Atikokan Generating Station

Biomass Conversion Project Update

WPAC November 19, 2013

Brent Boyko
Director Biomass Business Development
 Official Launch Oct. 10, 2012

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 Atikokan Generating Station
Atikokan Generating Station (GS) is one
of two plants in OPGs Northwest
Thermal operations.

Located about 200 km west of Thunder

Bay, Ontario.

Built in 1985, the Station has one

generating unit with the capacity to
produce just over 200 MW of electricity.

At the mid point of a major biomass (wood pellets) conversion project.

Extensive community and Aboriginal stakeholder outreach.

Expected to be in service in mid 2014.

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 Biomass Conversion Project - Facts

New fuel handling and

storage system to ensure Atikokan Generating Station
safety.

Modifications to furnace
and new Distributed
Controls System.

10,000 tonnes of wood

pellets storage - two
5,000 tonnes silos.

New truck receiving and

transfer house.

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 Construction Design Strategy

Receiving strategy: truck only.

Storage: Silos (bulk) and Modified Bunkers (surge).

Fuel Processing.

Primary Air Cooler.

Burner Replacement.

Modification of Ash Handling.

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 Receiving Strategy

Truck delivery of pellets - 200 km radius.

10 trucks/day, 35 tonne/truck, 5 days/week,

self-unloading.

One unloader system on

to belt feeding storage.

15 minutes unload time.

Rejection capabilities.

Capable of direct feed

from truck unloading
bypassing silos.

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 Safety By Design
Dust Control

Explosion Panels

Spiral Chute

Belt Conveyor
from Silos Silo Discharge

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 Storage

Spiral chute reduces fuel drop.

Gravity feed to unloading system (hopper bottom).

Multi-level and location temperature monitoring and trending

of the storage silos.

Aeration capability on the silos.

Inert gas injection capability on the silos.

Recycling/recirculation capabilities to cool pellets and reuse.

Explosion panels.

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 Storage continued

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 Fuel Processing
Replace existing in-plant bunkers (750 tonnes capacity each) with
surge bins (45 tonnes each) to reduce the quantity of in-plant fuel.

Ports on the surge bins to allow for injection of fire fighting media.

Isolation valves above and below the mills to prevent migration of

any event.

Modified Pulverizers to increase velocity and reduce classification.

MPS 75 mills conducive to pellet grinding.

Modifications proposed by Hitachi are field-tested (AmerCentrale

Netherlands).

AmerCentrale 75% Biomass since 2011.

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 Fuel Processing continued

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 Fuel Processing continued

Classifier Full Open:

Pellets break into constituent particles on first pass.
Mill testing and field experience shows that no
classification is required.

Grinding Roller Track:

No modifications
required.
Grinding is not expected
to result in any
significant particle size
reduction.

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 Fuel Processing continued
Nozzle Ring:
Install 2 remaining rotating throats (3 mills already converted).

Test trials at Atikokan showed lower mill pressure differential

on mills equipped with rotating throats (efficiency).

Optimises the primary air conduction (air distribution between

the operating mills).

Explosion Suppression:
On the surge bins and mills.

Dry chemical suppression system.

Fully Automated.

Installed on the mill and Pulverized Fuel Lines.

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 Primary Air Cooler

Include PA Cooler to temper the PA to required temperature and

avoid pre-ignition of fuel.

Main difference is low moisture content of wood versus coal.

Reduces heat losses

and avoids back-end
expansion problems.

Improved efficiency
via heat transfer to
feedwater system.

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 Burner Replacement
New Doosan modified Mark III burners
being installed.

Based on operating experience of

Mark III burners used in European
Biomass conversions.

Full use of existing Gas Recirculation

Fan to achieve steam temperatures.

Includes new Class I igniters and

flame scanners.

No changes to boiler openings.

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 Modification of Ash Handling

New Drag-Chain conveyors to replace pneumatic conveying

system (fire prevention).

Aggressive rapping strategy.

Continuous evacuation of collection hoppers.

Eliminate air in-leakage to reduce O2 (fire prevention).

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 Health & Safety

VISION: Sustained Excellence in Health and Safety

Conducted a third-party industrial hygiene study that

assessed hazards associated with handling wood dusts.

Developing new housekeeping standard.

Benchmarking industry best practices around wood pellet

inventory management and silo fire prevention and
management.

Use of safe job planning tools and site Passport to Safety.

Management field visibility. Conduct regular field visits.

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 Health & Safety continued

Fire and Explosion Risk

Regular cleaning of horizontal surfaces and conveyor systems

to prevent the accumulation of settled dust.
Monitor temperature in storage to take appropriate action if
self-heating or auto ignition.
Protect wood pellets from sources of heat and flame.
Hot work permits with fire safety/suppression measures
required for all hot work.

Worker Exposure Risk

Maintain exposures below occupational limits (dust and off-

gassing products).
Personal and area air monitoring to determine exposure
profiles and confirm adequacy of control methods.
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 Atikokan GS Biomass Project
July 2012

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 Truck Receiving & Transfer Tower
Oct. / Nov. 2012

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 Project coming together Dec. 2012

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 Mar. 2013

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 Transfer Tower & Silos Apr. 2013

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 Silos May 2013

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 Silos May 2013

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 One of 15 new burners

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 Surge Bin Modifications

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 Controls Console Demolition /
Replacement

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 June 2013

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 August 2013

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 August 2013

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 Conveyor Gallery Lift in Progress -
August 2013

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 August 2013

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 Dust Suppression / Vacuum System
Sept. 2013

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 Controls /Control Room
Commissioning Kick Off

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 Inside the Silo
Material Handling
Silo bin bottom (51,000
cinder blocks)
Installed West Silo Stair
Tower
Electrical / mechanical
continues on transfer tower
Fuel & Combustion
PA Cooler & Burners
Installed
ash conveyors in place,
ready for long drop chute
Electrical work underway
Pulverizer mods completed
Controls Installation
Installation tasks continued
Final 1st Fire terminations
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underway
A G S B i o m a s s C o n v e r s i o n P r o j e c t
 Silo Cone

37 P r e s e n t a t i o n T i t l e
 Burners Installed

38 P r e s e n t a t i o n T i t l e
 First Fire - October 2013

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 Thank You!

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 Questions

Brent Boyko
Director of Business Development
Atikokan Generating Station
807-597-3522
Brent.boyko@opg.com

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