Notre Dame Combustion Turbines and Heat Recovery Steam Generators

Notre Dame’s planet-friendly initiative switches up its fuel source with an eye toward the future. Its new systems are on target to dramatically reduce CO2 emissions over the long term.

Location

South Bend, IN

Industry

Central Energy & Utilities

Square Footage

32,000

Services Provided

Commissioning, Controls Design, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Structural Engineering, Utility Generation & Distribution

Challenge

After the execution of a long-range utilities plan, KFI designed a new gas turbine/heat recovery steam generator (HRSG) plant featuring two 5.5-MW gas turbines, two 400 psig, 725 F HRSGs with supplemental firing, a new dedicated high-pressure gas source for the university, redundant gas compressors, and a new substation.

Approach

The 32,000-square-foot expansion to the facilities building houses the plant and electrical gear. Two new natural gas compressors were installed to provide high-pressure natural gas to the new combustion turbines. These are housed in a separate new gas compressor building. In addition to the turbines, KFI provided the design for the relocation of the existing water treatment systems within the facilities building and new 20,000-gpm cooling towers to replace the two existing chillers. The project also included connecting to three existing tunnels, rerouting of existing tunnel piping through the new plant, and phased demolition of two tunnels that would be running through the new building’s basement if left in service.

After reviewing the projections laid out in the Utilities Long Range Plan, the team moved forward with a new gas-turbine/HRSG plant featuring two 5.5MW gas turbines, HRSGs with supplemental firing, a new dedicated high pressure gas source, redundant gas compressors, and a new substation.