Sharjah Electricity & Water Authority (SEWA) chose Atlas Copco oil-free screw compressors for its vision 2020

Compressed air in a power plant is one of the key utilities that contributes substantially to energy consumption. SEWA taking into account their vision on energy conservation have chosen 6 units of Atlas Copco two stage water-cooled oil-free screw compressors, model ZR75 to replace their existing aging fleet of reciprocating compressors at “Layyah Power Plant”, which is their largest plant in the Emirate of Sharjah.

Sharjah Electricity & Water Authority owned by Sharjah Government as (Sharjah Electricity & Water Department), has crafted an ambitious strategy “SEWA Vision 2020” to enhance its competitiveness while promoting a culture of excellence, efficiency and innovation. To build up green planet as a pillar of the vision, SEWA aims to reduce energy and water consumption and carbon emissions as well as reducing the environmental impact of their operations. They will achieve this goal through innovation, collaboration and global partnerships to increase understanding of environmental issues and disseminate good practices.

As a world leading compressor manufacturer, over the past sixty years Atlas Copco has pioneered the development of oil-free air technology, resulting in a range of air compressors and blowers that provide 100% pure, clean oil-free air required for instrument air applications in power plants.

SEWA had employed 25 years old oil-free reciprocating compressors for their instrument air requirements at Layyah Power Station. However due to aging and obsolescence the Layyah team found it difficult to keep this compressed air plant in operation which was effecting the generation capability of the power plant, besides the stiff target to focus on energy conservation and reduce consumption in line with the vision 2020.

After reviewing proposals from different vendors and evaluating different compression technologies, SEWA concluded on Atlas Copco ZR75 oil-free screw compressors as the best selection to replace the existing reciprocating units. Reliability as the key criteria, followed by serviceability and efficiency, Atlas Copco owing to their experience in manufacturing of rotary screw compressors and availability of local service support were taken into consideration when SEWA selected ZR75 for this replacement job.

Initially the Layyah team ordered 2 units in 2008 to confirm the performance and once convinced they have steadily progressed with replacing the remaining reciprocating compressors over the last few years. Now a total 6 units are in service in place of the 8 reciprocating units.

“These units together have improved plant reliability many folds, while reducing maintenance cost to a fraction of what was being spent on the older reciprocating units, and to top it all these units have reduced the energy consumption by over 20% which is meeting the vision 2020 of the SEWA management.” said Mr. Essa Al Suweidi, Power Generation Manager from the Layyah Plant.

Khalid Shaikh, the Regional Business Line Manager of Atlas Copco stressed the fact that Atlas Copco Z series of oil free compressors are best in class in the industry and Atlas Copco is a compressed air partner to the power industry that seeks reliable and efficient compressed air systems.