Existing Solutions

cooling system, water source substitution

technical

The Kwinana plant is a gas turbine combined cycle cogeneration plant capable of producing 124MW of electrical output and 2,300 tonnes per day of process steam through the use of duct firing on the heat recovery steam generators.   The electricity is provided to Verve energy and the BP Kwinana oil refinery.  The plant is operated and maintained by International Power Mitsui Operation and Maintenance Kwinana Lty Ltd (IPM).

The Kwinana plant has successfully substituted more than 80% of the potable water used by the Cogeneration plant by recycled sewerage water. This has reduced mains water use from 1,473,940 kl in the year 2006/7 to 213,103 kl in 2010/11, and places a significantly reduced demand on local water resources.

In addition, by introducing recycled water into the plant cooling tower chemical, additives such as sodium hypochlorite and sulphuric acid have been reduced.  

The solution was implemented at the Kwinana Cogeneration Plant, which is located at the Kwinana Industrial Zone, south of the city of Perth, in Western Australia.

 
Postal address:  Locked bag 66, Rockingham, DCWA 6967, Australia.

BP initiated the project to secure both a supply of process water and to take pressure off the associated ocean outfall so that it could be used for industrial waste. The local water supply authority, WaterCorp, picked up the initiative and continued its development.  IPM was the first company to contract to take supply from the facility.  Various other users of the industrial zone have subsequently also contracted to take the recycled water.

The project is complete.

Other ongoing water saving activities at Kwinana include:

• use of environmentally friendly and biodegradable products in urinals that negate the need for water
• incorporating a water wise native garden into the plants grounds

providing funding to community groups for the purchasing of water tanks for the  watering of seedlings.

Perth’s increasing population and declining rainfall put great pressure on potable water supplies and industrial waste had to be redirected from the outfalls adjacent to the Kwinana strip.

The project reduced the requirement on potable water sources or potential potable sources by around 15 Mega Liters per day.  The project also eliminated the discharge of industrial waste water to Cockburn Sound.

The project has achieved a reduction in potable water consumption of greater than 80%.

This solution may be of interest to any organization working in a potable water constrained environment, with a substantial population who use a significant amount of drinking water for industrial purposes.

When IPM initially signed a binding take or pay agreement to purchase the recycled water until 2021, the price of this water was significantly higher the price of mains water.  By entering into this agreement IPM showed a strong commitment to securing cost effective and sustainable water supplies, with improved environmental outcomes in the longer term.

The participants in this project include IPM, BP, CSBP & TiWest. The work done by IPM in modifying the water treatment process could be adapted by other similar power plants to minimize their use of mains water.  

Water Corporation  Western Australia; Max Viskovich, (08) 9420 3881

The project achieved a Waterwise Business award from the Australian Water Association. The nomination form  is attached.