In Finland, KPA Unicon Oy and Keravan Lämpövoima Oy, a subsidiary of municipal utility Keravan Energia Oy and operator of an 80 MW biomass-fired combined heat and power (CHP) plant, have signed a contract for the installation of an Unicon Condenser. The flue gas condenser will significantly improve the energy efficiency of the existing CHP plant and reduce emissions.
The flue gas condenser and its auxiliaries will be installed in late 2020 and the project will be handed over in the spring of 2021. In addition to the flue gas condenser, the delivery, the value of which has not been disclosed, includes process equipment building, new stack, emission measurement equipment, and water treatment plant.
The procurement of the flue gas condenser is one step towards our strategy of zero CO2 emissions in energy production. We invest in domestic renewable fuels, and we are determined to eliminate fossil fuels – natural gas and peat. We are also investigating other options for waste heat recovery, said Jussi Lehto, Managing Director of Keravan Energia.
Heat recovery and emissions reduction
The flue gas condenser recovers waste heat from flue gases and cleans flue gases from pollutants such as particulate matter (PM) and sulphur emissions. Although the plant in Kerava already utilizes renewable, carbon-neutral fuels in the form of various woody biomass, this investment in waste heat recovery will reduce the amount of biomass burned at the plant and thus reduce the environmental impact of energy production and bring savings to the plant’s economy.
The production costs are also reduced by utilization of condensate from flue gas condenser for the power plant’s make-up water production, which will reduce the consumption of raw water at power generation.
The flue gas condenser in Kerava bio-power plant is a fine example of an energy efficiency investment made possible by modern technology that saves both our living environment and money. As a result of the new flue gas condenser, flue gases from the bio-power plant formerly above 100 °C will be condensed to about 50 °C, utilizing waste heat for district heat production. At the same time, ash and other residues will be washed away from flue gases. The flue gas condenser is also an investment in the clean environment of Kerava, said Teemu Koskela, EVP of KPA Unicon.
