how do natural gas pipeline operators create clean energy from their operations?
DESCRIPTION
By using waste heat recovery technology, pipeline companies can reduce their own energy needs or make the electricity available to others – supplying it to industries located near the pipeline.TRANSCRIPT
When the heat comes on in 50 per cent of Canadian homes, it’s natural gas that’s providing the energy.* Natural gas is clean, affordable and there’s a vast supply of it in sedimentary basins in Western Canada.
But in order to efficiently transport this important resource to communities across Canada, pipeline companies must use large compressors (usually between 31,000 and 36,000 horsepower) to increase the pressure of the natural gas to push it through the pipeline. These compressors are stationed along pipelines and powered by gas turbines, internal combustion engines, or sometimes electric motors.
While these compressors are essential to move the gas, their operation releases heat into the atmosphere, just like a radiator in a car. Pipeline companies work to maximize the efficiency of compressors, which minimizes
fast facts
Waste heat recovery
By using waste heat recovery technology, pipeline companies can reduce their own energy needs or make the electricity available to others – supplying it to industries located near the pipeline.
Compressors release heat into the atmosphere as they push natural gas through transmission pipelines.
The pipeline industry uses a process to recover this heat and turn it into clean energy.
The energy recovered from a single compressor could meet the power needs of 4,000 households.
How do natural gas pipeline operators create clean energy from their operations?
* Statistics Canada, Households and the Environment Survey: Energy Use, 2011
Fact Fact Fact
Recovery in action
TransCanada PipeLines is a CEPA member using waste heat recovery technology. Its compressor station in the Crowsnest Pass, B.C., is a source of emission-free electricity for the province’s power grid. Excess heat from turbines is captured and used in a waste heat recovery plant, to generate clean electricity for up to 4,000 homes.
Read the blog post: bit.ly/1y6LkS8
TakiNg THe HeaT Heat emitted from compressors is turned into clean energy.
Safety | Environment | Tech | Industry Insights | Integrity First About Pipelines
Waste Heat Recovery
No.04
About Pipelines is a series, dedicated to sharing the facts about transmission pipelines in Canada and their role in Canadians’ lives. This information is provided by the Canadian energy Pipeline association (CePa).
the heat released. One environmentally-friendly and sustainable practice is the process of waste heat recovery.
Technology that can take the heatThe pipeline industry uses heat recovery systems that capture the excess heat emitted from compressors and turn it into clean energy that can be re-used. It’s technology that captures the heat and uses it to produce electricity, without requiring additional fuel or generating emissions.
Once the heat is captured by a heat exchanger, it’s used to heat up pressurized water or organic liquids — liquids that boil at a lower temperature than water and vaporize and expand
when heated. The pressurized steam or vapor produced by the liquid is used to generate electricity, and then it’s cooled and re-used.
The electricity produced by this process can be used by other industries that are located near the pipeline compressor station, or can be provided to the electricity grid.
Waste heat recovery is an innovative process and the pipeline industry is focused on developing other ways to use it, including creating smaller heat recovery units. This focus is part of the industry’s commitment to reducing environmental impacts and providing a reliable source of clean, emission-free energy.
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Waste heat recovery
exCeSS HeaT is captured into the heat exchanger using a heat recovery boiler.
CaPTuRed HeaT is used to increase the temperature of the pressurized water or organic fluid to the point where it produces vapor or steam.
STeam goes through a turbine or expander to generate electricity. This electricity is used to power nearby industry or is added to the electricity grid.
oRgaNiC Liquid (or steam) is sent to condenser where it is cooled back into liquid form and pumped through the heat exchanger to begin the process again.
Recovery in action
CEPA members are on the leading edge of developing and installing waste heat recovery units on smaller compressors. One CEPA member, TransGas, has installed waste heat recovery units at compressor stations that are under
These compressors produce enough electricity to power the equivalent of
800Homes
4,500horsepower.
get the full story and photos: bit.ly/1sdpFFH
About Pipelines
Waste Heat Recovery
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Printed on recycled and environmentally-friendly paper. The information contained provides examples of initiatives carried out by some CEPA members. It is not an industry requirement or best practice.