| HRSGs and boilers
HRSG designs adjust to changing needs
On the back of the AI boom, combined cycle power plants are enjoying increased sales, which in turn is driving unprecedented growth in the heat recovery steam generator market
Drew Robb
The Rentech HRSG and associated steam lines that feed the RYAM manufacturing plant. Photo: Drew Robb
Combined cycle power plants are making quite a comeback of late driven by the AI boom. According to Industrial Info Resources (IIR), more than $100 billion per month in new AI data centre projects has been announced worldwide for the past year with the overall total in play now exceeding $3.2 trillion. About 4300 of a total of 7250 data centre worldwide projects worth around $1.6 trillion will begin construction in the next 18 months. And many of these will be energised by combined cycle power plants. “The consistent month-over-month increase in project announcements shows that the pace of AI data centre development is still accelerating,” said Shane Mullins, Vice President of Product Development at IIR. “It indicates a structural, multi-year theme of digital infrastructure buildout
that is set to continue for the foreseeable future.” This is very good news for the heat recovery steam generator industry. HRSG vendors are becoming part of what may be the biggest boom they have ever experienced. Depending on where you are in the world, though, there are quite different requirements for HRSG designs. “In the USA, there is a trend for power stations for data centres with really high requirements on availability,” said Eric Weinstein, Head of Heat Recovery Steam Generators for Siemens Energy US. “In Europe, there is more of a need for high cycling power stations, daily start/stop as well as faster start-up and shutdown times. On the other hand, Asia wants base load operation but even higher efficiency (higher steam temperatures and pressures) and power output.”
Accordingly, Siemens Energy offer a range of HRSG configurations. As well as its basic horizontal model, it has vertical HRSG designs. These range from single pressure up to three- pressure stages (a four-pressure stage design also exists)) with reheat. For smaller GT frames, there are HRSGs with an internal bypass system.
HRSGs up to 50 MW
Rentech Boiler Systems of Abilene, Texas, offers a full range of custom-engineered HRSG boiler systems for gas turbines, from 1 MW to 50 MW. They include factory assembled natural circulation water tube designs, cross-flow or water-wall boiler designs, water-cooled furnaces for high duct fired applications, and single or multiple boiler pressure designs. The company
www.modernpowersystems.com | March 2026 | 15
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