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A Good Start With Cummins Black Start A good start with Cummins black start
A $90 million expansion of the Quarantine Power Station on Torrens Island in Adelaide features a critical back-up system provided by Cummins Power Generation.
The Origin Energy power station – originally established in 2002 with the installation of four 25 MW gas turbine generator sets – is a peaking plant, contributing to the national grid in times of peak demand.
Cummins’ ability to provide a total system solution was the key reason it was asked to provide the back-up power system for the expanded power station which features a new 120 MW General Electric gas turbine generator.
Cummins supplied the 1400 kVA standby genset with generator controller, acoustic genset enclosure, exhaust system, and 4,000-litre double-bunded fuel tank which provides a minimum 12 hours continuous operation at full capacity.
“Leighton Contractors wanted a turn-key standby power system which we were able to provide,” says Craig Cowland who, with application engineer Craig Lawson, spearheaded the project for Cummins Power Generation.
“We supplied, installed and commissioned the complete system package of generator, generator controller, acoustic enclosure, exhaust system and fuel system.
“We’ll also be providing on-going servicing of the standby system though the Cummins Adelaide branch operation under a maintenance contact.”
The standby genset – a C1400D5 which is powered by Cummins’ 50-litre V16 KTA50 engine – is remotely started via 2-phase fail signals from different areas of the plant.
“It performs several critical functions,” says Cummins application engineer Craig Lawson.
“It provides power to the existing station for black starting one of the four 25MW gas turbines, and it also supplies power to the new 120 MW gas turbine for cranking, lubrication systems and rotor cooling in the event of a utility fail or hot shutdown.”
The ‘barring over’ of the 120 MW turbine in the event of a hot shutdown is critical in ensuring a proper cool down period, thus preventing costly thermal damage to turbine components such as the bearings and rotor.
Lawson says the Cummins PCC (PowerCommand Control) paralleling generator allows the customer to carry out routine testing of the generator by base loading it to the utility source.
“The operator can signal the generator remotely and the generator automatically starts and synchronises, then closes its paralleling circuit breaker to the utility bus,” Lawson explains.
“Then the generator automatically loads up to 80% of rated capacity until the operator removes the remote control which makes the unit ramp down, open its paralleling circuit breaker and go back into standby mode.”
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