AC BOILERS SpA, formerly Ansaldo Caldaie, has over 150 years of experience in supply of steam generating plants. From its inception in 1853, the company has continued to lead the development of its technology, and to supply equipment to more than 50 Countries around the world.
Technology Milestones
Significant technology milestones in the last 50 years include the first supercritical coal fired boiler, at La Spezia in Italy, which operated for more than 30 years. This reference contributed to the continuing drive for increased efficiency of power plants, operating at increasingly higher steam temperatures and pressures, in parallel with the development of technology for available pressure part raw materials.
Today the most recently built plant of this type, 3 units with 660 MW output, operating at “ultra supercritical” steam conditions, is at Torrevaldaliga Nord, in the center of Italy. These units operate at more than 45% net plant efficiency, burning internationally traded coals, and have been in successful operation more than 3 years.
Fuel experience
Coal fired utility boilers represent a substantial part of our reference base, including more than 24,000 MW of boilers worldwide.
This experience platform, with boilers using a wide range of bituminous, sub-bituminous, lignite, and petcocke fuels, enables us to optimize boiler design to match high performance and/or lower cost targets.
Ash content, fouling characteristics and erosion characteristics of the fuel all combine to the technical parameters on which the boiler design is built.
References with high ash coals, and for lignite, are particularly appropriate for power plants in India, where there are indigenous coals of these characteristics.
As a result, India includes a number of significant reference plants such as Neyveli 2×210 MW which was installed at the start of the millennium.
In addition, this experience allowed us to establish our India subsidiary AnsaldoCaldaie Boilers India (ACBI), with headquarters in Chennai and factory in Trichy (Tamil Nadu Region, in the south of India).
Oil fired boilers
Moving to consider other fossil fuels, AC BOILERS is a leader in oil fired Supercritical boilers, with more than 50% of world market of installed units in last 30 years (data from “McCoy” report statistics).
Examples includes the boilers for Brindisi power plant in Italy which have successfully been operating for more than 20 years.
The experience with oil (heavy/crude oil), and oil/gas combinations, has allowed us to develop business in Egypt, with a growing reference platform in the last 10 years.
Combined with our local subsidiary, Ansaldo Caldaie Boilers Egypt (ACBE), in recent time we have successfully delivered 2000 MW of boilers and have been awarded further contracts for two Heat Recovery Steam Generators for CCGT power plant at Banha, and one 650 MW Utility Boiler contract at Suez.
Combined Cycle Power Plant
A similar history of references has applied for Heat Recovery Steam Generator (HRSG) technology.
Dating back to 1970 with our first horizontal HRSG for the Dow Chemical Stade 1 Combined Cycle Power Plant in Germany, we have supplied more than 100 units globally.
Our technology has expanded to include modern horizontal HRSG’s starting in 1992 with the unit for Sondel – Settimo Torinese Combined Cycle Power Plant in Italy, and vertical and once-through horizontal HRSG’s, matched with a range of Gas Turbines.
The contract awards in 2011 for the supply of HRSG’s matched with 150 MW and 250 MW GT’s confirm our position as one of the leader suppliers for the market.
Technology development leads to continuing experience
Fundamentally important to the continuing development of our technology is the Combustion and Environment Research Centre owned by AC BOILERS and located in Gioia del Colle, on the same site as our factory.
This factory has been at the forefront of validating our coal, oil and biomass co-firing burners.
Combined with modern 3D drawing and other engineering programs, we are able to predict highly efficient thermal performance of our steam generating units.
Experience enables through-life service support
The long history of supply and installation of steam generating equipment worldwide has provided a platform for our global services business. Our contribution to the ongoing operation and maintenance of plant has ranged from general provision of spares, to fuel conversions, rehabilitations, and emission controls, to match the changing customer needs throughout the life of the plant.
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