Optimizing energy-efficiency for

operational excellence
DUBAL Power & Desalination Plants

Self-reliant in power generation

With 1,573 reduction cells in seven potlines, producing more

than one million metric tonnes of primary aluminium per annum
(mtpa), the total load demand for electrical power at Dubai
Aluminium (DUBAL) is approximately 1,900 MW.
This requirement is met through a
captive combined cycle power station
with an installed power generation
capacity of 2,350 MW at 30C.

capacity of 483 MW, which adequately

met the load demand of 302 MW at
start-up, has grown five-fold in the
intervening years.

The power generation capacity of

the DUBAL Power Plant has grown
substantially since the smelters
commissioning in 1979, with successive
increases coinciding with and
supporting successive expansions of
the smelter itself. The initial installed

From an initial 13 gas turbines, the

DUBAL Power Plant today comprises
23 gas turbine (GT) generators (eight
Frame 5; five Frame 9B; one 13DM;
six Frame 9E; three 13E2) and seven
steam turbine (ST) generators (two
back-pressure type; five condensing

type). The capacity and load evolution

since 1979 is depicted in Figure 1.
A total of 44 rectifier transformers
(RTs) convert the electrical power
from alternating current (AC) to
direct connect DC, as required by
the potlines. The gas turbines have
heat recovery steam generators
(thirteen single pressure type; ten
dual pressure type) to produce steam
for seven steam turbines and also the
Desalination Plants evaporator units.

1979-1982

1982-1989

1989-1995

1995-1998

2,350

2,350

1,656

1,656

1,329

883

675

553

483

1,656

2,127

Installed capacity, MW

1998-2002 2002-2004 2004-2005 2005-2006 2006-2008 2008-2011

2011-2015

1979-1982

1982-1989

1989-1995

1995-1998

1998-2002 2002-2004 2004-2005 2005-2006 2006-2008 2008-2011

Figure 1: DUBAL capacity and load evolution (MW capacity equivalent).

1,900

1,787

1,623

1,407

1,295

1,096

915

674

481

346

302

Load, MW

2011-2015

Continuous improvement
through innovation
The current level of power
generation at DUBAL has been

reached through multiple initiatives

and significant investments to
save energy and maximize the
use of available fuel-gas. The key
developments implemented to date,

listed in Table 1, are underpinned by

a corporate culture of continuous
improvement through innovation.

Table 1: Water supply and consumption, 2006 to 2009 (million imperial gallons/day).
Initiative

Description

GT Evaporator Cooling

Evaporative cooling on GTs 15 to 23

Savings of almost US$8.5 million achieved
Fuel savings of 10 mscfd recorded
CO2 emissions reduced by 200,000 tonnes per year

Frame 9BE Rehabilitation

Output increased 14.2 per cent

Efficiency improved 2.6 per cent
Fuel savings of 2 mscfd achieved
CO2 emissions reduced by 40,000 tonnes per year

Outage Optimization

Outages optimization to reduce downtime

Maintain high generation availability and efficiency
Savings ~ US$5 million

GT Air Filtration Modification

2nd stage filters modification on GTs 15 to 23

GT 17 & 23 upgrade to HEPA filtration
Increase in air filters life plus MW and efficiency improvements
Reduce solid waste generation

Frame 9E Uprates

Output increased 5.5 per cent

Improved efficiency 3.9 per cent
Achieved fuel savings of 5 mscfd
Reduced CO2 emissions by 93,777 tonnes per year

Uprate GT14 from D2 to DM

Output increased, 14 per cent

Improved efficiency 2.5 per cent
Fuel savings of 0.6 mscfd achieved
CO2 emissions reduced by 11,633 tonnes per year

Connecting Potlines 21 and 43

Reduction in number of RTs

Reduced power losses
Reduced aux power consumption

HV Reconfiguration

Replacement of old equipment

Reduced distribution losses < 1 per cent
Improve plant security

GTX Project

Increased ST 1, 2, 16, 18 and 20 MW output

Increase in water production
Average fuel saving of 15 mscfd recorded
Reduced CO2 emissions by 300,000 tonnes per year

Compressed Air Enhancement

Two compressors in Compressor House 1 capacity upgraded (10,000 m3/hr added)

Three additional units added in compressor house PL7 (5,000 m3/hr added)
Augmentation/debottlenecking one standby leg in compressor house (5,000 m3/hr)
another in PL7 (2,000 m3/hr)
Frame 9BE up-rated 3 units (3,000 m3/hr)
Two alumina unloading compressors in PL5 & 6
All resulted in reduced production from Frame 9E costly air production to below
36,000 m3/hr in total
Achieved fuel savings of 0.03 mscfd
CO2 emissions reduced by 1,000 tonnes per year

DUBALs gas turbines are fuelled

primarily by natural gas. Thanks to
the cogeneration and combined
cycle configuration of the DUBAL
Power Plant, approximately 36.8 per
cent of the power generated at
DUBAL is fuel-free. Through ongoing
efforts, the thermal efficiency of the
DUBAL Power Plant has improved

over the years and in 2011 was

43.53 per cent. This remarkable
improvement has resulted in
increased power generation to
produce hot metal, while the
fuel requirement increment is
proportionately less (see Figure 2).
The anticipated efficiency for 20122015 is 44.5 per cent.

Moreover, the fitment of built-in dry

low NOx burning systems in new GTs
and retrofitment of existing GTs
reduced DUBALs NOx air emission
rate by 60 per cent between 1990
and 2010 (see Figure 3).

2000
1800
1600
1400

MW / mscfd

1200
1000
800
600
400
200
0
1989

1991

1993

1995

1997

1999

Fuel

2001

2003

2005

2007

2009

2011

Power

Figure 2: DUBAL power generation growth (generation increase vs. total fuel consumption).

2.5

g/kWh

1.5

0.5

0
1990

1992

1994

1996

Figure 3: DUBAL Power Station NOx emission rate.

1998

2000

2002

2004

2006

2008

2010

2012-2015

Unique cogeneration
installation
DUBALs GTX Project, which entailed
the unique construction of a GTX
Cogeneration Plant, has raised the
power stations installed generation
capacity. It has also improved the
power stations power generation
efficiency: by integrating the
new GTX Cogeneration Plant into
the existing DUBAL Power Plant
infrastructure, better fuel utilisation
has been achieved as evidenced by
increased efficiency of electricity
generation. At the same time,
the GTX Cogeneration Plant has
decreased the environmental impact
of the overall DUBAL Power Plant
complex by reducing carbon dioxide
(CO2) emissions by approximately
300,000 tonnes per annum (based
on pure natural gas operation;
even more in the case of partial
operation on distillate oil) giving a
total reduction in CO2 emissions of
646,410 tonnes per year.

1. Add-on Mode
The steam generated by the GTX
Cogeneration Plants HRSG is
distributed to the three combined
cycle blocks and to the Desalination
Plant, so as to utilize the spare
capacity of the latters steam
turbines.
2. Process Steam Mode
The steam generated by the GTX
Cogeneration Plants HRSG is
exported to the DUBAL Desalination
Plant.
3. Replacement Mode
The GTX Cogeneration Plant fills-in
for any of the existing HRSGs in
the three combined cycle blocks
during periodic maintenance
procedures, thus maintaining
power generation capacity.

By design, DUBALs GTX

Cogeneration Plant runs in
cogeneration with three combined
cycle blocks, each comprising two
GTs and one ST. It can be operated
in one of three modes:

102
100
98

GT Availability (%)

96
94
92
90

5 Yearly average of FR9E GE fleet is 96%

88
86

5 Yearly average of FR13E2 Alstom fleet is 97%

84
82
2007

2008

FR9E

Figure 4: DUBAL GT Availability 2007-2011.

2009

FR13E2

2010

Benchmark

2011

Through multiple initiatives

and significant investments,
DUBAL has achieved fuel
savings of 33 mscfd,
reduced CO2 emissions
by 646,410 metric tonnes
per year, improved the
power station efficiency
by above 3%, and reduced
above US$30 million in
operating costs.

Harnessing heat energy to

produce water
Driven by hot gases from the DUBAL
Power Plant, the DUBAL Desalination
Plant can produce up to 30 million
gallons (136,000 m3) of fresh water
per day. The water produced is used
for the companys on-site needs
or sold to a number of external
customers. For example, at the peak
of the Dubai construction boom
(2005 to 2009), DUBAL supplied
18 million gallons a day to construction
sites (through a dedicated 17-bay
water tanker filling station).
The DUBAL Desalination Plant
comprises six Multi-Stage Flash
(MSF) evaporator units, each
consisting of 19 stages and capable
of producing 5 million gallons of
distilled water per day. Some of
the distilled water is retained for

industrial uses and the balance is

pumped to a blending plant where
minerals are added to make it
suitable for drinking. The resulting
potable water is very high quality,
meeting WHO, GCC and Dubai
Municipality standards.
Innovation is also evident at the
DUBAL Desalination Plant. Since
2005, DUBAL has used chlorine
dioxide (as an alternative to the
traditional disinfection treatment) to
improve the quality of potable water
and reduce the chance of disinfection
by-product (DBP) formation being
the first thermal desalination plant in
the world to implement the system.
The DUBAL Desalination Plant
contributes substantially to

fuel-cost savings at DUBAL; and

is unique in its capacity to supply
a significant quantity of very high
purity distilled water.

Water-saving initiatives
Conscious of water being a precious
resource, DUBAL has implemented
water saving devices across the
plant, which have reduced domestic
water use by more than 30 per cent.
Improvements to DUBALs dedicated
Sewage Plant have improved the
quality of treated water for irrigation,
thus reducing the requirement for
desalinated water for this purpose.
A system has been installed at the
water tanker filling station to recover
spilled water and recycle it, also for
irrigation purposes.

Corporate focus on energy-saving

Despite being self-sufficient in
terms of generating its own power
requirements, DUBAL strives
continually to minimize the power
consumption of its operations.
Several energy-savings projects
have been implemented across the
plant over the years. For example,
lighting across the complex is
continuously audited with the aim of
identifying and implementing energysaving options. Energy-saving bulbs
have been fitted, resulting in a
power consumption reduction of
12,510 kWh per year; and motion
sensors have been installed in
many areas, especially in unmanned

substations. A plant-wide, full scale

LED lighting conversion is planned
for implementation as soon as
practicable.
Air-conditioning is a major power
consumer at DUBAL, especially
during the summer months. To
minimize the air-conditioning load,
the units thermostats are set at
24C during working hours and
27C during non-working hours.
As a member of the Dubai Supreme
Council of Energy (DSCE), DUBAL
has whole-heartedly adopted the
directives issued by

H H Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed

Al Maktoum (President of Dubai
Civil Aviation, Chairman of Emirates
Airline Group, and Chairman
of DSCE) to all DSCE member
companies regarding the measures
which the Dubai Government
is taking to minimize energy
consumption in Dubai, in fulfilment of
the Emirates 2030 Energy Strategy.
DUBALs efforts in this area saved
approximately 11,400,000 kWh over the
first fifteen months of implementing
the directives. The overall target
is energy-savings of approximately
22,000,000 kWh per year by 2013.

About DUBAL

DUBAL owns and operates one

of the worlds largest single-site
primary aluminium smelters. Built on
a 480-hectare site in Jebel Ali, Dubai,
UAE, the complexs major facilities
comprise a one million mtpa primary
aluminium smelter, a 2,350 megawatt
power station (at 30C), a large
carbon plant, casthouse operations,
a 30 million gallon per day water
desalination plant, laboratories, port
and storage facilities.

serves more than 300 customers

in at least 45 countries around the
world, predominantly in the Far East,
Europe, the ASEAN region, the Middle
East and Mediterranean region, and
North America. The company holds
ISO 9001, ISO/TS 16949, ISO/IEC
27001, ISO/IEC 20000, ISO 14001 and
OHSAS 18001 certification; and has
twice won the Dubai Quality Award in
the Production and Manufacturing
sector (1996 and 2000).

The Jebel Ali site has the capacity

to produce more than one million
metric tonnes of high quality
finished aluminium products a year,
in three main forms: foundry alloy for
automotive applications; extrusion
billet for construction, industrial and
transportation purposes; and high
purity aluminium for the electronics
and aerospace industries. DUBAL

Among the many other prestigious

awards received over the years,
DUBAL has been honoured by the
following accolades:
Emirates Energy Awards 2007
Private Corporation Energy Award,
and Education & Research Award.
Emirates Energy Awards 2008
Major Energy Award (1st place),

Minor Energy Award (runner-up), and

Energy Engineer Award (runner-up).
Power Generation and Water
Solutions 2009 Transmission &
Distribution Project of the Year
Award.
DUBAL also holds a 50 per cent share
in Emirates Aluminium Company
Limited (EMAL) at Al Taweelah,
Abu Dhabi; and has invested in joint
venture projects in the bauxite/
alumina sector in Brazil, Cameroon,
India and Republic of Guinea.
Entirely state-owned, DUBAL is one
of the largest non-oil contributors
to the economy of Dubai and widely
regarded as the industrial flagship
of the UAE. Having begun to tap
metal at Jebel Ali in November 1979,
the company celebrated its 30th
anniversary in 2009.

Glossary
AC
CO2
DBP
DC
DUBAL
DSCE
GCC
GT
g/kWh
HRSG
kWh
m3/hr

alternating current
carbon dioxide
disinfection by-product
direct current
Dubai Aluminium
Dubai Supreme Council of Energy
Gulf Co-operation Council
gas turbine
grams per kilowatt-hour
heat recovery steam generator
kilowatt-hour
cubic metres per hour

mscfd
MSF
mt/hr
mtpa
MW
MWh
NOx
PL
ppm
RT
ST
WHO

million standard cubic feet per day

multi-stage flash
metric tonnes per hour
metric tonnes per annum
megawatts
megawatt-hour
oxides of nitrogen
potline
parts per million
rectifier transformer
steam turbine
World Health Organisation

Technical data

Electric power generation

Power station installed capacity

2,350 MW at 30C

Equipment
8

Gas turbines with 4 x condensing steam turbines

Equipped with Evaporative Coolers
Equipped with Dry Low NOx burners (less than 20 ppm)

Gas turbine in combined cycle with 1 x steam turbine

13

Gas turbine in large co-generation cycle

Gas turbine in co-generation cycle

Equipped with Evaporative Coolers
Equipped with Dry Low NOx burners (less than 20 ppm)

44

Rectifier transformers converting AC to DC (including boosters x 13)

372

Distribution transformers

The Evaporative Coolers enhance the plant electrical output and reduce
CO2 emissions by about 350,000 mtpa. The plants overall thermal
efficiency improved from 33.8 per cent in 1999 to 43.4 per cent in 2011.

Desalination plant
Fresh water production capacity

30 million gallons/day

Producing two grades of water:

Potable water meeting WHO quality requirement
High purity distilled water
Equipment
6 multi-stage flash evaporators
First evaporator inaugurated on
26 February 1979
2 Back pressure steam turbines
36 MW each
Net steam requirement
750 mt/hr
Reservoir storage capacity
10 million gallons
Water tanker filling station capacity 18 million gallons/day

For additional information, contact:

Dubai Aluminium (DUBAL)
P O Box 3627, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Tel: + 971 4 884 6666
Fax: + 971 4 884 6919
www.dubal.ae

Updated: September 2012