2013 Western Turbine Users Conference (WTUI): Issue #2

Coal retirements accelerate, gas and renewables gain market share

The natural-gas-fueled combined-cycle and renewables fleets will experience strong growth through 2018, according to data compiled by Energy Ventures Analysis Inc, an Arlington (Va) consulting firm specializing in energy and environmental market analysis and forecasting associated with the power, natural-gas, coal, oil, and emissions markets. more

LMS100 puts up all-star stats, based on ORAP® data from Strategic Power Systems

In a presentation to the owner/operators of LMS100 engines at the 23rd Annual Meeting of the Western Turbine Users Inc in San Diego earlier this week, SPS CEO Salvatore A DellaVilla Jr summarized the five-year performance of the young LMS100 fleet from January 2008 through December 2012. Highlights included the following:

 

* Fleet availability, 96.7%. 

* Forced-outage factor, 1.5%.

* Maintenance-outage factor, 1.4%.

* Planned-outage factor, 0.4%.

* Service factor, 21.1%. more

2013 WTUI ushered in with changing of the guard, depot presentations

Jon Kimble told the large assembly of attendees participating in the opening session of the WTUI's 23rd Annual Conference and Exhibition at the San Diego Convention Center Monday morning that he was stepping down as president of the Western Turbine Users Inc after five years at the helm because of demanding business and personal commitments.

 

Reports by each of the five depots-ANZGT, Avio, IHI, MTU Maintenance Berlin-Brandenburg, and TransCanada Turbines-followed the business portion of the session. more

UPDATE: HEPA filters performing better than expected

A few years ago, when a frame OEM gave suppliers of HEPA filters a big assist by strongly suggesting water not be used in engines of its manufacture for boosting gas-turbine (GT) output and/or compressor cleaning, several high-run-time users told the editors they did not expect to get more than a year or two from a set of HEPAs.

 

At that time, HEPA filters cost as much as four or five times the asking price for conventional panel filters. With little hard data on HEPA-filter performance in powerplant and pipeline service, most GT owners were reluctant to pay such a premium for a product unproven in their industry. That's no longer generally true. more
  
  
  
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