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With power demand growing at
about 5 percent a year, blackouts are
not uncommon in the Dominican
Republic. Despite its best eorts to meet
surging demand, the government has
long struggled to bring uninterrupted
power to the 10 million inhabitants
of the Caribbean island.
In fact as long as 20 years ago, the
island installed its rst barge mounted
power plant on the river owing
through its capital, Santo Domingo,
to supply emergency power to the city.
Tis approximately 40 MW barge was
supplied by Wrtsil to a company called
Seaboard Corporation, an independent
power producer with a 90-year history
that has its roots in grain and agricultural
products. Ten, 10 years later, in 2000,
Wrtsil supplied a much larger power
barge of 71 MW, again to Seaboard, to
further boost power supply to the capital.
But with the need for power continuing
to grow, Seaboard once again contacted
Wrtsil to build another barge power
station that will replace the two older
Floating solutions
AUTHORS: Roger Ehnst r m, Gener al Manager, Pr oj ect Pur chasi ng& Logi st i cs
Kai Ket t u, Pr oj ect Manager, Power Pl ant s Pr oj ect Management , Amer i cas Ar ea
Kar i Tuomi nen, Seni or Chi ef Pr oj ect Engi neer, El ect r i cal
Wrtsil has delivered oating power
barges to the market for around 25
years, but the latest barge for the
Dominican Republic represents a
milestone in its history it will be
the companys rst combined cycle
power barge. The increased efciency
of combined cycle operation will give
the plant an advantage in dispatch
priority.
WRTSIL TECHNICAL JOURNAL 02.2011
23 in detail
barges. Tis 106 MW barge, known as
Estrella Del Mar II, is notably Wrtsils
rst combined cycle power barge
Greater exibility
Te decision to opt for another oating
power plant makes perfect sense. Seaboard
already has permits for the existing two
barges, and replacing these is an easier
option than attempting to gain a new
permit for a land-based project Continuing
with a barge concept also has other
advantages. A oating power station can
be re-located to wherever the power is
needed.
Seaboard is familiar with the use of
combustion engines. In addition to the two
power barges, it operates and maintains a
number of engines, many of which are
Wrtsil engines, onboard ships. Engine
technology was thus the companys natural
choice.
Te Dominican Republic does not have
a domestic gas supply. Te country has
one LNG terminal with which Seaboard
has an existing gas supply agreement.
During initial discussions, the companys
original thinking was to use high-pressure
gas engines for the new barge. However,
this posed the risk of the plant not being
able to run in the case of an interruption
to the gas supply. Seaboard also has
heavy fuel oil (HFO) storage tanks on
shore for running its existing barges.
Te company therefore opted for tri-fuel
engines due to their ability to run on either
fuel oil or gas. Although the plan is to run
the engines on gas as much as possible
due to the higher eciency and lower
emissions this still oers the option of
running on fuel oil if gas is not available.
Te Wrtsil 50DF proved to be the
ideal choice in terms of power output
and footprint. It not only gives exibility
to the operator in terms of fuel, but also
has quick start-up and loading time.
Furthermore, the Wrtsil 50DF is designed
to give almost the same output whether it
is running on natural gas or LFO/HFO.
Te Wrtsil 50DF can run on most
natural gas qualities. Te nominal design
point is a Methane number of 80. Te
engine can be operated on gases with
lower Methane Numbers with a dierent
performance. It is also designed for
continuous operation on pilot and back-up
fuels, without reduction in the rated
output.
Fig. 13 Estrella del Mar II construction phases.
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Block Division
1
Installation of center bulkhead
3
Install all bulkheads and longitudinal bulkhead.
5
7
Install maindeck B2 & B5
9
Joint block B1 to B2
11
Fabrication of bottom blocks
2
Joint block B3 to B4
4
Joint block B2 to B3 & B5 to B4
6
Joint side block B2P, B2S, B5P & B5S
8
Joint block B6 to B5
10
12
Assembly of blocks
Te Wrtsil 50DF operates on the
lean burn principle; the mixture of air
and gas in the cylinder has more air than
is needed for complete combustion. Lean
combustion reduces peak temperatures
and, therefore, NO
X
emissions. Eciency
is increased and higher output is reached
while knocking is avoided.
Combustion of the lean air-fuel mixture
is initiated by injecting a small amount
of LFO (pilot fuel) into the cylinder. Te
pilot fuel is ignited in a conventional diesel
process, providing a high-energy ignition
source for the main charge. To obtain
the best eciency and lowest emissions,
every cylinder is individually controlled
to ensure operation at the correct air-
fuel ratio and with the correct amount
and timing of pilot fuel injection.
Te Wrtsil 50DF is normally started
in diesel mode using both main diesel
and pilot fuel. Gas admission is activated
when combustion is stable in all cylinders.
When running the engine in gas mode
the pilot fuel, which is always present,
amounts to less than 1 percent of full-
load fuel consumption. Te amount
of pilot fuel is controlled by the engine
control system. When running the
engine in backup fuel mode, the pilot
is also in use to ensure nozzle cooling.
Combined cycle conguration
Te decision to use these engines in
a combined cycle conguration was
driven by the desire for increased plant
eciency. In the Dominican Republic,
the plants are ranked according to their
eciency, and power is despatched from
the most ecient plants rst. Seaboard
wanted to boost the plant eciency and
thus be at the top of the despatch order.
During the sales phase, Wrtsil therefore
suggested a combined cycle plant.
Te plant will feature six 18-cylinder
Wrtsil 50DF tri-fuel engines in
V-conguration with full heat recovery
and a steam turbine generator. Plant
output on HFO will be 108 MW,
or 106 MW when running on gas.
Eciency will be about 47.8 per cent.
Exhaust heat is recovered from the
engines and fed to a single pressure
heat recovery boiler. Steam generated
in the boiler is then fed to a single
cylinder, multi-stage, impulse/low
reaction condensing type steam turbine.
Steam owing at 12.4 kg/s, with a
pressure of 15 bar[a] and a temperature
WRTSIL TECHNICAL JOURNAL 02.2011
25 in detail
Fig. 4 Barge 3D design
of 345C 30C, leaves the last stage
of turbine blades and passes up the
exhaust branch to the water-cooled
condenser via the condenser ductwork.
Te geared turbine and auxiliaries are
mounted on a composite fabricated steel
baseplate unit, part of which also serves as
the oil reservoir. Te generator is mounted
on an extension baseplate, which is aligned
and bolted to the main baseplate. Te
steam turbine generator operates at 60 Hz
and has an output of 8.8 MWe. It has a
power factor of 0.8 and operates at 13.8
kV. Step-up transformers will allow power
to be to provided to the grid at 69 kV.

Floating construction
Estrella Del Mar II is essentially a land-
based combined cycle power station on
a barge. Fuel treatment equipment, such
as fuel separators, fuel boosters, pilot
fuel equipment, and lube oil separators,
are all placed on board along with the
major power plant equipment. Step-up
transformers, high voltage yards and the
main fuel storage tanks are located on
shore. A workshop, storage and oces will
also be on shore, and a new underground
gas pipe will be built to the site.
Building a large oating combined
cycle plant does not come without its
challenges. Fuel day tanks, lubricating oil
and re water tanks have to be located in
the hull of the barge. Tis means there is
limited space for the auxiliary equipment
that is typically placed below deck. Also,
the boilers and associated heat recovery
equipment that is placed above deck
require a signicant amount of space.
Te powerhouse had to be divided
into two sections due to size and space
constraint. Te exhaust duct from each
engine cannot be directed out as in the
usual set-up, but instead they have to
be turned inward, with the boiler and
the stack area located in the centre.
Tere are also physical limitations
regarding the barge itself. Te barge has
to be towed up the river for about one
mile from the port, and has to pass under
one bridge that has to be opened and
another that has a height limitation. Tis
called for careful design of the barge.
Te pontoon was designed by Wrtsil
Ship Design in Singapore and classied
by the American Bureau of Shipping. Te
power plant portion of the project was
engineered by Wrtsil and its partner.
A key dierence between constructing
a barge mounted power plant and
a land-based project is the limited
oor and storage space on the barge.
Tis means project logistics and
equipment deliveries have to be carefully
planned during project execution.
Also, the project team has to work with
shipyards and the marine industry it is
involved with classication society issues,
naval architects and naval designs etc. Such
a project calls for a signicant amount of
co-ordination between all parties involved,
especially during the design phase.
Te barge is being built in a Tailand
shipyard. Over the last 25 years or so,
Wrtsil has built nearly 25 barges most
of them in Asia and a few in the USA.
Following extensive research on a number
of shipyards, the Tailand shipyard was
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found to be the most suitable in
terms of cost and delivery time,
as well as quality of work.
In addition, another barge destined
for Lihir Island was being built in the
same shipyard, which meant Wrtsil had
developed experience of working with the
shipyard. Furthermore, on completion
of the rst barge, advisors and some of
the site people could be immediately
transferred to the Seaboard barge project.
All of the logistics were also already in
place to receive equipment from Europe.
Most of the power barges built-to date
have been converted from existing barges
i.e. the power station has been added
to an existing oating vessel. In contrast,
the Seaboard barge is a newly built
power barge. At 104.4 m long by 32
m wide vessel, the physical size of the
barge is similar to previous barges.
However, compared to a traditional
barge-mounted HFO plant, there will be
much more piping and cabling on board
to accommodate the fuel oil tanks and
gas fuel equipment, as well as the heat
recovery portion of the power station.
Storm-ready
A key impact on the barge construction
and design was the need for the power
station to be able to withstand hurricanes.
Seaboard rst contacted Wrtsil for the
project in late 2008. During negotiations,
a hurricane passed over the Dominican
Republic. With the devastation of New
Orleans caused by hurricane Katrina a few
years earlier still fresh in everyones mind,
Seaboard wanted to ensure that the barge
met the latest hurricane requirements.
Terefore, when the project team
became involved in the summer of
2009, it was decided that the barge
would be designed to withstand wind
speeds of up to 120 mph for an average
of one minute. Tis is higher than for
previous barges. With the new barge
replacing two older barges, the moorings
are also being reinforced. Tere will be
additional pilings at the bottom of the
river, and mooring dolphins will be
made larger and cast in concrete. Each
of the two mooring dolphins will be
connected to a corresponding foundation
on shore via a steel pipe structure.
Preparing for the journey
Although the barge is designed to
withstand hurricane force winds,
hopefully there will be no hurricanes
during its journey from Asia to the
Caribbean. During transport, all internal
equipment and components will be
fastened by temporary lashings.
Te project is on a very tight schedule
16 months from contract award (mid-
August, 2010) to commercial operation
in simple cycle, and 17 months to
substantial completion. Te barge was
launched in the water on June 30, 2011
so that outtting could be nalised.
All engines and generators were lifted
Fig. 6 The Luise under construction.
Fig. 5 The Lihir Gold Limited power upgrade barge Luise ready for sea freight.
WRTSIL TECHNICAL JOURNAL 02.2011
27 in detail
aboard the barge during one week in
July using a mobile 1800 ton crane.
Te barge will be transported using a
semi-submersible vessel and is scheduled
to begin its 40-45 day voyage from
Tailand at the end of September, 2011.
On arrival, about one month has been
allocated to complete shore connections
and the mooring so that it is up and
running in simple cycle by Christmas.
Combined cycle operation is scheduled
one month later. In order to meet this
tight schedule, it is likely that there
will be a small commissioning team on
board during the voyage to perform
some testing prior to the barges arrival.
Big potential
Te ability to sell or relocate power barges
makes them particularly attractive as
temporary plants, capable of being set
up on an island to supply power to a
location until an onshore power station is
built, or an overhead line is connected to
the island. Once this happens, operators
can then move the barge to another
location that is in need of power.
Even before the Estrella Del Mar II
has set sail, Wrtsil is already seeing
interest in this combined cycle concept
from other potential customers. It is
therefore important that this project
goes smoothly and that the barge
operates according to its design.
Te market potential for such projects
is huge. In addition to the Caribbean,
there have been enquiries from various
regions including Africa and Central
America. Wrtsil has received interest
from mining companies that may plan
to operate for perhaps 10 years not
long enough to warrant investing in
a land-based power plant. Te barge
concept is ideal in this scenario since
it can be moved to another location
or sold when it is no longer needed.
Indeed, another power barge Luise
the rst to be built in the same Tailand
shipyard as Estrella Del Mar II is to be
used exactly for this purpose. Te LGL
(Lihir Gold Limited) power upgrade
project will see Wrtsil supply an HFO-
based simple cycle power barge that
will be oated to Lihir Island to supply
power for a gold mining operation.
Lihir Island, Papua New Guinea is the
home of an old gold mine supplied by
two power plants one geothermal and
the other an HFO combustion engine
plant. With geothermal steam decreasing
from the geothermal plant, the mine is
in need of additional power but there is
insucient space to build another power
plant. Mounting combustion engines
onto a barge oered a good solution.
Te LGL barge will use eight
20-cylinder Wrtsil 32 engines,
running on HFO with LFO as a
backup, to produce 71.3 MW of
power. Having left Tailand in July,
the barge has arrived in Lihir Island
and is awaiting connections to shore.
Te knowledge and skills being built up
from the last 26 projects, including LGL
and Estrella Del Mar II, will give Wrtsil
an advantage over other companies in
what is becoming a growing business.