Power Engineering articles from November 2008

Power Engineering archives from November 2008

Economy trumps climate change.(Opinion)(Editorial)
November 1, 2008... Meaningful climate change legislation in the U.S. Congress seems unlikely any time soon. Here's why and why this may not be good news, especially for developers of baseload coal-fired power plants. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Congress this...

Then and now.(Opinion)(Editorial)
November 1, 2008... The first POWER-GEN International was held in Orlando in 1988 and this year the event marks its 20th anniversary. Those 20 years have seen the euphoria and caution of deregulation; the bursting of the combined cycle bubble then its...

Economic shock could be therapeutic.(Opinion)(Editorial)
November 1, 2008... Turmoil in the financial markets has injected the words "volatility" and "uncertainty" with steroids. Will the electric power sector feel the pinch? Of course, but frozen credit markets and belt-tightening could cause some surprising shifts in...

Durability & reliability challenges for photovoltaics.(View on Renewables)
November 1, 2008... The increase in activity in the clean energy sector leads one to believe that this time around the excitement may actually amount to something. Despite declining production costs and increasing cell conversion efficiencies, cost remains a...

Renewable hydrogen production technologies.(View on Renewables)
November 1, 2008... Hydrogen's potential lies in its partnership with fuel cells, electrochemical devices that combine hydrogen and oxygen to produce electricity, with water and heat as the by-products. Since the conversion of the fuel to energy takes place via an...

Principles before plan.(Nuclear Reactions)(Editorial)
November 1, 2008... During the presidential campaign much was made of the differences between Senators Obama and McCain in terms of their support for nuclear power. However, both candidates supported CO, emission control legislation and neither candidate was...

POWER-GEN International @20: a look back at issues and events from 1988.(Conference news)
November 1, 2008... Twenty years ago on page 6 of the January 1988 edition of Power Engineering magazine, a full-page ad introduced "POWER-GEN '88" to the world. The inaugural event, which grew to become POWER-GEN International, was held at the Orlando Convention...

20th annual POWER-GEN International: welcomes the world to Orlando, Florida.(Startup)(Conference news)
November 1, 2008... Here's a guide to making the most of your time at POWER-GEN International and NUCLEAR POWER International. There's a full week of comprehensive Competitive Power College courses; networking events, including the POWER-GEN International 20th...

50 countries weigh nuclear new build.(Startup)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... Nuclear reactors may produce more than one-fifth of global electricity by 2050 as demand for power rises in countries such as China and India, according to a report by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. At the...

Texas pushes transmission decision.(Startup)(Public Utility Commission of Texas)
November 1, 2008... Already playing host to more wind generation than any other place in the United States, Texas is now grappling with how to get it to customers. And because it does not have enough transmission in the right places, wind project deployment in the...

Geothermal resource growth.(Startup)
November 1, 2008... Time was when geothermal energy (long associated with erupting geysers and temperatures above 1,000 F) was considered a valuable source of renewable electricity in places where it was easily accessible (such as The Geysers in California) but...

Initial oxy-firing [CO.sub.2] capture testing completed.(Babcock and Wilcox Co. concludes initial testing of its oxy-firing process)
November 1, 2008... Babcock & Wilcox recently concluded initial testing of its oxy-firing process and is currently analyzing the results. Although a fall report on the results will not be available until early next year, B&W has issued preliminary findings. ...

NERC shaves 10-year peak demand growth.(Startup)(Statistical table)
November 1, 2008... Summer peak demand growth across the U.S. will go up by more than 16 percent between 2008 and 2017. That estimate came from the North American Reliability Corp. in its 2008 Long-Term Reliability Assessment. NERC said the 16.6 percent rate...

FPL energy trims new wind capacity plans.(Startup)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... In light of the current economic and credit environment, FPL Group said it will reduce capital expenditures for 2009, including planned expenditures for wind energy projects. The company ranks among the largest wind energy developers in the...

Partial solar eclipse at Duke Energy.(Startup)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... Duke Energy cut in half its S100 million plan to place solar-electric panels on North Carolina rooftops. Duke's revised proposal calls for $50 million in spending over two years to generate 8 MW from up to 425 solar sites. Consumer...

Exelon Generation to buy wind power.(Startup)(Twin Groves Wind Farm acquired)
November 1, 2008... Exelon Generation Co. LLC said it plans to buy 198 MW of output from the 396 MW Twin Groves Wind Farm in Bloomington, III., some 150 miles southwest of Chicago. Exelon bought the off-take agreement from Constellation Energy Commodities Group...

Geothermal technology produces power at oil wells.(Startup)
November 1, 2008... Ormat Technologies has successfully tested a geothermal application that could help extend the life of existing oil fields. In a joint project with the Department of Energy, Ormat is co-producing geothermal power at operating oil wells. ...

Power credit fundamentals look OK, S&P says.(Startup)
November 1, 2008... Regulated electric and gas utilities and power companies have not been immune to the devastatingly rapid consequences of negative market sentiment. The rated U.S. regulated utility and merchant power companies' total debt outstanding is...

Duke Energy Corp.(Business Briefs)
November 1, 2008... The Indiana Court of Appeals upheld regulators' approval of Duke Energy Corp.'s proposed 630 MW, $2.35 billion Edwardsport coal gasification power plant, handing a defeat to environmental groups opposed to the project. The plant is scheduled to...

Deepwater Wind.(Business Briefs)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... Rhode Island has granted Deepwater Wind the right to develop an offshore wind farm that would generate 15 percent of the state's electricity in the coming decade. Deepwater said the project will consist of about 100 turbines more than 20 miles...

PPL Energy.(Business Briefs)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... PPL Energy said in a conference call that third quarter wind energy conditions were the worst it has seen in 35 years. The company, which is the largest wind power developer in the U.S., said wind farm production came in below projections in...

UTC Power.(Business Briefs)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... UTC Power's first two production geothermal power systems installed this summer at the Burget Greenhouse in Animas, N. M., are exceeding performance expectations. The units produce electricity from geothermal hot water. Power from the units is...

Calpine Corp. and Mitsui & Co. Ltd.(Business Briefs)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... Calpine Corp. and Mitsui & Co. Ltd. completed construction of the 1,005 MW Greenfield Energy Centre near Sarnia, Ontario, Canada. Greenfield is a limited partnership between units of Calpine and Mitsui, each holding a 50 percent project...

Oak Ridge National Laboratory.(Business Briefs)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... An analysis by Oak Ridge National Laboratory says annual carbon dioxide emissions from burning fossil fuels and manufacturing worldwide have grown 38 percent since 1992. The study shows [CO.sub.2] emissions increased from 6.1 billion tons in...

Xcel Energy.(Business Briefs)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... Xcel Energy will increase the use of biomass at its Bay Front Power Plant in Ashland, Wis. When complete, Bay Front will be the largest biomass-fueled power plant in the Midwest and one of the largest in the nation. It currently uses more than...

Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant.(Business Briefs)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... President Bush signed a bill aimed at preventing Russia from flooding the U.S. market with uranium and protecting the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant in Paducah, Ky. The legislation is aimed at limiting Russia's future U.S. market share for...

ExxonMobil and Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne.(Business Briefs)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... ExxonMobil and Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne have agreed to develop next-generation technology to convert coal, coke or biomass to synthesis gas that could facilitate the use of carbon capture and storage to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from...

General Electric.(Business Briefs)
November 1, 2008... General Electric and the School of Energy Resources at the University of Wyoming plan to build a plant in Wyoming that will gasify high-moisture sub-bituminous southern Powder River Basin coal. Most gasification in the U.S. happens in...

General Physics Corp.(Construction & Contracts)(in deal with Societatea Nationala Nuclearelectrica )(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... General Physics Corp. won a contract by Societatea Nationala Nuclearelectrica (Romania) to provide performance engineering services (thermodynamic modeling, performance testing, and plant thermal performance analyses) for the Cernavoda Nuclear...

Areva and Northrop Grumman.(Construction & Contracts)
November 1, 2008... Areva and Northrop Grumman will build a facility in Newport News, Va., to supply the U.S. nuclear energy sector. The joint venture will build heavy components such as reactor vessels, steam generators and pressurizers for the US. Evolutionary...

EnviroPower.(Construction & Contracts)(coal fired power plant construction rules)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... A federal appeals court sided with a judge who earlier stopped work on a 600 MW coal-tired power plant in Illinois. The court agreed with a lower court that ruled EnviroPower needs a new air permit with stricter pollution controls. Illinois...

Fluor Corp.(Construction & Contracts)(USEC Inc. to build nuclear power plants )(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... USEC Inc. has awarded an EPC contract worth about $1 billion to Fluor Corp, for USEC's American Centrifuge Plant in Piketon, Ohio, The American Centrifuge Plant is being developed to provide long-term nuclear fuel production to support current...

Vogt Power International Inc.(Construction & Contracts)(heat recovery steam generators supplied to Conectiv Energy)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... Vogt Power International Inc. received an order to supply the heat recovery steam generators (HRSGs) for Conectiv Energy's Delta Power Plant near Delta, Pa., The plant will generate a nominal 545 MW of electricity. Vogt Power will supply three...

The Shaw Group.(Construction & Contracts)(NV Energy to build natural gas fired power plant )(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... The Shaw Group has been awarded an EPC contract valued at approximately $400 million by NV Energy for the continuing construction of a new 500 MW combined cycle, natural gas-fired power plant to be built at the Harry Allen Generating Station...

Jacobs Engineering Group.(Construction & Contracts)(Epcor)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... Jacobs Engineering Group will provide pre-FEED (front-end engineering and design) services for Epcor's proposed 270 MW Genesee integrated gasification combined cycle project in Alberta, Canada. The Genesee IGCC plant would demonstrate coal...

Chicago Bridge and Iron.(Construction & Contracts)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... Chicago Bridge and Iron won an EPC contract valued at more than $150 million to build two nuclear containment vessels for a southeastern U.S. utility consortium. These, are the first two containment vessels for the Westinghouse USAP 1000 New...

ADA-ES.(Construction & Contracts)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... ADA-ES will buy four multiple-hearth furnaces and a boiler to generate steam to activate carbon as part of a project in Louisiana that will use the company's mercury control technology. ADA believes the contracts keep the company on the path to...

Areva and Bechtel Power.(Construction & Contracts)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... A consortium of Areva and Bechtel Power has been contracted by UniStar Nuclear Energy to complete detailed design engineering for a proposed Areva U.S. Evolutionary Power Reactor adjacent to Constellation Energy's Calvert Cliffs nuclear plant...

Brevini USA.(Construction & Contracts)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... Brevini USA has announced plans for a new facility in Muncie, Ind., to make wind turbine gearboxes. Brevini will invest more than $60 million to retrofit an existing 60,000-square-foot building and add 150,000 square feet of manufacturing space...

Polymarin Composites and Wind Water Technologies.(Construction & Contracts)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... Polymarin Composites and Wind Water Technologies plan to invest $20 million to transform a former manufacturing plant in Little Rock, Ark., into a combined wind turbine blade and nacelle manufacturing facility.

Steven E. Kurmas.(People & Personnel)(Detroit Edison Co.)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... Robert J. Buckler, president and chief operating officer of Detroit Edison and a 35-year veteran of the company, is retiring in December. The DTE Energy board of directors elected Steven E. Kurmas president and chief operating officer of...

Jim Piro, CFO.(People & Personnel)(Portland General Electric Co.)(chief financial officer)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... Peggy Fowler, CEO of Portland General Electric, is retiring March 1. She has been CEO since April 2000 and will be succeeded January 1 by Jim Piro, CFO, who has 28 years with PGE. Fowler joined PGE as a chemist in 1974. Piro said the company...

Jack Tuohy.(People & Personnel)(American Nuclear Society)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... The American Nuclear Society named Jack Tuohy as its new Executive Director. Tuohy has a 38-year background in corporate management, consulting, academia and nuclear engineering. Most recently, he served as Director of Hitachi America Ltd,...

Greg Gibson.(People & Personnel)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... UniStar Nuclear Energy LLC, a joint venture between Constellation Energy and EDF Group, named Greg Gibson vice president for regulatory affairs. Gibson joins UniStar from South Texas Project Units 3 and 4. He will oversee licensing of UniStar's...

Thomas P. Joyce.(People & Personnel)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... Public Service Enterprise Group, elected Thomas P. Joyce as president and chief nuclear officer of PSEG Nuclear. Joyce has been the senior vice president-operations at PSEG Nuclear since June 2007. In that role he was responsible for the...

Exelon is offering to buy NRG Energy.(Mergers & Acquisitions)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... Exelon is offering to buy NRG Energy in an all-stock deal worth around $6.2 billion. The offer represents a 37 percent premium to the October 17 closing price for NRG shares. NRG said it would study the offer. An Exelon-NRG merger would create...

Puget Sound Energy.(Mergers & Acquisitions)
November 1, 2008... Puget Sound Energy will purchase the recently completed 310 MW Mint Farm gas-fired plant in southwest Washington state from Wayzata Opportunities Fund for $240 million.

AMEC Wind Energy.(Mergers & Acquisitions)
November 1, 2008... Swedish power group Vattenfall has bought AMEC Wind Energy for $222 million cash.

French energy company Electricite de France SA dropped its bid for Constellation Energy Group Inc.(Mergers & Acquisitions)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... French energy company Electricite de France SA dropped its bid for Constellation Energy Group Inc. because of the global credit crisis. EdF said it still hopes to develop four new nuclear reactors in the U.S. and is studying other options....

Tenaska Capital Management LLC.(Mergers & Acquisitions)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... Tenaska Capital Management LLC is buying a 1,100 MW natural gas-fired power plant near South Haven, Mich., from MACH Gen LLC. Financial terms were not disclosed. The plant has been operating since 2004. MACH Gen was created in 2003 to own,...

Turbine tech drives wind into the generation mainstream.
November 1, 2008... From the first megawatt-size wind turbine erected in the U.S. in 1941 to the sleek and powerful designs of today, technological advancements have steadily upgraded wind energy's position in the generation mix so that now, it's right in the...

Substratum intake system: once-through cooling hybrid.
November 1, 2008... Rising fuel cost, demand for carbon footprint reduction and closed-cycle cooling is simply incongruent. Thus the development and evolution of a once-through cooling hybrid, the substratum intake system. This new system (presently in pilot)...

Supplemental pumps pay off during low river conditions.
November 1, 2008... Low river levels are causing reliability problems with once-through circulating water pump systems at several coal-fired power generating plants sited along the Missouri and Mississippi rivers. River bottom degradation and U.S. Army Corps of...

Steam generation thermodynamics 101: it's critical for power professionals to understand the nuances of how stingy a power a power plant steam cycle really is.
November 1, 2008... Everyone knows baby boomers in the power sector have reached retirement age, meaning many new hires will be thrust into technical positions where fundamental information is valuable. One such area is steam generating efficiency. It's therefore...

Define then achieve fleet optimization: using continuous improvement to make assets perform at their peak.
November 1, 2008... The term "optimization" has been used so much, for so many things, that by now it has almost no meaning. Recently, the term "fleet optimization" has been bandied about, with the implication that by installing a lot of computer networking and...

Coordinated control and optimization of a complex industrial power plant.
November 1, 2008... Alcoa World Alumina L.L.C. is one of the world's largest producers of metallurgical grade alumina, the raw material for the aluminum smelting process. The Point Comfort Operations is Alcoa's only alumina refinery in the U.S., with a production...

Interim Tier 4 emissions regulations for generators: the EPA's mobile non-road requirements now apply to stationary applications.(Environmental Protection Agency)
November 1, 2008... Keeping apprised of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) complex diesel emissions regulations can be a challenge, but now that these requirements encompass not only mobile off-highway applications but also stationary applications,...

Ultra-Low [NO.sub.x] burners can get even better: tougher emission rules are forcing development of even more effective ultra low [NO.sub.x] burners.
November 1, 2008... In the mid-1990s, a technology was developed that allowed burning natural gas in industrial boilers while producing nitrogen oxide ([NO.sub.x]) emissions less than nine parts per million by volume (ppm). This technology involves rapidly mixing...

Designed-in safety: comprehensive review of potential hazards and operational safety designed into power plants is becoming more common.
November 1, 2008... As design engineers and architects, we have a tremendous opportunity to improve the quality of life in the communities in which we work and live. Engineers are able to take the theoretical and sometimes abstract principles of science and apply...

Heat exchanger technology: the advantages: header-type feedwater heaters may offer a good alternative to U-type heaters for large fossil-fired power plants.
November 1, 2008... For many of the new European supercritical coal-fired plants, builders are turning their attention to a heat exchanger technology that offers convincing technical and economic advantages over conventional U-type feedwater heaters. The...

Oil-filled transformer explosions: experiments show the efficiency of a direct mechanical explosion and fire prevention strategy method.
November 1, 2008... Power transformers are one of the most dangerous pieces of electrical equipment because of the large quantity of oil they contain, which is in direct contact with high voltage elements. Under such circumstances, low impedance faults that result...

The case for using reclaimed water: using water reclaimed from waste water treatment plants to cool power plants isn't new, but the trend is likely to increase.
November 1, 2008... If climate change is found to have significant impacts, one area may be in how precipitation changes will affect how much water is available for power production. Climate change can affect water availability due to changes in air temperature,...

Sonic horns: a user's introduction.
November 1, 2008... Asonic horn can get material flowing in your storage vessel or hopper truck or railcar by directing low-frequency sound vibrations into the vessel to fluidize stagnant material and buildup. This article introduces storage applications for sonic...

SCADA systems: unknown connections could spell trouble.(Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition)
November 1, 2008... The ease with which TCP/IP enables one to connect networks has been a huge boon for the power generation industry. Far-flung operations can be hooked up to the network and controlled remotely. And devices that once required manual adjustment...

Instrument mounting and manifold system.(Field Notes)
November 1, 2008... A new type of mounting system for process transmitters is helping to improve control system maintenance at Athens Generating Plant's combined-cycle power generation facility in Athens, N.Y. The system replaces traditional impulse line...

Advanced overfire air/SNCR and sorbent injection system.(Field Notes)(Selective Non -Catalytic Reduction)(overfire air)
November 1, 2008... Many utilities must reduce nitrogen oxide ([NO.sub.x]) and sulfur dioxide ([SO.sub.2]) emissions from their boilers, but may not have the budget to install and operate large, complicated control systems, such as selective catalytic reduction...

Multi-element water strainer technology.(Field Notes)
November 1, 2008... Bulk raw water users, such as PPL Electric Utilities, protect process and downstream equipment by selecting multi-element water strainer technology Whether used for cooling or for the process itself, the raw water drawn from lakes, rivers and...

Big hoists lift a big duct.(Field Notes)
November 1, 2008... A pollution control project at the Plant Scherer Power generating station in Juliette, Ga., required ingenuity, experience and knowhow. Not to mention some nifty lifting equipment. The duct work needed to be positioned within a congested area...

Progressing cavity pump.(Products)
November 1, 2008... Moyno Inc. offers the Moyno 2000 progressing cavity pump for handling highly viscous coal/oil slurry mixtures in the power generation and industrial markets. The Moyno 2000 pump is a proven performer in multi-fuel or dual-fuel applications for...

Agitators.(Products)
November 1, 2008... The Chemineer Model 20 HT/GT top-entering agitators feature a swing out seal change design for casy seal maintenance and reduced maintenance cost. With the Model 20 HT/GT agitators, there is no need to lift or remove the gearbox. For...

Low [NO.sub.x] burner.(Products)
November 1, 2008... Hamworthy Peabody Combustion announces the ECOjet burner, offering ultra-low emissions with little or no flue gas recirculation. Ignition is achieved using the Chentronics high energy direct spark ignitor. This burst mode ignition with flashing...

Mechanical switch.(Products)
November 1, 2008... The Vibralert Model 5550 Mechanical Vibration Switch is designed to provide vibration protection for low- to medium-speed machinery. An inertia sensitive mechanism activates a snap-action switch with SPDT output contacts if the vibration...

Encoder and motor feedback system guide for wind power.(Products)
November 1, 2008... Sick Stegmann Inc. introduces the Guide to Encoder and Motor Feedback Systems for Wind Power Systems. This illustrated guide highlights encoder and motor feedback solutions that deliver maximum reliability in even the most aggressive conditions...

Alarm manager.(Products)
November 1, 2008... Matrikon announces the release of Matrikon Alarm Manager V4.2 featuring enforcement, bypass management, and incident review capabilities. Matrikon Alarm Manager V4.2 now includes Alarm Manager Enforcer, Alarm Manager Custodian and Alarm...

Electric chain hoist.(Products)
November 1, 2008... Konecranes offers the wXN Electric Chain Hoist, a light-weight, compact chain hoist to be mounted to a jib crane within the nacelle of the turbine. With a standard lifting capacity from 1/8 to 1 ton and optional higher capacities, the wXN...

Gate valves.(Products)
November 1, 2008... Conval offers Clampseal Swivldisc gate valves in standard sizes from 1/2" to 4" through ASME Class 3500. The unique wedge gate design employs a flexible disc designed to permit the seating surfaces to achieve perfect alignment The valve is...

Bird control product catalog.(Products)
November 1, 2008... Bird-B-Gone Inc. announces a new catalog. The new catalog features a complete line of bird deterrents to help solve virtually any pest bird problem. The full color, 45-page catalog includes Bird-B-Gone classics like the Bird Spike 2001 and Bird...

Combustible gas detector.(Products)
November 1, 2008... General Monitors' advanced S4000C Combustible Gas Detector is now available with HART. The new Model S4000CH detector is suitable for a wide range of demanding industrial applications where the potential presence of dangerous hydrocarbon-based...

LED illuminator.(Products)
November 1, 2008... Clark-Reliance Corp. has announced a new illuminator. Jerguson NightStar illuminators are for use with its Magnicator II magnetic liquid level gages. An array of bright LEDs continually shines on the gage's magnetic flag indicators to provide...

Boiler tube panel saw.(Products)
November 1, 2008... A panel saw and steel track system that attaches easily to water wall boiler tubes using weld tabs that help determine the cut line and fully support to tool are available from ESCO Tool. The PanelHog APS-438LP low-profile saw and EscoTrack...

Cartridge valve.(Products)
November 1, 2008... Parker Fluid Control Division now offers a new line of manifold mount Cartridge Valves. The valve is an alternative to solenoid operators and stud mount valves. The Cartridge Valve is part of a family of direct-acting solenoid valves for...

Renewable energy sealing system.(Products)
November 1, 2008... Trelleborg Sealing Solutions developed a sealing configuration jointly with AVN Energy A/S. This unique configuration is engineered to enhance lubrication and optimize friction characteristics, at the same time preventing any external leakage...

Boiler coating.
November 1, 2008... NanoSteel Co. announces the commercial availability of a new Super Hard Steel alloy, SHS 8000, for coating solutions in the power generation industry for pressure parts. SHS 8000 is a cored wire solution for twin wire arc thermal spraying...

Output sensors.(Products)
November 1, 2008... The IMI Sensors division of PCB Piezotronics has released Series EX64xB7x, a line of loop-powered 4-20 mA output sensors with a 1-inch NPT, 90 degree capped elbow conduit, to meet ATEX and CSA approval requirements for use in hazardous areas....