President Joe Biden on his first day in office sent a clear signal that he would not follow his predecessor’s policies with respect to energy and climate issues. On Jan. 20, 2021, Biden signed Executive

On a recent visit to my local hardware store, I was struck by all the products on display to help manage my energy needs. The store had LED light bulbs, weather stripping, and fiberglass insulation to help

Owners must manage capital projects well to keep costs under control and ensure a high-quality product is delivered on time. Good communication, sound procedures and processes, and high-tech tools can help

A predictive approach to finding potential issues with steam or gas turbine valve actuators can help power plant operators realize cost savings and avoid unit downtime. Having a way to analyze actuator

European Commission Probing Germany Lignite Power Compensation. The European Commission on March 2 opened an “in-depth investigation” to assess whether Germany’s plans to compensate its lignite-fired

Maintaining and operating a coal-fired generating station requires the utmost attention to detail to stay competitive. Focusing on the fundamentals of combustion allows engineers to improve reliability

There is a trend churning in the wind power industry; it involves upgrading wind turbines with newer, more powerful generation systems. Thanks to higher-capacity turbines and more efficient components

Energy storage is becoming increasingly important in solar installations, and many renewable energy projects, including wind farms and others, are incorporating storage into their design. Figuring out the

Experience gained by a project team during a steam blowing operation for a combined cycle power project in Indonesia is described in this article. A specific challenge faced by the commissioning team is

Over the past two decades, Ecuador has added a lot of hydroelectric power to its mix. Going forward, natural gas generation is expected to play more of a role in maintaining reliability and adding flexibility

While not a new occurrence, in recent years wildfires have wreaked havoc across the western U.S. We have also seen Mother Nature batter coastlines and landscapes around the globe, and the ever-mounting pace of

Engine-based power plants have proven to be dependable complements for intermittent renewables, but they are also capable of providing steady baseload electricity. With the right technical support, including

High on the list of Trump administration rules that will be reevaluated by the Biden administration is the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) Clean Water Act (CWA) section 401 rule on state water

Mechanical Dynamics & Analysis (MD&A) repaired a Frame 5 gas turbine rotor.  MD&A replaced 1st and 2nd stage buckets, repaired the seal area on the row 1 turbine wheel, performed compressor blade blending, and machined the thrust collar to accommodate the newer style thrust bearing at the No. 1 bearing. During their planned major inspection, the […]

The Orlando Utilities Commission’s (OUC’s) vision of a green energy future isn’t as far off as some people may think. The utility’s nanogrid is providing a testing ground for several innovative power

Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) technology is changing how power plants operate. One generating station incorporated new wireless vibration sensors with data from its existing historian system to better

A centrifugal pump that performs well under steady-state conditions may be found to cavitate when transitioning between operating modes. Resolving a transient cavitation problem can seem daunting because many

The body that regulates the interstate transmission of oil, electricity, and natural gas has signaled its willingness to approve regional grid operator plans that incorporate carbon pricing into their rate

Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) investing is rapidly becoming one of the most visible and durable megatrends in the financial community. ESG, or sustainability, refers to corporate activities that

Wood-burning facilities have seen a spike in refractory problems due to operating units at higher temperatures and at increased capacities than in the past. Refractory professionals offer three recommendations

One of the keys to boiler efficiency in thermal power plants is ensuring fouling and clinkers formed on superheater bundles are routinely removed. A mobile shockwave cleaning method offers one innovative

Flame-resistant (FR) garments are an important safety item for workers in the power industry. However, protection varies based on the arc rating of the clothing. Wearers must understand how the FR clothing

Internet of Things (IoT)-based energy management systems centered around edge controllers provide the functionality required to match renewable energy output with power requirements. Traditional baseload power

An Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) revolution is happening across essential power systems, and it’s helping make the challenges of maintenance walk-throughs a problem of the past. With more data and

Power generation news briefs from around the world.

Oil and lubricants play a critical role in the operation of natural gas and biogas power generation engines, for example, in combined cycle (CC) and combined heat and power (CHP) plants. The oil condition gives valuable insight in the running status of the engine and many critical failures can be flagged. Benefits of Real-time Monitoring […]

The impact of COVID-19 has placed a sharp focus on the importance of not only keeping key personnel safe but also how to better manage risk with fewer resources on site. One unexpected result is the acceleration of interest in digitisation initiatives. Ten years of digital innovation has brought new ways of modelling and managing […]

For many years, the OEM fix for major cracking or shell distortion was replacement of the defective shell, also referred to as casing by some OEMs, with new. Mechanical Dynamics and Analysis has provided an alternative to shell replacements which includes fixing the existing shell to extend its life. MD&A recently welded and repaired the HPIP […]

Flow-accelerated or flow-assisted corrosion (FAC) is the uncontrolled dissolution and transportation of iron oxides in a steam-water cycle system that occurs in both single-phase locations (water) and two-phase locations (water and steam). Single-phase FAC can be mitigated by chemical controls, but two-phase FAC remains largely unaddressed by industry’s available product options due to the challenging nature […]

Mechanical Dynamics & Analysis (MD&A) recently completed generator field rewind with a rotor slot dovetail repair on a customer’s GE® 650,000 KVA generator field. The work scope was performed at the customer’s direction with regards to applicable Technical Information Letters. Incoming visual and mechanical inspections were first completed, as well as a runout inspection in the lathe which […]