Technology

IPSA aims to use the most efficient and environmentally friendly power generation technologies available. This allows us to make savings in fuel efficiency whilst reducing the environmental impact of our activities, thus benefitting shareholders and local communities alike.

In particular we have had great success in implementing a combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) project at our Newcastle plant in KwaZulu Natal. In a CCGT, waste exhaust heat from burning gas in a gas turbine is recycled to generate more electricity. This is done by passing waste heat through a heat recovery steam generator which produces steam at a high enough pressure to drive a steam turbine. Both the gas and the steam turbines are connected to generators to produce electricity.

This greatly increases the efficiency of the plant. IPSA’s plant in Newcastle uses a combined cycle configuration but it also exports heat in the form of steam to neighbouring industrial facilities. This leads to far higher efficiencies than would be possible in a standard configuration. For this reason Newcastle is referred to as a CCGT and CHP plant.

Furthermore, IPSA is intending to install Circulating Fluidized Bed Combustion (“CFBC”) Technology at our Indwe and East London coal project sites. This technology provides more effective chemical reactions and heat transfer thereby increasing efficiency. The installation of CFBC also reduces the amount of nitrous oxide and sulphur emitted.

Newcastle plant, KwaZulu Natal.

 

Combined Cycle Gas Turbine (CCGT) Diagram. Click to see larger version.