Diaphragms are a hot topic at most conferences where owner/operators gather to discuss issues with their steam turbines, such as the Steam Turbine and Combined Cycle User Groups operating under the Power Users Group umbrella. To get the most from these meetings, it’s important to know the basics of steam-turbine design, the differences among machines […]
Steam-turbine diaphragm repair strategies Read More »
The first thing to note about the GE presentations is that you’re probably going to want to listen to the recordings, if you’re approved to access them at the OEM’s MyDashboard website. A blizzard of information swept through the virtual room, along with a virtual army of presenters and technical support folks at the ready.
CCUG 2020: Team GE focuses on performance improvement, operational flexibility, upgrades Read More »
The annual conference of the Combined Cycle Users Group is being conducted online for the first time this year. The four-week event, exclusive to owner/operators, began November 10 with a program focused on user experiences and vendor presentations. The latter were limited to 30 minutes each and conducted in two half-hour sessions. Each vendor was
Combined Cycle O&M: CCUG2020, Week One Recap Read More »
The annual conference of the Combined Cycle Users Group (CCUG) was conducted online for the first time in 2020. The presentations summarized below took place during Week 3 of the conference and are available to owner/operators on the Power Users website. Access Week 1 (User presentations) and Week 2 (GE Day) recaps here. More to
CCUG 2020: Focus on Covid best practices, safety, HRSGs, emissions control Read More »
TesTex Inc specializes in electromagnetic non-destructive testing and has developed innovative methods and equipment for combined-cycle HRSG healthcare. Founded in 1987, the company, both multi-industry and global, maintains a focus on heat-recovery steam generators in the challenging combined-cycle world. Its primary mission is fast, accurate, and cost-effective NDT services using pioneering state-of-the-art equipment and expertise.
Finding and fixing HRSG tube leaks before they can grow to the point of requiring an unplanned outage to correct them is a priority of many maintenance managers during annual inspections. Tube-to-header welds are particularly susceptible to cracking and leakage given today’s fast-start/fast-ramp operating practices. There are several tools inspection personnel traditionally have used to
How to quickly inspect for cracking at tube-to-header welds in HRSG Read More »
Powerplant work can be a humbling experience. It seems that once you begin feeling overly comfortable about how well your facility is running, something unexpected occurs and snaps you back to reality. You can blame the “bad luck” on the gremlins, but more likely the cause was human error. Consider the following experience at a
Lessons learned from an HRSG over-pressure event Read More »
Perhaps no one understands your job-related challenges better than colleagues with the same engine. That’s what makes the Frame 6 Users Group’s compressor, turbine, combustion, and I&C roundtables particularly valuable. These sessions allow you to describe issues of concern to fellow users and let them suggest possible solutions based on their experiences. Think of it
Roundtable discussions help Frame 6 users solve current problems Read More »
BASF-Geismar’s operations staff was challenged to develop a tool that provides a simple and intuitive display of the performance of the Utilities Dept’s systems and equipment. Critical to the development of a user-friendly performance dashboard are the following: Identify the proper key performance indicators (KPI) to monitor. Model equipment/system performance accurately to provide appropriate target
Plant equipment meeting expectations? Check the performance dashboard Read More »
Boiler combustion controls are designed to optimize the air flow to the fuel flow rate such that sufficient air (oxygen) is available for complete combustion and the amount of performance-robbing excess air is minimized. Recall that insufficient air results in the formation of excess carbon monoxide, a regulated parameter, as well as a loss in
Boiler efficiency controller improves performance through process automation Read More »
