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SENSORS

THE BENEFITS OF COMBUSTION

CHAMBER PRESSURE SENSORS

316(b) COMPLIANCE

TWO YEARS AFTER THE RULE WAS FINALIZED

WASTEWATER TREATMENT

A LOOK AT ZERO LIQUID DISCHARGE SYSTEMS

120
YEARS

The

Hybrid
Power Plant

May 2016 www.power-eng.com

Environment

New nuclear plants are necessary to lessen the worlds dependence on fossil fuels,
to meet the needs of both developed and expanding economies, and to slow the
amount of CO2 emitted into our environment. NuScale Power has developed a
clean, reliable, carbon-free Small Modular Reactor technology. It has the smallest
environmental footprint of the technologies available today generating electricity.
It will play a significant role in meeting future demand in the U.S. and other nations
as part of a diverse energy portfolio. Environment: The Element of Nu.

NuScale Power
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2016 NuScale Power, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

nuscalepower.com
For info. http://powereng.hotims.com RS# 1

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, NORTH AMERICAN

POWER GENERATION GROUP Richard Baker
(918) 831-9187 richardb@pennwell.com

Power Engineering is the flagship

media sponsor for

NATIONAL BRAND MANAGER Rick Huntzicker

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FEATURES 120

16 Hybrid
Power Plants

CONTRIBUTING EDITORBrad Buecker

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(804) 815-9186 barryc@pennwell.com

Wouldnt it be nice if we could marry disparate

technologies and smooth over some of their respective
weaknesses? Hybrid power plants might just fit the bill.
ABOUT THE COVER: Enels Stillwater Hybrid Power Plant in Nevada is the first triple hybrid power

GRAPHIC DESIGNER Deanna Priddy Taylor

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No.5, May 2016

YEARS

plant in the world. It combines a geothermal facility with both CSP and PV solar generation.

22

Steam Turbine Maintenance

& Repair Management

Over the last 20 years, the power sector has experienced

a shift in steam turbine maintenance strategies driven
by two compounding factors. Get the inside skinny from
steam turbine specialists.

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28

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In May 2014, the Environmental Protection Agency finalized

standards for Section 316(b) of the Clean Water Act. Power
producers are moving forward with compliance. Which
technologies and strategies would work best for your plant?

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Power Engineering

34

The 316(b) Rule:

Two Years Later

Taking the Pulse of Combustion

Vibration can cause high cycle fatigue in equipment

downstream of the combustors. Combustion chamber
pressure sensors can mitigate this problem.

36

Zero Liquid Discharge Systems

One of the preferred ways to bring coal ash systems into

compliance with new management and storage standards is
to implement a Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) solution. Explore
the fundamentals of ZLD technology and its benefits.

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OPINION

Are Hybrid Systems

the Next Big Trend in
Power Generation?
BY RUSSELL RAY, CHIEF EDITOR

n 1999, hybrid gas-electric vehicles

(HEV) were introduced to the U.S.
market. HEVs combined the power
of a combustion engine with the purity of
an electric powertrain to meet consumer
demands for balance between performance and fuel efficiency.
The concept, by all accounts, struck
a deep chord with consumers. Today, HEVs are expected to account for
a third of passenger vehicle sales in
North America by 2025.
Is the power generation market
headed down a similar path?
Hybrid power plants offer solutions
to many problems and concerns faced
by power producers, grid managers and
consumers. In a hybrid system, clean but
intermittent solar power can be paired
with a reliable generator fueled with
low-priced natural gas. Waste wood from
timbering can be co-fired with waste coal
to lower emissions. Wind power can be
coupled with compressed air to create a
reliable source of power for remote areas
with limited transmission. Some hybrid
projects combine diesel generator sets
with solar PV technology.
Hybrid power generation systems provide a source of power that is both clean
and consistent. They can provide power
on demand. Whats more, they can be an
effective tool in integrating more renewable resources into the grid while providing firm capacity to back up those variable resources.
But hybrid systems are either panned or
praised in the world of power generation.
Despite the obvious benefits, there are
several drawbacks that create a concerning level of risk for hybrid power projects.
2

The benefits of renewable systems

The lessons we are learning at the adcoupled with either a generator or ener- vanced geothermal-solar facility will be
gy storage depends greatly on the value key to the development of other hybrid
of the firm capacity. If renewable power plants throughout the world, said Franrepresents a small percentage of a systems cesco Starace, chief executive officer of
load, other generators in the system can Enel, the plants owner.
easily make up the difference when the
Meanwhile, researchers are developwind doesnt blow or the sun doesnt ing new hybrid systems designed to unishine. Under this scenario, the firm ca- fy power generation technologies you
might not think about
pacity provided by the
marrying.
hybrid system is usual- The lessons we
Researchers
at
ly poorly valued.
are learning at
the
Massachusetts
Also, in remote locaInstitute of Techtions, the power can- the advanced
nology have develnot be easily sold due geothermal-solar
to a limited number of
facility will be key to oped a concept that
combines two wellpotential buyers.
the
devlopment
of
known power generIn this issue of Power
Engineering, our cover other hybrid plants. ation technologies:
Coal gasification and
story examines several combinations of technologies used in fuel cells. The hybrid system could be
hybrid power plants and specific projects twice as fuel efficient as a conventional
that have captured the industrys atten- coal-fired power plant, according to an
tion with innovative systems that work in article posted by MIT.
The syngas produced from the coal
cooperation to provide clean and consiswould be used in a fuel cell, where it
tent power.
Nevadas Stillwater hybrid plant is the would react with oxygen to produce elecworlds first power plant using geother- tricity, the article stated. Both processes
mal power and two types of solar power operate at similarly high temperatures of
solar PV and solar thermal to produce 800 degrees Celsius or more. Combining
electricity. The project, which was official- them in a single plant would thus allow
ly inaugurated in March, is a cooperative the two components to exchange heat
system integrating a 33-MW geothermal with minimal energy losses.
Comparing the market for hybrid
plant, a 26-MW solar PV system and a
power plants to the market for hybrid
2-MW solar thermal facility.
Coupling the solar thermal facility with cars may not be perfect, but its a simthe geothermal plant boosted the output ple analogy full of good old-fashioned
at Stillwater by 3.6 percent versus output horse sense.
If you have a question or a comment,
from the geothermal plant by itself. The
finding was confirmed by researchers at contact me at russellr@pennwell.com.
the U.S. Department of Energy.
Follow me on Twitter @RussellRay1.
www.power-eng.com

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INDUSTRY NEWS

Dynegy Will Shutter 30

Percent of Southern Illinois
Generation Capacity

Dynegy, one of the nations largest independent power producers, said it plans
toshut downabout 30 percent of Southern Illinois power generation capacity,
citing a failure to recover basic operating
costs in the latestMidcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) capacity
auction.
Over the next year, the company will
shut down several coal-fired units, including Units 1 and 3 at the Baldwin
Power Station and Unit 2 at the Newton
Power Station.
Earlier this year, Dynegy announced
plans to retire the 465-MW Wood River
Power Station in June because it was no
longer cost effective to operate the coalfired plant.
Altogether, Dynegy said it will shut
down 2,800 MW of coal-fired generation, which amounts to 30 percent of the
power generation capacity in Southern
Illinois.
Dynegy asked MISO to remove 1,835
MW from MISO Zone 4.
Dynegy Chief Executive OfficerRobert
Flexon said low wholesale power prices
coupled with MISOs market design prevents power producers in Zone 4 from receiving sufficient compensation to cover
generating costs.
Generation units in Zone 4, Flexon
said, are wrongly grouped with out-ofstate utilities rather than the competitive
power producers in northern Illinois and
PJM. This must change.
4

Oracle Acquiring Opower

for $532 Million
Oracle, the California-based software
giant, hasagreed to purchaseOpower, a
cloud-based energy software company,
for $532 million in cash, or $10.30 per
share. The deal is expected to close by the
end of this year.
Opower provides cloud-based energy
efficiencysoftware services to more than
100 utilities worldwide, including ExelonandPacific Gas & Electric. The company stores and analyzes meter information from 60 million end-use customers,
enabling utilities to exploit the data to
trim costs, boost efficiency and enhance
reliability.
The deal would create the worlds largest provider of mission-critical cloud services to utilities, Oracle said.
Utilities want modern technology
solutions that work together to meet their
evolving customer, operational and compliance needs, said Rodger Smith, senior
vice president and general manager of Oracles Global Business Unit.

Nevada Company to
Pursue Purchase of
Unfinished Nuclear Plant
A Nevada company says it will try to
purchase an unfinished nuclear powerplant in northern Alabama.
Managing partner Michael Dooley
of Phoenix Energy of Nevada said the
company wants to use the Bellefonte
Nuclear Plant site to produce electricity
through a new technology.
TheTennessee Valley Authoritydecided Thursday to declare the plant surplus
property and sell it to the highest bidder.
Dooley says Phoenix Energy already
has detailed plans for the site.
While the federal utility says it has
spent more than $4 billion at the plant
since the 1970s, chief executive Bill Johnson said the property has been appraised
at only $36 million.
The 1,600-acre site at Hollywood, Alabama, includestwo partially finished nuclear reactors, warehouses, office buildings, parking areas, railroad spurs and a
helicopter pad.

SunEdison Files for

Chapt. 11 Bankruptcy

Feds Approve Plan to Build

Gas Pipeline for Power Plant

SunEdison Inc. and some of its subsidiaries voluntarily filed for Chapter 11
bankruptcy in the Southern District of
New York.
SunEdisons publicly-traded yieldcos, TerraForm Power and TerraForm
Global, are not part of the filing. The
company has started the process for restructuring, including securing commitments for new capital totaling up to $300
million in debtor-in-possession financing
from a consortium of first and second lien
lenders. The new financing will support
day-to-day operations during reorganization, including work on ongoing power
projects.
SunEdison was set to buyVivint Solar,
but the $2.2 billion deal was called off in
March after Vivint said SunEdison failed
to secure financing.

Federal officials have signed off on a

plan to build a 34-mile pipeline through
five central Pennsylvania counties that
will carry natural gas to a power plant
being built along theSusquehanna River.
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved the Sunbury Pipeline
Project earlier this month.
The pipeline would service the power plant being built in Shamokin Dam,
about 40 miles north of Harrisburg, and
will travel through Lycoming, Montour,
Northumberland, Union and Snyder
counties.
UGI Energy Services Inc. spokesman
Kenneth Robinson said they are pleased
with the approval. Construction should
begin after state regulators issue the necessary permits.
The utility said it plans to complete the
www.power-eng.com

PEACE OF MIND

Remotely Monitors And Reports Coolant Flow And Temperatures As Well As Piping System Integrity
A key component of JASC's back-up liquid fuel system
reliability design is the Smart Fluid Monitor.

cooled valve designs allowing for extended operational

intervals.

With cooling water piping infrastructure having a life

expectancy of decades and turbine major maintenance
intervals of every 4 to 5 years, the ability to remotely monitor
the performance and integrity of the cooling system has
become an important part of achieving improved liquid fuel
system reliability.

The SFM is sensitive enough to detect small flow discrepancy

between the cooling water supply and return lines. The Smart
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valve systems or can be used on more advanced future liquid
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valves and ZEE (Zero Emissions Equipment).

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temperatures as well as piping system integrity. This provides
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pipeline in November and have gas available early next year. The power plant is
scheduled to be completed in early 2018.

Siemens Ships 1,000th

Gas Turbine Manufactured
at Berlin Factory
Siemenscelebrated the shipment of its
1,000th gas turbine manufactured at its
Huttenstrasse plant, a century-old manufacturing factory in Berlin, Germany.

The 300-MW SGT5-4000F gas turbine

is en route to the Umm Al Houl combined
cycle power plant in Qatar. It is one of
six turbines manufactured for the plant,
which is scheduled to begin commercial
production in 2018. Siemens also agreed
to provide maintenance and service for
the plant under a 25-year contract.
Altogether, the 1,000 gas turbines produced at the Berlin factory represent nearly 220,000 MW of installed capacity in 65
countries. The factory shipped its first gas
turbine in 1972.

Duke Energy Renewables

Buys Six NC Solar Plants
Duke Energy Renewables acquired
six, 5-MWsolar powerprojects ineastern North Carolina from Community
Energy.
Five of the six sites are in service. The
sixth, Seaboard, is set to come online
in May. Output from the projects is being sold to Dominion NC Power under
15-year agreements. Gehrlicher Solar
America Corp., a division of M&W
Americas Inc., built the projects. About
135,000 solar modules were installed
on all of the sites.
6

Duke Energy in 2015 added 300 MW

of solar energy in North Carolina. The
utility has invested more than $4 billion
in renewable energy and plans to invest
about $3 billion over the next five years.

Iberdrola SA Orders
Two M501J Gas Turbines
Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems
Americassaid it will supply twoJ-series
gas turbines, a steam turbine and longterm service under a contract with Iberdrola SA.
The turbines and steam generator will
be installed in an890-MW combined cycle plantIberdrola is building in Los Mochis for Comisin Federal de Electricidad
(CFE), Mexicos state-owned power company. The deal also includes a long-term
service agreement.

6,097 premature deaths annually.

According to the organization, the
100,000-MW milestone was surpassed
when Houston-based Dynegy announced
it will retire 1,877 MW of coal-fired power assets, phasing out Units 1 and 3 at its
Baldwin Power Station and Unit 2 at its
Newton Power Station, both in Illinois.
The Sierra Clubs Beyond Coal campaign has advocated for a reduction in
U.S. coal-fired power assets for more than
a decade. In 2010, the campaign shifted its
focus from stopping the development of
new coal-fired power plants to replacing
existing coal-fired plants with renewable
resources. Since that time, power producers have committed to take 101,673 MW
of coal-fired power offline, including the
announced retirements of 232 coal plants
and 662 coal-fired units across the country, according to the organization.

NRC to Issue Early Site

Permit for NJ Nuclear Reactor

The deal comes just days after CFE

entered into a 25-year power purchase
agreement with Iberdrola.
Each of the two M501J gas turbines are
rated at 327 MW. Mitsubishi Hitachi said
it has received 45 orders for the 501J gas
turbine. Nineteen units are in commercial operation worldwide.

Coal Retirements Reach

100,000-MW Milestone
The Sierra Club this month celebrated
the promised retirement of more than
100,000 MW of the nations coal-fired
power assets since 2010.
Calling it one of the biggest clean energy milestones yet, the organizations
website extolled the decrease in coal-fired
power as sufficient to prevent 100,792
asthma attacks, 9,420 heart attacks, and

An early site permit will be issued for

a potentialnuclearplant site located next
to operating nuclear plants in New Jersey.
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commissions Atomic Safety and Licensing Board
found the staffs review of the application
from PSEG Power LLC and PSEG Nuclear LLC was adequate to make the necessary regulatorysafetyandenvironmental
findings. The new plant would be located
adjacent to the Salem and Hope Creek nuclear plants. The technical review covered
issues such as how the sites characteristics could affect plant safety, environmental protection, and plans for coping with
emergencies. The staff published the final
safety evaluation in September 2015 and
the final environmental impact statement
for the permits in November 2015.
The permit will be valid for up to 20
years. The permit does not authorize any
NRC-regulated construction work. PSEG
would have to apply separately for a license to build and operate a nuclear plant
at the site.
www.power-eng.com

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ENERGY MATTERS

Is it Enough to Follow
Regulatory Steps
in the CCR Rule?
BY CHRISTOPHER J. SNIDER, P.E., P.G., AND KATIE A. BLAND, P.E., BURNS & MCDONNELL

he Environmental Protection
Agencys Coal Combustion Residuals (CCR) Rule went into effect on Oct.19, 2015. The structure it uses
to manage groundwater compliance is
downright scary. Not only has the power industry been saddled with increasingly stringent air emission and water
discharge compliance rules, the federal
CCR rule enforcement mechanism is especially perilous in its reliance on citizen
lawsuits filed in federal court under Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
(RCRA). As stated in the Federal Register,
EPA acknowledges that the lack of federal enforcement under Subtitle D presents challenges. At least with most other
environmental regulations, the enforcement mechanisms go through normal
state regulatory channels; unfortunately
this is not the case with the CCR Rule.
Complicated groundwater contamination scenarios are best managed by
owners and state regulators who are
charged with protecting the public
and state groundwater resources. Reliance on citizen lawsuits, combined
with the requirement that technical
groundwater compliance reports be
placed on the utilitys public website,
is cause for concern with respect to the
downside risks of legal action, groundwater remediation costs, and potential
negative publicity. The rule essentially
relies on public perception, rather than
scientific data, as its means of enforcement. The best chance the utilities have
to avoid falling victim to legal action
and negative publicity is to act early
and proactively.
If you think you might have a
8

groundwater compliance issue brewing,

consider conducting an assessment of
potential corrective measures now to
better understand your risk profile. The
primary reason to consider acting now is
the fact that the federal CCR Rule allows
only 90 days to complete an assessment
of corrective measures alternatives, or to
demonstrate that apparent groundwater
impacts are attributed to a source other
than your CCR unit.
Groundwater corrective measure alternatives, also known as remediation
alternatives, may vary significantly in
both initial capital and long-term operations and maintenance costs. Lower cost alternatives, such as monitored
natural attenuation may be appealing
and acceptable to utilities and state regulators; however, they may not satisfy
potential third party claimants. More
aggressive remediation alternatives
such as hydraulic containment, consisting of groundwater pumping, treatment, and/or beneficial reuse within
the Plant, may require more than 90
days to evaluate from a technical and
financial standpoint. In-situ technologies may be a viable solution, but they
often require pilot studies that require
several months to confirm the technology will adequately address groundwater impacts.
Evaluating a site early, before an
assessment of corrective measures is
triggered by the federal CCR Rule, may
provide the time needed to confirm
that a far less costly remedy will be effective.
Starting your groundwater evaluation early carries the added benefit of

allowing you to factor ecological and

human health risk assessment into
your overall management strategy. As
EPA stated in the Federal Register, Because this is a self-implementing rule
that relies on citizen enforcement, it is
important for the owner or operator of
the facility to periodically document
that they are in compliance with the
existing groundwater monitoring requirements, and an annual certification is the easiest and most effective
way to achieve this.
If potential citizen lawsuits and public
perception issues have you concerned,
consider conducting an ecological and
human health risk assessment coupled
with an early assessment of corrective
measures. Initiating these studies now
enables development of a fully informed
strategy to meet the compliance timeline
specified in the CCR Rule. Utilities are
also encouraged to engage in a dialogue
with state regulators who may be in
the process of adopting state-level CCR
rules. Utility representation and participation in the state rule development process could prove beneficial in both the
short and long term.
The bottom line: If you are waiting
until Oct. of 2017, when baseline sampling must be completed, to determine
if you have a groundwater compliance
problem, you are losing valuable time.
Creating and executing a proactive
game plan now will put you in an offense position while significantly enhancing the potential for positive outcomes. The alternative is to wait, hope
for the best, and potentially end up
playing defense in federal court.
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VIEW ON RENEWABLES
@1605PE10-11-m01.psd@

The Promise
of Energy Storage
BY RAVI MANGHANI, SENIOR ENERGY STORAGE ANALYST, GTM RESEARCH

ecently, energy storage has received a lot of attention from

President Obamas recent visit
and speech at Safts Jacksonville energy
storage facility to Bill Gates calling for a
new generation of storage technologies
to achieve an energy miracle. Yet its important to understand that the U.S. energy storage market is still very nascent. In
2015, the U.S. deployed 221 MW of grid
connected energy storage. This was a 3.5fold jump in annual deployments from
the previous year, yet an order of magnitude of a smaller market compared to
solar PV or wind. In fact, wed have to go
as far back as 2008 for solar PV and 2004
for wind for similar levels of annual deployments.
The first wave of growth kicked off in
the early 2000s with the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding
several energy storage projects and technologies. Were arguably in the second
wave of energy storage growth where
several 100 MW systems are already online, providing valuable services to the
grid and its various stakeholders. This
growth has been fueled by ancillary services market participation such as in PJM,
incentive programs such as in California
and New York, and retail rate structures
for solar and non-solar customers in several markets. The top markets in 2015 for
utility-scale and non-residential (C&I)
accounted for 89 percent and 91 percent,
respectively, of the total segment deployments. The highly concentrated levels of
deployment indicate that the market still
depends on a handful of applications and
business models.
As the energy storage market matures, it is expected to become more
10

homogenous across applications and geographies. GTM Research estimates that

energy storage deployments will grow
from annual deployments of 221 MW in
2015 to 1.7 GW by 2020, according to the
ESA U.S. Energy Storage Monitor: Year in
Review 2015. In energy capacity terms,
the growth is estimated to be even steeper, growing from annual deployments of
161 MWh in 2015 to 4.6 GWh by 2020.
There are reasons for this optimism on
energy storage prospects beyond just the
hype. Energy storage can offer different
value streams to various stakeholders, but
its real value gets unlocked when looked
at from a systems perspective. While there
are multiple use cases where storage will
undoubtedly play a role through the end
of the decade, its application toward enabling higher levels of renewables is particularly noteworthy.
Pairing energy storage with renewables
can enhance the value of an underlying
renewable asset. Location of the asset,
storage discharge duration, frequency
of use, and ownership determine the
eventual beneficiary; in many cases, the
benefits are accumulated across the grid.
As renewable penetration on the grid increases, storage can be used to facilitate
renewables smoothing through ramp
rate control and firming instantaneous
output. In remote islands such as Hawaii
and Puerto Rico, these are important
technical requirements to enable reliable
grid operations while meeting renewable
goals. Even in markets that are not grid
constrained, storage addition can allow
consistent use of firmer renewable capacity to meet capacity and electricity needs.
If we shift to the viewpoint of
the residential and non-residential

end-customers, storage already has and

will likely continue to play a growing role,
as several utilities and public utility commissions continue to evolve rate design
structures for solar customers. In states
like Hawaii and Nevada, with less than
retail rate net energy metering (NEM) values, there are electricity bill saving opportunities by increased self-consumption.
Though California has not significantly
reduced the solar export value for future
solar customers in its recent NEM 2.0 decision, the requirement to transition to
TOU tariff creates an incentive to time
shift excess solar to evening peak hours.
On top of these benefits to different
sides of the meter, storage improves the
overall system resiliency in instance of
power outages.
Until end of last year, the renewables
industry was under the cloak of uncertainty with respect to renewable tax credit
extension. With Congress approving renewable tax credits for another five years
with the passage of the omnibus spending bill, both wind and solar markets are
expected to see increased installations.
This extension has a direct and positive
impact on the future of energy storage.
Under specific conditions, storage qualifies for tax credits (if it is charged by an
eligible renewable system). As long as
the Treasury Department and the IRS
keep the current eligibility criteria intact
or increase its certainty through updated
definitions, renewables paired storage
will continue to enjoy enhanced economics because of tax credits. GTM Research
estimates that renewables paired energy
storage will grow from annual deployments of a mere 18 MW in 2015 to 1 GW
by 2020.
www.power-eng.com

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NUCLEAR REACTIONS

Terminal Exemptions
BY BRIAN SCHIMMOLLER, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

ets say youre heading out on summer vacation. You arrive at your local airport, check in at the counter,
and start walking to your assigned terminal. Along the way, you notice that one of
the older terminals has been shut down.
Access is blocked, and a sign politely asks
you to excuse the mess.
A question that would probably never
enter your consciousness is this: Where
are the TSA agents? And why not? Because you implicitly understand that the
risks associated with the out-of-commission terminal are markedly different from
those of an operating terminal. Not zero,
of course, but much less. Yet this is basically how we deal with decommissioning
reactors in the U.S. They must follow the
same rules as operating reactors unless
they obtain exemptions.
As more plants shut down permanently, improved efficiency in managing the
transition from operational to decommissioning status could have significant
economic implications.
Decommissioning nuclear plants clearly do not face the same level of risks as
an operating facility. Certain accident
scenarios, for example, are no longer
possible at a plant where the fuel has
been removed from the reactor vessel.
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission acknowledges this distinction, and
owners of decommissioning facilities can
submit exemption requests to the NRC
seeking relief from various regulatory
requirements. The NRC makes decisions
on these requests on a site-specific, caseby-case basis, following an established
process that includes a detailed technical
safety analysis.
The types of exemption requests run
the gamut. At the relatively mundane end
12

of the spectrum, Consumers Energy in

2005 requested relief from a requirement
to provide office space for the exclusive
use of NRC inspection personnel at the
Big Rock Point plant. Consumers Energy
explained that because onsite office space
was being consolidated to a few offices in
the dry storage administrative building, it
was no longer practical to provide office
space for exclusive NRC use.
At the other end of the spectrum, decommissioning facilities often request
relief from the emergency preparedness
requirements imposed upon operating
facilities. NRC has granted such relief
several times, pending its review of a
site-specific analysis demonstrating that
any applicable design basis accidents
would not result in projected doses to
public exceeding federal protective action
guides, and spent fuel is not susceptible to
a zirconium fire, or sufficient time would
be available to take mitigation measures,
and if needed, implement offsite protective measures
Significant effort is required from both
licensee and regulator to develop and
evaluate such exemption requests. In late
2014, the Nuclear Energy Institute sent
a letter to the NRC supporting an integrated rulemaking to revise regulatory
requirements involved in transitioning
from operating to decommissioning status. The NRC had actually begun a similar process in 2000-2001, but postponed
these efforts following the September
2001 terrorist attacks.
In November 2015, the NRC published
an advanced notice of proposed rulemaking in the Federal Register, announcing its
intent to develop a draft regulatory basis to
support a new decommissioning rule. A stated
goal is to reduce the need for exemptions from

current requirements for operating reactors.

The new rule would lay out clear requirements
for decommissioning reactors related to various licensee commitments, such as emergency
preparedness, physical security, and fitness for
duty.
Lending its support to the proposed
rulemaking, NEI quantified some of the
impacts of the exemption route. As we go
through these transitions, the exemption
process typically takes 12 to 18 months
to complete, with more than $1.5 million a month in expenditures, two-thirds
of which is on the industry side, while
plants spend over $1 million per month
complying with requirements that should
no longer apply to them, said NEI Senior
Director Rodney McCullum.
Not everyone feels the economic benefits are necessarily worth the effort of a
formal rulemaking. Noted industry observer Rod Adams, writing in his Atomic
Insights blog, contends that the costs required to pursue the rulemaking would
be better spent on the living rather than
the dead (my words, not his). Adams notes
that because of the NRC fee structure, all
licensees will be paying for the rulemaking rather than just those plants engaged
in decommissioning: That means that
companies that continue to operate their
nuclear plants would pay an increased
annual license fee for work specifically
aimed at simplifying the process of shutting down and tearing apart plants.
I sympathize to some extent with this
argument. Going back to my airport terminal analogy, would you rather spend
finite resources optimizing the demolition of an unused asset or optimizing
the efficiency and value of an operating
asset? Its a difficult choice. Both merit attention.
www.power-eng.com

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GAS GENERATION

Gas Conversions
Dont Forget the Steam
Turbine Generator
STEPHEN R. REID, PE; PRESIDENT AND PRINCIPAL ENGINEER; TG ADVISERS, INC.

nvironmental pressures have

caused most U.S. power generators to reevaluate both short- and
long-term options for their coal generation assets. Natural gas conversion can
provide an economical solution for some
units in high-value regions of the country. Generally, these units are less than
250 MW and do not justify the costs of
installing SCR and scrubber technologies. When establishing a projects costs
for fuel conversion, it is important to consider the entire plant, not just the boiler
conversion hardware.
With the retirement of many coal units
and projections for favorable gas prices,
converted units are expected to play a
more operationally flexible role, requiring more cycling and run hours. As they
will not have the same attractive heat rates
as combined-cycle facilities, frequent onoff cycling will be required. Units under consideration for fuel conversion are
typically much older coal assets which
were on the bubble for many years,
with maintenance planning budgets that
favored near-term retirement over longterm reliability.

WHAT ABOUT THE STEAM

TURBINE GENERATOR?
Failure to consider the steam turbine
generator in a project budget can make reliability targets a difficult, if not impossible, goal to meet. TG Advisors (TGA) has
found that the associated steam turbine
generator often requires major investments to maintain reliability for life extension of a plant. Several major concerns
must be considered:
Major Turbine Issues
Rotor IntegrityAfter 30 to 40 years
14

of operation, rotor flaws can develop to

concerning size. On high-temperature
rotors, creep voids can be initiated with
extended time, temperature, and stress
exposure. In addition, rotor materials
can become embrittled from temperature exposure and will most likely require
more frequent inspections, longer startup
thermal soak periods, and in some cases,
replacement of the rotor itself.
Turbine Casing and Valve Body IntegrityAlmost all casing and valve
body cracks initiate and propagate from
stop-starts/low cycle fatigue (LCF). This
cracking usually appears later in a units
life when on-off cycles reach 300 to 500
events. With increased cycling, LCF limits will be reached earlier than previous
predictions of calendar life. Repair or
replacement options will need to be considered when cracking extends more than
25 to 35 percent of the casings thickness.
Turbine ControlsControl systems
typically become obsolete after about 20
years of operation.
Water Induction Protection SystemsTurbine water inductions can
cause major internal damage. Exposure
for converted units will most likely increase after the fuel conversion.
Low-Pressure Turbine BladingThe
later stages of low-pressure (LP) turbine
blades operate in a low-quality steam environment. Depending on the degree of
erosion, replacement may be required. In
addition, LP blades are the largest blades
on the unit and, as a result, the most highly stressed.
LP Rotor Stress Corrosion Cracking
(SCC) SCC in LP rotor dovetails is a
matter of when not if. Most fossil
units require repairs in the 200,000 hour

range. These repairs can be costly and require welding and new blading.
High-Temperature Turbine Rotor
DovetailsThese failures are an issue of
time, temperature, and stress exposure.
Dovetail creep or creep fatigue failures
become a concern in units with over
250,000 hours of operation.
Major Generator Issues
Generator Stator and Rotor WindingsGenerator windings are designed
to operate reliably for approximately 30
years. Extending a units life to meet the
gas conversion goals of 20 plus years will
most likely require a partial or full rewind
prior to (or during) the extended life period. Some stator end winding connection
cracks require design upgrades to improve
long-term reliability. Rotor windings, particularly the end turn regions, are susceptible to LCF issues resulting from cyclic
start/stop stresses from centrifugal loading and thermal expansion/contraction
cycles. Frequently, LCF issues affect rotor
radial lead pole flexible connections, as
well as pole crossover jumpers.
Stator Core IronHot spots in the
stator core iron can significantly reduce
stator winding life. Shorted laminations are a common finding on older
units and should be monitored and repaired if needed. In extreme cases, a
full core replacement may be required.
If a hot spot is identified near the ends
of a core, a partial restack could be the
answer.
Excitation SystemsMany older
units have been converted from rotating excitation systems to a static system. This change has addressed many
of the reliability issues frequenting rotating elements.
www.power-eng.com

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HYBRID POWER GENERATION

SYNERGY THROUGH HYBRIDITY:

Harnessing Multiple
Energy Sources
for Diversified Benefits
BY TIM MISER, ASSOCIATE EDITOR

16

he concept of synergy gets a lot of play in the media these days. Its
tossed around at board meetings and in marketing white papers.
Its overuse has made it something of a buzzword, a term companies fall back on when they want to come across as cutting-edge.
Hoping to make your press release pop? Just insert that word
synergy at the top.
Buzzwords are the linguistic equivalent of kitsch (to borrow a word from our
German friends), and most writers are suspicious of them. Problem is, when discussing hybrid power plants, the concept of synergy proves quite apropos. Thats
www.power-eng.com

because all forms of power production

have inherent liabilities. As such, they
benefit from combinations with energy
partners that can mitigate their shortcomings, in the end creating a stronger
whole.
Coal-fired generation has fallen out
of favor in popular opinion, regarded in
certain circles as dirty and last-century. Solar and wind power are cleaner,
but are dependent on natural processes
that leave them intermittent. Even the
current darling of power production,
natural gas, is affected by a multitude
of abstract economic pressures, rendering its price a target of widespread
speculation. And surely youve heard
that nuclear plants regularly blow their
tops, creating vast swaths of wasteland
inhabited only by radioactive wolves.
Of course none of these accusations
are quite fair, but they do illustrate a
very real fact: every energy source has
a downside.
So wouldnt it be nice if we could
www.power-eng.com

marry disparate technologies and

smooth over some of their respective
weaknesses, protecting economic interests through diversification, and in the
process creating a whole that is greater
than the sum of its parts? Theres a German word for that toogestaltand
hybrid power plants might just fit the
bill.
Disambiguating the Term Hybrid
Its easy to draw comparisons between hybrid power plants and hybrid
cars, since both rely on more than one
source of energy for operation. Whenever possible, hybrid cars rely on electric power, harnessing its efficiency
and (at least perceived) environmental
friendliness. But these same cars can
switch to internal combustion engines
when more power or greater range is required. Like hybrid cars, hybrid power

plants can alternate or blend energy

sources in response to various environmental and operational factors. For example, power plants can use wind power to displace more carbon-intensive
fossil generation, even as they call on
that same fossil generation to compensate for winds intermittency. Unlike
in hybrid cars, though, the concept of
hybridity in power plants is sometimes
used more broadly, meaning different
things in different contexts.
Some power plants referred to as hybrids are merely co-located generation
facilities. For instance, a combined-cycle gas turbine (CCGT) plant might
add photovoltaic (PV) solar cells on
17

HYBRID POWER GENERATION

a backlot or adjoining facility. These

solar assets do generate electricity, of
course, but they feed that electricity
to the grid independent of the CCGT.
Under such an arrangement, the solar
facility may serve to diversify the economic interests of the plants owner, or
to reduce the sum environmental footprint of the site, but the PV and CCGT
are not as tightly integrated as they
might first appear.
Further muddying the concept of hybridity are power plants which are dual-fuel capable, able to burn both coal
and biomass, or natural gas and fuel
oil, for example. While these plants
may not be hybrid in the strictest sense,
they still fill many of the roles that hybrid plants fill. In addition to providing redundancies in fuel supplies, they
can also diversify economic interests
for greater financial security, which

advantages their owners.

But there is another flavor of hybrid
power plant that adheres to the term
more strictly; these are the true hybrid
facilities. True hybrid plants operate
under an entirely cooperative arrangement in which two or more sources of
energy are harnessed to create separate
but parallel steam paths. These steam
paths later converge to feed a shared
steam-driven turbine and generate
electricity as a combined force. A plant
that uses concentrated solar power
(CSP) in concert with a CCGT unit provides a good example of such a facility.

HYBRID POWER
FLAVORS IN THE WILD
Hybrid power plants arent new,
but thanks to some high-profile projects in recent years, theyve lately
been the focus of increased attention.

MORE POWER TO YOUR POWER PLANT.

Disambiguation notwithstanding, any

power plant that marries two or more
sources of energy serves an exciting
and important role in the countrys
generation portfolios.
CSP/Gas
Florida Power & Lights (FPL) Martin
Next Generation Solar Energy Center
(MNGSEC) began operation in 2010
as a first-of-its-kind hybrid solar facility. The site spans more than 500 acres
of land, a subset of the larger 11,300acre Martin Plant that contains it. At
peak operation, the 75-MW facility is
expected to produce 155,000 MWh per
year.
The CSP solar field operates as a
true hybrid facility, integrating with
the 4-on-1 combined-cycle Unit 8 that
pre-existed it at the plant. Infrastructure at the site is comprised of 190,000
parabolic trough mirrors, arranged in

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284 rows that stretch 51 linear miles.

The plant circulates 800,000 gallons of
a heat-transfer fluid called Dowtherm
through the focal point of these mirrors, where it is heated by the sun to
about 740F. From here, it combines
forces with the combined-cycle asset
to create electricity via a shared steam
turbine.
The roughly $400 million project
does not result in increased production
output from Unit 8. Rather, the CSP resources are intended to reduce the use
of natural gas at the plant.
Geothermal/Solar
The Stillwater Hybrid Power Plant,
owned and operated by Enel Green
Power North America, a subsidiary of
the Italian Enel Group, is the first hybrid plant of its kind in the world, and
the first triple hybrid power plant to be
constructed anywhere. The facility near

True hybrid plants

operate under an entirely
cooperative arrangement
in which two or more
sources of energy are
harnessed to create
separate but parrallel
steam paths. These steam
paths later converge to
feed a shared steamdriven turbine.
Fallon, Nevada combines a geothermal
plant with both PV and CSP forms of
solar generation to provide offtakers
NV Energy with carbon-neutral energy.
It came online in phases, with the
geothermal unit commissioned in
2009. The solar PV unit followed in

For info. http://powereng.hotims.com RS# 10

2011, and the CSP unit was completed

this year. Speaking at the final inauguration in March, Enel CEO Francesco
Starace told reporters, The lessons we
are learning at this advanced geothermal-solar facility will be key to the
development of other hybrid plants
throughout the world.
The 33-MW, four-turbine geothermal plant provides continuous generation capacity via a medium-enthalpy
geothermal binary cycle.
The 26-MW PV array combines
89,000 polycrystalline silicon panels
on 240 acres to generate about 40 million kWh of clean energy per year. It is
designed to compensate for a decrease
in output from the geothermal plant
due to high ambient temperatures on
sunny days.
The CSP array at the site generates
about 17 MWt, bumping up overall

HYBRID POWER GENERATION

plant output by about 2 MW. The system is built around linear parabolic
trough mirrors that further heat fluid
circulated in from the geothermal portion of the plant. The CSP control system is integrated with the geothermal
facility.
Coal/Biomass
Dominion Virginia Powers 600-MW
Virginia City Hybrid Energy Center in
Virgina began commercial operation
in July 2012. The $1.8 billion facility
utilizes two Foster Wheeler circulating
fluidized bed (CFB) boilers to burn
2.85 million tons of coal per year.
CFB technology allows the plant to
burn run-of-mine coal, waste coal, and
renewable biomass including wood
waste. The plant can fire up to 537,000
tons of biomass per year, amounting
to about 20 percent of the total fuel
it consumes. Electricity generated via
renewable biomass alone amounts to
about 117 MW.
Wind/Energy Storage
Located in rural Utah, Burbank Water
& Powers Intermountain Energy Storage
Project is set to combine a 1,200-MW
compressed air energy storage (CAES)
facility with 900 MW of planned wind
power from neighboring Wyoming. Together, the resources will leverage existing transmission infrastructure from
Los Angeles to input additional renewable energy onto the grid and serve the
Southern California region.
The project is currently in the planning stages. Once constructed, the
project will be capable of storing both
wind power from the east and solar
power from the west using CAES technologies located in vast underground
salt mines beneath the high desert.
Without this storage facility, the 900
MW of wind power planned for Wyoming would have no place to go, since
these renewable resources exceed the
capacity limits of available transmission infrastructure. The facility, which
is co-located with an existing coal-fired
20

Once constructed, Burbank Water & Powers Intermountain CAES facility will join forces with wind power from
Utah and Wyoming, as well as solar power from Southern
California, to enable more renewable energy on the existing grid. The energy storage installation will be co-located
with the Intermountain Power Projects coal-fired plant,
which has operated at the site for decades

plant, also has planned for the coming decade a combined-cycle gas-fired
plant.

THE GUINEA PIGS

While the concept of hybridity in
power plants isnt new, applications of
many of the technologies used in the
operation at these plants are. At the
very least, the intersection of existing
technologies with novel hybrid applications carries with it the risk of failure. And indeed failures have occurred.
Technologies that have evolved in separate segments of the industry can
make strange bedfellows; integrating
them can prove tricky. New projects
will always have kinks that must be
worked out, and todays hybrid power
plants are serving as guinea pigs in this
process.
The solar project at the Martin plant
generated only 30,000 MWh of power
in its first year of operation, well short
of its targeted 155,000 MWh. While
output has improved in recent years,
the facility still has not achieved numbers anticipated in the plants approval
process.
Additionally, the plant experienced
an accident in 2011, when about
46,000 gallons of Dowtherm spilled
into the environment after it exceeded

pressure limitations at the facility. The

resulting cleanup cost FPL millions
of dollars. According to a report filed
with the Florida Department of Environmental protection, the company
removed some 94,200 gallons of contaminated water and 27,253 tons of
contaminated soil and vegetation from
the site of the accident. FPL also built a
heat-transfer fluid containment system
to protect against future spills, at a cost
of $3 million.
And the issue may prove more complicated than mere technological
hurdles. Some industry experts who
championed hybrid technologies in
years past are less exuberant about
them today. Indeed, certain hybrid
power project have been tabled, or cancelled altogether. In the near term, engineering challenges may be assailable,
but issues of economic viability may
not be surmounted as easily. Currently low natural gas prices mean hybrid
power projects that might have been
financially justified in years past are
not as readily defendable in the current
economy.
While there remain many unknowns
in the Wild West of power plant hybridization, one thing is certain; the
technology is very promising. Can engineering hurdles be overcome? With
a lot of hard work, you bet. Will the
industrys economic climate allow for
innovation in hybridization? Hard to
know. Will hybridized infrastructure
play an important role in power generation of the future? Only time will
tell, but the optimist must hazard an
emphatic YES!
www.power-eng.com

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OPERATIONS & MAINTENANCE

Author
Bryan Grant is a Steam Turbines Reliability Engineer and the Maintenance &
Repair Planning Manager for HRST Inc.

Todays steam turbines require a greater frequency of

regularly scheduled upkeep and maintenance than
their predecessors.

Steam
Turbine
Maintenance
& Repair
Management

O
BY BRYAN GRANT

ver the last 20 years,

the power industry
has experienced a shift
in steam turbine (ST)
maintenance strategies driven by two compounding factors.
The first factor has become the overwhelming task of managing the maintenance of newer technology Gas Turbine
(GT) related maintenance.
22

These machines by design and operating profile require a greater frequency of

maintenance than their steam turbine
predecessors. Frequent GT inspections
and repairs/upgrades have driven maintenance budgets to a point at which something has to give. The once well-cared-for
work horse of the industry, the steam
turbine has become a maintenance afterthought as funds are reallocated to GT

issues. Major ST outage- intervals and inspection points are pushed out to support
the expense and frequency of Gas Turbine
inspections, repairs and upgrades.
The second issue compounding the
problem is plant asset ownership turnover. With uncertain asset ownership
longevity it becomes very difficult at the
plant level to justify and gain approval
for a major ST outage. These major outages face costs exceeding $1 million very
quickly. It is an investment in the long
term viability of the asset. In todays ever
changing asset ownership environment,
it becomes a very difficult business case
for a maintenance manager to build with
the current owner.
Three major steam turbine repair types
have become clear as a result of this shift
in maintenance focus.
Failure Based Component failure
with collateral component damage,
forced outage & repair
Failure Avoidance Based Repair
www.power-eng.com

need identified & repair planned at

next opportunity
Planned Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM) Based Failure Mode
identified & Risk Mitigation Steps
implemented
The first two lead the way. Many maintenance managers are now faced with developing significant steam turbine repairs
plans vs. maintenance plans. This article
will outline the necessary steps to take
while managing major steam turbine repairs
Failure Based repairs can be devastating
in nature to the plants overall viability.
These failures must be avoided at all costs
as they force the unit off line and into
an unplanned outage, costing the facility millions in downtime. Failure Avoidance Based repairs are a step in the right
direction, this type of repair is classified
as those that have been identified via inspection practices and planned for at the
next outage. Planned Reliability Centered
Maintenance repairs have simply not had
the focus required to ensure long term reliability of the steam turbine.
Understanding the current repair needs
of the industry this article will focus on
two areas.
1. Managing Major ST Repairs
Vendor Capability Qualification
Repair Planning
Repair Monitoring & Final Inspection
2. Protecting the Investment, Reliability Centered Maintenance
RCM Inspect & Correct
Case Study

ST REPAIR MANAGEMENT
Steam turbine repair success lies heavily upon planning and parts supplier communication. The Request for Quotation
(RFQ) should include the requirement
of a facility qualification review, agreed
upon in process inspection points & a final inspection prior to shipment. Steam
turbine repairs are categorized into three
main groups and should be managed as
www.power-eng.com

individual repair scopes.

1. Rotating Blades
2. Stationary Nozzles & Seals
3. Rotor Forging Journals & Wheel
Sides

VENDOR SELECTION
QUALITY ASSURANCE
Steam Turbine refurbishment facilities
are no longer monopolized by the OEM.
Non OEM options are now available for
the customers consideration, how do
you decide who is going to perform the
repair work? Machining capability and
vendor quality control must be reviewed
for acceptance against the required repair scope. It is easy to assume a steam
turbine repair center has the necessary
capability and quality control to execute
any given repair, its not that simple. It is
recommended that within the Request
for Quotation (RFQ), a facility capability
review is required by a qualified member of your team or a third party steam
turbine manufacturing engineer should
be utilized. There are many factors that
impact overall facility qualification such
as machine capability, facility load lifting capacity, and most important vendor
quality control. Applying the appropriate
expertise in evaluating a potential vendor
can be the difference between a successful
repair and complete failure. Anyone can
ask qualification questions, having someone on your team that understands the
capability needs and the answers from
potential suppliers is essential.

PLANNING FOR SUCCESS

CUSTOMER COMMITMENT
Machining cycle is no longer the driving factor in overall repair cycle, material
lead time and production capacity now
drives the schedule. There has been a
focus in the manufacturing world over
the last 15 years to embrace LEAN Six
Sigma manufacturing methodology. The
focus on waste elimination has improved
steam turbine blade machining and overall repair cycles immensely. Standard

machining cycle times have been slashed

with the transition from batch and que
machining strategies to single piece flow
for steam turbine blades. This transition
has reduced cycle by eliminating costly
set up time, product scrap and rework
costs narrowing in on one blade at a time.
It has now become common (if the appropriate bar stock is on site) for steam
turbine blade rows to be manufactured in
days vs weeks. They key to success in the
initial stages of the planning is customer
commitment to order (issuing the repair
facility a purchase order), enabling the
vendor to secure material and a manufacturing spot for your project. It is important to note that success lies in the hands
of the customer in these important first
steps of the planning process and action
should be taken as soon as practically
possible.
To summarize, the risk to repair and
refurbishment success, especially when
blade replacement is required, has now
become material availability for manufacture driven by customer commitment
to order (PO to the vendor). Ensure you
secure your spot in the ever crowded
manufacturing and repair production
schedule at your first opportunity with
your selected and qualified facility.

MONITORING
& FINAL INSPECTION
As todays manufacturing facilities
drive to improve cycle time and increase
profits, investments in technology takes
the lead. As machining technology advances and CNC capability improves the
need for skilled machining labor to run
the process takes a hit. This shift leaves
quality up to automation as facilities have
fewer people to monitor machining processes and verify final dimensions. For
this reason, it is important for the customer to maintain a presence in the repair
process, as someone looking to assist in
identifying potential gaps in the quality
system. It is important to maintain a solid working relationship with your repair
23

OPERATIONS & MAINTENANCE

facility. Care should be taken not to interrupt the production rigor in place while
taking the opportunity to add value to
the overall process. Take the time to understand the process in which your repair
will be subject to and select opportunities
within that process to inspect your repair.
As repair facility management sees your
level of process understanding, you will
drive heightened awareness to vendor
quality and schedule response on your
project. Focus your efforts on adding value to the repair process, not distractions
or repeat steps.
Relying completely on the repair vendor to execute the work with no customer
presence leaves the customer susceptible to quality oversights and production
schedule setbacks. A customer that pays
attention to the repair process, stays informed and maintains a presence in the
process keeps their job at the top of the
priority list for the repair facility. In the
initial RFQ it should be clearly spelled
out that the customer requests to monitor
the repair cycle at predetermined points
based on the repair type.
As with repair vendor qualification, it
is essential to apply the appropriate expertise to the repair monitoring efforts.
Be sure the member of your team selected
to monitor the repair is comfortable with
repair procedures, gaging techniques, tolerance control, turbine design and applicable machining practices.

RCM CONDITION
INSPECTION & CAUSE
CORRECTION
Steampath component reliability and
overall life cycle will not improve simply
because the unit has been repaired. Cause
correction against the identified failure
mode must be acted upon in order to
protect the investment and improve overall reliability. RCM based repair success
starts with sound life cycle management
practices. The core of which relies upon
applying the appropriate level of expertise
to your inspection & monitoring efforts.
Embracing the rigor of a RCM program
24

Moisture Erosion

1a

LP Blading

1b

and applying the analysis tools built to

support this system will increase risk
management success. The Failure Modes
& Effects Analysis (FMEA) process, when
run by an experienced team, has proven
to add tremendous value to understanding and tracking current risk levels based
on component conditions found. An inspection that simply generates a photo
appendix of the as found steampath condition to compare to the next years photos is of no value in regards to extending
component life cycle and improving reliability. If you are not inspecting against
the known failure modes, their cause
and effects, you are simply just looking
around, taking pictures and waiting for
a failure. At best this would be failure
avoidance planning. Applying steampath
expertise when borescoping will ensure
all failure modes are being inspected for,
identified and analyzed.
An experienced steampath engineer,
one with operations and unit design/

function expertise can effectively analyze

the effect and cause of all failure modes,
their severity and likelihood to impact
unit reliability. Utilizing the FMEA rigor
has proven to increase customer understanding in the level of risk associated
with the findings across the steampath
aiding in repair project justification efforts. The FMEA process offers an objective expert analysis of the identified
failure modes severity, likelihood of occurrence and ability to detect failure prior
to an impact to unit reliability. This level
of understanding enables the asset owner
to make an educated decision where to invest in reliability for the biggest return on
their risk mitigation investment.
It is important to note that the majority
of steam turbine damage is avoidable and
correctable when identified and analyzed
in its early stages correctly. Adopting a
culture of inspect & correct will improve
overall component life cycle and unit reliability.
When steam path damage is found, it
is important to understand the root cause
such that corrective operational & maintenance measures can be put in place to
mitigate the risk to reliability.

FAILURE MODE - LP BLADE

MOISTURE EROSION
LP blade moisture erosion is a common industry concern gaining increased
visibility as owners are forced to make
expensive repair/replacement decisions as
the condition was not inspected for, monitored or corrected against. As mentioned,
applying the appropriate expertise if
inspection rigor is in place is crucial to
the success of the inspection and correct
culture. Where one inspector may see LP
blade entrance side moisture erosion via
borescope (fig 1a) on the entrance side of
an LP blade set (fig.1b). Only to make a
note of it year 1 and come back year 2 to
find the damage has become more pronounced. An experienced inspector who
understands the failure mode will offer
suggestions to further analyze the condition and eliminate or reduce the cause.
www.power-eng.com

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THINKHWI.COM

OPERATIONS & MAINTENANCE

26

the rough and rigid pitting created in the

surface of the blade material. In moderate cases, it is contained to the entrance
side of the blade. In severe cases, you will
see the exit side thin edge effected as well.
These pits in the face of the material create
hundreds of troubling stress risers in the

action regarding the level of moisture erosion present.

In todays market many facilities are
forced to run at reduced load, creating
an increased risk of early saturation in
the back end if LP hood temperature is
allowed to sub cool. With less demand

LP Hood Temperature Response

Condenser sub cooling data review

120.0
115.0
LP Hood Temp
110.0
105.0
Cond Temp
100.0
95.0
90.0
85.0
80.0
4225
4049
3873
3697
3521
3345
3169
2993
2817
2641
2465
2289
2113
1937
1761
1585
1409
1233
1057
881
705
529
353
177
1

In this case, it was recommended an

operational data analysis be performed.
The scope of the analysis was to isolate
any operational conditions that may be
enhancing moisture erosion in the back
end of the unit. It was noted that during
times of reduced turbine loading LP hood
sub cooling (fig.2) was occurring. This
sub cooled condition has the potential to
impact the point within the LP steampath
that the steam temperature drops below
saturation and starts to condense.
LP blade erosion should be expected
over the life cycle of a condensing steam
turbine. Damage severity, however, will
vary greatly based on unit operating
profile. It is recommended that the progression of this condition be continually
monitored as part of the scheduled steampath borescope and or LP hood visual
inspections.
Steam turbine design optimizes the
ability of the steampath to extract and
convert thermal energy into mechanical
rotary motion. The extraction of thermal
energy occurs as the steam drops in pressure, temperature and expands in volume
through the steampath components. As
this thermodynamic shift nears completion in the last stages of the turbine, steam
begins to drop below the saturation line
and moisture levels increase. While it is
most efficient to run with dense steam
in the back end LP sections of a condensing turbine, there is a risk associated
with dropping below the saturation line.
Steam that has dropped below the saturation curve and is physically changed in
direction drops moisture out as condensate. This condensate tends to hang on
the trailing edges of stationary blades subject to being forced off by passing steam.
In this condition the passing steam atomizes the hanging condensate creating a
pressure washer effect on the preceding
rotating blades at the entrance side outer perimeter. The atomized condensate
(moisture) impacts the entrance side of
the rotating blades creating a harsh environment of moisture induced erosion.
Moisture erosion is easily identified by

surface of the material which under load

can lead to cracking and ultimately blade
failure. If physical access is available to the
blades effected it is a prudent risk mitigation step to perform a Non Destructive
Examination of the blades for crack propagation.
Access permitting, Array Eddy Current testing has been proven to be the
most effective field testing method that
can be applied with the turbine still in
the casing.
Some blades are manufactured with
erosion shields designed to quickly erode
in the first years of operation with the intent that the eroded surface of the shield
will protect the underlying turbine blade
material. The design theory is that the
shield materials eroded landscape will
capture and retain water droplets within
its eroded surface to act as a shield against
further erosion. It would be important
to consult with your OEM or steam path
engineer to verify if your LP blades have
steam shields and their recommended

on the condenser it is important to adjust hood spray and cooling water flow
to maintain LP hood temperature. Sub
cooled condensers impact the point,
within the turbines last stages, at which
steam drops below the saturation line.
This ultimately encourages destructive
moisture erosion of the LP blades.
Figure 2 illustrates the relationship of
LP hood temperature and condenser condensate temperature to a reduced steam
turbine load. Initially, adjustments to
condenser cooling water flow and hood
spray use are not made and hood temp
plummets. As adjustments are made to
limit hood spray use and condenser cooling water flow, the LP hood temp recovers, stabilizing the back end steam conditions of the unit.
While it is possible to minimize the
progression of this failure mode by taking
action, inevitably the blades will require
replacement as this failure mode cannot
be completely eliminated considering todays operating profile.
www.power-eng.com

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ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS

Compliance
Progress and
Issues with the
Clean Water Act
316(b) Rule
for Existing
Facilities

BY DOUGLAS DIXON AND DAVID BAILEY

n August 2014, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

(EPA) published the Clean Water Act 316(b) Rule in the Federal Register. The Rule applies to
existing facilities and new units at existing facilities and became effective October 14, 2014. The Rule specifies requirements for achieving best technology
available (BTA) to reduce impingement
and entrainment of fish and shellfish in
cooling water intake structures. It also
protects any federally listed threatened
and endangered (T&E) species under the
Endangered Species Act (ESA). v
The Rule affects facilities that are required to have a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)
permit, and which have flows from
their cooling water intake structure
(CWIS) that exceed 2 million gallons
per day (MGD), 25 percent of which is
used for cooling. Because of the site-specific nature of impacts on source water
systems, and technologies that can be
used to attain BTA for impingement and
28

entrainment, EPA offers considerable

flexibility for permit applicants and permit directors. All these facilitiesthe
EPA estimates 671 power plantsare
required to reduce impingement of fish
and shellfish using one of seven compliance options:
Option 1: Operate a closed-cycle,
re-circulating cooling system (CCRS)
Options 2 and 3: Reduce the maxi
ugh-screen velocity to 0.5 feet per second
(fps) or less during minimum source water levels, or demonstrate that the actual
through-screen velocity does not exceed
0.5 fps under all ambient conditions
Option 4: Operate an existing velocity
cap (minimum 800 feet offshore)
Option 5: Operate modified traveling screens as defined in the Rule and
optimize their performance in a twoyear study
Option 6: Operate an integrated system of technologies and operational
measures that are optimized in a twoyear study and provide comparable results to those required in Option 7

Author
Douglas Dixon is Technical Executive &
Program Manager for the Electric Power Research Institute. David Bailey is a
Technical Consultant for Ulman & Associates, Inc.

Option 7: Demonstrate that impingement mortality is reduced to no more

than 24 percent annually (based on
monthly monitoring)
Facilities with intake flows that exceed 125 MGD day are required to conduct studies to help their NPDES permitting authority make a determination
about BTA to reduce entrainment. This
includes determining the site-specific
controls that are required to reduce the
number of fish, shellfish, and T&E species entrained by CWIS. Entrainment
BTA is first determined for these facilities, after which an impingement BTA is
chosen by the permittee. Facilities that
are required to install narrow-slot wedge
wire screens or a CCRS will also achieve
compliance for impingement. Additionally, other entrainment reduction technologies or operational measures such
as flow reduction could also achieve impingement compliance.
The Rule requires power plants to submit extensive information. All facilities
with a flow greater than 2 MGD design
intake flow (DIF) must submit seven reports. Plants with flows that exceed 125
MGD must complete four additional
studies: (1) an entrainment characterization study, (2) a technology feasibility and
cost evaluation study, (3) a benefit valuation study, and (4) a non-water quality
environmental and other impacts evaluation study (primarily associated with
CCRS installations). Plants with permits
expiring after June 14, 2019 must begin
the process in accordance with their regular permit renewal applications. Plants
with permits that expire prior to this date
must set a schedule for compliance activities with their permit director. Facilities
that had submitted permit application
which were under review by their permitting authority at the time of the Rule may
have until the next permit renewal to submit their information.
www.power-eng.com

UNCERTAINTIES
ABOUT THE RULE
There are currently a number of uncertainties associated with the Rule.
Ongoing litigation: Shortly after
the Rule was released, the Waterkeeper
Alliance sued EPA contending that the
regulation failed to protect the aquatic
environment from the impacts of cooling
water withdrawal. The Sierra Club and a
coalition of environmental groups also
filed a lawsuit challenging the U.S. Fish
& Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service, known collectively
as the Services, for providing an inadequate biological opinion on EPAs Rule.
www.power-eng.com

Industry has also petitioned for the Rules

review, and there have been several intervenor petitions. All filings have now been
consolidated in the Second Circuit Court
of New York. While a briefing schedule
was set for 2015-16, that schedule has now
been abandoned. This is because environmental groups are also challenging EPA
regarding its alleged failure to maintain
a complete publically-available administrative record concerning its interaction
with the Services over endangered species
issues. It now appears that no decision on
the litigation will occur until sometime in
2017. When a decision is made, it could
allow the Rule to remain in effect, or remand all or parts of it back to EPA. Until
a decision is made, the 2014 Rule is the
legal standard applicants must follow.

As a result, applicants are now moving

forward, albeit with uncertainty about
whether or not their financial expenditures for studies will prove unnecessary.
Lack of EPA Rule clarification or
guidance: The Rule has a number of areas of uncertainty because of its flexibility
and requirements for information preparation. These have resulted in numerous
questions from industry. However, due to
the litigation, EPA attorneys have directed staff not to issue guidance or provide
answers to frequently asked questions,
other than what they can point to in the
Rule and preamble. This has left industry
to do their best to interpret the Rules requirements until the litigation is resolved.
Among these uncertainties is whether or
not the Rule regulates hydropower withdrawals for the cooling of turbine bearings. The Rule proposed in 2011 clearly
excluded hydropower, but the final Rule
is silent on the issue. Given the lack of
29

ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS

Sampling for entrainable life stages

(fish and shellfish
eggs, larvae, and
juveniles) using a
water pump sampler and plankton
net is one method
for satisfying
316(b) compliance
requirements. Photo
courtesy: of EA Engineering, Science
and Technology Inc.

EPA guidance, companies have worked

with their permit directors to resolve this
question.
Services influential new role created by EPA: After they receive permit applications, permit directors are required
by the Rule to send the application to the
Services for a 60-day review. This review
is meant to determine if there is a risk of
harm to listed T&E species or their designated critical habitats, and if so, what actions are necessary to reduce these risks.
Historically, the Services have taken little
action without threat of specific harm to
T&E species. Any incidents have been addressed by permittees via the Endangered
Species Act incidental take application
process. The provisions in the Rule now
include explicit actions required by the
Services on application materials. It is
currently unknown the extent to which
the Services will pursue protection requirements. Unlike permit directors who
30

negotiate NPDES permits with applicants,

the Services are a national trust protector
without historical knowledge of CWIS biological interactions and the NPDES process. Initial evidence based on two early
permits suggests that some regional offices of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
(USFWS) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) will
aggressively pursue their trust authority.
These recent issues have revolved around
the protection of all life stages of endangered species, including fish that have
larval mussel life stages (called glochidia)
attached to their body parts for dispersal.
Other issues have centered around the
protection endangered sturgeon and the
prey on which they feed.
Entrainment BTA for facilities withdrawing less than 125 mgd: While facilities withdrawing less than 125 MGD
are not required to submit entrainment
information, the permitting authority is

still required to make a determination

about the BTA to minimize entrainment.
The permitting authority is specifically
required to explain why better performing technologies are being rejected in
favor of the selected solution, or in favor
of no action at all. Permitting authorities
generally lack the technical expertise to
explain such decisions, so it is likely that
permittees will need to provide the permitting authority with adequate technical
information to support the BTA determination.
Study design and implementation
of impingement technology optimization: For facilities that choose to use
modified travelling screens (Option 5)
or a system of technologies (Option 6),
the Rule requires a two-year study to optimize these technologies for maximum
fish survival after they are installed. For
technologies such as modified travelling
screens and fish return systems that reduce impingement mortality, the study
must assess different operational and
design features by collecting fish from
screens and the fish return and assessing
their survival rates after 24 hours. There is,
however, concern that insufficient quantities of fish can be collected for a statistically meaningful sample. Additionally,
there is concern that a high percentage of
impinged fish are diseased or parasitized,
and have high mortality rates which are
natural. Also of concern is the difficulty
and expense of changing screen and fish
return components after they have been
installed.

WHAT IS EPA DOING

NOW THAT THE RULE IS
RELEASED?
First, authority for implementing the
Rule has passed from the Rule development team to the EPA Office of Waste Water Management, Water Permits Division
for implementation. Mr. Sean Ramach,
formerly with EPA Region 5, has moved
to Washington D.C. to lead the implementation efforts. Outreach activities
www.power-eng.com

have included (1) collaborating with

state/EPA regional permitting authorities,
permittees, and Services on application
development; (2) issuing an implementation memorandum addressing the ESA
aspects of the permitting process; (3) developing tools to assist with consideration
of costs and benefits; (4) developing template permit language to assist permitting
authorities in drafting permits and (5) developing responses to questions raised by
permittees and permitting authorities (to
the extent limited by the litigation). EPA
has been an active participant in outreach
efforts via attendance and presentations
at 316(b) conferences. EPA is also working on two worksheets for (1) estimating
social costs of compliance actions and (2)
valuating benefits. EPA does not intend
that the worksheets be a mandatory compliance tool. Rather, they are to be a tool
to assist permit directors and applicants if
they so choose.

WHAT IS
INDUSTRY DOING?
Most power plants that withdraw water exceeding 125 MGD have started
their entrainment characterization studies. The Rule requires two years of data

describing the annual, seasonal, and diel

entrainment of fish and shellfish eggs,
larvae, and juvenile life stages. Species on
the T&E species list must also be assessed.
Most plants are conducting at least one
new year of sampling; many are conducting two years. Facilities doing only one
year of sampling are planning to use historical data collected for the remanded
2004 Phase II Rule by demonstrating that
the previously collected data are representative of current facility operations and
biological conditions. Entrainment data
are collected via a number of methods
including boat tows, pumps, and condenser taps that filter cooling source water through plankton nets. Entrainment
data is the foundation for assessing the
biological performance of the technology options, and for the quantified and
monetized benefits of each technology
option.
Industry has also been assessing their
compliance options as entrainment data
are collected. Some companies are performing analyses with in-house engineering and environmental science staff;
others are retaining consulting firms
with relevant experience in fish protection technology analysis, CCRS retrofits,

social costs and environmental economic

analysis, and non-water quality environmental impact analysis. Technologies
that must be evaluated include CCRS,
fine mesh traveling screens, and narrow-slot passive wedge wire screens. Opportunities must also be evaluated for using recycled, reused, or reclaimed water.
However, these opportunities are generally limited in the power industry because
of the large volume of water needed for
cooling. EPA recognizes this limitation
and has discussed it in a technical development document that supports the Rule.
Some companies are meeting with permitting authorities to discuss the Rules
requirements, and to seek guidance on
how best to proceed. Others are informing the permitting authority by explaining their plants design and operation,
in addition to any site-specific engineering restraints that could preclude certain
technology options. Such discussions are
also establishing alternative compliance
schedules for permits that expire prior to
June 14, 2019. Many companies are also
meeting with regional and field offices of
the Services to gather information on potential issues concerning T&E species that
must be addressed, including preliminary

EPAs Estimate of the Percent of Facilities to Pursue

Each of the Impingement Mortality Compliance Alternatives
Compliance Alternative
Pre-approved technology; no
biological compliance monitoring

Streamlined compliance alternative

12 month performance standard

of no more than 24% mortality

Technology Basis

% Intakes Expected
o Use this Alternative

Closed-cycle

18%

Design intake velocity < 0.5 fps

21%

Existing offshore velocity cap

1%

Actual intake velocity < 0.5 fps

13%

Modified traveling screens

29%

System of Technologies
(ex. intake location, behavioral deterrents)

17%

As demonstrated through
biological monitoring

< 1%
Total

100%

Source: EPA

www.power-eng.com

31

ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS

Sampling for entrainable life stages

(fish and shellfish
eggs, larvae, and
juveniles) using
paired plankton nets
is another method
for satisfying
316(b) compliance
requirements. Photo
courtesy: EA Engineering, Science
and Technology Inc.

ideas about technology mitigation options where impacts on T&E species are
expected.
The power industry is also trying to
come to terms with the Rules peer review
requirements. Prior to their submittal
in permit renewal applications, certain
studies must be peer reviewed by qualified experts who are approved by permit directors. These studies include the
Comprehensive Technical Feasibility and
Cost Evaluation Study, Benefit Valuation
Study, and Non-Water Quality Environmental and Other Impacts Study. Industry is now identifying potential peer
reviewers for each report and beginning
early discussions with directors about
obtaining approval for their use. Where
this has been accomplished, industry has
issued contracts for teams of peer reviewers. A lack of professional capacity to support the peer review process may become
an issue. Individuals or companies with
relevant expertise are very limited. As a
result, teams of peer reviewers are proving
essential. Even with this team-based approach, the number of potential peer reviewers who are knowledgeable of power
32

plant operations, CWIS interactions with

fish, and the associated social costs and
benefits can be limited in certain areas.
Owners of plants that withdraw less
than 125 MGD are subject to an entrainment BTA determination as previously
discussed and must select one of the seven compliance options for impingement
BTA compliance, unless they can qualify for an exemption (de minimis level of
impingement) or alternative standard
based on low-capacity utilization. The
permitting authority has discretion to
impose more stringent standards, such as
those necessary to protect T&E species or
their designated critical habitats. Industry is currently examining each option
relative to their plants operational plans
and current intake configurations, and
determining which option will best support compliance. EPA has estimated that
industrys impingement compliance will
likely follow a format based on their 2000
industry survey.
EPRI research and development (R&D)
has indicated that the cost to retrofit
CCRS to existing facilities can range between $50 million per unit to as much as

$500 million or more, depending on the

degree of difficulty. EPRI has also seen
estimates for retrofits at nuclear facilities
that cost more than $3 billion including
lost revenue for extended outages to link
in new CCRS units. EPAs estimate that 18
percent of the industry will use this alternative likely reflects CCRS units that are
already in place. Achieving 0.5 fps design
and actual intake velocity can be accomplished at relatively low cost ($250,000
to $1 million) using barrier nets where
local hydraulics and debris fouling conditions support this option. An EPRI study
found it was not cost effective to re-design
intakes to achieve 0.5 fps by increasing
open areas with additional intake bays
and traveling screens. This is due to the
lengthy outages that would be required to
replace cooling water pumps, and because
a new CWIS would need to be constructed at a cost of tens of millions of dollars,
depending on the source waterbody and
the amount of cooling water needed.
Wedgewire screens can also serve this
purpose but have high upfront capital
costs depending on flow and the source
waterbody size, depth, and conditions.
www.power-eng.com

As EPA estimated, the most likely approach to be pursued by industry for impingement mortality reduction compliance will be Option 5, or the streamlined
approach of installing and operating fish
protection modified traveling screens.
This is because most of the power industry already has traveling screens in place
which can be replaced by inserting modified traveling screens into the existing
screen wells of the CWIS. The challenge
will come in optimizing the screens and
fish return systems for maximum survival performance. Per EPAs own estimate,
few in the industry will likely pursue the
biological performance standard because
of the inherent risk in attaining and maintaining the annual average 24 percent
mortality limit for non-fragile fish. The
risk relates to uncontrollable water quality and health issues in impinged fish.
These issues affect natural mortality that
are beyond the control of plant operators,
resulting in non-compliance and associated fines and penalties.

WHAT IS EPRI DOING?

EPRIs Fish Protection Research Program offers a wide array of R&D on environmental issues relating to the Clean
Water Act 316 (thermal discharge and
fish protection at CWIS) and Waterpower (conventional hydropower, pumped
storage, marine energy, and hydrokinetic
technologies). EPRI is currently focusing
on developing tools and information to
support entrainment characterization
and use of technical information as a
resource for affected plants. Most importantly, EPRI is developing a free webbased taxonomy key to support identification of fish and shellfish eggs, larvae,
and juvenile life stages to the lowest
taxon possible as required by the EPA
Rule. (http://www.EPRIlarvalfishid.com)
The key includes extensive photographic
content to support taxonomy. This freshwater key is now complete and ready for
use. EPRI is also working on completing
a key for marine species on the Atlantic,
Pacific, and Gulf coasts. Additionally,
www.power-eng.com

EPRI is investigating DNA techniques for

identifying egg and larval life stages. EPRI
is tracking fish protection technology developments, traveling water screen optimization issues, social cost analysis, and
benefit analysis.
Despite the passage of more than 18
months since the Rule became effective, industry and NPDES permitting

authorities are still trying to understand

the flexibility and attendant complexity
of the Rule. Because initial activities are
the responsibility of applicants, industry
is evaluating their compliance options
and most companies have initiated the
preparation of compliance reports. The
next 12 to 18 months will be very interesting.

Renk Test System, Augsburg, Germany: Wind

Turbine Test Rig

For info. http://powereng.hotims.com RS# 14

33

SENSORS

Author
Meredith Christman is the product marketing manager for the IMI Division of
PCB Piezotronics

Taking
the Pulse of
Combustion

BY MEREDITH CHRISTMAN

n the last 30 years, there has

been significant regulatory
pressure for gas turbine manufacturers and users to reduce nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions.
The Canadian government led the
way in 1992 with the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environments
(CCME) National Emission Guidelines
for Stationary Combustion Turbines.
The United States and the European
Union (EU) both followed suit in the
mid 2000s with the release of the US
Environmental Protection Agencys
(EPA) National Emission Standards
for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Stationary Combustion Turbines and the
EUs Large Combustion Plant Directive
respectively.
In response to these regulatory initiatives, gas turbine manufacturers initially turned to water and steam injections (Wet Low Emission technology)
during the combustion process as the
methodology for achieving the necessary reductions. However, as low emission requirements have increased in
the last ten years, manufacturers have
had to turn to alternative reduction
methodologies, the two most popular
of which have been lean-burn and dry
low NOx designs.
In the case of both the lean-burn and
dry low NOx designs, lower emissions
have been achieved through the use
34

of lower fuel-to-air ratios. However,

the low fuel-to-air ratio has also left
these turbines more prone to coupled
acoustic/heat release pressure oscillations as a result of minor operational
instabilities. While the magnitude of

these oscillations
may be low, even
small fluctuations
less than 1 psi
(0.069 bar) can
cause
structural
vibrations that result in high cycle
fatigue in metal
parts downstream
of the combustors such as nozzles, baskets, transition pieces and blades.
In order to address this problem, the
industry has developed combustion
instability monitoring systems that
employ combustion chamber pressure

sensors. The output of these sensors is

monitored by a dedicated data acquisition system. The system records pressure fluctuations for turbine tuning
and alarms either the operator or the
turbine controller of out-of-limits pressure fluctuations.
Piezoelectric pressure sensors are
AC-coupled gauges that measure only
dynamic pressure and have come to
be widely used for this application.
Initially, ground-isolated integrated
electronic piezoelectric (IEPE) pressure
sensors were installed in hundreds of
turbines. While the integrated electronics allowed for amplification of
the signal, the remote sensor (IMI Sensors Models 102M205 and 121A44)
had a distinct disadvantage of only
having a temperature tolerance
of 250 F (121 C). As a result,
the sensors had to be mounted
in an ambient temperature environment external to the turbine
containment area. Given the
large acoustic volume between
the sensor and the combustion
chamber, the sensors were employed in semi-infinite coil
systems that attenuated standing waves, but also limited the

frequency range of the system. In addition, the standing waves in the gas
volume between the sensor face and
the combustion process caused both
attenuation and amplification at various acoustic frequencies.
www.power-eng.com

The performance trade-off of the

IEPE sensor drove the industry to develop a pressure sensor that could be
moved closer to the combustion process in order to expand
the frequency range
of the sensor. The first
embodiment of the effort was the close coupled pressure sensor
(IMI Sensors Model
EX171M01) that had a
temperature tolerance
of 500 F (260 C) and
a charge mode output.
The sensor could be mounted inline on
an infinite coil system. This system
achieved substantial improvements in
the measurement bandwidth.
The most recent effort has resulted in the development of on-turbine
pressure sensors (IMI Sensors Model 176A02) in order to further reduce

the acoustic volume between the sensor and combustor. Built to withstand
temperatures up to 1200 F (650 C)
with advanced crystal technology, the
sensor can now be
mounted directly on
the combustor basket to provide 24/7,
consistent,
reliable
combustion dynamics data so that tuning
changes can be made
at any time.
The sensors have
been specially designed with case isolation and differential output, to reduce electromagnetic
interference (EMI) issues to an absolute
minimum. This on-turbine mounting
has led to the sensors requiring hazardous area certification as they are now
operating in potentially-explosive environments.

In the case of PCB Piezotronics, the

new crystal technology, UHT-12, features:
Absence of pyroelectric noise
spikes up to 1200 F (650 C).
Sensitivity that remains more consistent over a wide temperature
change.
Shear mode crystals isolated from
base strain & transverse measurement errors.
Wide operating frequency range
In conclusion, the development
of these pressure sensors is enabling
turbine manufacturers to continue reducing NOx emissions without jeopardizing the integrity of the components
downstream of the combustors. This
technology is being utilized by not
only turbine manufacturers, but also
power plants, aftermarket service companies and system integrators that specialize in monitoring systems.

Vacuum Systems by Busch

Solutions for Condenser Exhausting Application

Busch offers over 50 years of experience,

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www.power-eng.com

35

ZERO LIQUID DISCHARGE SOLUTIONS

A 500-ton per hour Fixation

Mixer/Unloader. Photo courtesy:
United Conveyor

Radial stacker discharge to pad.

Photo courtesy: United Conveyor

36

www.power-eng.com

Author
Joel Barbel is product manager and
Daniel Charhut is chief technology officer at United Conveyor.

FGD Byproduct
Fixation and
Stabilization
Alternatives
with Ash
Systems

BY JOEL BARBEL AND DANIEL CHARHUT

ost utilities have

researched alternatives or are presently executing strategies to eliminate
impoundments, groundwater and surface water discharges in response to the
recent EPA Coal Combustion Residuals
(CCR) rule and Effluent Limitation
Guidelines (ELG). Ash transport water
discharge and impoundments can be
effectively eliminated through dry ash
handling options or closed-loop water
recirculation systems.
The primary industry focus is on
bringing bottom ash systems into compliance with these new regulations.
Although the majority of fly ash applications have already been converted to
dry systems, there are still several that
have a wet back-up system that is not in
compliance. One of the preferred ways
to bring these ash systems into compliance is to implement a Zero Liquid
www.power-eng.com

Discharge (ZLD) solution. Several

ZLD technologies are available for handling ash system generated wastewater
streams. As a result, numerous utilities
are now moving forward with project

planning and execution in accordance

with the compliance requirements
and deadlines. However, not all these
available technologies are suitable for
handling FGD wastewater and solid
wastes.
A still relatively underdeveloped
technical approach for ELG compliance is combining Wet FGD wastewater
and solid waste with fly ash. Fixating
and stabilizing FGD solids and liquid
streams with fly ash is emerging as the
lower cost option, particularly when
considering compliance with the FGD
wastewater requirements in the Effluent Limitation Guidelines. Each plant
has its own unique needs dictated by
physical layout, water discharge quantity, chemistry, and intermittent or
continuous waste stream generation.
Here are the unique approaches
three coal-fired generating stations implemented using dry fly ash to safely
and responsibly reduce or eliminate
FGD solid or liquid wastes.

FGD Fixation System

Fly Ash

Lime

Gypsum

FGD Wastewater

Mixer

Disposal
The fixation system is designed to handle waste streams from muliple units.

37

ZERO LIQUID DISCHARGE SOLUTIONS

FGD BYPRODUCT AND
BLOWDOWN WASTE
WATER FIXATION

Zeeco designs and manufactures

the most advanced, reliable
turnkey combustion solutions for
power and steam generation. For
instance, the ZEECO GB burner
is an innovative approach to true
flexibility because it efficiently fires
fuels from natural gas, #6/#2 fuel
oils, and low-Btu gases like blast
furnace gas or coke oven gas,
to opportunity fuels and waste
streams.
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Lower excess air and FGR
Stable flames, high turndowns
Low NOx Duct Burners
Low and Ultra-Low NOx Boiler
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Lower maintenance costs
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sales@zeeco.com Zeeco.com/Power

dewatering equipment was replaced

and a new building was constructed to
house the new fixation equipment.
A Midwestern utility burning high
The gypsum handling system insulfur Illinois Basin coal using a wet cluded dewatering equipment, weigh
scrubber (FGD) to rebelts, and transfer
The
focus
is
on
move SO2 emissions
belts feeding the
needed to stabilize the bringing bottom
mixer. The fly ash
FGD by-product for
and lime handling
ash systems into
landfill. When landsystems included
compliance
filled directly, this FGD
new day storage
byproduct was struc- with these new
silos, feed control
turally unstable and
equipment,
and
regulations.
too permeable when
screw
conveyors.
considering potential leachate risks at Beneath the mixers, a belt conveyor
the landfill. The existing fly ash sys- was installed to move the fixate prodtems were wet systems conveying ash uct out to the stacking yard.
to a pond as a slurry for disposal.
The fixate product is discharged via
While the Effluent Limitations a radial stacker to a pad and stored 2-3
Guidelines (ELG) were pending, the days before being transferred to the
plant made the decision to convert landfill. Alternatively, it can be used
the existing fly ash
system from wet to
2
Bine Concentrate Mixer/Unloader
dry, eliminating fly
ash transport water
from the overall
plant
wastewaFly Ash
ter profile. As an
extension of this
conversion,
the
Brine Concentrate
plant implemented a fixation system using the FGD
Mixer
by-product (in the
form of dewatered
gypsum), fly ash,
lime and scrubber
Disposal
waste water. The
existing gypsum

FGD Wastewater Characteristics for Typical

FGD Blowdown vs. Design for Brine Concentrate (ZLD)
Unit

FGD Blowdown

Brine Concentrate

Suspended Solids (TSS)

mg/l

250 - 20,000

20,000

Total Dissolved Solids (TDS)

mg/l

15,000 - 35,000

>300,000

4-6

7 - 10

10,000 - 25,000

>100,000

pH
Chloride (Cl)

For info. http://powereng.hotims.com RS# 16

38

mg/l

Source:
www.power-eng.com

for beneficial reuse such as

embankment construction
or landfill cap. The fixate
product is more structurally
stable and significantly less
permeable, successfully mitigating leachate issues at the
landfill.

Corrosion Resistant Pin Paddle

Mixer/Unloader Internals. Photo
courtesy: United Conveyor.

FGD BRINE
CONCENTRATE
DISPOSAL
Another Midwestern utility burning high sulfur Illinois Basin coal using a Wet
FGD system to remove SO2
emissions was implementing a new zero liquid disForty-five percent FGD solids
charge (ZLD) wastewater
slurry used in mixer for ash
treatment facility that genconditioning. Photo courtesy:
erates a highly concentrated
United Conveyor
brine solution. Although
there are systems available
to solidify this brine for disposal, the
plant elected to dispose of the brine by
mixing this material with dry fly ash.
Fly ash from multiple units is conveyed to a common storage area. From
there, the plant can offload ash for sale
or landfill disposal. During the offloading, the ash can be mixed with the
brine concentrate to provide a low cost
method for disposal of the brine.
The brine concentrate is added to the
fly ash during conditioned unloading,
in place of normal service water. The
fly ash is then hauled to landfill for
permanent disposal. The mixer can accommodate from 0 100% brine, depending on availability. This project included a corrosion resistant Pin-Paddle
Mixer/Unloader design to accommodate the corrosive challenges presented
by the brine concentrate.
This plants brine concentration exceeds 100,000 mg/l of Chlorides. In
contrast, typical Wet FGD blowdown
contains a range of 10,000-25,000
mg/l of Chlorides.
The handling of waste water with
www.power-eng.com

extremely high Chloride

content requires special
materials of construction. Fiberglass or rubber
lined tanks and pumps
are used for storage and
transfer of concentrated
brine to mixer. Piping
is made from fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) or
high-density polyethylene
(HDPE). Valves are made
with nickel alloy wetted
components. The corrosion-resistant Pin-Paddle
Mixer/Unloader utilizes
an HDPE liner and nickel
alloy shafts.
When adding the brine
concentrate to the mixer, the liquid by weight
will typically range from

For info. http://powereng.hotims.com RS# 17

39

ZERO LIQUID DISCHARGE SOLUTIONS

FOR SALE

Sandow
Lakes
Ranch

FGD Thickener Blowdown/Hydrocyclone Underflow

Fly Ash

In the heart of the Sandow Lakes

Ranch lies a one-of-a-kind turn key
industrial complex surrounded by
acres of undisturbed buer property.

FGD Thickener
Blowdown
Mixer

Hydroclone
Underflow
Storage
Tank

Disposal

KEY FACTS
33,800 Fee Simple Acres

14,746 Natural/Buer Property

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6,074 Industrial Complex

INCOME PRODUCING /
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Full Utilities: Electric, Gas, Water
Sewer & Water Treatment
Waste Disposal Roads
Railhead Intermodal Facility
Warehousing Manufacturing
Distribution

MINERAL RIGHTS
5,564 acres with 100% Oil and Gas
Minerals, 22,489 acres with 60% Oil
and Gas Minerals. It is estimated that
200 million tons of lignite coal remain
in the buer Sandow acreage. 100% of
owned minerals will be conveyed.
For more information
or to schedule a tour call
Bernard Uechtritz at 214-855-4000
or visit

SandowLakes.com

10-15% of the fly ash material. Once

absorbed into the ash, the overall effect of the brine concentrate on potential corrosion is significantly lower, reducing the need for corrosion resistant
equipment for transport.

FGD BLOWDOWN WASTE

WATER SLURRY DISPOSAL
A Western utility burning high BTU
Western Coal using a Wet FGD to remove SO2 emissions decided to utilize
their fly ash waste stream to dispose of
FGD wastewater. Each unit uses a different approach to thicken the scrubber blowdown. Some use thickener
tanks, while others use hydrocyclones,
each producing slurry containing 3545% solids and up to 15,000 mg/l of
Chlorides.
All units waste slurries are combined
in a common storage tank, where it is
then pumped to the mixer for disposal. This waste slurry is used in place
of water to condition the fly ash for
disposal. The high solids content of the
slurry requires a unique nozzle design
to prevent plugging. The relatively low
chloride content allows the mixer to
be fabricated standard, painted carbon
steel and select stainless steel components.

SUMMARY
With the release and implementation of new EPA Effluent Limitations
Guidelines (ELG), coal-fired generating stations will be challenged with
potentially high cost options to meet
the compliance requirements for FGD
wastewater.
Prior to selecting costly FGD wastewater treatment options
such as crystallizers and evaporators,
consideration should be given to processing as much FGD waste water as
possible with existing dry fly ash disposal methods. Use of concentrated
or thickened FGD waste water to condition dry fly ash in an appropriate
Mixer/Unloader has been proven to be
a highly effective stabilization and fixation solution. A significant amount of
high chloride concentration wastewater
can be consumed, reducing the amount
that would otherwise require expensive
treatment per ELG requirements. In
addition, mixing fly ash, gypsum, and
small amounts of lime is also a cost effective way to produce a stable product
for permanent dry landfill storage.
These technical alternatives have
been proven to be effective and reliable
for managing these FGD waste streams,
while offering a lower cost regulatory
compliance option.

For info. http://powereng.hotims.com RS# 18

40

www.power-eng.com

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REGISTER BY OCT. 7 TO SAVE BIG!

Get updates by joining our powerful conversation: #PowerGenWeek

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For info. http://powereng.hotims.com RS# 19

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GENERATING BUZZ

Beyond the
NERC CIP 5 Deadline:

Steps for Tighter

Security Now

Utilities are racing to

implement technology
solutions and operational
changes to meet the July
1 deadlines for NERC CIP
V5/6 compliance.

By Rhett Smith, Sr. Security Analyst, and Dominick Birolin, Sales Engineer, Wurldtech

n August 2014, NERC published

its Cyber Security Reliability Standards CIP V5 Transition Guidance.
The deadline to comply with NERC CIP
5, as its called, was scheduled for April
1, 2016. Many U.S. utilities have already
invested major efforts targeting the April
2016 NERC-CIP regulatory compliance
deadline. The good news is that the
United States of America Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission has just recently
granted an extension for compliance until July 1, 2016.
But even once the deadline hits, power
suppliers must not rest on their laurels.
As recent attacks on power grids remind
us, attackers have no deadlines or threat
seasonality. More can and must be done
outside after the deadline hits. The question is, what should you do after youve
met compliance?
Here are five pragmatic steps for those
tasked with strengthening their security
posture of critical infrastructure all year
round. While these actions are not intended as regulatory or legal advice, these
are practical tips based on real-world
experience to be considered in your environment. If more specific counsel is
required, we recommend you consult a
third-party professional advisor.

require facility outages, there may be longer time periods between patch cycles.
NERC-CIP requires evaluating all security patches within 35 days of their availability, and allows 35 days to then apply
the patch, create a mitigation plan, or
revise a mitigation plan that has already
been created. Requirements may be even
stricter depending on High, Medium, or
Low impact designation of the facility.
Consider running scans and monitoring your operational technology (OT)
protocols in between equipment patch
cycles, to detect potential vulnerabilities
before they are exploited. Layering in
OT protocol visibility may help uncover
changed network behavior or anomalies
in operational communications that are
actually threat indicators.
In many cases, anti-virus signature updates cannot be applied on PLCs or particular ops devices. This is another reason
why a defense-in-depth strategy strengthens your security posture.
Finally, with compliance deadlines
out of the way, for now, identify what
maintenance windows might be on the
horizon. Plan ahead to slot in security
patches wherever possible, rather than
waiting for compliance alone to prompt
your updates.

1- IMPLEMENT SECURITY 2- TUNE TOOLS FOR

BETWEEN PATCHING
CYCLES

Since operational equipment often has

a much longer lifespan than traditional
IT assets, and system changes usually
42

MORE EFFECTIVE &

EFFICIENT SECURITY
MANAGEMENT

Security information and event management tools (SIEMs) work best when

they are highly customized to your environment and its behaviors. But tuning your security configurations can
be challenging amidst artifact capture
and other deadline-driven compliance
work. Take a step back to consider how
much more effective security can be
managed by leveraging your toolsets.
Logs are a good place to start. NERC
CIP requires the collection of all security related logs. The more you can adjust what you collect and log, the more
you can lessen noise to ease later
security administration. For example,
know why you are collecting particular logs and for what security use cases.
Trim, adjust, and optimize log details
and volumes accordingly.
In addition to fine-tuning logs and
SIEMs, high impact system owners
may also consider tuning their IDS/
IPS systems, if they have them deployed, as well as base-lining IDS/IPS
data flows. This enables better visibility into what is normal in the unique
environment and can aid in anomaly
detection.
Other useful ways of tuning to improve your security hygiene can include:
Reviewing ACL lists to ensure
only active and necessary items
remain. Remove old ACLs
Verifying change requests, to ensure they were in fact were implemented as requested, and ensuring the evidence artifacts reflect
current status
Checking that all user accounts
www.power-eng.com

Register Early!

august 23-25, 2016

greater columbus convention center
Columbus, Ohio, USA

REGISTER BY JULY 18 AND SAVE $105

ON FULL CONFERENCE REGISTRATION.
Join over 1,500 oil and gas, and power professionals for the second annual POWER-GEN Natural
Gas conference and exhibition targeting gas-fired generation related to the development of natural
gas reserves in the Marcellus and Utica shales of the Appalachian Basin. Participate in this
event and join some of the top names in the energy industry to discuss the issues surrounding
technology, operation, construction and maintenance of gas-fired power and production from
unconventional hydrocarbon resources.

TOPICS OF INTEREST
OIL & GAS

Growth in Gas Markets

Contracts and Regulation
Logistical Developments
Evolution of Appalachian Basin Gas Supply
Political Issues

POWER

Large Frame Gas Turbines

Operations and Maintenance
Siting and Construction
Small Gas Turbines and Gas Engines

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For info. http://powereng.hotims.com RS# 20

match your access lists or maintained services

Base-lining your configuration
controls to ensure backup and recovery for all the assets
And of course, check that password
length and complexity is strong, with
automated tools or control measures
in place to force password changes at
frequent intervals.

3- PERFORM

VULNERABILITY
ASSESSMENTS
AT APPROPRIATE
INTERVALS

Compliance may mandate cyber

vulnerability assessments (CVAs) to be
performed every 15 calendar months,
but just like medical screenings, timing
depends on your unique environments.
For active security scans, the requirement may state every three years. Security analysts recommend much more
frequent assessments, both active and
passive/paper, based on their experience, as well as establishing an electronic security perimeter (CIP-005-5).
For example, vulnerabilities uncovered
through annual scans can include:
Access points remote electronic access to the operational network, unbeknownst to staff or management
Expired employee status passwords not deleted despite an employee leaving the company or no
longer needing access to operational equipment
Services inventory different live
services compared to documentation and paper assessment findings
Unnecessary ports open ports
despite no known usage of the
port, usually due to a network or
service change
All of these vulnerabilities can be
simple fixes once they are identified.
But finding them quickly may require
more frequent assessments than policies mandate.
44

4- READY SECURITY STAFF

& RESOURCES

The sheer volume of compliance-related information collected, sorted, maintained, and organized can take up significant staff resources. Often, a sole OT
owner is saddled with responsibility for
both security and compliance, including
all the change management (CIP-010-2).
Beyond compliance, the merger of digital
and industrial environments with rising
equipment connectivity makes its difficult for staff to stay current on security.
Consider cross-training your cyber security and control teams, to share security
knowledge. Even a 30-minute conference
call to identify each teams top concerns
can heighten awareness, increasing the
chances threats are noticed earlier. Requiring each team to advise the other on
their three key security priorities can also
help unify actions to be taken during an
incident.
For staff that must complete refresher
training by a set date, it may be more effective to call in outside experts to deliver specialized knowledge. Ideally, leverage the same team performing security
assessments. They can thus tailor the
knowledge transfer to your specific environment, and identify areas your longterm staff can watch for in your unique
network.
If your teams are already excessively
stretched, consider developing a business
case to hire employees or specialists to
perform important security work. With
corporate boards increasingly accountable for implementing cyber security
measures, you may find budget for help,
if you can clarify how it strengthens the
companys defenses.

5- REMEMBER SITE

DESIGNATIONS

NERC CIP documentation provides

clear guidelines to help distinguish if
your site is a low, medium or high impact designated facility. For low impact
sites, there are upcoming deadlines

and steps to remember. In some cases,

the deadlines are tiered. For example,
some work requires completion in
2017 while other deadlines occur in
2018. Its helpful to communicate your
next milestone dates to your teams
now, once you have verified your
site(s) designation level(s).
It is also good to plan ahead for any
site designation level changes, or new
site acquisition plans, if you have multiple sites. NERC CIP versions require
different investment levels, and your
teams will need to be prepared. If you
completed compliance in the past for
version 3 regulations, the added level
of paperwork needed in version 5 may
surprise you.
Specifically, more plant personnel
may be impacted if you are going from
version 3 to version 5. They will be required to pull logs from assets, some
of which may be legacy and require
manual pulls. And local operating
teams will have to capture artifacts as
evidence and provide additional documentation. Letting them know ahead
of time about these requirements may
ease their burden as the next deadlines
draw near.

CONCLUSION
Beyond regulatory requirements
that prompt a long list of securityrelated actions, critical infrastructure
providers can act now on targeted
security efforts to improve their defenses. Patching, tuning and assessing your network environments can
help close security gaps. Staff training
and resourcing can improve on-going
security management and the ability
to act quickly should an incident occur. While these recommendations
were identified as part of a U.S. utility
measures discussion, they are in fact
applicable to any operator facility that
seeks to limit the risk of production
or service disruptions due to security
events.
www.power-eng.com

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13 -15

2016

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PRODUCTS
Communications Processor

numerous

enhancements,

700 C and 1800 C. The analog video output

fied architecture) communications processor. The

including greater signal-to-

signal is converted to USB and fed to a PC using

processor uses the standardized OPC UA interface

noise ratio (SNR), a full graphic

LumaSenses InfraWin software. The InfraWin

for the fast, direct exchange of data between auto-

local user interface, HART 7.0

software generates and shows a relative thermal

mation components from different manufacturers.

(Foundation

fieldbus avail-

image from this signal. LumaSenses InfraWin

Users can install the CP 443-1 OPC UA as both a

able), local waveform capture,

software also provides temperature, data logging,

client and as a server, and so, for example, link a

and a more intuitive device

and analysis features. The ISR 6-TI Advanced

Simatic S7-400 to ERP systems. It is mainly used in

type manager (DTM) allow-

paints a more-accurate picture for identifying po-

Simatic S7-400 applications such as in the oil & gas

ing for remote configuration,

tential issues before they lead to problems that

industry.

trending, and diagnostics.

impact process performance, a key benefit for

iemens has expanded its Simatic S7-400 con-

The JM4 is engineered with

troller to include the CP 443-1 OPC UA (uni-

and reliable temperature measurements between

As an OPC UA server, the new communica-

The JUPITER Model JM4

tions processor provides data of the Simatic S7-

also features Smart Probe

processes.

400, which OPC UA clients such as HMI (Human

technology. When any JM4

Machine Interface), MES (Manufacturing Execution

transmitter head is attached to

LumaSense Technologies
Info http://powereng.hotims.com RS#: 403

System), ERP and SCADA systems can access (data

a probe, a single push of a button imports factory

access read, write and monitoring). This enables,

configuration settings into the head, and in sec-

Linear Position Sensors

for example, users to read production data such as

onds, the transmitter is ready for operation. JUPITER

vehicle data from an ongoing process and trans-

also offers a remote mount option. Available in 3-

fer it to ERP systems. Used as an OPC UA client,

and 12-ft lengths, the transmitter head is attached

using LVIT Technology by adding the LZ-25 Series

the processor collects and writes data to and from

to the probe via a flexible cable to allow for easier

linear position sensors.

OPC UA servers. This facilitates, for example, com-

viewing under various spatial constraints.

munication with an OPC UA-compatible controller

Orion Instruments
Info http://powereng.hotims.com RS#: 402

from another manufacturer. Users can configure

materials manufacturers running heat-dependent

. G. Schaevitz LLC, Alliance Sensors Group

has expanded its sensor product offering

the functions of the communications processor

in the TIA Portal with the STEP 7 Professional V14

Pyrometer and Imaging Portfolio

engineering software or in existing systems with

STEP7 V5.5.

grated ISR 6-TI Advanced to their IMPAC py-

OPC UA is a standard for multi-vendor commu-

rometer and imaging portfolio for increased con-

nication in the automation industry. The CP443-1

trol and optimization of manufacturing processes

These are contactless devices designed for

OPC UA supports OPC UA according to the speci-

in metals, glass, and other materials industries.

use in factory automation or assembly machinery

fication 1.02. Integrated OPC UA security functions

The ISR 6-TI Advanced is a true break-through

applications where space is a premium, as well

(for authenticating, authorization encrypting and

by combining pyrometry with infrared imaging

as for external mounting on hydraulic cylinders

signing data) minimize the risk of unauthorized

technology to produce relative thermal images.

to sense rod position. These LVITs are offered in

data access.

Relative thermal images are produced by measur-

nominal full scale ranges from 50 to 900 mm (2

Siemens
Info http://powereng.hotims.com RS#: 401

ing the temperature of the center spot with a ratio

to 36 inches) with an excellent stroke-to-length

pyrometer and using an infrared filter to show an

ratio so that the sensors overall length is only

auto-calibrated thermal image based on the high-

about 38 mm (1.5 inches) longer than the linear

ly accurate ratio pyrometer temperature reading.

range of the unit. The sensor has a 25.4 mm (1

rion Instruments announced the release of

The system is based on the proven ISR 6

inch) outside diameter aluminum or optional

the JUPITER Model JM4 magnetostrictive lev-

Advanced pyrometer and a video camera that

stainless steel body with a 1-m long radial exit

el transmitter, its newest and most advanced level

utilizes a short wavelength infrared filter. The

cable for I/O connections. The 7.5 mm (0.295

instrument to date. The JM4 is available as a direct

resulting ISR 6-TI Advanced system operates in

inch) diameter through-bore of an LZ-25 provides

insertion option, as well as an external mount on

a short wavelength (around 1 m) for accurate

clearance for its 6.35 mm (0.25 inch) diameter

Level Transmitter

any Orion magnetic level indicator (MLI) or modular

moving rod, which is made of the same materi-

instrumentation bridle. With an improved design,

al as its housing. This through-bore feature also

unparalleled performance, and a collection of new

means that the sensor is not subject to damage

and innovative features, the JM4 provides safer,

from typical mechanical overstroking.

simpler, and smarter measurement in total and in-

Alliance Sensors Group

Info http://powereng.hotims.com RS#: 403

terface level applications.

46

umaSense Technologies Inc. added the inte-

www.power-eng.com

Explosion Proof Cabinets

exactly the right solution.

proof cabinets to protect field instrumentation

Integrated special functions, such as pump cas-

grees of protection up to IP54. The converter has a

operating in hazardous areas. Available in a diverse

cades, multi-zone control, dry running, blocking

rugged, maintenance-free design which can cope

range of standard sizes, as well as in custom shapes

and V-belt monitoring, and smoke extraction mode

with extremely harsh industrial environments. As

up to walk-in shelter size, the cabinets are certified

simplify the engineering of pump, fan and com-

well as being designed for conventional industri-

for use in Zone 1 and Zone 2 hazardous areas. They

pressor applications. Along with full integration

al environments, the product series is particularly

provide the possibility to install non-Ex rated analyz-

into the TIA Portal (Totally Integrated Automation

suitable for use in the energy and water industries,

ers and instrumentation inside Zone 1 or 2 classified

Portal), up to 30 percent of the engineering time

the processing industry and building management

environments.

can be saved. Furthermore, an integrated software

systems. Multiple options enable it to be easily

wizard facilitates fast, reliable commissioning.

adapted to specific requirements.

ntertec has launched a new range of explosion

Intertecs pressurized explosion proof (Ex p)

widths starting from 600 mm, and with various de-

cabinets are constructed from GRP (glass rein-

Perfect interaction with Simotics motors reduc-

forced polyester) composite materials. These ma-

es system losses by up to 8 percent. The new se-

terials are highly resistant to corrosion and have a

ries of devices has a very high, proven efficiency of

similar strength to stainless steel, but are about 75

above 98 percent according to the new European

percent lighter, making them ideal for equipment

energy efficiency standard EN 50598.

Siemens
Info http://powereng.hotims.com RS#: 405

Profinet Design &

Simulation Software

containment and personnel shelter applications.

Not only built-in units but also cabinet units

They are especially suitable when robustness and

are offered as ready-to-use AC/AC converters.

rigidity need to be combined with low mass such

Siemens supplies an optimally harmonized prod-

automation networks.

as on offshore platforms. They are also ideal for

uct - type-tested and ready-to-use. The converters

The Sinetplan network planner from Siemens

areas where there is a need to mitigate injury to

are offered in two design variants with cabinet

is aimed at plant designers, constructors and

iemens is launching a new software tool on the

market for the design and simulation of Profinet

personnel or damage to equipment, such as on

sites where there is risk of an explosion.
Intertec is capable of producing single-piece
panels of GRP composite as large as 6 x 12 meters.
The pressurized cabinets are equipped with a control unit that regulates the flow of inert purging gas
or compressed air, and then monitors the pressure
inside the cabinet to ensure that it is maintained

DISCOVER BETTER DESIGNS. FASTER.

MULTIDISCIPLINARY SIMULATION FOR CLEAN, EFFICIENT ENERGY AND
ECONOMICAL, RELIABLE POWER

slightly above atmospheric pressure by automatically compensating for any leakage losses. Intertec
works with a number of controls manufacturers to
equip its Ex p cabinets with the most appropriate
type of purging and pressurization systems.
Intertec
Info http://powereng.hotims.com RS#: 404

GAS TURBINES

COMBUSTORS

COMPRESSORS

GENERATORS

Voltage Converter

iemens is now offering the 690 V wide

voltage range for the

Sinamics G120P converter series with an output up to 630 kilowatts.
This opens up additional
pump and fan applications to speed-controlled
converter

operation.

Siemens offers a wide

performance

range

info@cd-adapco.com
www.cd-adapco.com

and many different types to enable users to select

For info. http://powereng.hotims.com RS# 22

www.power-eng.com

47

operators and supports them from the planning

to 20 inches, HLIR 750 series intrinsically safe

stage, through commissioning to the operation

4-20 mA LVDT position sensors feature high res-

of a Profinet communication network. In order to

olution, excellent repeatability, and low hystere-

ensure subsequent operational reliability and to

sis. Maximum linearity error of these sensors is

avoid problems during commissioning, the net-

0.25% of full range output. Constructed entirely of

work is already designed with a suitable topolog-

stainless steel, position sensors feature a through-

ical structure at the planning stage and any possi-

bore design that makes the core accessible from

ble bottlenecks caused by peak loads, for example,

both ends for better mechanical support and core

are simulated. In the operating phase, Sinetplan

guidance and facilitates clean-out in dusty or dirty

offers transparency about the network capacity

locations. Sensor lead wires exit through a radi-

up to the port level of the individual stations by

ally-mounted 1/2-14 NPT male threaded conduit

means of online scans, traffic shapers or reporting

null, moves the LVDTs core to one end of the range

fitting for easy attachment to an explosion-proof

functions. This prevents unnecessary downtimes

and then presses the zero button on the front pan-

junction box as well as rigid or flexible conduit.

due to network overload and thus increases the

el. The operator moves the LVDTs core to the oth-

AC-operated, the HLIR 750 series LVDT linear

availability of the network and the production.

er end of the specified range and presses the full

position sensors offer a 4-20mA output signal that

Faulty design or overloading of a Profinet network

scale button. The SC-100 is now fully calibrated

allows users to run longer cables from a sensor to

can compromise the overall application and, in the

with the LVDT or RVDT position sensor.

the control system with less worry of EMI or noise

worst-case scenario, result in loss of production.

For installations where there are multiple LVDT

being induced on the signal. The analog signal can

Using the Sinetplan network planner it is possible

position sensors, the SC-100s can be master/

also be converted to digital output for use by to-

to check the operational reliability of a Profinet

slaved to prevent beat frequency interaction be-

days more complex process control systems.

network while it is still in the planning phase and

tween sensor signals. Should a master fail, ordi-

find out whether a network is topologically suitable,

nary LVDT signal conditioners in a master/slave

TE Connectivity
Info http://powereng.hotims.com RS#: 409

what reserves the selected topological design of-

hookup will revert back to their own oscillators,

fers and how you can protect the network against

subjecting them to the beat frequencies the mas-

unforeseen peak loads (bursts).

ter/slave hook up was supposed to prevent. If an

Sinetplan is used in particular for the planning

SC-100 master module were to fail, the auto-mas-

and operation of Profinet networks that use acyclic

tering feature causes another module to immedi-

data services such as TCP/IP in addition to cyclic re-

ately become a new master for the slaves.

of high performance

al-time communication. Projects already planned

Alliance Sensors Group

Info http://powereng.hotims.com RS#: 408

temperature sensors

in Step 7 are easy to import, and existing systems

are scanned online, verified and simulated.

MR Group introduced a series

for dedicated applications in the nuclear

Linear Position Sensors

power industry.

E Connectivity (TE) announced the HLIR 750,

CMRs AN sensor series is de-

4-20 mA LVDT position sensors that are CSA

signed for the temperature mea-

Signal conditioner

listed for use in hazardous locations and where an

surement of high pressure fluids

lliance Sensors Group has expended its line of

intrinsically safe sensor is required. With stainless

and aggressive gaseous fluids

LVDT/RVDT signal conditioner to include the SC-

steel construction and a hermetically-sealed sensor

used in nuclear power genera-

100 DIN-rail mountable AC-LVDT Signal Conditioner

body, these LVDT position sensors provide reliable

tion, although they can also be used effectively with

module that offers smart and fast LVDT setup with

contact-less position measurement for critical appli-

non-pressurized fluids.

built-in null indication and simple front panel push-

cations in gas turbines for fuel valve position feed-

For more conventional measurement of ambient

buttons to set zero and full scale. The SC-100 is

back, vane pitch servo controls, governor controls,

temperatures to very low or sub-zero levels in damp or

engineered to work with the widest range of AC-

and generator shell expansion measurement.

refrigerated atmospheres, and ventilation ducts, the

Siemens
Info http://powereng.hotims.com RS#: 407

operated LVDTs, RVDTs, and inductive half-bridge

Available in measuring ranges from 2 inches

AMB sensor series is recommended.

position sensors and was specifically designed to be

These are the BS6 nuclear sensor with an insulat-

compatible with both Marposs and Solartron analog

ed platinum resistance temperature detector (RTD)

pencil gaging probes.

for use in harsh environments, and the special BCI6

With an Alliance Sensors SC-100 AC-LVDT

type K thermocouple sensor for bearing temperature

Signal Conditioner, an internal microprocessor

measurement on rotating/reciprocating machines.

eliminates the need to calculate jumper settings

CMR Group
Info http://powereng.hotims.com RS#: 410

for gain, range, etc. The operator simply finds LVDT

48

Nuclear Power
Temperature Sensors

www.power-eng.com

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RENTAL EQUIPMENT

INDEX
RS# COMPANY

PG#

RS# COMPANY

PG#

SALES OFFICE

13 AMETEK

27

19 PENNWELL
CORPORATION

41

1421 S. Sheridan Rd., Tulsa, OK 74112

Phone: 918-835-3161, Fax: 918-831-9834
e-mail: pe@pennwell.com

www.ametekpi.com

BUCKMAN

15 BUSCH USA

18
35

www.powergenerationweek.com

20 PENNWELL
CORPORATION

www.power-gennaturalgas.com

www.buschusa.com

CB&I

PENNWELL CORPORATION
DIGITAL EDITION-ANNOUNCEMENT SPONSOR

13

www.CBI.com

22 CD ADAPCO

47

www.powergenerationweek.com

39

PENNWELL CORPORATION
BROWSER EDITION-TOC
BANNER

www.cd-adapco.com

17 DETROIT STOKER CO
www.detroitstoker.com

12 HARBISON-WALKER
REFRACTORIES CO

25

www.thinkhwi.com

18 INTERNATIONAL
ICON PROPERTIES

40

www.powergenerationweek.com

24 PROENERGY
SERVICES LLC
RENTECH BOILER
SYSTEMS INC.
DIGITAL EDITION-COVER

JASC JANSENS AIRCRAFT 5

SYSTEMS CONTROLS INC
www.jasc-controls.com

23 MAGNETROL
INTERNATIONAL

C3

10 MEMBRANA

19

NUSCALE POWER INC

33

OVIVO

www.ovivowater.com/power

PENNWELL CORPORATION
BROWSER EDITION-LEADERBOARD
www.powergenerationweek.com

PENNWELL CORPORATION
DIGITAL EDITION-ANNOUNCEMENT SPONSOR
www.power-gennaturalgas.com

21 PENNWELL
CORPORATION
www.power-gen.com

52

5
4

C2

www.nuscalepower.com

21

www.roxul-rti.com

SIEMENS ENERGY INC

15

TERRASOURCE GLOBAL

www.terrasource.com/pe

www.Nord-Lock.com

11 ROXUL INC

www.siemens.com/gasturbines

www.Liqui-Cel.com

14 NORD-LOCK INC

www.rentechboilers.com

www.magnetrol.com

C4

www.proenergyservices.com

www.sandowlakes.com

43

45

VICTORY ENERGY
OPERATIONS LLC

www.victoryenergy.com

VSP TECHNOLOGIES

11

www.vsppower-generation.com

16 ZEECO INC

38

www.Zeeco.com/Power

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Regional Brand Manager Veronica Foster
1421 S. Sheridan Rd., Tulsa, OK 74112
Phone: 918-832-9256; Fax: 918.831.9834
e-mail: veronicaf@pennwell.com
AK, AZ,CA,CO,HI,IA,MN,MT,ND,NE,NM,NV,
OK,OR,SD,UT,WA,WI,WY,AB,BC,SK, Manitoba,
Northwest Territory, Yukon Territory
Regional Brand Manager Ben Stauss
Phone: + 513-295-2155
e-mail: bstauss@pennwell.com
CT, DE, IL, IN, MA, ME, MI, NH, NJ, NY, OH,
PA, RI, VT, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia,
Newfoundland, Ontario
International Sales Mgr Tom Marler
The Water Tower
Gunpowder Mills
Powdermill Lane
Waltham Abbey, Essex EN9 1BN
United Kingdom
Phone: +44 1992 656 608, Fax: +44 1992 656 700
email: tomm@pennwell.com
Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland,
France, Germany, Hungary, Norway, Poland,
Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Slovakia, Sweden
International Sales Mgr Roy Morris
The Water Tower
Gunpowder Mills
Powdermill Lane
Waltham Abbey, Essex EN9 1BN
United Kingdom
Phone: +44 1992 656 613, Fax: +44 1992 656 700
email: rmorris@pennwell.com
UK, Austria, Africa, Holland, India, Italy, Ireland,
Israel, Russia, Australia & New Zealand, Singapore,
Scotland, Switzerland, Turkey, Greece, UAE/SAUDI
and Iran
Classifieds/Literature Showcase
Account Executive Jenna Hall
1421 S. Sheridan Rd., Tulsa, OK 74112
Phone: 918-832-9249, Fax: 918-831-9834
email: jennah@pennwell.com

www.power-eng.com

Users agree: you cant stop a

Magnetrol liquid level switch.
Our customers know why MAGNETROL is the No. 1 brand
of mechanical buoyancy instrumentation. Our level switches
work hard, and keep on working, for decades of safe,
accurate, repeatable, reliable level detection.
magnetroltough.magnetrol.com
Congratulations to the winner of the
JUST CANT STOP A MAGNETROL contest! For
48 years, our liquid level switch has prevented high
water levels at this power generation plant
in the southeast United States.

magnetrol.com 1-800-624-8765 info@magnetrol.com

For info. http://powereng.hotims.com RS# 23

2016 Magnetrol International, Incorporated

A BETTER SOLUTION
EVERY STEP OF THE WAY

FINAL

When speed, precision and expertise are paramount, ProEnergy

is your non-OEM solution for Aeroderivative turbine overhauls.
We work with our clients to understand operating profiles,
so we can offer specific services required to maximize the
efficiency of each unit. Menu-driven flexibility means youll
never pay for a service you dont need, giving you operational
advantage by minimizing downtime and dollar per fired hour
maintenance costs. Thats the AeroAdvantage.

US Corporate Office | 660.829.5100

For info. http://powereng.hotims.com RS# 24

proenergyservices.com