Vectren’s AB Brown generating station utilized two air compressor systems to provide the generating station with compressed air for plant air, instrument air, and soot blowing of their coal-fired power plants. Compressor downtime and maintenance costs led to plans for the addition of a dedicated soot blowing compressor. Addition of a dedicated soot blowing compressor allowed Vectren to blow soot more often and allowed the existing compressors to be used for plant air, instrument air, and as a backup for the new soot blower compressor.

PCI provided mechanical, electrical, architectural, civil, structural, and controls engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) services for the installation of an x,xxx scfm Ingersol-Rand centrifugal compressor, after-cooler, pump skid, and cooling tower along with the layout of the electrical motor control station required to operate the compressor. PCI utilized a pre-manufactured metal structure with room for two units as the compressor building and designed the building with future expansion in mind. The compressor system included one x,xxx scfm compressor, a x,xxx ft3 after-cooler, and a x,xxx ton cooling tower with water treatment system. The compressed air piping was cross-tied with existing piping and the compressor system was tied to the plant Honeywell DCS system.

Construction of the soot blowing system was completed in four phases. Phase 1 was to install the soot blower compressor building and foundations, phase 2 made the piping tie-ins at existing soot blower compressor headers and routed cross tie piping from the tie-ins to the soot blower compressor building. In phase 3 the compressor and associated equipment, piping, electrical, controls, and structural systems were installed. The soot blower compressor system as successfully started up after phase three. The project was installed on time and on budget. The system was completed with phase 4, installation of a chemical feed system for preventing scale buildup in the new cooling tower.

The total installed cost of this system was $1,200,000.00.