If you're still hoping that emissions of CO2 and other greenhouse gases from powerplants will not be regulated, it's time to face reality. EPA's Carbon Pollution Standard, issued September 20, proposed GHG emissions limits for new electric generating units (EGUs). Publication of these rules in the Federal Register is expected within a month. This will trigger a 60-day public comment period, enabling your company's views to be heard before the final standards are promulgated. Emissions limits for existing powerplants will be proposed when the final rules are in place for new generating facilities. more

Follow TIL 1509 recommendations rigorously to minimize 7F operational risks

In any given year, Advanced Turbine Support LLC's borescope inspection teams may work in more plants powered by gas turbines than any other third-party service provider. The editors tracked down President Rod Shidler and Field Service Manager Mike Hoogsteden in the exhibit hall at the CTOTF™ Fall Conference in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, in early September, and asked about the latest results from the company's TIL 1509 inspections, which CCJ ONsite has covered regularly for the last two years. Recall that the GE document addresses F-class front-end compressor inspections, focusing on rows R0, S0, and R1. TIL 1509's recommendations are important, and "required" by the OEM. One reason: Engine availability and reliability can be compromised by front-end compressor rubs, which are conducive to metal liberation and downstream damage. more 

The GE F-Class Roundtable at CTOTF's™ 2013 Fall Conference in Coeur d'Alene, September 8-12, was intense, running virtually non-stop from 8 am to 5 pm. Session Chair Pierre Boehler, a senior engineer for NRG Energy Inc, and Vice Chair Mike Hartsig, plant manager for Star West Generation LLC's 2 x 1 Griffith Energy, organized 11 prepared presentations and several open discussion sessions that more than filled the day.

     The morning was dedicated to presentations by the OEM and open discussion between owner/operators and the GE team, headed by Andy Baxter, business leader for the 7F gas turbine platform. Key presentation topics were an update on the compressor section, 7F design evolution and hot-section changes, new naming convention, compressor-blade monitoring system, hot-section hardware, and the OEM's designs to address new market requirements-such as fast start/fast ramp capability. more

Life extension of hot-section parts launched the afternoon session of the GE F-Class Roundtable at a high energy level with the polished Hans van Esch at the front of the room. His presentation was based on the experiences of EPRI, Duke, and TEServices, the company he founded, regarding engineering and assessments of 7FA buckets, nozzles, and shroud blocks.

     The metallurgical authority, who spent the early part of his career in component engineering and repairs at industry leaders such as Hickham Industries and Elbar (both now part of Sulzer Turbo Services) and Chromalloy, opened by saying the OEMs are conservative about life expectations of their industrial gas turbine (IGT) parts-especially for advanced-technology components. more

Freezing temperatures are already being experienced in the upper Midwest and many areas north of the Mason-Dixon Line will suffer the same conditions within a few weeks. Personnel at plants in the cold climes generally are adept at dealing with winter weather events and prepare accordingly. However, facilities to the south often are caught "napping." The consequences can be severe.

     During the Regulatory and Compliance Roundtable at CTOTF's™ Fall Conference, September 8-12, a user reported on lessons learned from cold-weather incidents. The information was compiled by NERC. The following case histories were excerpted from that presentation. more

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