Transcript October 28, 2014 - Red Deer River Watershed Alliance

Sheerness Generating Station
Water Consumption and Use
Red Deer River Watershed Alliance
Background Information
• Sheerness Station is co-owned by ATCO Power
and TransAlta Utilities.
• ATCO Power manages and operates the facility.
• The Station employs approx. 125 people with
about another 100 employed by the supporting
coal mine (Prairie Mines Royalty ).
Background Information
• Two turbine/generators, 408 MW Gross ea.
• Each boiler produces 1,125,000 kg (2.5
million pounds) steam per hour at 17.2 MPa
(2,500 psi) and 536°C (997°F).
• Station maximum output is 780 MW Net.
• Consumes approx. 11,000 tonnes coal/day.
Plant Process
Water Source
• Pumphouse on the Red Deer River approx.
40 km SW of the generating station into a
pipeline.
• Pipeline supplies water for agricultural users
and the Henry Kroeger Regional Water
Commission.
• Remainder to the 475 hectare cooling pond.
• Water from cooling pond released into
ESRD’s (Alberta Environment and
Sustainable Resource Development)
blowdown canal.
Aerial Photo
Red Deer River Pumphouse
• Three pumps: 2,600 KW each.
• Capacity:
7110 m3/hr. (1.975 m3/s).
• Diversion:
Calculated from pump flow
curves.
• Typically one or two pumps operate but
occasionally three.
• Diversion only during warmer months.
• Average diversion since 2007 is approx.
16,780,000 m3 annually.
Water Licence (Pumphouse)
ATCO Power Licence
• Allocation:
22,000,000 m3
annually.
• Rate of Diversion:
2.5 m3/s.
• Average diversion since 2007, approx. 16,780,000 m3
annually.
ESRD (Alberta Environment) Licence
• Allocation:
Additional 13,800,000
m3 annually.
• Rate of Diversion:
Incorporated into the
licence issued to
ATCO Power.
Public Use
• Withdrawals from the pipeline and the
blowdown canal for agriculture.
• Potable Water for Hanna, Oyen, and
surrounding communities produced by the
Henry Kroeger Regional Water
Commission.
• Recreation at Prairie Oasis Park.
Generating Station Use
• At full load:
2.5 million pounds of steam
per hour for each turbine.
• Largest use: cooling water for main
condensers, necessary to
condense steam for reuse in
boilers.
• Approx. 25,200 m3/hour recirculated
through pond.
• Average pond evaporation since 2007 is
approx. 9,206,000 m3 annually.
Other Station Uses
• Demineralized water production for boilers
and turbines.
• Potable water for station personnel.
• Demineralized water and potable water
approx. 221,000 m3 annually.
Blowdown Canal (BDC)
• Water released from cooling pond for
agriculture.
• Flows into ESRD’s blowdown canal to
Carolside Reservoir.
• Crown Entitlement based on the water
licence.
• Calculated from a base volume of
2,500,000 m3 + 1.12 m3/gross MWh.
• Average release since 2007 is approx.
7,753,000 m3 annually.
BDC Water Analysis
• What’s in the River is in the Cooling Pond.
• Samples collected from: -Red Deer River
-Cooling Pond.
-Blowdown Canal.
• Samples sent to commercial lab for
analysis.
• Both required and voluntary performed.
• ESRD Approval specifies monitoring and
reporting on the blowdown canal.
• An Approval is like a licence.
BDC Water Quality
• Continuous Monitors:
• Visual Checks:
pH, temperature and flow.
signs of oil, solids, or
foaming.
• Weekly Samples:
Fe, Total P, TDS, TSS.
• Monthly Samples:
COD, (NO3+NO2)-N, TKN,
Dissolved O2.
• Semi-annual Samples: Al, As, B, Cd, Cr, Hexavalent
Cr, Co, Cu, Fe, Na, Pb, Mn, Hg,
Mo, Ni, Se, Ag, V, Zn, Ca, K,
Cl, SO4, Reactive Silica,
Total Alkalinity, Conductivity,
Turbidity, Total Hardness,
TOC, Colour.
Water Balance
Water Into Cooling Pond
• Water diverted from the Red Deer River.
• Pipeline withdrawals.
• Annual rainfall and snowfall. Average since
2007 is approx. 1,592,000 m3 annually.
Water From the Cooling Pond
• ESRD blowdown canal allotment.
• Water consumed at the Generating Station.
• Cooling pond evaporation.
• Cooling pond volume change.
2013 Water Balance
Crown Entitlement: 8,532,673 m3
To the Cooling Pond
• Total Diverted:
16,982,679 m3
• Total Pipeline Withdrawals:
1,537,229 m3
• Total Pumped to Cooling Pond:
15,445,450 m3
• Total Rainfall:
1,456,333 m3
From the Cooling Pond
• Total into Blowdown Canal:
7,685,345 m3
• Total Consumed by Power Station:
220,825 m3
• Total Evaporated from Cooling Pond: 8,904,964 m3
• Change in Cooling Pond Volume:
+90,649 m3
Questions?