Interconnecting The Flow Control and Treatment Industry to Large Multi Plant
Purchasers
It is the digital age and it is the dawn of machine-to-machine communications.
But we are in the dark ages when it comes to interconnectivity. Large
flow-and-treat end users and large suppliers have minimum connectivity within
their own companies. McIlvaine has created a Global Decisions Orchard structured
to maximize interconnectivity between individuals in diverse groups. The new
embellishment is to maximize intra-group interconnectivity.
Owner/Operator Groups
More than half the flow control and treatment products and services are
purchased by multiple plant owners. Custom websites and Decision Systems are
being set up for these owners. The first such system is Berkshire Hathaway Power
Generation “Wise Crowd” Decisions.
Flow and Treat Suppliers
More than half the flow control and treat products and services are sold by
companies providing multiple products from a number of locations.
Interconnectivity has been slowed by divisional self-interest. The bottoms-up
approach applied by McIlvaine avoids divisional rivalry. The interconnected
owner/operator group with a bridge to the interconnected supplier conglomerate
is now a reality.
Interconnectivity between the suppliers and end users needs to be expanded to
include consultants, investors and regulators. This requires niche experts who,
like bees, pollinate one flower after another.
Funding for experts in narrow niches has been impossible because there has not
been global support. Many of the world’s most expert flow and treatment people
retire each year and many become consultants. However, without a big demand for
their niche specialty, they are soon involved in extraneous activities and soon
lose their knowledge advantage. With the Global Decisions Orchard there are
enough flowers to support a large hive.
The expanded interconnection allows the “wise crowd” to make more valuable
contributions. Each person is a niche expert in a number of areas. In one of
five “wise crowd” webinars for a Berkshire Hathaway project a senior engineer
volunteered information from an obscure R&D project conducted several years
earlier. This apparently minor contribution has become important to greatly
reducing the project cost. The “wise crowd” is necessary to take advantage of
the rapidly expanding world knowledge.
The Berkshire Hathaway Power Generation “Wise Crowd” Decisions is the beta site.
But McIlvaine will be rolling this out to other utilities and invites those who
are interested to contact McIlvaine. The success of the program depends on high
quality input from suppliers.
Here is the view of the home page for Berkshire Hathaway. On the left side are
links to all the Berkshire Hathaway power generating units for each type of
fuel.
There is detailed information on the flow control and treatment components at
each plant. The energy overview provides the forecasts of energy generation for
the corporation and the major divisions. There is also data on projects in the
planning stage. There are links to two decision systems in the center.
Power Plant Air Quality Decisions
This continually updated decision system includes guidance for decisions on all
power plant combustion, flow control and treatment products and services. The
intelligence system has both a rigid keyword and global search engine. If you
click on “title”, you see the latest postings first. A global search under
Berkshire Hathaway is another useful approach.
The presentations made in webinars are accessed through the intelligence system.
Hundreds of previous webinars on the range of power plant subjects can be
accessed through the listing of recordings. Four newsletters are included
(Fabric Filter, FGD & DeNOx, Precipitator and Monitoring-Sampling). The search
option at the top of the home page allows retrieval of articles since 1999.
There are subsidiary websites on CCR, Power Plant Valves and other subjects
which are linked from the home page.
GTRE Decisions
Gas turbine and reciprocating engine components and services are covered in this
decision guide. The format is the same as the PPAQD which is described in the
first column.
Some of the subsidiary websites e.g. power plant valves, cover both fuel types.
One of the subsidiary sites covers gas turbine intake air treatment. There are a
number of webinars and power point displays in this child web. Another site
covers emission control.
Coverage of the control systems for gas turbine plants also provides useful
information for the coal-fired power plant operators. Boiler feedwater control
and monitoring have similar pumps and controls. Monitoring of NH3 and other
pollutants requires the same instruments.
Some products such as lubricants are used in the coal and gas plants but also
the nuclear and wind turbines. So the analysis of total lowest cost of ownership
in the GTRE decision guide can be used for global sourcing of lubricants for
rotating parts in all the corporate generating facilities.
More details on this program can be provided by Bob McIlvaine at 847-784-0012
ext. 112 rmcilvaine@mcilvainecompany.com.
Utility E-Alert Tracks Billions of Dollars of New Coal-fired Power Plants on a
Weekly Basis
UTILITY E-ALERT
Here are some Headlines from the Utility E-Alert – September 30, 2016
#1292 – September 30, 2016
Table of Contents
COAL – US
• Progressive Water Treatment completes its Third Power Plant Water Treatment
Project
• Air-cleaning Equipment being installed at Shawnee Units 1 and 4 in Paducah, KY
COAL – WORLD
• DTI has new 30,000 ft. 2 Damper manufacturing Plant in India
• Shenhua said to be allowed Higher Coal output to Curb Prices
• ABB wins Vietnam Coal-fired Power Plant Expansion
• Chinese Group chosen to design $2.1 Billion Power Plant in Zimbabwe
The 41F Utility E-Alert is issued weekly and covers the coal-fired projects,
regulations and other information important to the suppliers. It is $950/yr. but
is included in the $3020 42EI Utility Tracking System which has data on every
plant and project plus networking directories and many other features.
Upcoming Hot Topic Hours
DATE HOT TOPIC HOUR AND DECISION GUIDE SCHEDULE
The opportunity to interact on important issues
TBA
Markets Food - Analysis of 12 separate applications within food and beverage
with analysis of valve, pump, compressor, filter, analyzer and chemical options;
impact of new technologies such as forward osmosis.
TBA
Markets Municipal Wastewater - Quality of pumps, valves, filters, and analyzers
in Chinese and Asian plants; new pollutant challenges; water purification for
reuse.
TBA
Markets Mobile Emissions -Reduction in CO, VOCs, and particulate in fuels, oils,
and air used in on and off road vehicles; impact of RDE and failure of NOx traps
and the crisis in Europe created by the focus on clean diesel.
Click here to Register for the Webinars
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You can register for our free McIlvaine Newsletters at:
http://home.mcilvainecompany.com/index.php?option=com_rsform&formId=5.
Bob McIlvaine
President
847-784-0012 ext. 112
rmcilvaine@mcilvainecompany.com
www.mcilvainecompany.com