7EA Users Group

The oldest engines in the GE 7E fleet served by the 7EA Users Group are approaching a half-century of service. This fleet incorporates gas-turbine models MS7001A, B, C, E, and EA, numbering 1168 units at 216 plants worldwide in mid-2017. The first unit, a 52.9-MW, oil-fired MS70001A, commissioned by Long Island Lighting Co in 1971 […]

A goal of every engine inspection is not to miss something that could contribute to a forced outage. Success requires qualified technicians equipped with the most sophisticated tools available and well connected to company experts with deep and applicable experience ready to help diagnose findings that may be unfamiliar to those at the plant site.

The Rotor Life Roundtable, chaired by Tracy Dreymala of EthosEnergy Group, covered issues, procedures, and capabilities of life-extension programs. The following seven vendors participated with brief overviews of their companies’ capabilities/activities, before Chairman Dreymala opened the discussion portion of the session: Scott Kennedy, Veracity Technology Solutions. Doug Sewell, Sulzer Turbo Services Houston Inc. Paul Tucker,

In 7EA Users lingo, “roundtable” is essentially a panel discussion. The 2017 meeting of the 7EA Users Group featured two two-hour roundtables, one on bus duct, the other on rotor life management. The way these sessions are arranged, participating vendors are seated at the front of the meeting room, owner/operators in the audience. To begin,

To say that developing and organizing content of interest and value to owner/operators of a gas-turbine fleet as large and diverse as the 7B-EA is challenging would be trite. It is a Herculean task. Be mindful that the 1168 engines in this fleet (the OEM’s number in fall 2017) serve in simple-cycle, combined-cycle, and cogeneration

Presentations by suppliers expose users to new technologies and solutions for improving unit performance and personnel safety, providing valuable perspective on topics of importance. At the 2017 7EA Users Group meeting, 27 companies interfaced with owner/operators from the podium. There was GE Day, the Bus Duct Roundtable, the Rotor Life Roundtable, and more than a

At the 2016 meeting of the 7EA Users Group, Bruce Hack of National Breaker Services LLC presented on the benefits of using his company’s Citadel product line to mitigate problems with circuit breakers that several owner/operators were dealing with. After his presentation, the steering committee met with Hack to discuss ongoing issues with breakers supplied

Presentations by owner/operators are the lifeblood of every user-group meeting. There is value in presentations by vendors, of course, but when a user colleague shares experiences, best practices, and lessons learned everyone listens—you can tell by the questions asked and the follow-on discussion generated. There were five user presentations at the 2017 meeting of the

Lightweight manhole covers boost productivity, enhance safety Mulberry Cogeneration Owned by Northern Star Generation Operated by CAMS 115-MW, dual-fuel, 1 × 1 combined-cycle cogeneration facility located in Bartow, Fla Plant manager: Allen Czerkiewicz Mulberry operators were required to open manholes in the water treatment area with covers that were very large and weighed around 250

Turbine-compartment roof handrails promote safety Ferndale Generating Station Owned by Puget Sound Energy Operated by NAES Corp 270-MW, gas-fired, 2 × 1 combined-cycle cogen plant located in Ferndale, Wash Plant manager: Tim Miller According to the National Safety Council, slips, trips, and falls are among the most common and costly workplace incidents across all industries.