Thread: Grid can go 75% renewable

Originally Posted by Old Farang

Yes, it is fairly obvious that it is part of a shaft, or coupling, just not clear from whence it came!

By enlarging the photo and looking at it a bit closer, it appears to be either a drive coupling, OR the drive end of the generator.

The flange appears to have a row of bolt holes in it. I would say that it was the drive end that let go first, followed closely by a massive overspeed of the turbine leading to it disintegrating.

That type of damage is what can happen if a unit is put online out of synch, but surely with all the modern interlocks and control electronics, that cannot happen!

Originally Posted by Old Farang

It has been suggested that there was a hydrogen explosion. I am not up with these new fangled machines, but evidently the generator is hydrogen cooled. But I rather think that it was a massive failure on the turbine, and any explosion a secondary occurrence. Love to know just what that big piece is sticking out of the floor in the foreground!

It was mentioned somewhere that I cannot find just now that an operator was concerned that the unit was not "right". Probably just as well that he was not standing alongside of it when it let go!

Saw this on Reddit... '''Catastrophic''' damage to Callide Power Station (Queensland, Australia, May 25, 2021) : CatastrophicFailure

Cannot vouch for authenticity. Building in both shots is different. Something doesn't quite seem right with scales and relative sizes...

vplypw2o6v271.jpg

Originally Posted by Old Farang

It has been suggested that there was a hydrogen explosion. I am not up with these new fangled machines, but evidently the generator is hydrogen cooled. But I rather think that it was a massive failure on the turbine, and any explosion a secondary occurrence. Love to know just what that big piece is sticking out of the floor in the foreground!

It was mentioned somewhere that I cannot find just now that an operator was concerned that the unit was not "right". Probably just as well that he was not standing alongside of it when it let go!

Thanks - yes they are hydrogen cooled - have been as long as I know of - Hazelwoods were all Hydrogen cooled when I was there in the late 80’s, and they had been well before that. Still never heard of one exploding in the decades I’ve been around them. There’s a lot goes on to ensure no ignition source is close so I guess they didn’t get that but right on this occasion...

Originally Posted by DiscoMick

Probably keep me in adequate retirement comfort.

Indeed, in my pocket I’d be thrilled.
However on an industrial scale not much at all.

In a Mining Supply Chain sense it’s not much chop either - we speak of those numbers like loose change down the back of the lounge

Some specs of the station:

It states that it generates at 275Kv, but surely that is the grid voltage and NOT the generator voltage?
Some mind blowing temperatures and pressures being quoted.

Callide Coal-Fired Power Stations, Queensland - Power Technology | Energy News and Market Analysis (power-technology.com)

The 900MW Callide Power Plant (Callide C) was commissioned in 2001 at a cost of A$800m. Callide C has two 450MW units and, like Callide B, generates power at 275kV. Toshiba supplied the advanced cycle steam turbine, and IHI the boiler.

Steam temperatures and pressures were raised again over Callide B, to 566ºC and 25,100kPa.(3,640 psi)
It is managed by Callide Power Management, a joint venture company.

Callide C was the first power station in Australia to use supercritical boilers, which have higher thermal efficiencies than conventional coal-fired technology. Callide C uses coal from the nearby Anglo Coal Callide Mine, and draws water from Awoonga Dam near Gladstone.

Callide C has consistently achieved 94% availability since the most recent big outage in mid-2006. The unit’s environmental controls include real-time emissions monitoring with operator alarms and self-tuning capabilities within the control system.

Baghouse filters remove fly ash and low nitrogen oxide burners further reduce emissions of oxides of nitrogen.

I see today's Qld budget includes $22m to design a pumped hydro power station at the Borumba dam. It will be the second pumped hydro after the one at the Wivenhoe dam. So that's good.

Originally Posted by DiscoMick

I see today's Qld budget includes $22m to design a pumped hydro power station at the Borumba dam. It will be the second pumped hydro after the one at the Wivenhoe dam. So that's good.

That’s a good use of resource

I also note the Qld budget assumes state-owned coal power generators, who paid a dividend of $1.6b to the state government in 2017-18, will cease to pay any dividend from 2022-23, and will run at a loss from then on, until they reach the end of their lives. Renewable power generators will progressively replace them. The budget includes $2b in new renewable projects.