WESTERN TURBINE BEST PRACTICES: Use of multiple service providers reduces the cost of LM6000 repairs at Edgewood

Edgewood Energy LLC

Owned by J-Power USA Development Co
Operated by NAES Corp
90-MW, two-unit, peaking facility located in Brentwood, NY
Plant manager: Kenneth Ford

Challenge. The standard approach for selection of a service provider for major turbine repairs was to solicit multiple vendors to bid on an established work scope, evaluate the proposals, and then provide a recommendation to site ownership based on the best value provided by a single vendor. The challenge was to improve upon that process and deliver further value by finding ways to reduce cost while not negatively impacting work quality or outage duration.

Solution. Site managers, during the course of evaluating bids for Spring 2018 gas-turbine work, took the opportunity to explore the feasibility of having multiple service providers each get a portion of the larger repair work scope. While some service providers declined to participate in that effort, others recognized that receiving some work might be better than receiving no work at all. This required that interested bidders modify their previous proposals to provide an a la carte proposal, allowing the selection of individual bidders for specific aspects of the turbine repair scope.

Ultimately, one bidder was selected to provide a replacement combustor (Fig 1), a set of fuel nozzles, and perform all field service work; a second was chosen for providing a second-stage high-pressure-turbine nozzle assembly (Fig 2); and a third was selected to perform low-pressure-turbine repairs (Fig 3).

Results. The decision to award the turbine repairs to three separate LM6000 service providers resulted in a savings of $350,000 when compared to the price offered by the lowest single service provider. Though the decision to utilize multiple service providers significantly increased the time required by site managers to coordinate and oversee the project, the effort paid dramatic dividends.

Project participants:

Kenneth Ford, NACE area manager

John Lawton, Edgewood O&M manager

Lifting hoist for water combination skid filter mitigates risk of injury

Challenge. Routine replacement of the combo skid suction filter for Edgewood’s LM6000s required a technician to work in an awkward position, with both arms extended at, or above, eye level. Additionally, the filter element, which is approximately 40 in. long, would need to be manually lifted out of the filter assembly and a new filter inserted. An exhausted filter, saturated in demineralized water, is estimated to weigh between 30 and 40 lb.

The challenge in this instance was to provide an ergonomically friendly solution that would make this routine task safer by eliminating the potential for injury caused by shoulder, back, and/or neck strain.

Solution. Plant employees designed a simple lift system, utilizing a locally purchased manual winch. The winch provides a means of lifting the filter element out of the frame by utilizing its inherent mechanical advantage.

Results. The lifting hoist has been a great success, with employees happy to have a simple and effective method to perform an unpopular task.

Project participants:

Nicholas Post, OMT

Anthony Angieri, chief engineer