Internal Data Search by Publication
Modernizing Old Plants to Meet New Demands
Much of the maintenance inspection in power plants is manual. Energy is wasted by steam loss and inefficiencies. Not all air and water emissions are checked. Imagine instead a power plant full of sensors that continuously monitor the condition of pumps and fans, detecting failure of steam traps or leaking relief valves, and where all emissions are monitored. Instead of operators collecting the data, the data comes to the operators. Much of the maintenance inspection in power plants is manual. Energy is wasted by steam loss and inefficiencies. Not all air and water emissions are checked. Imagine instead a power plant full of sensors that continuously monitor the condition of pumps and fans, detecting failure of steam traps or leaking relief valves, and where all emissions are monitored. Instead of operators collecting the data, the data comes to the operators. Power plants are being modernized with a pervasive sensing infrastructure for a second layer of automation. This is a new strategy for maintenance, energy efficiency, risk reduction and optimization using sensors which require no wires and are mostly non-intrusive and therefore can easily be deployed. Specialized diagnostic software in a separate system distills the raw sensor data into actionable information, such as which equipment needs service and which does not. Wireless sensor networks and analytic software are new technology trends enabling new levels of availability, energy efficiency, environmental compliance and productivity. Pervasive sensing infrastructure is the basis for the Internet of Things, which will take sensing even further in the future.
Revision Date: 1/11/2017
Tags: Emerson Automation Solutions, Automation, Monitoring, Power Engineering
Modernizing Old Plants to Meet New Demands
Much of the maintenance inspection in power plants is manual. Energy is wasted by steam loss and inefficiencies. Not all air and water emissions are checked. Imagine instead a power plant full of sensors that continuously monitor the condition of pumps and fans, detecting failure of steam traps or leaking relief valves, and where all emissions are monitored. Instead of operators collecting the data, the data comes to the operators. Much of the maintenance inspection in power plants is manual. Energy is wasted by steam loss and inefficiencies. Not all air and water emissions are checked. Imagine instead a power plant full of sensors that continuously monitor the condition of pumps and fans, detecting failure of steam traps or leaking relief valves, and where all emissions are monitored. Instead of operators collecting the data, the data comes to the operators. Power plants are being modernized with a pervasive sensing infrastructure for a second layer of automation. This is a new strategy for maintenance, energy efficiency, risk reduction and optimization using sensors which require no wires and are mostly non-intrusive and therefore can easily be deployed. Specialized diagnostic software in a separate system distills the raw sensor data into actionable information, such as which equipment needs service and which does not. Wireless sensor networks and analytic software are new technology trends enabling new levels of availability, energy efficiency, environmental compliance and productivity. Pervasive sensing infrastructure is the basis for the Internet of Things, which will take sensing even further in the future.
Revision Date: 1/5/2017
Tags: Emerson Electric, Coal, Valve, Pump, Automation, Monitoring, Power Engineering
The Power of Flexibility: Turbine Inlet Air Chilling Benefits
Gas turbines are constant volume air intake machines; consequently, air mass flow and resultant power output fall as ambient temperatures rise and air density falls. The purpose of Turbine Inlet Air Chilling (TIAC) is to restore the power output of a combustion turbine at elevated ambient temperatures to its rated capacity or better. As the critical 'operating system' of the TIAC enhancement, the control technology also plays an integral role in maximizing operational flexibility.
Revision Date: 11/6/2015
Tags: 221112 - Fossil Fuel 化石燃料, Rockwell Automation, Stellar Energy, Control System, Chiller, Temperature, Optimization, Air Intake, Automation, Power Engineering
The Future of Gas-Fired Generation in North America
The editors of Power Engineering sat down with three executives to discuss the transition to gas-fired generation in the U.S., the technology, and the operations and maintenance challenges related to a substantial increase in capacity factors for gas-fired plants. Executives participating in this year's roundtable discussion on natural gas were from American Electric Power, the Electric Power Research Institute and GE Power & Water.
Revision Date: 11/6/2015
Tags: 221112 - Fossil Fuel 化石燃料, American Electric Power Company, EPRI, GE Power & Water, Gas Turbine, Market, Power Engineering
A Wireless Vibration Monitoring System
This article is a case study of the installation of a wireless vibration monitoring system installed as part of a predictive maintenance program at Southern California Edison’s Mountainview combined cycle generating facility in Redlands, California. The system was installed on all critical pumps, compressors and motor drives as well as water treatment equipment. Difficult to reach gas turbine enclosure blowers were also included in the system.
Revision Date: 9/4/2015
Tags: 221112 - Fossil Fuel 化石燃料, ITT Corporation, Vibration, Power Engineering, USA
Gas Turbine Combined Cycle Fast Start: The Physics Behind the Concept
GTCC startup optimization is essentially minimizing the time required to reach the dispatch power (e.g., full load or a specific part load) without "breaking anything" in the process. For example, failure to control thermal stresses results in cracks via low/high cycle fatigue (LCF and HCF) and brittle fracture. This article provide relevant and easy-to-use technical information (in the form of simple charts, basic equations and representative physical quantities) to form an informed opinion on available technologies for GTCC startups.
Revision Date: 6/3/2015
Tags: 221112 - Fossil Fuel 化石燃料, Bechtel, Gas Turbine, Optimization, Fast Start, Power Engineering
Cost Benefits of Critical Valve Repair in the Heat Recovery Steam Generator
Modern advance frame combined-cycle power facilities operate in a dispatch environment where cold starts, accelerated ramp rates and low load conditions are the norm and where Balance of Plant (BOP) equipment accounts for more than half of all forced outages. An analysis by Pentair revealed that valves are a significant contributing factor in forced outages, primarily based on their application numbers and the severity of their service applications. This article focuses on small bore vent valves and drain valves, reporting research findings that repairing these valves is more prudent and economical than replacing them.
Revision Date: 6/3/2015
Tags: 221112 - Fossil Fuel 化石燃料, Pentair, Heat Recovery Steam Generator, Valve, Life Cycle Cost, Optimization, Service & Repair, Heat Recovery, Fast Start, Power Engineering
Gas Turbine Air Filter System Optimization
Proper air filtration is critical to the overall performance and reliability of gas turbines. This article discusses various aspects of the air filtration and conditioning process including inlet cooling, filters and water wash cycles.
Revision Date: 2/25/2015
Tags: 221112 - Fossil Fuel 化石燃料, Air Filter, Air Inlet House, Chiller, Optimization, Air Filtration, Power Engineering
Gas Turbine Technologies for the Transition
About 60 GW of coal-fired generation in the U.S. will be retired by 2020 and about 35 GW of nuclear capacity will be retired by 2025, according to recent projections by Black & Veatch. Much of that capacity will be replaced with power produced by low-cost, cleaner-burning natural gas. This article reviews the installation of Siemens new FlexPlant technology at the El Segundo Energy Center in California and GE’s new H-class turbines at the Riviera Beach Energy Center in Florida.
Revision Date: 2/4/2015
Tags: 221112 - Fossil Fuel 化石燃料, GE, Siemens, H-Class, FlexPlant, Gas Turbine, Market, Power Engineering, USA, USA
The Rewards of Pump System Optimization
Typically, when talk turns to power plant pumps, boiler feed and cooling water pumps immediately dominate the discussion. And that’s as it should be: these pumps are critical to a plant’s thermal efficiency and availability. They are also the most costly to produce, operate and maintain, so optimizing their efficiency is imperative. However, in terms of reliability and profitability for the entire plant, it is also prudent (and economically rewarding) to optimize pump system performance throughout the entire station.
Revision Date: 9/8/2014
Tags: Flowserve, Pump, Boiler Feedwater Pump, Cost, Efficiency, Optimization, Power Engineering
Wastewater Treatment Issues for Combined Cycle Plants
This article discusses wastewater treatment issues associated with combined cycle plants, particularly in light of EPA's effluent limitation guidelines for power plants and incentives to use recycled or reclaimed water. The article also addresses zero liquid discharge.
Revision Date: 5/10/2014
Tags: 221112 - Fossil Fuel 化石燃料, Wastewater Treatment System, Regulation, Water Reuse, Zero Liquid Discharge, Cooling Water Treatment, Wastewater Treatment, Power Engineering
Don't Let Startup Emissions Slow You Down
In a Power Enginerring article, the authors point out that new combustion turbine (CT) simple and combined-cycle plants face new challenges in permitting because of more stringent startup emission limits. Recent permits issued in a variety of jurisdictions have included limits on startup emissions, both in mass per start and rolling annual startup mass limits for VOC, NOx and CO. The increased use of heavy duty/frame CTs for peaking applications create additional challenges. Startup and shutdown durations and emissions rates vary widely depending on CT model and other plant equipment and design choices. Bob Mcilvaine President, Mcilvaine Company 847 784 0012 ext 112 www.mcilvainecompany.com rmcilvaine@mcilvainecompany.com
Revision Date: 12/23/2013
Tags: 221112 - Fossil Fuel 化石燃料, Kiewit, Gas Turbine, Permitting, Startup, Power Engineering