WTUI

Reliable operation of dual-fuel gas turbines on oil demands that owner/operators protect against coking of distillate in fuel-system components. Active cooling is one solution available to users for assuring both reliable starts on liquid fuel and reliable fuel transfers from gas to oil. Recall that stagnant fuel in supply lines not protected against heat radiated …

Increase intervals between gas-turbine fuel-valve overhauls with water cooling Read More »

Rob Wang of Engineering Analysis Services Ltd (UK), presented on outage planning and life extension of cycling plants at European Technology Development Ltd’s International Conference on Power Plant Operation and Flexibility, London, July 2018. He highlighted both piping system health management and analytical techniques for component life assessment. Piping system details are, perhaps, too often overlooked. Wang reminded participants of …

Factor European experience into O&M practices at US combined cycles, Part IV: HEP inspection checklist Read More »

The Air-Cooled Condenser Users Group’s 10th annual meeting (October 2018, Colorado Springs) hosted over 100 participants—more than half users, with first-timers in the majority. The overriding takeaway this year was new information, supported by informative looks into the fundamentals. Such balance expands the benefits of meetings, concludes CCJ Consulting Editor Steve Stultz, who attended the conference for CCJ …

Impact of chemistry on ACC performance once again a focal point of user group meeting Read More »

Superstorm Sandy was one of those events which changed most everyone’s thinking on infrastructure reliability, especially in the NYC metropolitan area. But Sandy is only one element in the “perfect storm” which led Montclair (NJ) State Univ (MSU) to add a microgrid to its relatively modern combined heat and power (CHP) system. Other elements include a unique …

Resiliency, demand charges drive Montclair State to add microgrid to CHP Read More »

New rules on waste-water discharges dictate conversion of Exira Station to ZLD Stricter limits on waste-water discharges imposed as part of the NPDES permit renewal process made it impossible for Exira Station to consistently comply with the new rules as the facility was originally designed and operated. Challenges faced by the owner, Western Minnesota Municipal …

2019 Aeroderivative GT Best Practices: Water Management Read More »

Low-cost thermal imaging camera assists Orange Cogen’s operators during rounds Orange Cogeneration, a 2 × 1 LM6000-powered combined cycle owned by Northern Star Generation and operated by Consolidated Asset Management Services LLC (CAMS), exports power to the local utility and sells steam from its condensing/extraction steam turbine to an orange-juice plant and an ethanol plant …

2019 Aeroderivative GT Best Practices: O&M Read More »

How Kearny personnel leak-check an operating engine without entering the package Personnel at PSEG Fossil’s Kearny Generating Station, a 10-unit peaking facility in central New Jersey managed by Peter Van Den Houten, strive to continually improve work practices to ensure the safety of plant and contractor personnel. One recent example: An innovative application for GoPro …

2019 Aeroderivative GT Best Practices: Safety Read More »

EVM I’s washable pre-filter reduces cost of gas-turbine operation Dust clouds overwhelmed the inlet filters during the dry season at this LM6000PF-powered 3 × 0 peaking site in an agricultural area near Mexico City. Compounding the challenge at Energia del Valle de Mexico (EVM I) was dust from the construction of a new combined-cycle plant …

2019 Aeroderivative GT Best Practices: Performance Improvements Read More »

Edgewood Energy uses multiple service providers to reduce the cost of engine repairs The standard approach for handling major gas-turbine repairs is to solicit bids from multiple vendors and select the one offering best value. NAES Corp Area Manager Kenneth Ford and O&M Manager John Lawton wanted to improve upon this process for an upcoming …

2019 Aeroderivative GT Best Practices: Outage Management Read More »

The Western Turbine Users and CCJ are working together to expand the sharing of best practices and lessons learned among owner/operators of GE aero engines. WTUI VP Ed Jackson, plant manager of Missouri River Energy Services’ Exira Generating Station in Brayton, Iowa, says the organization’s mission is to help members better operate and maintain their …

Best practices shared by aero users benefit frame owner/operators as well Read More »