A 40-MW combined-cycle cogeneration facility designed to provide electricity throughout the Walt Disney World Resort complex near Orlando, FL, is newest project of Reedy Creek Energy Services Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Co. Reedy Creek Energy manages all utility systems for the Reedy Creek Improvement District which serves the 28,000-acre Disney facility, with electricity, heating and cooling, natural gas, domestic water, wastewater, solid waste disposal, and drainage.
An LM5000, an aero derivative gas turbine of the CF6-50 jet engine produced by General Electric and used in DC-10 commercial airlines will supply the power for the facility.
The plant will create both thermal and electrical energy from a single fuel source. Power produced by the plant will serve approximately 55% of the Disney complex's load and will
more than triple Reedy Creek's existing capacity. The steam produced will be used for absorption chillers in the air conditioning system as well as for hot water.
The LM5000 will generate 33,500 kW of electricity at a heat rate of 9,801.6 Btu/kWh when operating at 68°F. The cogeneration system will be capable of operation on either natural gas or liquid fuel to improve reliability of the facility. NOx emissions from the gas turbine will be reduced by a water injection system.
The gas turbine is designed to exhaust into a heat recovery steam generator which is also capable of being supplementary fired to produce steam. High pressure steam from the boiler will supply an 8.4-MW extraction, condensing steam turbine which drives a generator.
A 1,200 kW diesel generator will provide black start capability. The plant includes two 100-percent capacity motor-driven gas compressors.
A central control room will contain the microprocessor-based Distributed Control System designed to monitor and control the operation of the entire facility.
