Visit to Refgas UK HQ Deeside -
17th September 2009
Engineers were introduced at Refgas to the most efficient advanced gasification plan in the world. They were intrigued by the presentation given by Chairman George Willacy.
Waste is a mountainous problem, and here is a processing plant that has no chimney, no smoke or CO2 release and the carbon ash can be returned to the soil. These green power generation works can, being in modules, be easily installed where needed, i. e., hospitals, universities, business parks, housing developments, etc. Prepared biomass is fed into a sealed gasifier vessel and cooked under a controlled oxygen atmosphere. The high 1000 ºC temperature gasifies the fuel to produce syngas. A further gas clean-up system ensures the syngas is suitable to feed directly to a gas engine to provide electricity and heat (CHP). The CHP produced is highly efficient - up to 80 % compared to 30 % - 40 % which is typical of standard power stations.
Refgas UK has completed a £ 2 million contract to design, supply and commission a 4 MW plant for the University of East Anglia and are in discussion with Coruscolors, Shotton, on the re-installation of a 2 MW plant. Refgas is also dealing with enquiries from Sweden and South America.
The lecture from the Refgas Chairman and his Managing Director proved extremely interesting and was followed by a two-way discussion ( http://www.refgas-uk.com/). During the visit, IMechE member Ian Binning presente a Certificate of Appreciation to Refgas Chairman, George Willacy.