ABC Coke is the country's largest producer of foundry coke. They consume more than 800,000 tons of coal annually, producing foundry coke used in the production of metals. Their power bill was also large, approximately $1.2 million per year. When they decided to do something about that bill, they turned to cogeneration provided by SEECO to achieve significant reduction in the amount of outside power purchased.

Award Winning Plant

Founded in 1920 as the Alabama Byproducts Corporation, the company became a division of Drummond Company, Inc. in 1985. The current plant, built during World War II, is located in Tarrant, Alabama, an industrially oriented suburb on the north side of Birmingham. ABC blends multiple types of coal to custom specifications in order to produce high quality coke for customers involved in the production of automobile parts, construction materials, farm implements, and a number of other cast iron products. They provide all of General Motors' foundry coke for the production of engine blocks, receiving that company's "Worldwide Supplier of the Year 1993" award, the only supplier of foundry materials to accomplish that feat.

Prior to installation of the cogeneration system, a portion of the volatile gases generated as a byproduct of the coke production were burned in two boilers, generating steam for in-plant uses, and a portion was flared to the atmosphere. The company determined that a cogeneration system, involving production of steam and electricity, would make economic sense for their operation. A third boiler was installed to provide sufficient steam capacity to maintain constant operation of a turbine generator set.