Impulse Cleaning System promotes boiler efficiency.

Press Release Summary:



Managed by fully automated control system, Powerwave+(TM) creates impulses in controlled, pulsed manner in order to direct cleaning waves at collective surfaces of boilers that burn coal to produce electricity at power generation plants. Each burst of fuel and air, ignited and then accelerated from subsonic to supersonic mach-5 speeds, exits cleaner into area of boiler to be cleaned. Pulse penetrates in and around obstructions it encounters, optimizing surface contact.



Original Press Release:



GE Energy Announces Availability of New Impulse Cleaning System for Enhanced Boiler Operation



Product also Receives GE's ecomagination Certification in the United States and India

NEW DELHI, INDIA -February 27, 2007-GE Energy has announced the availability of it's new product, Powerwave+(TM), an innovative impulse cleaning system that enhances boiler operation at power generation plants that burn coal to produce electricity and minimizes high maintenance and expenses associated with other cleaning methods.

Powerwave+ received GE's ecomagination certification after completing the company's rigorous environmental and operational evaluation. It was cited as one of a number of successful GE projects during the formal launch of GE's ecomagination program in India on February 20 in New Delhi. Ecomagination is GE's commitment to address challenges such as the need for cleaner, more efficient sources of energy, reduced emissions and abundant sources of clean water.

Using technology developed for the future of jet propulsion, Powerwave+ creates impulses in a controlled, pulsed manner in order to direct cleaning waves at the collective surfaces.

A cleaning cycle from this product is the result of a complex process that is managed entirely by a fully automated, simple to use control system. Each burst consists of precise delivery of fuel and air to the combustion chamber followed by ignition of this mixture and acceleration from subsonic to supersonic mach-5 speeds. The supersonic impulse exits the Powerwave+ cleaner into the area of the boiler to be cleaned.

The shockwave penetrates in and around obstructions it encounters, providing more complete surface contact. The result of this controlled process is a much cleaner boiler with optimized heat exchange and increased performance.

The high-pressure impulse technology augments or replaces current cleaning systems used to dislodge buildup and deposits on convection surfaces in boilers and heat exchangers. Because of its high level of penetration, the high-energy cleaning action from Powerwave+ can dramatically increase performance compared to alternative methods, with reduced operating costs and minimized tube and shield damage.

"This new technology carries significant advantages over traditional methods like sootblowing, rapping, manual shaking, blasting and high-pressure water washing. Because the Powerwave+ effectively cleans using controlled and repeated wave pulses, cleaning can be performed online," said Daniel Heintzelman, president of GE Energy's services business. "Another advantage over traditional methods is that the customer benefits from less tube wear and avoids unnecessarily wasted steam and water."

Installing a single Powerwave+ system using pulse detonation technology on a representative 268-megawatt coal boiler running 8,760 hours per year improves the heat transfer rate, which results in improved efficiency of 0.54 percent that can lead to savings of up to 5,390 tons of coal or the equivalent of 14,491 MWh/yr of power versus soot blowing technology.

It also reduces the amount of coal burned for power generation, which in turn reduces the amount of ash dust generated and collected for disposal by up to 988,570 lbs per year, the amount of flyash dust by up to 4,968 lbs per year, the amount of CO2 emissions by up to 11,559 tons per year and the SO2 emissions by up to 50 tons per. In addition, replacing 10 soot blowers with just one Powerwave+ on the example system eliminates the need for steam soot blowing, which can save up to 940,383 gallons of water per year.

About GE Energy
GE Energy (www.ge.com/energy) is one of the world's leading suppliers of power generation and energy delivery technologies, with 2006 revenue of $19 billion. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, GE Energy works in all areas of the energy industry including coal, oil, natural gas and nuclear energy; renewable resources such as water, wind, solar and biogas; and other alternative fuels.

Numerous GE Energy products are certified under ecomagination, GE's corporate-wide initiative to aggressively bring to market new technologies that will help customers meet pressing environmental challenges.

For more information, contact:
Serena Levy
GE Energy
(678) 844 5423
serena.levy@ge.com

Gina DeRossi or Howard Masto
Masto Public Relations
(518) 786 6488
gina.derossi@mastopr.com
howard.masto@ge.com

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