Energy-Tech Magazine

Retrofit of pulverized coal-fired boiler includes unique abrasion resistant pipe

  Originally installed in the late 1950s, a national electric power generation plant’s pulverized coal-fired boiler system was in need of a retrofit. The task at hand was the replacement of the steel piping system used to convey pulverized...

New boiler rules proposed by the EPA

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released an updated proposal for boiler and emissions standards it originally proposed last March. The proposals were controversial due to concerns that they would add an additional cost burden to industries...

Dirty words
Pending regulations cast a cloud over power generation industry

This month the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will issue the final rules on emissions regulations that it introduced in July, and coal-fired power plants across the northeast and Midwest will assess the work that needs to be done and each project’s...

A recent case study of wet FGD performance improvements

RC Cape May Holdings LLC (RCCMH) B.L. England Station Unit 2 located in Beesley’s Point, N.J., was initially retrofitted in 1994 with an open spray tower, limestone wet flue gas desulfurization (WFGD) system to comply with the 1990 Clean Air Act....

Torsional vibration concerns on large nuclear and fossil steam turbine generator retrofits

Based on a recent assessment of nuclear and fossil generating stations in Europe, TG Advisers identified various levels of torsional vibration concerns in more than 25 units. This was a surprising result considering the relatively long and successful...

Potential department interface issues in a flow accelerated corrosion program

Flow Accelerated Corrosion (FAC) is a fundamental problem for nuclear, fossil and combined-cycle power plants that can result in the loss of power generation, damage to equipment and personnel injury. These documented events and failures have attracted...

Cooling tower fill selection

Efficient heat transfer in cooling towers is vital for maintaining optimum performance. Cooling tower process optimization is influenced by many factors, with one of the most important being selection of the proper fill. Two interrelated critical factors...

Apps are nice, but brainpower is better

Perhaps this article is a result of my reluctance to keep up with the electronic times. My kids say we live in a well and my office mates are always making fun of my wind up clocks, fountain pens and pocket watches. I know the ribbing is justified,...

Field trials of nanocoatings to prevent erosion damage in steam turbine valves

Damage in steam turbine valve stems is attributed to erosion from the impingement of spalled oxides present in the high-temperature flowing steam environment. Utilities and turbine engineers currently are managing the erosion and damage issues through...

ASME: The value of demand response to mitigate wind integration costs in a smart grid

In recent years, many utilities’ thermal generation units, particularly older coal-, oil- and gas-fueled units, have been forced to cycle – often on a daily shutdown or hourly load follow basis. This is partially because of the commissioning...

Improving power plant productivity by applying lessons learned

Responsibility for keeping power plants running falls directly on the shoulders of plant personnel, so they need to understand what can go wrong, receive information on the current condition of the equipment, and fix things when equipment fails or performs...

Electromagnetic interference evaluation of plant assets
Knowing what components do not need maintenance is just as important as knowing where resources should be focused. EMI diagnostics can be used to prioritize condition-based maintenance activities for motors, generators, transformers and other plant assets

Deregulation of the global energy market has required power producers to reduce operations and maintenance expenses while simultaneously ensuring high availability and reliability. It is no longer a cost plus business. Availability is directly related...

Redesigning a 96´ drop transfer chute using discrete element modeling

With a production capacity of more than 1,000 MW, this coal-fired power generator in the Midwest provides dependable baseload power to central and southern Indiana member distribution cooperatives.  At full load levels, the plant’s two generating...

EPRI releases interactive generation options tool

EPRI released an interactive, easy-to-use reference tool that enables users to evaluate the benefits and impacts of electricity generation technologies in a number of key areas. This on-line version of a previously released printed reference card...

The new Outotec Cooling Towers – High efficiency, strong environmental performance

Outotec launched a new series of cooling towers offering major environmental, safety and performance benefits in processes requiring efficient direct cooling, including zinc spent electrolyte cooling and copper solvent extraction gypsum removal, and...

New CMPT CTU system from SKF measures vibration, temperatures

SKF ’s CMPT Copperhead Transmitter Unit (CTU) is a new 24/7 digital vibration and temperature measurement and transmission tool that can work with machinery fault detection systems for fans, pumps, gearboxes and electric motors. The CMPT CTU...

Boiler tube panel saw produces clean, straight cuts

An air powered saw and track system that attaches easily to water wall boiler tube sections to produce perfectly square cuts that require no further rework is available from Esco Tool . The Millhog APS-438 Air Powered Saw and EscoTrack System lets...

AcousticEye introduces large diameter tube inspection up to 4”

AcousticEye , a pioneer in non-invasive tube inspection for the global heat exchanger market, introduced its new capabilities for ultra-fast inspection of tubes up to 4″ inner diameter in any shape or material. Achieving speed as fast as 10...

Former Polychromix CEO to lead Spectro Inc.

  Spectro Inc. , a provider of instrumentation and software for machine condition monitoring and preventive maintenance, appointed Brian Mitchell as president and CEO. Mitchell is a 30-year veteran in the optical instrumentation industry and...

Dover’s Pump Solutions Group acquires Quattroflow Fluid Systems

Pump Solutions Group , a business unit of Dover Corp., announced the acquisition of Quattroflow Fluid System GmbH & Co. KG in Germany.  Quattroflow’s positive displacement pumps incorporate a 4 piston-diaphragm technology with no...

Godwin Pumps of America changes name to Xylem Dewatering Solutions

  Godwin , the manufacturer of the Dri-Prime automatic self-priming, dry-running pump, changed its legal name to Xylem Dewatering Solutions Inc. The name change reflects the company’s continued efforts to provide customers with a broad...

Medhioub joins Kingsbury Inc.

Kingsbury Inc. is pleased to announce that Dr. Morched Medhioub has joined the company effective Nov. 1, 2011. Dr. Medhioub has more than 20 years of expertise in the field of hydrodynamic bearings, and is an alumnus of the University of Braunschweig...

Azima releases new vibration data collectors

Azima DLI is offering FREE T-Shirts and Mugs to celebrate the release of their new TRIO vibration data collectors and machine condition analyzers. TRIO™ CX-7 is the first of a new generation vibration data collectors and machine condition...

Noesis Energy acquires Managing Energy Inc.

Noesis Energy announced the acquisition of Managing Energy Inc. (MEI), an established provider of energy management and analytics software that will serve as the foundation for a new Noesis Energy service. Launched in 1994 by seasoned energy engineers,...

Feb. 21-22, 2012
Coal Performance Engineering Class

Versailles, Ky. www.coalcombustion.com

Feb. 21-22, 2012
Boiler Operation, Maintenance & Safety

Green Bay, Wis. www.americantrainco.com

Feb. 22-23, 2012
Boiler Integrity Management Workshop

Tampa, Fla. www.structint.com

Feb. 21-24, 2012
Basic Machinery Vibrations & Machinery Vibration Analysis

Tempe, Ariz. www.vibinst.org

March 7-8, 2012
Boiler Operation, Maintenance & Safety

Oakland, Calif. www.americantrainco.com