Power Engineering articles from February 2002

Power Engineering archives from February 2002

The sky is not falling. (Opinion).(energy industry)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... From the gloomy tone of the energy-related news stories filling the airwaves and print media these days, you'd be tempted to think the energy industry is in some sort of death spiral. While there has certainly been a pullback in enthusiasm and...

Brain Drain problem more serious. (Feedback).
February 1, 2002... Your "Brain Drain" editorial in the November issue begins by declaring that Power Engineering doesn't give a large amount of space to people in the power generation industry. Perhaps not, but the real problem is that the power generation...

Hybrid filter technology weds ESPs with bag filters. (Update).(electrostatic precipitation; W. L. Gore and Associates technology)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... DOE'S National Energy Technology Laboratories has awarded funding to support the first full-scale demonstration of W. L. Gore & Associates' advanced hybrid filtration technology in a coal-fired utility application. The advanced hybrid...

Steam purity debate rages on. (Water Treatment).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... In recent years I have reported on papers presented at the International Water Conference held every October in Pittsburgh, Pa. I have often provided an overview of important topics related to steam generation. This time, however, I wish to...

Kalina Cycle enjoying commerical success. (Update).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... The Kalina Cycle, invented back in the mid-1980s as an alternative to the conventional Rankine Cycle, and promoted as a potential replacement for large-scale steam boiler systems, may finally be finding its market entry point at the other end...

Energy Secretary selects Yucca Mountain as U.S. diposal site. (Update).(Spencer Abraham, nuclear waste disposal)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham has chosen Nevada's Yucca Mountain to be the nation's disposal site for long-term nuclear waste Abraham concluded the site 80 miles northwest of Las Vegas was scientifically sound and suitable as a repository...

Livermore Lab team proposed alternative ocean [CO.sub.2] sequestration process. (Update).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... Two scientists at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory believe they've devised a way to use the ocean for carbon dioxide sequestration that is different from the method currently envisioned. The proposed approach has received favorable...

Report says nuclear plant army would be counterproductive. (Update).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... A new report by the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) concludes that, because of the high caliber of existing security forces, and because a power plant's management should be unified across operational and security functions, legislative...

Quality fuel boosting critical to efficient gas-fired operations. (Update).(Reliant Resources)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... As manager for two simple-cycle peaking merchant units in Illinois, Reliant Resources' James Mason knows the critical role that reliable gas compression plays in bringing his units on-line smoothly and quickly. The plants are located in Aurora...

U.S. wind industry doubles previous record for new installations. (Update).(capacity)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
February 1, 2002... The U.S. wind energy industry installed 1,694 MW of new generating capacity in 16 states in 2001 according to figures from the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA). The total was more than twice the previous record set in 1999 when 732 MW...

Correction.
February 1, 2002... The November issue reported that the 1.35 MW solar installation at Tucson Electric's Springerville power plant is the largest solar installation in the western hemisphere. The item should have said it is the largest photovoltaic solar...

Construction and contracts. (Update).(industry briefs)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... Lexington, Ky.-based EnviroPower LLC has announced plans to develop coal-fired power projects totaling more than 4,000 MW and costing more than $3 billion. The plants would be located in the Great Lakes and Northeastern regions and would be...

Mergers and acquisitions. (Update).(various companies)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... American Electric Power (AEP) has acquired the 160 MW Indian Mesa Wind Power Project in West Texas from Enron Wind Corp. Under the terms of the agreement, AEP will fulfill previously announced power supply arrangements with City Public Service...

Snow pack could ease California's hydro drought. (Update).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... Snow pack is building up in areas that, come Spring and Summer, could increase the amount of hydropower that California and other western states will have this year. A water report issued in January in the Pacific Northwest projected...

Personnel and promotions. (Update).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... Matt Schatzman has been named president and CEO of Dynegy's Energy Convergence Business, where he will oversee energy marketing and origination, commercial asset management, operations and development Of Dynegy's U.S. generation facilities. ...

Northern Indiana Public Service Company (NIPSCO), a unit of diversified gas utility NiSource Inc. (Business Briefs).(announces corporate restructuring)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... Northern Indiana Public Service Company (NIPSCO), a unit of diversified gas utility NiSource Inc., has announced plans to separate its gas and electric businesses into two separate companies. NIPSCO said the separation will better reflect the...

Des Moines, Iowa-based MidAmerican. (Business Briefs).(considers expansion to Council Bluffs Energy Center)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... Des Moines, Iowa-based MidAmerican is considering adding a $1.4 billion coal-fired plant to its existing Council Bluffs Energy Center, with commercial operation planned for spring of 2007. The facility currently has three coal-fired units with...

FPL Energy. (Business Briefs).(operates large wind power facilities)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... FPL Energy has begun full operation of large wind power plants in Texas and Washington state. The 278 MW King Mountain Clean Energy Center near Odessa, Texas, and the 263-MW Stateline Clean Energy Center near Walla Walla, Washington, began...

Xcel Energy. (Business Briefs).(announces energy research investments)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... Xcel Energy will spend about $2.7 million in Colorado on energy-related research projects. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden will get the bulk of the research funding, with smaller portions going to the Colorado School of Mines...

Thirty-eight developers submitted 49 proposals for wind, solar, biomass, and geothermal projects to Nevada Power Co. and Sierra Pacific Power Co. (Business Briefs).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... Nevada utilities have received proposals for 3,000 MW of wind power in response to a request for proposals (REP) issued in mid-October, 2001 as required by state law mandating that five percent of each utility's electricity be generated by...

Vestas Wind Systms. (Business Briefs).(may locate wind turbine manufacturing site in Portland, Oregon)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... Vestas Wind Systms is considering Portland, Ore. as a manufacturing site. Vestas manufactures wind turbines, including those used in the Stateline Wind Project at the Oregon-Washington border near Walla Walla, the Northwest's largest wind...

Spain's Union Fenosa and Abengoa, Japan's Mitsubishi, Switzerland's ABB Energy, and France's Electricite de France and Alstom constructed the plants being inaugurated. (Business Briefs).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... Mexican President Vicente Fox warned that unless the flow of private investment in the energy sector to Mexico doesn't increase by about $5 billion per year, the country will soon have to ration electricity. Speaking at the inauguration of a...

Vectren Power Supply of Evansville, Indiana has selected the Avantis.PRO enterprise asset management software supplied by Invensys. (Business Briefs).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... Vectren Power Supply of Evansville, Indiana has selected the Avantis.PRO enterprise asset management software supplied by Invensys. Vectren will use Avantis at two of its power plants located near Evansville, Indiana. The plants include both...

The Bush Administration. (Business Briefs).(to convert surplus weapons-grade plutonium to nuclear plant fueld)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
February 1, 2002... The Bush Administration has announced plans to convert 34 metric tons of surplus weapons-grade plutonium into fuel for nuclear power plants, allowing the U.S. to comply with a Sept. 2000 agreement with Russia to dispose of an equal amount of...

Anthrax scare: May boost nuclear technology. (Nuclear Reactions).(U.S. Postal Service using irradiation to treat mail)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... I was surprised by the lack of public controversy over the U.S. Postal Service's (USPS) irradiation of the mail. Although I have not made an effort to determine the anti-nuclear organizations' responses to this use of radiation, it is...

Boiler market: Emerging from the shadows?(as companies look to diversify in fuel use)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... A GROWING DESIRE FOR FUEL DIVERSIFICATION IS DRIVING INTEREST IN THE BOILER MARKET AND PULLING IT OUT FROM THE SHADOWS. Less than a year ago, the boiler market appeared poised for a substantial resurgence, ready to take a bold step from...

American Boiler Manufacturers Association (ABMA): Companies providing innovative energy solutions since 1888. (Special Advertising Section).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... Whether it pertains to efficiency, emissions controls, safety or reliability, the member companies of the American Boiler Manufacturers Association bring a singular expertise to the fields of power generation, industrial and commercial process...

Rentech: Boilers for people who know and care[TM].(Rentech Boiler Systems)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
February 1, 2002... RENTECH Boiler Systems was established in 1996 and over the past six years has led the industry in producing new innovative boiler designs. Our combined 1,700 years of boiler-making experience and passion for customer service has made a...

New technologies aim to control multiple pollutants. (Emissions Control).(Statistical Data Included)
February 1, 2002... For the last four years Congress has discussed legislation for more stringent control of power plant emissions of sulfur dioxide ([SO.sub.2]), nitrogen oxide ([NO.sub.x]) carbon dioxide ([CO.sub.2]) and mercury (Hg). Effective January 1, 2000...

Reverse Osmosis supplies high quality water at low cost. (Water Treatment).(Connectiv Energy uses Osmonics system)
February 1, 2002... The primary goal of power plants is to generate and deliver power as dependably and efficiently as possible. While this goal may seem clear-cut, achieving it takes work. Variables, such as the role of high purity water, can significantly impact...

Water intake system at New Illinois power plant designed for variable flows. (Water Intake Structure).(Statistical Data Included)
February 1, 2002... The intake system that will draw cooling makeup water from the Kaskaskia River for Constellation Energy Group's $250 million Holland Energy plant in Shelby County, Ill., was designed to balance construction cost imperatives against the river's...

AmerenUE's coal unloading and transshipment facilities enhance viability of PRB coal. (Coal Handling).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... PRB coal is America's most abundant, cost-effective fuel. Production is increasing at a rate of 20 million tons per year, and the mine-mouth cost is typically $0.50-$0.60/MMBtu. To maximize the savings, transportation from the Great Plains...

Proper UPS essential for high reliability DG gensets. (DG Update).(uninterruptable power supply; direct generation)(Statistical Data Included)
February 1, 2002... The emergence of distributed generation -- whether for primary power or peak shaving -- can solve some, but not all, facility power quality problems. Economics is the driving force behind the surge toward distributed generation. Large users of...

Co-ops in Northwest testing traveling fuel cells. (DG Update).(from PNGC Power and IdaTech)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... A three kW fuel cell is touring electric co-ops in the Pacific Northwest, spending six to eight weeks at each company headquarters and supplying power to office and shop areas including sophisticated electronic equipment. When combined with its...

Caterpillar and FuelCell Energy will distribute fuel cell products. (Briefly Noted).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... Caterpillar and FuelCell Energy will distribute fuel cell products for industrial and commercial use. Caterpillar will distribute FuelCell Energy products through selected Caterpillar dealers in the U.S. The companies will provide fuel cell...

S&C Electric Company has purchased the power quality business operation Siemens Power Transmission and Distribution. (Briefly Noted).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... S&C Electric Company has purchased the power quality business operation Siemens Power Transmission and Distribution. The operation, located in Orlando, Florida, designs and manufactures dynamic voltage restorers that keep voltages stable by...

Generac Power Systems. (Briefly Noted).(Product Line Strategy Award)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... Generac Power Systems has received the Product Line Strategy Award for Frost & Sullivan for its array of power generation products. The strategic marketing firm said the award was presented because the Generac line demonstrates the most insight...

Electrotek Concepts. (Briefly Noted).(receives contract from National Rural Electric Cooperative Association)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... Electrotek Concepts has received a contract from the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association to study the feasibility of aggregation and dispatch of customer or third-party owned on-site generation installed primarily for back-up power....

Evaporative cooling increases summer capacity at geothermal plant. (Field Notes).(Mammoth Pacific Ltd.)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... MAMMOTH PACIFIC's geothermal plant in California's Sierra Nevada Mountains uses geothermal energy (hot water) from the Casa Diablo Springs. The plant, constructed in 1984, sells 32 MW of power to Southern California Edison. After using the heat...

Proforma software. (Products).(Competitive Energy Insight's EconExpert)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... EconExpert from Competitive Energy Insight provides a "universal" financial proforma model for the power generation and related industries. The program enables users to evaluate opportunities and risks associated with fossil projects without...

Burner system. (Products).(Eclipse Inc.'s FlueFire)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... Eclipse Inc.'s FlueFire burner system has been specially designed to provide supplemental firing in cogeneration installations. FlueFire ensures intimate mixing of turbine exhaust gases with the burner fuel to provide complete combustion. The...

Measurement gage. (Products).(Gagemaker Inc.)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... The MIC 360 diameter gage from Gagemaker Inc. measures internal and external diameters of large-diameter turbine components from up to 100 feet away and while they are rotating at speeds up to 360 SFM. Measurement accuracies, traceable to NIST,...

Diesel fuel injectors. (Products).(Interstate Diesel)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... A new bulletin on ECOTIP Super Stack diesel engine fuel injectors for power generation applications is available from Interstate Diesel. The bulletin provides the latest research and application data on fuel injectors with patented features...

Vane Thermo-Anemometer. (Products).(Dwyer Instruments)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... The multi-function Series VT-200 Vane Thermo-Anemometer from Dwyer Instruments can measure air velocity, volume and temperature. The instrument features a dual four-digit LCD that can simultaneously display air velocity and temperature in...

Conveyor Release Backstop Device. (Products).(Van der Graaf Omc/)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... A patented Manual Release Backstop (MRB) Device from Van der Graaf Inc. reduces the time and effort needed to reverse inclined conveyor direction. The MRB dev can disengage an internal backstop by turning a cap screw allowing the drum motor...

Head protection. (Products).(hard hats from American Allsafe)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... American Allsafe has added the Head-Turners hardhats to their line of head protection. Two designs are offered that can withstand temperature variances, humidity and exposure to UV light for long-lasting wear. The Night Vision design is fully...

Enron and the two cows. (efun@pe.laf).(business anecdote)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... Feudalism: You have two cows. Your lord takes some of the milk. Capitalism: You have two cows. You sell one and buy a bull. Your herd multiplies, and the economy grows. You sell them and retire on the income. ...