SPX to Design and Install First Flue Gas Discharge System at a U.S. Coal-Fired
Power Plant
Proven Technology to Enhance Natural Draft Cooling System at American Electric
Power's Cardinal Station in Brilliant, Ohio
CHARLOTTE, N.C., Oct. 27 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- SPX Corporation (NYSE: SPW)
today announced that its Thermal Equipment and Services segment was awarded a
contract in September of approximately $47 million to install a
state-of-the-art flue gas discharge system and other upgrades to enhance the
existing natural draft cooling tower at Cardinal Station. The coal-fired
power plant, jointly owned by Buckeye Power and American Electric Power, is
located in Brilliant, Ohio.
Flue gas discharge technology enables better dispersion of the exhaust plume
into the atmosphere, resulting in reduced local ground-level concentrations.
Treated flue gases will be conveyed from the flue gas desulfurization (FGD)
system into the cooling tower through one or two glass-fiber reinforced
plastic ducts and discharged into the atmosphere together with the cooling
tower plume. This combination of flow allows for improved mixing and updraft
into the atmosphere.
"Our flue gas discharge technology can help some new and existing coal-fired
plants using natural draft cooling towers achieve enhanced cooling
efficiencies," said Drew Ladau, SPX segment president. "And in some cases it
may even potentially reduce costs," he added.
The principle of discharging flue gases via the cooling tower is not limited
to new natural draft cooling towers. Existing cooling towers can also be
retrofitted with the technology. Many cooling towers in Europe have been
retrofitted with similar flue gas discharge systems to meet environmental
regulations.
The first flue gas discharge system was completed in Europe at the Volklingen
MKV power station in Volklingen, Germany in 1981. Since then, more than 25
similar systems have been installed across the European continent. There are
currently more than 55 natural draft cooling towers at coal-fired plants in
the United States.
Built in the 1960s, Cardinal Station has three coal-fired units and generates
a total of 1,830 MW of electricity. Preliminary on-site work on the cooling
system retrofit will begin as early as this year. The final flue gas discharge
system installation expected to be completed in 2012 during the commissioning
of a new FGD system (scrubber) that Cardinal Station has said that it expects
will reduce sulfur dioxide emissions by more than 98 percent.
SPX's Thermal Equipment and Services segment is a leading provider of wet, dry
and hybrid cooling towers, heat exchangers, air and flue gas systems and
filter systems, utilized by thousands of power stations and plants in more
than 60 countries across six continents.
The segment's broad offering enables the maintaining, refurbishing, upgrading
and modernizing of power stations, and includes a wide range of aftermarket
services and solutions. With more than 100 years experience designing and
constructing natural draft cooling towers up to 655 feet in height, SPX has
more than 275 natural draft concrete hyperbolic cooling towers operating
worldwide.
About SPX
SPX Corporation is a Fortune 500 multi-industry manufacturing leader. The
company offers highly-specialized engineered solutions to solve critical
problems for customers.
SPX is focused on providing solutions that support the expansion of global
infrastructure, with particular emphasis on the growing worldwide demand for
energy and power. Its innovative product portfolio, containing many energy
efficient products, includes cooling systems for power plants throughout the
world; custom engineered process equipment that assists a variety of flow
processes including food and beverage manufacturing, oil and gas exploration,
distribution and refinement and power generation; handheld diagnostic tools
that aid in vehicle maintenance and repair; and power transformers that
regulate voltage for electrical transmission and distribution by utility
companies.
SPX is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina and has employees in over 40
countries worldwide. Visit www.spx.com. (NYSE: SPW)
Certain statements in this press release including any statements relating to
fulfillment of the terms of the referenced contract, may be forward-looking
statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended, and are subject to the safe harbor created thereby. Please
refer to our public filings for a discussion of certain important factors that
relate to forward-looking statements contained in this press release. The
word "expected," "anticipated" and similar expressions may identify
forward-looking statements. Although the company believes that the
expectations reflected in its forward-looking statements are reasonable, it
can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct.
Statements in the press release speak only as of the date of this press
release, and SPX disclaims any responsibility to update or revise such
statements.
SOURCE SPX Corp
Ryan Taylor (Investors), +1-704-752-4486, investor@spx.com, or Jennifer H.
Epstein (Media), +1-704-752-7403, E-mail: jennifer.epstein@spx.com, both of
SPX
