Rosslyn Brewery Cogeneration Plant

Cogeneration plant with a guaranteed efficiency of +88%

Zero LTI in 164,000 hours

Largest brewery in South Africa

Challenges

AB-InBev’s Rosslyn Brewery is the largest brewery in South Africa and is key to the company’s Southern Africa production targets.
Brewing is an energy intensive process requiring large quantities of both electricity and steam—a reliable source of energy is essential.
Ongoing load shedding was affecting their operations.
Full integration with the existing brewery was required in terms of steam, hot water, and electricity generation with minimal impact on production.
The project involved extensive brownfield work due to wide-ranging integration challenges.
The 850 m gas pipeline included a 120 m horizontal directional drilling (HDD) exercise near a rail line, two road crossings, and numerous water supply lines and fibre and electrical cables.

We conducted an engineering study of options to provide both a source of in-house electrical generation while optimizing the brewery’s steam production process to ensure security of supply. The study identified attractive benefits if they installed a natural gas-fired combined-heat and power (CHP) plant.
Based on the outcome of the study, AB-InBev extended Hatch’s appointment to provide EPCM services to design, construction manage, and commission the entire CHP plant.
The installation of the CHP plant required the installation of a new, high-pressure, underground gas supply pipeline from the existing Sasol natural gas line to the brewery, a high-pressure metering station, the redesign of the electrical reticulation system to allow for a combined electrical feed from the municipality, the gas turbine generator, an additional diesel generator for black start scenarios, and future allowance for solar PV panels.
We designed the hot water recovery system, including the complex functional and control system.
We developed the specifications for the CHP plant (gas turbine and heat recovery steam generator), a new 35-bar natural gas pipeline, electrical switch gear, and construction packages.

Capital investment will be paid off in less than four years.
Using a similar amount of natural gas that was used in the gas-fired boilers to generate 4 MW of electricity and the same amount of steam.
Implementation of the project provides AB-InBev with improved efficiency in reduced energy requirements.
Plant personnel was trained by Original Equipment Manufacturers to gain an understanding of the technologies and practical experience control and maintain the plant.

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