2013 Frame 6 Users Group Annual Conference: Issue #1

Safety, thorough planning critical to outage success
That's certainly not news, but when outages don't go smoothly the reason often involves a violation of safety procedures and/or a failure to plan work packages rigorously. As you sit through open discussions and presentations on these subjects at user-group meetings there's a tendency to "tune out" because you think you've heard it all several times before. more

Frame 6 users get the latest operational data on HEPA filters

Absent a scientific hands-up poll, it's reasonable to assume many attendees believed they knew pretty much all there was to know about air filters, a frequent discussion topic at this and other user meetings-that is, until Tom Kelmartin, PE, W L Gore & Associates Inc, began speaking on HEPA gas-turbine inlet filters. more

Repair cross-threaded compression fittings quickly
Compression-type tube connections, such as those manufactured by Swagelok Co, are specified for use in fluid circuits because of their ability to seal leak-tight despite frequent disassembly/ reassembly-that is, unless the threads are damaged in the process by debris, misalignment, or inadvertent impact. Cross-threading of the nut on the tube end, which can occur while connecting it to the male end of the fitting, is the most common type of damage. more
Multiple discussion sessions cover topics of importance to Frame 6 users

More than a few user presentations brought about vibrant discussion, always a hallmark of this well-organized group:

  • Compressors
  • Combustors
  • Mitigating operational risk
  • Control systems
  • Lube oil coolers
  • Shaft grounding more
Analysis and maintenance of turbine lubricants
Where is a good starting point for understanding the science of lube oil? Begin by learning the basics, and the language, of lube-oil maintenance so you have a knowledge platform from which to ask better questions of all those who claim to know exactly what your problem is and how to solve it. This probably was on the minds of the Frame 6 Users Group's steering committee when they invited Richard Trent of Hy-Pro Filtration and Peter Dufresne of EPT to speak on turbine lubricant maintenance and analysis. more
ACT shop tour a learning experience for Frame 6 users
The 2013 Frame 6 Users Group meeting went into OT with a well-executed and informative tour of ACT Independent Turbo Services' shops after the official end of the conference with lunch on June 20. Seven users and the editors spent nearly three hours with VP Engineering Glenn Turner, VP Operations Matt Lau, and other ACT team members learning/reviewing how to repair combustion components, nozzles and vanes, blades and buckets, etc. more
Shroud-block mod reduces leakage of hot gas by turbine blades; boosts output

Doug Nagy, manager of component repairs for Liburdi Turbine Services, told owner/operators attending the the Frame 6 Users Group that at least some of them could boost the output of their 6B engines by minimizing the leakage of hot gas between rotating and stationary turbine components. With most gas turbines represented by attendees relatively old, Nagy said there's an opportunity to squeeze 0.25 MW, possibly more, from the typical machine. more

Condensing economizer key to plant's energy savings

Most user-group meetings allow substantial time during refreshment breaks and meals to share experiences individually and in small groups. You can learn a great deal. One of the attendees at this year's meeting told the editors about an energy-saving idea that has provided a meaningful return for both his plant and the host finishing steel mill: a condensing heat exchanger in the flue-gas circuit. more

  
  
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