Bridgewater Solves Rejected Paper Problems with BTG Valves

In January of 2001, CCI announced its acquisition of Sweden-based BTG Specialty Valves – a specialty valve producer for the process and power industries. This merger will enhance CCI’s commitment to offer quality products and competitive pricing, backed by superior service. Most importantly, this synergy will further CCI’s commitment to meeting the customer’s performance needs on a global level.

From their start seven decades ago, BTG valves has supplied thousands of valves and steam conditioning systems, covering practically every type of process and power application.

From one innovative idea, BTG Valves has grown into a complete range of unique solutions that companies like Cogen recently relied on for their Bridgewater Paper Combined Heat and Power (CHP) plant project.

Steam-Dried Paper

Although they’ve contracted with Cogen to supply them with both power and steam from their recently opened CHP plant, Bridgewater Paper’s greatest need is dry superheated steam.

Says Ben Grundy,the Assistant Superintendent of Steam and Power, “The drying sections on our paper machines require steam close to saturation temperature. The desuperheaters we had before going into partnership with Cogen didn’t allow hitting this target.”

Since installation, Mike Cunningham, the Site Operations Manager at the Bridgewater Paper Site, says, “The BTG pressure-reducing de-superheating valves before the paper machines are critical for the delivery of dry, superheated steam to the mill. They get the job done. Other BTG bypass valves at the site provide redundancy and allow Cogen to take the steam turbine out of service for maintenance.”

Mr.Grundy cites the benefit of the Steam Conditioning Valves as increased output through less rejected paper because of moisture content variation, and the ability to supply steam individually to each of the paper machines.

Everybody is a Winner

Staff at Bridgewater claim that overall energy costs stand to be reduced by about two million pounds per year, availability is good, and the condition of the steam arriving at the paper machines is better than ever.

“The success of this project is largely attributable to the teamwork between Cogen ’s project team, Kvaerner, who was the project ’s general contractor, Bridgewater and the CCI/BTG team,” added Mr. Grundy.

Paul Hopper, a Project Engineer at Kvaerner explains, “We look for suppliers who no only sell equipment but provide expertise as well, and this is one of the reasons that CCI/BTG Valves became an integral part of the team that worked on the Bridgewater CHP plant. Their equipment is excellent and their knowledge of the kind of system we were installing at Bridgewater is exceptional.”

Perhaps Dr. Julian Bourchier, the Project Process Engineer from Kvaerner best summarizes the success of this project with his explanation that “A valve is only as good as the system it works in, and Kvaerner and CCI/BTG Valves worked closely together to integrate the valves into the process system. The results of this collaboration speak for themselves.”

Paul Hopper, left, and Julian Bourchier, right, engineers from Kvaerner Energy and Environmental

Super redundant combined heat and power plant guarantees steam and power at Bridgewater Paper

Published in SOLUTIONS Spring 2001