POWER August 2011 - 37

2011 MARMADUKE AWARD
1. Ready for action. The Universidad plant
entered commercial service in late 1970 with
two Brown Boveri BB11-L combustion turbines,
each rated at 14 MW. In the right foreground is
the exciter that is used as a motor for starting
purposes. In the center is the generator. In the
background is the dual-fuel combustor mounted
on top of the separate turbine and compressor
sections. The excellent condition of the plant
was one reason Universidad was selected for
the owner's first combustion turbine synchronous
condenser upgrade. Courtesy: CFE
2. Clutch in the queue. In the left foreground
is Unit 2's generator with the SSS
clutch, ready for installation, sitting on the table.
The unit control panel is placed directly in
front of the exciter. In the background, a technician
is looking down at the top shell that covers
the shaft, turning gear, and lube oil pump that
were soon after removed and replaced by the
SSS clutch. Courtesy: Industria Sigrama
Unexpected Interest
By 2002, CFE was experiencing the effects
of its industrial customers' very high inductive
power usage. The increased need for reactive
power (megavars) was evidenced by
load-limited power lines and unacceptable
line voltage drop. In fact, Mexico's National
Energy Control Center had identified reactive
power-deficient zones on the Mexican
grid. One of those zones was near Universidad
in Monterrey. In past years, the plant
had produced the necessary reactive power
when operating, but that was no longer the
case. The best and least expensive solution
was identified as adding reactive power to the
distribution lines closer to end users, thereby
allowing additional real power (megawatts)
to flow into the downtown Monterrey grid.
In December 2002, Lino Cárdenas VillarProject
milestones. Source: SSS Clutch Co., Inc.
Date
Nov. 2002
Oct. 2003
Nov. 2003
Dec. 2003
CFE contacts SSS on project feasibility
Synchronous condensing concepts presented to CFE for BB11L and BB11B
Technical proposal and initial scope of work provided to CFE for BB11L
CFE decides to convert BB11L, Unit 2 at CTG Universidad Power Station in Monterrey
Jan. 26-27, 2004 Meeting at CTG Universidad for purpose of obtaining BB11L drawings and obtaining measurements
Feb. 2007
Feb. 2008
June 2008
Oct. 20, 2009
Dec. 28, 2009
Jan. 27, 2010
Feb. 25, 2010
Mar. 2010
CFE project funding established
Rotordynamic analysis number 1 confirms concept
CFE public bid issued
CFE announces Industria Sigrama as winner of public bid
CFE signs contract with Industria Sigrama
Project design review held at CFE in Monterrey
Rotordynamic analysis number 2 establishes need for new hubs
June-Aug. 2010 Modernization of controls completed at CTG Universidad
Sep.-Oct. 2010 Replacement of lube oil pumps and piping completed
Nov.-Dec. 2010 Removal of 700-mm shaft, removal of original turbine and generator-side couplings, installation
of new couplings, and installation of clutch completed
Dec. 21, 2010
Startup of CTG Universidad Unit 2 with successful operation in power generation and synchronous
condensing modes
growth since the combustion turbine plant
was constructed in 1970 (Figure 1). Universidad
houses two Brown Boveri BB11-L dualfuel
(natural gas and diesel oil) combustion
turbines, each rated at 14 MW (although the
generator is rated at 20 MW). During the first
decade of operation, the plant provided baseload
generation to the growing industrial region.
As demand for electricity continued to
grow, new, much larger, and highly efficient
August 2011 | POWER
combined cycle plants were constructed to
power the region, although those plants were
located outside the city limits.
The obsolete BB11-L units were soon relegated
to peaking duty, although they were
seldom run. By the mid-2000s, the plant was
scheduled to be retired and then demolished
by late 2010. Unexpectedly, the urban location
of the plant was soon to prove invaluable
to CFE.
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Unsolicited turnkey proposal submitted to CFE by Industria Sigrama to convert BB11L to synchronous
condenser service
Milestone
real, then assistant general manager of CFE's
Production Unit for northeastern Mexico, began
exploring alternatives for locally produced
reactive power. Having fresh experience with
Alstom's GT24-based single-driveline combined
cycle plant, which had recently been installed
near the Monterrey airport and designed
with the capability to operate as a synchronous
condenser, Cárdenas asked SSS Clutch Co.,
Inc. (SSS) if the two Universidad units were
conversion candidates. A synchronous condenser
is a synchronous motor connected to
the grid with no load that is allowed to spin
freely. By adjusting the voltage regulator, the
generator-now-motor can either absorb or produce
reactive power, thereby adjusting the local
grid's voltage and improving the power factor,
especially at the end of long transmission lines.
CFE soon learned that the 14-MW BB11-L
had never been run as a synchronous condenser.
However, SSS studied the plant design and
concluded that the project was feasible.
Although the need for and feasibility of the
project was nailed down, funding approval
remained in limbo for several years. Finally,
CFE issued a public bid late in 2009 for the
conversion of Universidad Unit 2 to operate
as a synchronous condenser in addition to its
normal power generation mode. The " CFE
Universidad BB-11L Synchronous Condensing
Retrofit " project was won by Industria
Sigrama S.A. de C.V. of Torreón, Coahuila,
Mexico. Industria Sigrama retained overall
project management responsibilities plus
design and installation of the new control
system, as well as electrical protection and coordination.
Edel Ingenieros S.A. de C.V. was
selected by Industria Sigrama to perform the
mechanical engineering services on the project,
including modifications to the compressor
coupling and existing housing to accept the
SSS clutch, turning gear modifications, and
installation services for the modified lube oil
system, filters, piping, and instruments.
37

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POWER August 2011

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