The Legacy Turbine Users Group (LTUG), part of the Power Users suite of end-user networks, returns this June with its highly anticipated 2025 conference, gathering Frame 7EA, Frame 6B, and Frame 5 owner/operators, OEMs, and independent service providers for four days of collaborative learning, solution sharing, and fleet updates. Held at the Hilton Minneapolis, June […]
LTUG25: Advancing Frame 5, 6B and 7E together Read More »
To some, here’s the distinction between reliability and resiliency: Reliability is avoiding a punch; Resiliency is recovering as quickly as possible from a punch. Aging assets, such as those with older turbine models, are likely going to take more punches than they avoid because the resources to avoid the punch are devoted to newer, more
With all the sophisticated gas-turbine inspection technologies available today—including ultrasonic, eddy current array, and phased-array ultrasonic—one might think the borescope had lost a step in status. Nothing could be further from the truth. Borescope capabilities have improved dramatically over time and they put your eyes right into the guts of critical plant equipment—to warn of
Borescope inspections often more important than ever Read More »
Legacy Turbine Doctor, No. 4 in a series By Luke Williams, PE, Consultant www.geLegacyGasTurbineSupport.com The first article in Luke Williams’ continuing column, Legacy Turbine Doctor, published last summer (Are your GE B/E-Class hot parts and rotor really near ‘end of life?’), posited that gas-turbine operation at loads less than base would extend the OEM-recommended service
Updating calculations of maintenance intervals, factored hours Read More »
Legacy Turbine Doctor, No. 3 in a series By Luke Williams, PE, Consultant www.geLegacyGasTurbineSupport.com An MS6001B in Florida experienced a significant failure in 1994 when its stop-ratio valve (SRV) servo failed. On startup, the unit cranked and fired successfully; however, the valve continued to open. The failure was caused by the servo sticking at a
Controls: Excess-fuel trip logic mitigates explosion potential Read More »
HIGH-VOLTAGE ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT GE’s 7EA gas turbine is widely respected for its reliability, operational flexibility, and efficiency in simple-cycle, combined-cycle, and cogeneration systems, and mechanical-drive applications (Fig 1). This frame has been upgraded and improved continuously since its introduction some three decades ago. Today, it is rated up to 90 MW in simple-cycle service. Combined
How to upgrade, replace under-performing circuit breakers Read More »
The city of Ottawa’s gas-turbine-powered combined cycle was honored as an Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Sept 13, 2024, in a special ceremony conducted in the Ottawa Memorial Auditorium. Dave Hunsaker, electric superintendent for the city, accepted the award from ASME Fellow Jared Oehring, a member of the society’s
GAS TURBINES: ASME accords Kansas combined cycle Historic Landmark status Read More »
By Steven C Stultz, Consulting Editor The seventh annual International Conference on Film Forming Substances (FFS), conducted in Prato, Italy, March 26-28, 2024, was developed and supported by the International Association for the Properties of Water and Steam (IAPWS). The meeting drew 50 participants from 16 countries—including 10 plant owner/operators and representatives from a dozen
FILM FORMING SUBSTANCES: Conference focuses on research required to advance use of FFS Read More »
Legacy Turbine Doctor, No. 2 in a series By Luke Williams, PE, Consultant www.geLegacyGasTurbineSupport.com An MS7001B engine with Mark I Speedtronic™ controls failed to start reliably for about a year. Failure-to-start causes included loss of flame, trip at Complete Sequence to full-speed/no-load (FSNL), trip on 95% speed (14HS), TNH (high-pressure shaft speed) bog-down, and unknown.
Persistence key to finding gremlin impacting starting reliability Read More »
By Vaughn Watson, Vector Systems Inc The efficiency and long-term performance of an SCR depends largely on several key design considerations regarding various system components. When complex NOₓ reductions on combined cycles are required, there are critical values related to the fluid distribution in the system which must be addressed to ensure success. While the
EMISSIONS CONTROL: How exhaust-gas distribution can affect SCR performance Read More »
