2015 CTOTF Fall Turbine Forum, Issue 1

When a Kuala Lumpur-based overhaul contractor encountered ongoing turbine vibrations at the Sabah Electricity Power Plant in Labuan, Malaysia, its call went 13 time zones away to Paul Tucker in Texas. Tucker's first call was to Ken Knecht in Alaska. They agreed to work from their respective home offices to fix the problem. more   
CTOTF: 40 years and counting
CTOTF™ celebrated four decades of service to the industry with a gala celebration to kick off its fall 2015 conference and trade show in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, September 20-24. The formal affair was a fitting send-off for Wickey and Mike Elmo, who retired after managing CTOTF meetings and the organization's administrative activities for the last 20 years, give or take. Their Puritan work ethic, business sense, warmth, and generosity were constants in a prolonged period of disruptive industry change, contributing very significantly to CTOTF's ongoing success. more
Improve plant profitability by optimizing thermal energy storage
 
TES systems increase profitability of gas-turbine-powered generating plants by exploiting daily pricing patterns to chill water in off-peak hours and then provide turbine inlet-air cooling in peak demand periods to boost output and improve heat rate. However, TES systems often are operated using default running schedules based on vendor design calculations, which do not account for the actual prices of electricity and natural gas, or weather conditions, or the thermodynamic state of the plant. more 
Control system as powerplant brain: The quest continues
Anyone using a state-of-the-art "phone," tablet, pad, or other personal digital assistant (PDA) knows that it has become less a "device" and more of a personal information, entertainment, and life management system. Similarly, today's powerplant digital distributed control system (DCS) is looking more like a platform for real-time asset management than simply an "automation" system-a fully functioning plant brain, if you will. more 
Value proposition of the 7EA Users Group meeting extends to owner/operators of most GE frames
There are compelling reasons for owners and operators of most GE frames to attend the 7EA Users Group's 2015 conference and vendor fair, November 9-12, in Santa Fe, NM. First and foremost, much of the subject matter incorporated into presentations and discussion forums applies to engines in the Frame 6 and 7F fleets as well as B-EA. Clashing is one example. more 
Transparency prevails as T3000 users air experiences
In this day and age of corporate paranoia over messaging and little constructive critique and problem solving for the good of the industry outside of closed rooms, the invitation extended to CCJ to participate in the T3000 Users Group is testament itself to Siemens' goal of greater transparency regarding T3000 implementations and continuing support. Readers should view the issues identified here as punch-list items to review with other T3000 users and Siemens when evaluating existing automation or considering new or replacement systems. more