Emission reduction programme introduces Jordan actuators at Drax Power Station

Rotork Jordan electric modulating valve actuators have been introduced at the 4000MW Drax Power Station during the latest part of the station's environmental upgrade programme.

The Jordan actuators will provide improved boiler control in advance of LCPD (large combustion plant directive) legislation that comes into force in 2008.

Drax is the UK's largest fossil fuel power station and also the cleanest and most efficient, already utilising FGD (flue gas de-sulphurisation), BOFA (boosted over-fire air) and low NOX burner technologies. Complying with LCPD now involves changing existing control systems and enhancing the reliability, control accuracy and maintainability of actuators and final control elements on the affected boiler plant. This continues the removal of redundant and unreliable actuators which has seen the introduction of Rotork IQ and IQT intelligent electric actuators throughout the site, with over 1000 Rotork units currently in operation.

The Rotork Jordan SM6000 electric actuators are specially designed for continuous, high speed modulating control in very high ambient temperature environments. To improve the combustion process at Drax they have replaced old hydraulic units that have proved costly to service and repair and presented a potential damage and fire hazard to surrounding plant from leaking hydraulic fluid. The Jordan actuators have been specified and supplied by actuation and maintenance specialist company Exeeco.

The first batch of Jordan actuators has been installed on twenty secondary air dampers and eight super-heater re-heater bypass dampers on the first of Drax's generating units during 2005. The entire project involves a total of 84 actuators, which will make Drax the largest single site user of Jordan SM6000 actuators in the world.

Rotork Exeeco Sales Director Ian Elliott comments: "This is a prestigious contract for our Jordan product range and will enhance our position for the introduction and installation of the SM6000 actuator and control systems at further power stations in the UK and Europe ahead of the LCPD deadline. The contract was won on specification and price in the face of rigorous competition from manufacturers in Europe, which is where we now confidently anticipate similar success for these products".

Nick Parker, Drax project manager and Rob Wilson, C & I engineer both commented after the factory acceptance test at Jordan's manufacturing plant in Milwaukee, Wisconsin: "We already had high confidence in the Rotork product range and the services of Exeeco, and we quickly realised that the quality of the Rotork Jordan company was consistent with our expectations. The products are well designed and manufactured to a high standard, giving us every confidence in their long term performance in this particularly harsh and critical application".