In the early 1990s the Renfrew-based engineering firm Babcock Energy Ltd (formerly Babcock & Wilcox, now Doosan Babcock) won a £650m contract to add a limestone-based Flue Gas Desulphurisation plant onto the existing plant at Drax Power Station. The firm had previously built all of the six giant boilers at Drax during the period from 1974-86. The six units at Drax can each generate up to 660MW of electrical power and the station still runs at maximum capacity during periods of peak demand and can contribute between 8% and 10% Of UK demand. Babcock Energys addition of the FGD plant together with advanced low NOx burners and and two-staged combustion processes have reduced the acidic emissions from the plant by around 90%. The FGD process involves diverting massive amounts of hot flue gases from the boiler exit to the FGD vessels where the oxides of sulphur are removed. This called for very large transfer ducts due to the quantity and temperature (hence low density) of the gases. Also the ducts had to be lined with a special alloy to prevent the acidic gases attacking the walls of the ducts. Over a period of 2-3 years during the construction phase of the FGD project many sections of large duct, manufactured at Renfrew were shipped by sea and offloaded at a site near Drax on the River Ouse. The F T Everard coaster Selectivity was employed almost continuously n transporting the large duct between the Clyde and the Ouse. A special forward wheelhouse had to be added to the vessel due to the restricted visibility from the normal bridge. The ducts were shipped out of Glasgows KGV Dock - street lighting along the route was moved to the inside extremity of the pavement and traffic lights were hinged at the base so that they could be laid flat when a shipment was underway
Posted on: Sat, 07 Jun 2014 15:03:25 +0000
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