Tenaris has been recently awarded a contract by AC Boilers, the largest Italian boilers manufacturer, to supply Thor®115 steel pipes to be used in the construction of the heat recovery steam generator installed inside the Edison Thermoelectric Power Plant at Marghera Levante.
"This is a highly innovative project and we were certain from the start that Thor®115 steel grade — Tenaris High Oxidation Resistance steel — had the characteristics required to meet the high-performance standards set," said Nicola Pedrinelli, Tenaris Commercial Director Power Generation.
The Edison combined cycle plant is billed to be the most efficient in Europe and will contribute to Italy's energy transition, thanks to a lower CO2-intensity system. The GT36 high-efficiency gas turbine developed by Ansaldo Energia will allow the plant to reach output levels of 780 MW and reduce specific CO2 emissions by 40%, compared with the average produced by current Italian thermal power plants, thus reducing nitrogen oxides by more than 70%.
"It was key to be involved at the beginning, from the initial design phase, so we could be sure that everything was taken into account,” explained Simone Baietta, Tenaris Sales Senior Manager Power Generation, who was part of a global team of business and technical experts assigned to the project.
The group worked closely with both AC Boilers and the end-user, providing detailed information about the material and its microstructural stability, use procedures, and experimental and field results.
“In the last few years Tenaris has invested over $10 million in developing this new steel, which has the ability to permit steam production at higher temperatures than traditional steels with a 9% Chromium content. This means we can offer power generation plants much greater reliability,” commented Erick Escorza, Tenaris Industrial and Process Technology Director.
Thor®115 combines excellent steam oxidation resistance with long-term microstructural stability and grip resistance, which is ideal for combined cycles working with steam temperatures in excess of 600°C.
The new natural gas combined cycle includes an innovative heat recovery steam generator (HRSG) provided by AC Boilers, able to generate steam at over 600°C without the need for stainless steels, thanks to Thor®115.
"We have been working with Tenaris for several years, and have been following the process to develop Thor®115 steel with great interest," said Luigi Mottura, Thermal Power Asset Director at Edison. "After seeing the excellent results of the tests in the early stages of this project, we were convinced that this was the best option available to achieve top-level performance. In Tenaris, we have found a reliable and solid partner with whom we can drive ambitious and complex projects, such as the construction of our new Marghera Levante Power Plant.”
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