https://www.engineeringnews.co.za

Increased drive towards using natural gas

BOILER DISTRIBUTION
Steam Generation Africa is the local distributor for boiler specialists Cochran UK products

BOILER DISTRIBUTION Steam Generation Africa is the local distributor for boiler specialists Cochran UK products

22nd June 2018

By: Jessica Oosthuizen

Creamer Media Reporter

     

Font size: - +

There is an increased drive in the local boiler industry towards converting from using coal to using natural gas, as coal – despite it being the cheapest fuel to use – is becoming increasingly problematic, says heat and energy generation equipment provider Steam Generation Africa MD John Rundle.

He explains that A-grade coal is becoming scarce and expensive, and that users tend to burn C-grade coal, which has a lower calorific value, but is much cheaper. Burning C-grade coal blocks tubes and puts heat stress on the stoker, he advances.

Further, the environmental impact of coal boilers is becoming more of an incentive to companies to convert to gas in terms of Section 12L of the Income Tax Act, which provides an allowance for businesses to implement energy efficiency savings. The savings allow for a tax deduction of 45c/kWh saved on energy consumption.

The idea of using natural gas engines and/or turbines to generate electricity is becoming more appealing, as it has less of an impact on the environment, owing to reductions in emissions, Rundle notes. However, for these to be cost effective, they need to use the exhaust heat to generate either thermal energy or chilling, or both.

“Companies are trying to transform to maximise their energy wherever possible while the world, in general, is becoming more stringent on greenhouse-gas emissions.”

There are new and innovative technologies from the UK and European industries that provide companies with the latest, highly efficient and low-emission combustion technologies. Examples of these technologies are combustion control systems, low nitrogen oxide burners, boiler designs and flue gas economisers.

Steam Generation Africa works closely with industrial boiler specialists Cochran UK, as well as a network of engineers, in putting together energy models that minimise costs and maximise efficiency at the lowest possible emission impact. Steam Generation Africa is also the exclusive local distributor for Cochran UK products.

Moreover, the company has been working on five potential heat recovery steam boiler solutions, in Limpopo and Mpumalanga, as well as other locations, over the past six months. Rundle believes that the most significant potential for growth in the boiler industry lies in using waste heat to generate energy through heat recovery steam boilers and economisers.

While the company is yet to install a heat recovery steam boiler in South Africa, he believes that this will change soon, owing to the continuous support from Cochran UK, which has supplied more than 100 boilers globally over more than 20 years.

Edited by Zandile Mavuso
Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor: Features

Comments

Showroom

Goodwin Submersible Pumps Africa (Pty) Ltd
Goodwin Submersible Pumps Africa (Pty) Ltd

Goodwin Submersible Pumps Africa is sole distributors for Goodwin electrically driven, submersible, abrasion resistance slurry pumps.

VISIT SHOWROOM 
Rio-Carb
Rio-Carb

Our Easy Access Chute concept was developed to reduce the risks related to liner maintenance. Currently, replacing wear liners require that...

VISIT SHOWROOM 

Latest Multimedia

sponsored by

Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):

Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format

Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):

All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.

Already a subscriber?

Forgotten your password?

MAGAZINE & ONLINE

SUBSCRIBE

RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA

SUBSCRIBE

CORPORATE PACKAGES

CLICK FOR A QUOTATION







sq:0.122 0.18s - 179pq - 2rq
Subscribe Now