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Timing is everything in the world of electric power generation. The timing of the delivery of electricity is affected by both the users’ demand and the speed with which a variety of energy sources supply power to the transmission system. Modern grids require reliable energy sources to instantly meet the needs of their users.

Fast-starting combined-cycle plants are designed for a certain operating life based on a customer-specified set of operating scenarios. During that design phase, periodic inspection and maintenance procedures to benchmark equipment actual wear and tear should be developed, but seldom are. Without an accurate assessment of remaining equipment life for components subjected to fast and frequent […]

Tokyo Electric Power Co.’s new Kawasaki Thermal Power Plant claims the title of having the highest combined-cycle efficiency in the world: 59.1%. The new gas-fired facility is equipped with three 500-MW single-shaft combined-cycle blocks. Each block is based on the MHI M701G2 gas turbine, which is the largest gas turbine currently in commercial operation.

Ensuring the availability of water for power plants is a matter of both water quantity and quality. As freshwater becomes less available for power plant use, new supplies from marginal or impaired sources will require new cooling technologies. We look at cooling equipment options and how water availability and quality affect cooling system design and cost.

Austin Energy replaced the selective catalytic reduction (SCR) catalyst twice over five years for its four peaker turbines. The duct modifications and injection grid redesign, combined with new catalyst, are producing high NOx reduction and low ammonia slip, and the catalyst is now expected to last at least five years.

Gas turbines require clean gas to operate efficiently. Particulate contamination fouls fuel nozzles, causes increases in flue stack emissions, and occasionally causes unplanned plant outages. Now a new real-time natural gas cleanliness monitoring and web-based alarm system is providing valuable protection for natural gas–fired power plants. The adaptation of laser light–scattering technology for the purpose of contaminant measurement in high-pressure gaseous pipelines provides a method of monitoring liquid and solid contamination levels.

Many alternative approaches for determining a useful definition of combined heat and power fossil power plant efficiency have been proposed, although most fail to produce a universal definition. This follow-up report to our February story on plant efficiency shows how an exergy analysis supplies the elusive solution.

IMI Sensors released model 682A09 ICP In-Line 4-20 mA Vibration Transmitter, a device that installs with any industrial accelerometer and converts the vibration signal to a 4-20 mA velocity output that can be trended with today’s PLC, DCS, or SCADA control room systems. Its sleek design installs right into the cable run. No DIN rails, […]

Types 510 and 511 diaphragm seals are the newest addition to Ashcroft’s line of instrument media isolators. These economical, all-welded seals protect pressure gauges, transmitters, switches, and other instruments against the potentially harmful effects of caustic media. The seals are available for use with ranges from vacuum through 5,000 psi, and they can be threaded […]

GD Nash introduced the new 2BE4 series vacuum pumps and compressors, a redesign and upgrade of the existing 2BE3 series. The 2BE4 series includes optimized inlet and discharge porting for enhanced performance, and cylindrical roller bearings for improved load ratings and increased reliability (bearing upgrade is possible in existing 2BE3s). The series also includes optional […]