Flexible, twin-shaft gas turbine to provide cogeneration at chemicals plant

Siemens 

Gas

and Power was recently selected to provide three 33-megawatt (MW) SGT-700 industrial 

gas

turbines

including a Long-Term Program (LTP) with Ascend Performance Materials’ nylon intermediate and specialty chemicals facility in Decatur, Alabama. This project will allow Ascend Performance Materials to retire assets that currently provide process steam for the facility. The shift to

gas

turbines

 for steam generation is part of Ascend’s long-term sustainability strategy to improve its environmental footprint and accelerate the growth of expanding its core businesses.

The LTP is scheduled for eight years. Under the terms, Siemens 

Gas

 and Power will perform all scheduled outages for the duration of the program.

The 

gas

turbines

 will be manufactured in Siemens 

Gas

 and Power’s Finspång, Sweden plant in time for project commissioning, which is expected in Q4 2021.

The SGT-700 

gas

turbine

, with a 6,500-rpm, two-stage uncooled free-power 

turbine

 that may operate at 50 to 105 percent of its nominal shaft speed, is designed for higher output and efficiency under a range of operating conditions. And with its high exhaust heat and ability to handle sudden load changes, the SGT-700 is ideal for simple cycle, combined cycle, cogeneration, and other heating applications.