A consequence of rapid economic growth and increasing living standards in many parts of the developing world is that the demand for energy is rising faster than ever.  When this growing demand is set against the crucial need to limit climate change, the challenges facing the world’s power-generating industries are only too apparent.

Fortunately, new technologies are helping some of the emerging and potentially less-damaging sources of energy compete economically with those established techniques that depend upon the combustion of fossil fuels.  Stainless steels have a role to play in many of these new technologies and in this section of the library you will find examples of its use in such important low-carbon or zero-carbon processes as nuclear generation, wave energy, solar panels, geothermal energy and many more.

Where the continued use of fossil fuels is unavoidable, stainless steels can help limit the emissions per Kwh through the use of more efficient turbines and recently-introduced “combined-cycle” generators.

In this study, fire tests and study of life-cycle costs demonstrated that stainless steels offer a greater degree of safety than glass-reinforced plastic, aluminium or mild steel, galvanized or painted steels. In oil and gas production, lightweight stainless steel structures reduce topside weight of oil platforms, as well as enhancing fire resistance and virtually eliminating the need for maintenance.

This valve operates at cryogenic temperatures, in harsh weather conditions. Dimensional stability is required during cycles ranging from ambient temperature to liquid natural gas temperatures (usually -196° C) to avoid leakage. Perfect reliability is essential.

Coal, gas and nuclear powerplants produce electricity by heating water to create steam. The steam is driven through turbine blades at very high pressure. The blades drive the turbine which generates electricity.

The diameter of the end ring of a turbo generator can be between 0.5 and 1.6 metres. The end ring must pass stringent tests to ensure it can operate without deformation at speeds ranging from 3,000 to 3,600 revolutions per minute. A 20% overspeed test is also conducted before the end rings are passed for use.

This excerpt from the Book of New Applications 2009, gives more information on applications for the power generation area.

The following are included here:

·         Large Hadron Collider Quadrupole Magnets

·         Pressure Chamber

·         Steam Turbine Blades

·         Turbo Generator End Ring

The new millennium brings with it a new level of concern about the ‘cost’ of energy. This means not just the ever-rising financial cost to consumers but the cost to the planet of the way we generate our energy, consume non-renewable fuels and pollute our environment in the process.

This excerpt from the ISSF Book of New Applications 2006, gives more information on power generation applications.

The following applications have been included:

·         Flue-gas desulphurisation units

·         Monophase step voltage regulator

Paper originally delivered at the BSSA Conference 'Stainless Solutions for a Sustainable Future' held in Rotherham on 3rd April 2003. This power point presentation suggests why businesses should be looking towards tidal and solar power and how stainless steel can be used in Renewable Energy. It describes the effectiveness of the applications, the benefits and costs of using renewable energy resources and comments on the future of renew ability and the commercial potential.

Many power plants have solved the problem of erosion or corrosion of copper alloy condensers by replacing the tube bundles with 4 to 6% molybdenum- containing stainless steels. Nicole Kinsman, formerly of Technical Marketing Resources (Consultants to IMOA) is the author (79 Kb pdf)

Paper submitted to the Fifth Stainless Steel Science and Market Congres in Sevilla, September 27-30, 2005. It covers  alternative fuel tank developments and the relevant laws and regulations to comply with. It goes on to describe a new polymorphic stainless steel tank for automobiles