Supporting Daimler's cogeneration upgrade

ABB delivered the 44 megavolt ampere (MVA) generator and transformer, gas compressor and pipeline, recooling systems, power cables and ensured the smooth integration of the new system into the existing 20-kilovolt (kV) distribution grid.

Daimler AG has operated a cogeneration power plant at Sindelfingen, its largest production facility, since 1960. The plant supplies all of the site`s heat and about one third of its electricity. The fuel source has been more than 99 percent natural gas since the mid-1980s, which keeps greenhouse gas emissions very low.

Daimler has modernized and expanded the cogeneration system, installing a modern gas turbine and waste heat boiler to replace the steam boiler. With an electrical output of 31 megawatts (MW) and a thermal output of 42 MW, the system's fuel efficiency rating is more than 80 percent. Future installations are expected to more than double the plant's power generation capacity.

The ABB project team put the experience gained from other projects to good use; for instance, the construction of 16 gas turbine blocks rated 125 MW each for thermal power plant projects in Iraq. “During planning and installation, the space conditions on site were a particular challenge,” says Vela. “The situation was challeging due to the fact that the assembly of the components took place below the heat recovery steam generator, which was still under construction, imposing a significant logistical challenge as the various suppliers had to be managed.” A major contribution of the project success can be accredited to MTU Onsite Energy, who is leading the consortium with ABB.