Citigen

This location was photographed and this website dates from 2003

Introduction:

Based in the Smithfields area and housed in a grade II listed building the station is now possibly the third generation to be on this site. The site is owned by the City of London and since the refitting some ten years ago has variously been occupied and run by British Gas, Eastern Electricity, TXU and now Powergen. Since Powergen have taken over the station has undergone a rigorous round of maintenance, safety examinations and tests lasting several months.

The station was built, and is still run, as a prime example of how a 'conventional fuel' type of power station can be operated in a totally environmentally friendly way, with the caveat, of course, of the fuel used. At its heart is a pair of rather large diesel generators, which are rigged to run on natural gas as the 'usual' fuel. 

The flue gas, or exhaust, from these is lead through a pair of economisers which heat water to a high temperature (i.e. above 100 deg C) before then being passed through a cleaning system to leave the station without any harmful gasses still being present.

The hot water from the economisers, topped up by water from conventional gas fired boilers as necessary, is then used to supply local heating to the Barbican, Smithfield Meat Market and several office buildings in the area via a system of pipework under the roads.

A neat thing is that the station also provides chilled water in a similar manner. This is achieved by a pair of 'Trane' evaporative Chillers which use the hot water to create chilled water (The evaporative chilling principle is often referred to the Electrolux system as they use a similar one in domestic refrigerators still commonly found in caravans to use a small heater to generate a chilling effect).

The Galleries:

(As always in Boilerbill websites the pictures are the clickable links)

Control Room

The brain of the Station

Engine Room

The Heart of the Station

Natural Gas Compressor Room

Boiler Room

Chillers

Plant Rooms

 

Black Start Engine Room

 



As always the case in Boilerbill websites, copyright of all images is strictly reserved.
However, images are freely offered for personal collection, educational or other non-profit making uses, subject to being attributed. Larger sizes than that on the sites are usually available on request.
In this case the management and employees Citigen are free to use the images, should they so wish.

Contact details below:

Commercial use by others is available by arrangement with the webmaster, ie ME!!

Contact is welcome from all
Keith J. (Boiler Bill) Chesworth