ATS has been awarded of the contract for the desulphurisation system for the coal/biomass power plant of Grenoble

Grenoble, the largest city in the French Alps, has also one of the largest district heating networks throughout France, second only to Paris. This success is reflected in impressive figures: 161 km of heating network, 1033 relay stations, which supply the equivalent of 92,500 units. No wonder then that the first steps in the creation of this network have been moved back in 1960.

Founded originally by multiple networks with different energy sources, in the course of the '70s it became a single centralized system, but it has maintained its variety of sources. Indeed, the Grenoble network incorporates as fuel: waste (31.1%), coal (25.6%), wood (20.1%), natural gas (17%), low sulfur oil (3.7% ), meat and bone meal (2.5%); with which will cover the heat demands of a third of the population of the agglomeration. Today the district heating network serving six municipalities: Grenoble, Echirolles, Eybens, Pont-de-Claix, La Tronche et Saint-Martin-d'Hères. 

If the heart of this network is the waste incineration plant, an important role is also covered by Villeneuve heating plant. This plant, fed by wood and coal, has the task to intervene quickly in case of particular requirement by the network and make up with the maximum flexibility to any energy demand. 

Perhaps it was the flexibility the key that has allowed Air Treatment System srl to be awarded with contract for the revamping of the flue gas treatment system connected to the generator G4 on the Villeneuve site in Eybens on behalf of Compagnie de Chauffage (CCIAG). The operation enter into the requirement of the Directive 2010/75/EU on industrial emissions, also known as the IED, which defines an integrated approach to the prevention and control of industrial emissions. 

In particular the intervention of ATS will be focused to achieve a new desulfurization system for the coal / biomass power plant and in the consequent realization of a fabric filter that can ensure emission levels well below the parameters normally required by the Directive. Moreover, the whole system has been designed to allow a great flexibility with a technical minimum that can reach 35% of the nominal load of the boiler and the ability to perform numerous starts during the single day.