figures given in Table 6.5 can be used to make preliminary estimates. The current cost of utilities supplied by the utility companies electricity, gas and water, can be obtained from their local area offices. 

A plant is proposing to install a combined heat and power system to supply electrical power and process steam. Power is currently taken from a utility company and steam is generated using on-site boilers. 

Under utilities should be included the costs for items that enter the plant but do not enter directly into the material formulation of the products or by-products. This includes coal, oil, gas, electricity, water, air, and inert gases. The amounts of cooling, process, and potable water should each be specified. Potable water is water that can be used for drinking and food preparation. It is usually purchased from a nearby municipality. The average electrical power required, peak power required, and demand power need to be calculated. Demand power is the number of kilowatts of energy that the utility company agrees to supply on an uninterrupted basis. A premium price is charged for this power. 

Organo-modified natural zeolites as new tailored natural materials for removal of cations, anions and even organic pollutants may present fairly large potential for water utility companies. The topic of this study was to examine the oxyanions removal from waters by octadecylammonium-enriched inland clinoptilolite. The 18-carbon chain consisting surfactant attached on the clinoptilolite surface, as to the organic acids of living bodies comparable substances, makes the treatment process economic on scale and cost-effective as well.7... 

The choice of fluoride compound is dictated by technical aspects of the treatment process. Sodium fluoride is easily handled, and tends to be used by smaller utility companies. The fluorosilicates are more difficult to handle, and are employed by larger utilities, where the reduced costs of large volumes... 

The conversion of power systems and replacement of a fraction of them, can proceed vigorously, since production and scaleup of systems utilizing this process can be very rapid. Except for the cores, all fabrication, parts, techniques, tooling, and other procedures are simple and standard and very economical— and are already on hand and used by a great many manufacturing companies worldwide. 

The acceptance of new technology requires that confidence in system reliability must be built through the intense large-scale testing of promising flue gas treatment systems. Such large-scale testing must be undertaken by both the public and private sectors at both utility and industrial boiler sites. The results of these tests must then be disseminated rapidly by all available means to utility companies, boiler manufacturers, and flue gas treatment process vendors. Responsibility for this research should be shared by all concerned. 

Japan was the first country to do this, starting with SCR for the removal of NOx from gas, coal and oil-fired power plants [63]. Utility companies in Japan introduced the catalytic SCR process as early as 1972. At present, many countries utilize SCR with Germany and Japan being the leading countries. Although priority is currently given to combustion modifications for NOx control in European countries, extended operation of catalytic SCR is expected in the near future. 

Natural gas The decomposition of organic materials under certain environmental conditions produces natural gas. At the utility company level, this gas is often processed to produce propane, which has a higher energy yield per cubic foot than natural gas and is easier to liquefy. 

In some cases, it may be desirable to estimate the prices of utilities, such as steam, cooling water, and electricity, during process creation. Here also, appropriate prices can be obtained from local utility companies. As a start, however, values are often tabulated, as provided in Table 17.1. 

The company may purchase utilities fiom a public or private utility company or build their own utility plants. Credit can be taken for any utilities, for example, fuel, steam, and electricity, produced by the process. Purchased utility costs are based on consumption. For company-owned utilities, both capital costs and operating costs apply. A cogeneration unit using a fuel can supply electricity accompanied by low-, medium-, and high-pressure steam. For early estimates, the purchase of utilities can be assumed, using the unit costs in Table 17.1. 

Tire rubber can be transformed into energy via the incineration method. This process is advocated by a number of the major tire and rubber companies and also by the major utility companies. Tire-derived fuel can be in the... 

Installation of PF correction capacitors at a facility is a complicated process that requires a knowledgeable consultant and licensed electrician. The local utility company should be contacted before any effort is made to improve the PF of a facility. 

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