Frame 6

Safety is the first discussion topic at Frame 6 meetings and most other user-group conferences. This roundtable is led by Gillis, whose position as gas-turbine technology lead for ExxonMobil’s worldwide fleet of engines gives him a global perspective to share with attendees. OSHA is not global and America does not have all the answers. Gillis’ […]

The Compressor Roundtable included discussion of the following: HEPA hydrophobic filters. A user said his HEPA filters had been in service for two years and provided very dependable output over that time. Compressor remained clean. Some users touted the benefits of removing inlet silencers—including a lower delta p across the inlet system while mitigating compressor

Best Practices was introduced as a roundtable in 2019. Topics were varied. First was a fit-up test for first-stage nozzles and transition pieces (TPs) two to three weeks before the outage to avoid surprises. Other BPs included these: Do a proper repair spec and follow your parts through the shop for best results. Specify a

This session included a debate on the pros and cons of upgrading control systems versus retaining/maintaining legacy controls. Several users supported the idea of sticking with legacy systems because there’s a vibrant third-party supplier community available for support—including parts and knowledgeable technicians. An operator with Mark VI controls said his plant upgraded to Mark VIe

Discussion threads ranged from sulfur buildup in stop/speed ratio valves that could prevent restarting after a unit trip to the value of a flash drum in the continuous blowdown line enabling beneficial use of the steam produced to the value of inlet bleed heat for deicing and unit turndown. Plus others. An attendee reported a

John F D Peterson, one of the Frame 6 Users Group’s founders, conducts his highly regarded four-hour introductory course on the 6B the day before the annual conference officially begins. This session is offered by the steering committee to acquaint new members on the (1) history of improvement in both thermal and mechanical performance since

If you’ve been in the power-generation business for a couple of decades—and made your bones at baseload, coal-fired, water-cooled plants, in particular—you may believe you know all there is to know about Rankine-cycle steam/water chemistry. Perhaps that’s true, for that type of facility. But with coal-fired plants being shuttered in increasing numbers you may find

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

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

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