Park Hyung-koo (left), president of KOMIPO and Yoon Byung-suk (right), CEO of SK Gas, shake hands after signing a business agreement on a “conversion to clean fuel” project to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and fine dust on Jan. 22.

Korea Midland Power Co. (KOMIPO) Technology Research Center completed the development of a smart-water washing automation system (Smart-WAS), Korea’s first such technology to use big data and ICT. It is designed to ramp up performance of gas turbine compressors. It should be put into operation at Sejong Power Complex on Jan. 28.

Amid an era of digital transformation, real-time digital solutions, employing the technologies of the 4th Industrial Revolution is required in the sector.

In this regard, KOMIPO has developed the Smart-WAS, so that economical and scientific decisions on the washing of gas turbine compressors can be made, a departure from the conventional method in which facility operations depended on facility operators’ handwritten calculations and decisions.

The Smart-WAS is designed to optimize the performance of gas turbines compressors. To develop the Smart-WAS, big data analyses of more than 150,000 pieces, plus several trials and errors, realized the automatic calculation system with an accuracy rate of 98.85 percent.

Starting with the operation of the Smart-WAS at Sejong Power Complex, the digital transformation will be extended to cover all other power plants in April. Exploration of additional effective factors and automatic date reflection will be upgraded on a continuous basis to raise the accuracy rate.

The cost of washing gas turbine compressors reached about 300 million won, including halting power generation for two days, so the utilization of the Smart-WAS is predicted to contribute to the efficient operation of power facilities and raise power sale revenues.

KOMIPO President Park Hyung-koo stressed the need for localizing power facilities by implementing the ongoing research tasks and exploring additional tasks.

Park said he expected the Smart-WAS KOMIPO developed on its own to be introduced by all power complexes and be utilized as an essential solution to maintain the optimal functions of gas turbine compressors in Korea and abroad.

Participants pose for a photo during a ceremony to celebrate the first operation of the Smart-WAS Automation System for Compressor Cleaning of Gas Turbine at the Sejong Power Generation Headquarters of KOMIPO, on Jan. 28. (Photos: KOMIPO)

KOMIPO Teams Up with SK Gas to Launch Switch to Eco-friendly Fuel

KOMIPO signed an MOU with SK Gas on Jan. 22. The deal aims to replace facilities using Bunker C-oil and other liquid fuels to LPG in order to reduce greenhouse gas and minute dust emissions.

KOMIPO decided to expand the fuel conversion project being implemented in the Chungnam area, which has got a good response from stakeholders and is considered to bring greater environment-friendly benefits.

The power company will raise 9 billion won in investment money for three years, which will finance the replacement of facilities while SK Gas plans to raise a fund to select SMEs and support brackets vulnerable to climate change.