Updating Wind Reduction Screens using the latest CFD modelling techniques

The Challenge

Coryton Power Station is a natural gas fired CCGT plant located 30 Miles east of London on the River Thames. Operational since 2002 it has an 800MW capacity and powers 800,00 homes annually. Coryton installed Galebreaker wind reduction screens nearly 20 years ago, which had reached the end of their useful life and needed replacing – please see this link for the original installation and technical case study.

The Solution

Using the latest CFD modelling techniques a new arrangement of the wind screens was modelled and tested to achieve better airflow performance than the original screens. 26 new screens were designed, both perimeter screens (50% solid) and cruciform screens 75% solid) were manufactured and installed by Galebreaker over a 3 week period. Galebreaker also removed the old screens for Coryton as part of the installation service. Click the link here to see our installation video and interview with the Plant’s Power Engineer, Jim Lord.

The Benefits

Coryton were really pleased with Galebreaker from start to finish, and are highly confident as a business that they have made yet another sound investment. Jim Lord (Coryton Power Engineer) has already recorded improvement in the steam turbine output and a reduction in the back pressure of the ACC during wind events following the installation of the new screen layout. Click the link here to see our latest installation video and interview with the Plant’s Power Engineer, Jim Lord.

Customer Testimonial

Jim Lord – C&I Engineer Intergen – Coryton Power Station

“In regards to performance, please see below scatter graph. The Orange dots are taken from January 2022 and compared with the Blue dots of January 2021, so similar weather (temp/pressure) conditions in addition to wind speeds experienced at the time The plots are taken over a 7 day period, running regularly at full load. Axis details on the graph are limited due to restriction on information, however you can see the following;

1. Vertical Axis is Steam Turbine MW Output (starting from 200MW)
2. Horizontal Axis is Vacuum backpressure on the discharge of the Steam Turbine in bar. The higher the back pressure, the more restriction on the Steam Turbine affecting output in MW and efficiency.
3. Scatter plots in Orange show increased MW output after the Galebreaker replacement screens.
4. The key part of this is the reduced back pressure, which improves the efficiency of the Steam Turbine. Improved cooling on the ACC is a reflection of the Galebreaker installation”.