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Being the literal fuel of modern life, electricity is an absolute, unassailable necessity, functioning as the cornerstone of home and business life alike. Having such a pivotal purpose, electricity creation and provision needs to be smooth, efficient and reliable. Enter HFO, a fuel that ensures that this indispensable resource reaches you. Read more…
Heavy fuel oil (HFO) is a petroleum distillate, or hydrocarbon fuel, that is produced from crude oil, from which lighter hydrocarbon products like diesel and gasoline are also extracted. HFO is a cost-effective, reliable fuel that is used in power generators across Africa.
Did you know that a single hydrocarbon power plant working 24/7 can create the same amount of energy as 1,000 wind turbines running for the same amount of time? Additionally, power plants that make use of hydrocarbon fuels, such as HFO, can operate solely on the energy that they create; during the electricity creation and supply process, they can remain entirely off the grid.
The dependable availability of this fuel, as well as its greater power creation capability, sees HFO also being used as a backup fuel supply for hybrid plants using alternative fuel sources, such as wind or solar.
HFO power plants offer long term reliable operation expectation, long-life expectancy, lower running and maintenance costs, and low noise advantages – necessary elements for an around-the-clock operation. While renewable energy technology continues to become more cost-effective, power plants operating on HFO fuel, or other hydrocarbon fuels, will remain a key mode of electricity production until its costs are matched or superseded.
The African continent contains the most developing countries and as such experiences a lack of energy supply to many of its regions. Fuel options like HFO provide the opportunity to cost-effectively and reliably supply electricity to these areas. In a recent interview, SRK’s consulting partner, Chris Dalgliesh, stated that smaller power generation plants could make use of hydrocarbon fuels to roll out electricity for such areas, improving their chances of economic development and increasing their investment potential.
The first stage in a power plant’s operation is loading the HFO into the plant. A giant furnace will then begin heating this fuel until heat energy is released. This heat energy is used in a boiler – cold water sitting in pipes is heated up until the water is boiled into steam. Besides the fuel used to power the plant, this steam is another important factor in the energy-creation process. In order to begin the actual electricity creation, this steam must turn the numerous blades of a huge turbine, and at a high enough pressure and temperature to create kinetic energy – this is the energy of movement.
The turbine must receive this steam at a high enough temperature and pressure in order to function properly and efficiently but must have that steam pass around and leave it at the exact opposite – as low a pressure and temperature as possible. To help with the efficiency of the turbine, condensers and a massive cooling tower help cool the intensely hot steam, and the cooling tower then pumps the cooled water back through the power station for reuse. This helps ensure that as little steam or water is wasted in this procedure as possible.
The next stage of the energy creation at a power plant sees the actual formation of electricity. A generator is linked to the turbine by an axle, and this generator uses the kinetic energy made by the spinning turbine to make electricity. Through electricity cables, this electricity is transported to a nearby transformer, known as the step-up transformer. By traveling down these cables, electricity will lose some of its energy, but is boosted up and increased in voltage at this stage. The pylons you see strewn across the country carry this boosted electricity to wherever it is needed. A step-down transformer converts the electricity to a safer voltage before it can be used in homes. Underground cables then carry the electricity the last leg of its life into your home, to be used by appliances, lights and heating – or to industrial or commercial areas to be used for business purposes.
HFO has proved itself to be a feasible, cost-efficient and reliable fuel source, fuelling many power stations abroad and here in Africa. As refining processes improve, lower sulphur fuel oils (LSFO) are also available, lessening the environmental impact of this fuel type. For more information about using HFO or LSFO, speak to us today.