GE recently released a first-of-its-kind analysis of global power plants, which found that carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions from the world's fleet of coal and gas plants can be reduced by 10 percent - the equivalent of removing 95 percent of cars off U.S. roads - when existing hardware and software solutions are fully applied. The analysis is the first to quantify the emission reductions of using existing technologies to upgrade the global fleet of coal and gas-based power plants.

GE used a proprietary set of data for each coal and gas-fired plant in the world to uncover potential opportunities to improve plants' heat rate and lower carbon emissions. The analysis comes as countries around the world are looking for climate saving solutions that will help them transition to a lower carbon energy future.

Potential for Coal Plant Upgrades

• Coal power plants could be made approximately 4 percent more efficient with 2.5 percent in efficiencies coming from turbine and boiler upgrades, and 1.5 percent coming from software improvements.

• The analysis also found that applying all potential upgrades to coal power plants can remove 900 million metric tons of CO2 (11 percent of total coal power emissions) - more than the annual CO2 output of the United Kingdom and France combined.

• China (296 MT) and India (143 MT) are two countries with big opportunities in the coal power sector.

Potential for Gas Power Plant Upgrades

• Similarly, GE's analysis estimates that gas-fired power plants could be made approximately 3.3 percent more efficient with 1.8 percent coming from hardware upgrades and 1.5 percent coming from software improvements. These savings could reduce global gas power emissions by 203 metric tons or 8.8 percent.

• Russia (45 MT) and the U.S. (34) are two countries with big opportunities in the gas power sector.

In response to the findings, GE has set up a dedicated team to provide customers with holistic software, hardware and financing solutions for coal plant upgrades.

Additional findings from GE's Global Power Plant Analysis include:

• Upgrades to the entire global coal fleet can save 494 million tons of fuel globally on an annual basis.

• In the European Union - where there is a goal to reduce emissions 40 percent by 2030 - these solutions can help drive efficiencies from coal reliant countries like Poland where coal accounts for 80 percent of electricity generation.

• In Africa, South Africa has the biggest opportunity for fuel and carbon savings (23 MT) coming upgrades in the coal power sector.

ABB Champions the Power of Intelligent use of Plant Data at Power-Gen Asia

Technology experts from ABB's Power Generation unit demonstrated how the intelligent use of data now available in power plants can not only deliver a competitive edge, but provide a solution to current and future challenges in the power industry at the ABB stand at PowerGen Asia.

They also shared innovative strategies that show plant owners how to lower risks in their projects, reduce costs and throughput times, and improve asset performance and profitability by the careful collection and analysis of plant and engineering data.

"We believe the success of our power generation customers will be more and more supported by the intelligent use of data generated by ever increasing connectivity of devices. The integration of those data with people expertise and knowledge will create additional services (IoTSP) in a cycle delivering unprecedented knowledge of the behavior and potential of their assets," said Marco Sanguineti, Head of Technology for ABB's Power Generation business unit. "The ability of ABB's Symphony^® Plus distributed control system to add customer value by utilizing the data in their systems is the result of our careful analysis of the evolving power generation market, and our customers' changing needs driven by global mega trends."

"Asia is a region with many different players in the power generation market," said Manjay Khazanchi, Head of the Asia Pacific hub of ABB's Power Generation business unit. "A huge transformation in energy demand is taking place globally, and the focus is now on Asia."

Over the next two decades, Asia accounts for three-quarter of projected global energy demand, driven by rapid industrialization, population growth and urbanization. "While the world is moving away from coal, Asia's dependence on it is becoming inevitable," Mr. Khazanchi said. "Even so, the deployment of clean coal technology will represent more than half of total installed capacity, ensuring higher efficiency and lower emissions from coal generation."

Repowering, modernizing and upgrading power plants will prolong plant life and increase efficiency, and the emergence of these dynamics in Asian countries opens the door to limitless opportunities for ABB, where a commitment to 'evolution without obsolescence' protects customer investments.

Symphony Plus is the latest generation of ABB's Symphony family of control systems. With more than 6,700 systems installed in the past 30 years and more than 50 GW of additional power capacity installed during the last five years, much of it in the power generation and water sectors, ABB has one of the largest installed bases of distributed control systems (DCS) in the world.

RECENT POSTINGS IN GRTE DECISIONS

More Efficient Filters are justified says Carlos Conti of Vokes

Moving from two to three stages has significantly increased system pressure drop but simultaneously reduced the quantity of dust reaching the turbine by approximately 98%, lowering the chance of engine damage – fouling, corrosion and erosion. To quantify this additional pressure drop, it is agreed within the power generation industry that an increase in pressure drop of 50 Pa causes a fall in efficiency of 0.1%. Quantifying the benefit is a balance between reduced fouling and increased pressure drop. The increased pressure drop can be estimated to restrict performance by approximately 0.4%, while cutting fouling provides a 1.2% improvement in output (empirical average). Therefore…

Colfax Oil Pumps for Power Generation

Paper shows diagrams with all points where oil is used: (1) truck unloading with three screw or gear pumps (2) barge unloading with centrifugal, two screw or three screw (3) tank unloading with three screw (4) day tank with three screw (5) transfer & oil treatment systems with P.C, three screw and gear (6) fuel reservoir with three screw (7) Fuel oil forward system with three screw (8) liquid fuel oil injection system into the turbine with two screw, three screw or gear ( 9) gear box with three screw (10) lube, jacking control & seal oil systems for generator with centrifugal, gear or three screw (11) generator gear box with three screw.

Richard Winslow is a Niche Expert on Power Plant Lubrication

We first learned about Richard’s lubrication expertise in an article he wrote when he was with PacifiCorp. There was a pulverizer wear problem at the Naughton plant of PacifiCorp. An advanced filtration technology for the coal pulverizer was determined to be readily available for heavy gear oil that would meet solve the maintenance problems. An off-line kidney loop filtration package using a high-efficiency, high-dirt-holding capacity, synthetic filter media was solved the problem. Richard moved on from PacifiCorp and most recently has been in Alaska with ConocoPhillips. He has agreed to a niche expert role in our LinkedIn discussions and decision system. In addition to his Naughton paper we have also include his paper on minimizing bacterial contamination. His resume is attached.

Bacterial Contamination of Turbine and Circulating Lube Oil Systems

Bacterial contamination of large circulating oil systems in steam turbines is an expensive problem. This paper describes the problem and lists the types of lubricants and conditions that appear to be most susceptible, methods of treatment and known methods to clean up and prevent bacterial contamination.

Interconnecting Compressor Initiatives at BHE

BHE has 110 gas turbine units, 4l coal-fired plants, 71 compressor stations and many renewable energy facilities. Compressors are used at many of the locations. The bidders list on gas turbine plant shows Gardner Denver as preferred and several others including Atlas Copco as acceptable. Another show Atlas Copco as preferred and Gardner Denver as acceptable. The new interconnect program for BVHE created by McIlvaine will help the plants communicate and lead to global specifying.

Mann & Hummel spin-on Filters are used for the Filtration of Lube Oil

MANN+HUMMEL has been a leading producer worldwide of spin-on filters for more than twenty years. The filters are distributed under the MANN-FILTER brand and a number of customer brands. Features include: Available with a variety of filter media • Efficient separation and high dirt holding capacity with minimal pressure drop • Robust, corrosion-protected housing with high pulsation and pressure stability MANN+HUMMEL spin-on filters are used for the filtration of lube oils, hydraulic oils and coolants in a variety of applications. MANN+HUMMEL has been a leading producer worldwide of spin-on filters for more than twenty years. The filters are distributed under the MANN-FILTER brand and a number of customer brands. 8 • Improved flow geometry • Bypass valves with clearly defined opening characteristics and leak-free closing • Undetachable seals • Stable central tube resistant to collapse • Non-return valve with minimal pressure drop

BHE -Safety Relief Valves needed by Many BHE Plants

Safety relief valves needed by many BHE plants We have provided three tiers of information relative to some of the safety relief valve initiatives at BHE. This is a brief summary which links to much more detailed information. This second tier contains links to insurance reports, bidders lists and other full reports. • PacifiCorp Currant Creek GTCC plant approved bidders list lists GE (Consolidated as the preferred supplier with Pentair and Curtiss Wright as acceptable safety relief valve suppliers for a gas turbine combined cycle projects • The PacifiCorp Hunter Station 2002 insurance report discusses a generator failure of the generator and comments on safety relief valves. • A report on PacifiCorp Prospect No. 3 hydroelectric project relicensing covers PRV where critical to ramping events. • There was an investigation into Gas transmission relief valve failure in Utah. • Chehalis generating station energy savings projects analysis conducted by Cascade Energy included relief valves for lubricant filter systems • Lakeside Power Block 2 has relief valves for the ammonia tank and relief valves for the water injection system plus recirculation valves • A biogas generator includes tanks used in the anaerobic digestion process with emergency relief valves With 110 gas turbine power plants, 41 coal-fired boilers, 71 compressor stations, and many geothermal, wind and solar plants BHE is a major user of safety relieve valves.

O & M CONTRACTS

Wood has O&M contract for Bethel Energy Centre

Wood Group GTS and Apex Bethel Energy Centre signed a three-year operations and maintenance (O&M) agreement for the Bethel Energy Centre in East Texas.

Under the US$12 million (£9 million) contract, Wood Group GTS will be responsible for care, custody and control of the facility when it begins commercial operation in 2017. The plant will utilize compressed air energy storage (CAES) technology.

CAES is a way to store energy generated at one time for use at another time. At utility scale, energy generated during periods of low energy demand (off-peak) can be released to meet higher demand (peak load) periods.

“We needed an O&M partner willing to work with us during the development stage of the project. In Wood Group, we found a highly experienced O&M service provider with an excellent reputation in the industry and is well respected by investors,” said Jack Farley, ceo of Apex. “Their customer-focused technical and commercial engagement made the negotiation of the service agreement very productive. Also, their ability to work within a tight schedule along with the OEM, which has minority interest in the facility, was critical to meeting our schedule.”

ProEnergy renews Contract with Ameren for O&M at GTCC Facilities

In September 2016 ProEnergy was awarded a contract renewal for the operations and maintenance of five Ameren Missouri facilities including Goose Creek Power Plant, Raccoon Creek Power Plant, Kinmundy Power Plant, Pinckneyville Power Plant and Audrain Power Plant. Under these contracts, ProEnergy will continue to provide site management, planning, scheduling and maintenance services.

The Goose Creek Power Plant, located near Monticello, Illinois, is a 450 MW facility consisting of six GE 7EA combustion turbines. Raccoon Creek Power Plant is a 300 MW facility located near Flora, Illinois, operating four GE 7EA combustion turbines. Kinmundy Power Plant, near Patoka, Illinois, is operating two W501D5A combustion turbines with a generating capacity of 234 MW. Pinckneyville Power Plant in Perry County, Illinois has a generating capacity of 320 MW, operating four GE LM6000 and four GE 6B gas turbine generators. The Audrain Power Plant is located in Vandalia, Missouri and has a generating capacity of 600 MW, consisting of eight GE 7EA combustion turbines.

ProEnergy is responsible for the construction, management, operations, maintenance, and repair services for energy generation facilities and equipment around the world. ProEnergy has U.S. offices in Sedalia, Missouri; Houston, Texas; and Fort Collins, Colorado; and international locations in a number of countries including Canada, Argentina, Venezuela, Brazil, Panama, Pakistan and Angola.

IHI has a Range of O&M Services for Power Plants

IHI Power Services Corp. (IPSC) supports power plant owners with a flexible suite of operations and maintenance services.

IPSC acts as a third-party operator to help plant owners achieve the full economic potential of their plant resources. IPSC is built to provide U.S. power generators with experienced professionals who can utilize their years of hands-on power industry experience to ensure optimal the operation of power plant fleets. An example of the company’s power plant operations & maintenance services is their training guidance. The company’s experts work with plant teams to ensure they are committed to and capable of meeting the industry’s best practices. Through customized training programs aligned with the client’s plant objectives, the IPSC team guides plant workers on their roles within the organization. It’s a service that assures companies of consistently productive working environments and focused personnel.

IPSC also has experience in the area of maintenance planning. Their team can help plant operators understand the costs of shutdowns and mitigate these costs utilizing set maintenance program. The IPSC staff crafts customized maintenance programs for plant operators designed to take into consideration the current market environment and the potential long-term operational issues the company may face regarding their equipment. This expert planning guidance empowers proactive decision-making and helps prevent shortfalls in productivity due to unexpected plant downtime.

Another key area in which IPSC specializes is staffing. Because of the company’s experience at the helm of a large number of power plants, they have developed an understanding on plant staffing requirements.

MHPS combining OSIsoft Monitoring Software with Cloud-based Analytics in Strategic Alliance

MHPS laid the foundation for the Digital Power Plant in the 1980s and made a major step in 2004 when it began using the OSIsoft PI System at its Remote Monitoring and Diagnostics Center in Orlando, FL. This service has successfully demonstrated and delivered improved plant reliability and performance.

The OSIsoft PI System captures sensor-based data from industrial equipment and process systems. Deployed across 19,000 industrial sites in more than 125 counties the PI System enables digital transformations and improves process efficiency, energy use, asset reliability, quality and safety.

The PI System will serve as the core for new interactive, cloud-based analytics services MHPS will use at power plants worldwide. In addition, the PI System will continue to form the data infrastructure platform for existing total plant remote monitoring and diagnostics services, both for MHPS and other manufacturers’ equipment.

“Our customers face new regulatory pressures and competitive realities. MHPS is offering a distinct Revolutionary Energy concept which includes a range of digital solutions that maximize plant performance,” said Rick Inskeep, MHPS Senior Vice President, Service. Power plant owners have always needed to maximize reliability, an area in which MHPS excels. And they increasingly need to adapt during the lifecycle of a power plant to shifting grid and generation mix requirements, while optimizing operations, flexibility, maintenance cycles and environmental performance tradeoffs. The MHPS digital solutions meet these needs.”

A digital power plant requires a robust information infrastructure to leverage the massive amount of data that is generated during plant operations. OSIsoft is a proven pioneer and market leader in managing big data to support operational intelligence. As part of this strategic alliance MHPS and OSIsoft will collaborate to define and promote new integrated digital solutions that add intelligence to power plants around the world, using best-in-class software and leveraging their respective knowledge and expertise.

Nalco providing 24/7 Water Monitoring for Gas Turbine Plant

Water chemistry control is a major concern for all electric utilities. If water chemistry is not controlled, it can cause corrosion-related failures and reduce energy conversion efficiency. A leading factor of unplanned outages is inadequate control of water treatment. With older power plants, proper water chemistry control may be the only way the plant can operate economically. Advanced simulation tools and diagnostic systems are now being used to remotely monitor and diagnose water chemistry problems.

In the early 2000s iSagacity, Inc., Half Moon Bay, California, developed a web-based monitoring and diagnostic system for water chemistry and performance monitoring at electric power plants. According to Peter Millett, founder and CEO, iSagacity, the technology can be managed remotely at a central monitoring center or it can be installed on a utility's intranet. The technology is able to interface with a variety of plant data sources including data historians, SCADA and distributed control systems.

A typical system could have 100 or more sample points (with a sample rate of once/minute), several months of on-line data storage, and long-term storage of minimum, maximum and average data. "Remote Manager," an internet-based management tool utilizing a secure web site hosted in iSagacity's California Data Center, is used to access the plant's data. The Remote Manager performs basic statistical tests to help in identifying key trends on all incoming data. A data view page on the website allows any authorized user to create trend plots of historical data. Multiple parameters can be viewed on a single screen and, if needed, saved for future analysis.

According to Millett, a key feature of their technology is the pattern recognition technique used to diagnose the data. This approach can use a mathematical model, a simulator of the process or a library of patterns of data of operational events or scenarios. In addition, the model can be used to generate "fingerprints" of equipment operations under abnormal condition. By creating a set of fingerprints, or scenarios of the plant, it is possible for the system to simulate and track a fault condition.

In a joint venture with Nalco Company, iSagacity installed a remote monitoring and diagnostic system (remote manager) at Portland General Electric's Coyote Springs Unit 1, a 250 MW gas fired combined-cycle plant.

Ansaldo is Remotely Monitoring 17,000 Sites

ADA^™ Advanced Diagnostic Analysis is the Ansaldo Energia suite for condition-based maintenance.

Based on its modular design, ADA^™ allows for advanced monitoring of main equipment parameters like steam and gas turbine performances, gas turbine combustion, machinery vibrations, generator diagnostic, electrical transients and others. Computing modules, automatic report generation, alarms notification, large data storage capabilities are some of the key features of this state-of-the-art product in the field of remote monitoring and diagnostics.

Through Remote Monitoring, all the relevant data are readily available to experts who, in many cases, can understand quickly the situation and give helpful indications to solve the matter. If additional on-site support is needed Ansaldo can provide at short notice skilled engineers who can assist directly and act as a link with the Operation Support Team.

EQUIPMENT

Clarocor has 5 Step Plan to Help Turbine Operators Select Filters

CLARCOR Industrial Air has launched Personalized Filtration Plans for their gas turbine customers. Previously part of a gas turbine OEM business, CLARCOR Industrial Air has unique insight into how filtration and media properties affect gas turbine output and performance. This in-depth understanding and vast market experience has led it to recognize that many seeking gas turbine inlet filtration may not fully understand both the benefits and drawbacks of how different filters perform in distinct climates and environments. Its Personalized Filtration Plans will provide customers with a clear and transparent view of the options available to them; giving them the information they need to make the best decision for their installation and, ultimately, operation’s profitability.

There is a great deal of variability in the operating conditions of gas turbines throughout the world and one filtration solution certainly does not fit all,” said Paul Sennett, Vice President and General Manager – Gas Turbine Filtration at CLARCOR Industrial Air. “Customers may be misled by market trends and find themselves purchasing a filter solution that does not best protect their compressor health, plant efficiency or operating costs. CLARCOR is offering these personalized plans so that customers can be confident that the filter solution they invest in fits the operating conditions of their compressor and gives them optimum return on investment.”

Each Personalized Filtration Plan is developed through a five-step process and is focused on what customers want from their installation rather than trying to push a particular technology. Clients first discuss the conditions of their plant with a qualified CLARCOR representative. An engineering team then carries out a detailed analysis of the environmental and operational factors specific to the turbine. Finally, a lead engineer reviews the analysis with the client and offers a recommendation for a filtration solution tailored to their plant. The process is highly collaborative and very much about understanding challenges and goals before recommending a solution.

CLARCOR believes these plans give it a way of sharing its expertise in workable inlet system technology and will enable them to continue their legacy of optimizing compressor health through the selection of the correct filtration solution for a specific installation. Its extensive filter portfolio, which includes several media collections in efficiency ratings ranging from M6-E12 with industry-leading HEPA products, means technology can be selected to meet specific needs and goals. Along with the full inlet system support and expertise throughout an installation’s lifetime, CLARCOR’s Personalized Filtration Plans will give customers an opportunity to realize significant, sustainable savings.

MHPS has New Enhanced Air Cooled Gas Turbine

Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems (MHPS) has introduced the M501JAC, an enhanced air-cooled J-Series gas turbine offering a combination of high output, efficiency and a proven 99.5 percent reliability during 11,000 hours of commercial operation. Seven orders have been received in the past few months. The MHPS JAC operates with a combined cycle output of 540 MW and efficiency exceeding 63 percent. Replacing older coal-fired power plants with the enhanced JAC can reduce CO₂ emissions nearly 70 percent.

MHPS has more Advanced Class Gas Turbines (ACGT) operating around the globe than the next two competitors. Following up on the success of its steam-cooled and air-cooled G-series gas turbines, MHPS has already sold 45 steam-cooled J-series turbines, with 21 turbines currently in operation having racked up more than 335,000 hours of commercial operation at an unprecedented 99.3 percent reliability. The enhanced JAC gas turbine adds an air-cooled combustor to the proven steam-cooled J-series.

To convert the J-series from steam cooling to air cooling, modifications were made to the combustor and thermal barrier coatings were enhanced in the turbine section to allow for the higher firing temperature. The MHPS JAC offers plant operators enhanced flexibility through the use of air cooling technology.

MHPS JAC units are being built and shipped from the Savannah Machinery Works in Georgia, as well as the Takasago Works in Japan. The JAC maintains the long standing features of a compressor shaft end drive, two-bearing rotor structure, axial flow exhaust, bolt-connected discs with torque pins on the compressor rotor and the CURVIC couplings on the turbine rotor discs. All are proven designs for reliable operation. When turbine servicing is required, horizontally split casings facilitate field removal of the blades and vanes with the rotor in place.

McIlvaine Company

Northfield, IL 60093-2743

Tel: 847-784-0012; Fax: 847-784-0061

E-mail: editor@mcilvainecompany.com

Web site: www.mcilvainecompany.com