Power Engineering articles from September 2004

Power Engineering archives from September 2004

Be careful what you ask for.(Opinion)(mercury regulations)(Column)
September 1, 2004... When the Environmental Protection Agency finalizes its mercury regulations by next March, one thing is certain: not everyone will be happy. That's the sober truth when you consider the thousands of public comments that have been submitted on...

Coal stays on the front burner.(Update)
September 1, 2004... Ron Wood, President of Black & Veatch's Energy Engineering and Construction Division, suggests it might be time again to consider reserving natural gas for higher-value uses such as heating, and letting coal replace gas for other uses such as...

Coal issues drive water chemistry workshop.(Environmental Chemistry)(Electric Utility Chemistry Workshop)
September 1, 2004... The 24th Annual Electric Utility Chemistry Workshop (EUCW) held in Champaign, Illinois this May was probably one of the strongest of these events that I have ever attended. Because coal-fired power generation is in resurgence, a whole session...

High-temperature sensor could lower turbine operating costs.(Update)
September 1, 2004... Maintaining gas turbines is difficult and expensive. Inspecting a central station gas turbine for possible wear and tear costs about $500,000 in parts and labor. If companies skip periodic checkups, they risk breakdowns averaging $4 million per...

Primary Energy Holdings.(Mergers & Acquisitions)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Primary Energy Holdings has agreed to acquire six combined heat and power facilities in California, Colorado and New Jersey from Reservoir Capital Group. The projects can produce a total of 270 MW and almost 1.7 million pounds/hr. of steam.

Dynegy.(Mergers & Acquisitions)(Delta Power Company)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Dynegy has completed the sale of its 50% interest in the 123 MW Michigan Power gas-fired qualifying facility near Ludington, Mich. to Delphi Power Partners, which is owned by Delta Power Company and John Hancock Financial Services. Delta Power...

USEC Inc.(Mergers & Acquisitions)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... USEC Inc. has agreed to pay $16 million for NAC International, owner of the largest fleet of spent nuclear fuel and high-level nuclear waste casks in the U.S. The agreement is with Pinnacle West Capital subsidiary El Dorado Investment Co.,...

GC Power Acquisition.(Mergers & Acquisitions)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... GC Power Acquisition, an entity formed by affiliates of The Blackstone Group, Hellman & Friedman, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. and Texas Pacific Group, has agreed to acquire merchant power provider Texas Genco from CenterPoint Energy and Texas...

Avista.(Mergers & Acquisitions)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Avista has announced plans to buy back its 50% share in the 280 MW Coyote Springs II gas-fired plant in Boardman, Oregon that it sold three years ago to Mirant, which has since filed bankruptcy.

HF Controls, a subsidiary of Doosan.(Construction & Contracts)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... HF Controls, a subsidiary of Doosan, has received a contract valued at $1.1 million from Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power for control systems based on nuclear qualified HFC-6000 for the critical functions/emergency diesel generators at the Kori...

Mitsubishi Power Systems.(Construction & Contracts)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Nuclear Management Company has awarded a contract to Mitsubishi Power Systems for maintenance of the steam turbine-generator and auxiliary systems at Consumer Energy's Palisades Nuclear Power Plant.

Plug Power.(Construction & Contracts)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... As part of the U.S. Air Force effort to acquire modular, deployable power generation and distribution systems including fuel cells, Plug Power has received a $1.8 million contract from the U.S. Department of Defense to provide 15 GenCore...

Thermax Babcock & Wilcox Limited.(Construction & Contracts)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Thermax Babcock & Wilcox Limited has received a contract for a B & W designed internal recirculation fluidized bed boiler at the Kanoria Chemicals and Industries Limited plant in Renukoot, Utter Pradesh, India.

PacifiCorp.(Construction & Contracts)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... PacifiCorp has approved an emission control project that will update and improve sulfur dioxide, particulate, and nitrogen oxide controls on its 450 MW Huntington Unit 2 coal-fired power plant in Emery County, Utah. Total capital cost for the...

Laidlaw Energy Group.(Construction & Contracts)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Laidlaw Energy Group has been awarded a $1 million state grant to convert a natural gas power plant in Ellicottville, N.Y. into a wood burning plant. The state hopes the project will be a successful demonstration for other such conversions as...

Washington Group International.(Construction & Contracts)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Washington Group International has received a contract valued at about $153 million from the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority to provide engineering, procurement, and construction services to complete the 500 MW San Juan combined cycle...

Wheelabrator.(Construction & Contracts)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Wheelabrator has received a contract to supply wet flue gas desulfurization for Western Kentucky Energy's K. C. Coleman Generating Station in Hawesville, Kentucky. The system is designed to remove 95% of the S[O.sub.2] from the three units,...

GE Energy.(Construction & Contracts)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... GE Energy has received a contract from Cinergy for a gas turbine controls upgrade package covering centralized control and performance improvements of three LM6000PA uprated gas turbines at the Henry County Generating Station in New Castle,...

Reader comment.(Update)
September 1, 2004... The following is one of a half dozen e-mails received by Power Engineering on the news item Propane Heat Exchange Technology Would Harness Significant Waste Heat (PE, July 2004, p. 7). It contains most of the issues raised by readers about the...

Correction.(Correction Notice)
September 1, 2004... In the July article titled "Section 316(b) Regulations: The Yin and Yang of Fish Survival and Power Plant Operation," the table printed on page 30 contains an incorrect entry. Facilities that draw water from a tidal river, estuary or ocean,...

Water treatment outsourcing: beating the competition; Water treatment outsourcing for emergencies has been practiced for many years. However, with the downsizing of staff and the need to remain competitive, electric utilities are now looking at outsourcing a plant's entire water treatment needs.(Cover Story)
September 1, 2004... With the downsizing of staff and the need to be competitive, electric utilities are looking at outsourcing power plant water treatment to third party/service providers. GE Infrastructure Water and Process Technologies, US Filter,...

Going natural at La Cygne: concerns about flow-assisted corrosion drove a successful conversion from a reducing to an oxygenated water treatment program at Kansas City Power & Light's La Cygne Station.(Water Treatment)
September 1, 2004... For years, the 2500 psig drum unit on Unit 2 at Kansas City Power & Light Company's La Cygne generating station operated on the classic program of all-volatile reducing [AVT(R)] feedwater treatment with phosphate treatment of the boiler water....

The battle of obsolescence: cooperation between control system vendors and TXU Power's engineering staff enabled Comanche Peak to effectively manage the replacement of obsolete analog controls with digital controls on Units 1 and 2.(Controls Upgrade)
September 1, 2004... TXU Power's Comanche Peak nuclear power plant is embarking on a comprehensive program to replace its analog instrumentation and controls (I & C) systems with state-of-the-art digital technology. The effort is driven by the need to solve...

When the dust settles: an engineered chute system at AmerenUE's Meramec power plant has eliminated troublesome bottlenecks, returning the material handling system to design capacity and significantly reducing dust and spillage rates.(Material Handling)
September 1, 2004... Coal conveyor chutes at AmerenUE's Meramec plant outside St. Louis suffered many problems: spilled coal, excess dust generation, and choking problems that cut the coal flow to nearly half the system's design rate. Both sides of the twin bunker...

Blending for dollars: an automated coal blending and analysis system at TransAlta's Sundance Plant Units 1 and 2 has reduced derates, improved coal quality control, and, together with a capital maintenance program, saved the utility nearly $1 million.(Coal Handling)
September 1, 2004... At many coal mines and coal-fired power plants around the world, on-line coal analyzers are used to blend different coals and to track coal feed quality. However, coal quality can change very quickly, making it difficult, if not impossible, to...

Test station provider assesses fuel cell commercialization status.(News & Views on Distributed Generation)(Interview)
September 1, 2004... Hydrogenics, a Canadian firm founded in the mid 1990s during the beginnings of the modem fuel cell industry, is the world's largest producer of fuel cell test station equipment. The company has sold test stations, produced at its Vancouver,...

Events.(Calendar)
September 1, 2004... OCTOBER 3-6, Gasification Technologies Conference, Gasification Technologies Council (www.gasification.org), Washington, D.C. 3-6, Society of Reliability Maintenance Professionals Annual Conference, SMRP (www.smrp.org), Norfolk, Va....

Retrofitted hydrogen gas analyzer readings more accurate and reliable.(Field Notes)
September 1, 2004... SOUTHWESTERN ELECTRIC POWER, part of the nation's second-largest electric utility system, American Electric Power Co., serves 400,000 customers in a 25,000-square mile area encompassing northwestern Louisiana, northeastern Texas and western...

Software helps utility achieve environmental compliance.(Field Notes)
September 1, 2004... AS THE ENVIRONMENTAL program supervisor for the New York Power Authority (NYPA), John Kahabka's challenge is to maintain an environmental compliance record for 17 sites: three large hydro-electric plants, including St. Lawrence Seaway and...

Combustion control.(Products)
September 1, 2004... Marathon Sensors has introduced the FireView, a hybrid analyzer that provides accurate characterization of combustion to reduce both fuel use and emissions. By combining in-situ and extractive sensors, the FireView generates the complete oxygen...

Explosion proof pressure sensors.(Products)
September 1, 2004... American Sensor Technologies announces the Model AST4600 explosion proof pressure sensor for use in hydrogen and other hazardous applications. Employing a one-piece 316L diaphragm free of internal O-rings, welds and fill fluids, the AST4600...

Flow/temperature transmitters.(Products)
September 1, 2004... Universal Flow Monitors has introduced CalPoint, a vortex shedding flow meter and temperature transmitter for monitoring both flow and temperature in power generation applications. The CalPoint meter measures the flow rate and temperature of...

Generator Self-Tester.(Products)
September 1, 2004... Transtar Products has announced the introduction of a UL approved Generator Self-Tester Verifier (GSV). Designed to evaluate and report the results of the regular testing of backup electrical generators, the GSV verifies that the generator has...

Centrifuge brochure.(Products)
September 1, 2004... Alfa Laval has released a new 16-page four-color brochure presenting the disk stack centrifuge, Entitled "Alfa Laval Disc Stack Centrifuge Technology: Controlling the Separation of Liquids and Solids," the brochure presents the working...

Replacement lockout relays.(Products)
September 1, 2004... Electroswitch offers replacements for Westinghouse and GE Lock-Out Relays (LORs) that are worn or failing. Electric-reset models can be reset manually or through a command from a supervisory control system. Self-reset LORs reset automatically...

Pressure reducing valve.(Products)
September 1, 2004... The DR20 pressure reducing valve from TLV Corporation is a compact, lightweight valve for use in applications with small to moderate steam requirements. Secondary pressure stability is ensured via superior flow characteristics and a flat valve...

Bearing grease.(Products)
September 1, 2004... Mobil Polyrex EM Grease from ExxonMobil is designed specifically to enhance the performance and reliability of electric motor bearings and ball or lightly loaded roller bearings operating at high temperatures. Formulated with ExxonMobil's...

Tube and Shell Cooler.(Products)
September 1, 2004... The Mesabi System Protector Tube and Shell Cooler from L & M Radiator protects transmission, brake and hydraulic systems from cross-contaminated fluids and the downtime and repairs that can follow. The coolers have individual cooling tubes held...

Infrared camera.(Products)
September 1, 2004... The ruggedized IR-InSight T250 infrared camera delivers precision temperature measurement up to 480 F for under $11,000. With thermal sensitivities of less than 0.20 F, the T250 provides crisp, clear images, even with "hot spots" in the...

Surveillance system.(Products)
September 1, 2004... Intelepresence has introduced the Sentinel VS-14, a compact, self-contained portable video surveillance system ideal for power generation plants and other utility and municipal facilities. The Sentinel collects evidentiary quality video, day or...

Output modules.(Products)
September 1, 2004... Accutech has introduced a new line of analog, digital and analog/digital output modules that enable processors to remotely monitor equipment and process conditions with absolutely no field wiring. Typical installed cost savings are claimed to...

Cloquet Energy Center.(Managing the Plant)
September 1, 2004... In 2001, a new 25 MW backpressure steam turbine-generator entered operation at a paper and pulp mill in Cloquet, Minnesota. Ownership, operation and maintenance of the Unit 5 steam turbine-generator at the Cloquet Energy Center represents a...

Accurate bolt tensioning.(Supplier's Showcase)
September 1, 2004... Use the StressTel BoltMIKE III to accurately verify tension on manway studs, turbine covers and to confirm loading of gasketed flange bolts. StressTel's BoltMIKE III ultrasonically measures the elongation of installed bolts and fasteners....

Baghouse Leak Detectors.(Supplier's Showcase)
September 1, 2004... FilterSense is the world leader in Baghouse Leak Detectors and Leak Locating Systems. Field-proven since 1994 FilterSense's particulate monitors and filter leak locating systems provide simple operation and high reliability even with tenacious...

Coal feeder, Posimetric[R].(Supplier's Showcase)
September 1, 2004... The Posimetric[R] Feeder replaces all types of volumetric and gravimetric coal feeders in power plant and other applications. With only a single moving part, it's made feeder maintenance and downtime nearly a thing of the past. Some units with...

Couplings.(Supplier's Showcase)
September 1, 2004... Peace of mind in the knowledge that replacement parts will fit like a glove, avoiding lengthy shutdown times and the possibility of lost revenue. For reliability and longevity, the maintenance crew can rely on the Lovejoy 1000 Series Grid...

Emissions analyzer.(Supplier's Showcase)
September 1, 2004... Brochure features the New testo 350 portable analyzer for Low NOx and Low CO testing. The 350 features pre-calibrated smart sensors for quick field changes plus high NOx and high CO measuring capabilities with specially hardened sensors and an...

Emissions monitoring.(Supplier's Showcase)
September 1, 2004... Ducon D7000 Extractive system package offers complete integrated continuous emissions monitoring to meet EPA 40CFR60, 40CFR75. It consists of sample probe, heated stack filter, electric heat traced sample lines, wet and dry oxygen analyzer, gas...

Engineering services.(Supplier's Showcase)
September 1, 2004... Utility Engineering Corporation is a full-service, nationwide engineering firm with more than 900 employees and major offices in Amarillo, TX; Atlanta; Denver; Groton, CT; Minneapolis; and Omaha. Engineering services include design, project...

Ethernet valve control.(Supplier's Showcase)
September 1, 2004... Rotork offers an easy-to-use Ethernet solution for valve monitoring and control. Access valve and actuator data from the field with any browser on your LAN. Status, alarm, and diagnostic information is available to the user via a preconfigured...

Fault recorders.(Supplier's Showcase)
September 1, 2004... AMETEK digital fault recorders provide fast answers when system upsets occur. Their sophisticated software instantly captures and analyzes line transients, longer-term disturbances, harmonics, flicker, spikes, and more. Easily scale to each...

FGD coatings.(Supplier's Showcase)
September 1, 2004... FlakeCoat[TM] novolac vinyl ester glass flake linings provide exceptional long-term corrosion protection under severe FGD conditions of immersion, corrosive gases, chemicals, high temperatures, and abrasion. Resistant to permeation by strong...

Fish Handling Band Screens.(Supplier's Showcase)
September 1, 2004... 316(b) may sound complicated, but to us it's SIMPLE. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Brackett Green manufacturers Fish Handling Band Screens using the S.I.M.P.L.E.[R] Process for marine life recovery to help meet the new 316(b) requirements to...

Gas turbines.(Supplier's Showcase)
September 1, 2004... GE Energy is one of the world's leading suppliers of power generation technology, energy services and management systems, with an installed base of power generation equipment in more than 120 countries. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] GE Energy...

Genset and protection control.(Supplier's Showcase)
September 1, 2004... New from Woodward is the easYgen-1500 genset and protection control for single-unit systems. As the first of a new line of flexible, networked, and intuitive power management controls, the easYgen-1500 sets new standards for ease of use. Key to...

Hydrogen generators.(Supplier's Showcase)
September 1, 2004... HOGEN[R] hydrogen generators produce 99.999+% pure, pressurized hydrogen onsite at customers' sites for cost-effective cooling and maximum output from hydrogen-cooled electric generators at thermal electric power plants. Using only water and...

Krytox[R] fluorinated lubricants.(Supplier's Showcase)
September 1, 2004... Krytox[R] Oils and Greases. These high-performance fluorinated lubricants are derivatives of Teflon[R] and offer the following advantages: Wide temperature range (-103[degrees]F to 800[degrees]F)- Compatible with plastics, rubber, ceramics, &...

Lubricants.(Supplier's Showcase)
September 1, 2004... In today's power plants, lubricants are used in a wide range of service applications. The Conoco brand provides a complete line of lubricants to keep all of your equipment running longer and cleaner, such as Hydroclear Diamond ClassR Compressor...

Measurement/controls portal.(Supplier's Showcase)
September 1, 2004... Access a kaleidoscope of data about products that measure, control, verify and secure nearly every aspect of power generation. From combustion analyzers to revenue meters, from flame sensors to utility load management, from nuclear remote-seal...

Metallurgical Services.(Supplier's Showcase)
September 1, 2004... Power Systems now offers a full range of Metallurgical Services designed to identify the root cause of failures and provide viable, high performance solutions. Our world-class engineers perform failure analysis, metallography, and verification...

On-line sulfur analyzer.(Supplier's Showcase)
September 1, 2004... The SOLA II Sulfur Analyzer provides accurate and reliable quantification of isomerization and reformer feed sulfur content. Equipped with the enhanced sensitivity option, it delivers total sulfur measurements from 2 ppm to 25 ppb. The complete...

Paperless data acquisition.(Supplier's Showcase)
September 1, 2004... Thermo Electron Corp. introduces the newest member of the SmartView family, the SV280 250mm paperless data acquisition system. The SV280 platform shares the same reliability and functionality as its siblings, the SV100 and SV280 systems, while...

Plant operations simulator.(Supplier's Showcase)
September 1, 2004... Accurate and realistic simulations allow you to stretch the limits of your plant's capability and identify operational and physical constraints in a safe simulation environment. Invensys simulators facilitate a thorough, scientific...

Portable XRF alloy analyzer.(Supplier's Showcase)
September 1, 2004... Thermo's TN Alloy Pro can avert catastrophic consequences of a metal material mix-up in critical components like valves, fittings, and pipes by non-destructively analyzing and identifying the metal alloy of construction quickly and with...

Power plant maintenance.(Supplier's Showcase)
September 1, 2004... We take pride in offering services and expertise above and beyond most other full-service contractors. That's why our people are so important to us. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Our highly trained employees consistently deliver safe, quality...

Preheater gearboxes and parts.(Supplier's Showcase)
September 1, 2004... Penn Machine is now an authorized source for Ljungstrom[R] Air Preheater Gearboxes, parts and service. Drop-in replacement gearboxes, gears, shafts, bearings, seals and housings are in stock for immediate shipment. We rebuild to OEM...

Pumps.(Supplier's Showcase)
September 1, 2004... Model MWO Wet or Dry Pit 1" to 3" discharge, Shaft length to 3' 0", Slurry water end parts available in CI-28% chrome and 304/316, Standard cantilever no shaft stabilizing bushings, Also available in dry pit, Dry pit design eliminates packing...

Radial turbine gen sets.(Supplier's Showcase)
September 1, 2004... * Ultra low emissions on both liquid and gaseous fuels. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] * Design simplicity enhances reliability and low cost of ownership. * Rotor cartridge with both bearings in cold end of engine eases assembly and...

Sensors.(Supplier's Showcase)
September 1, 2004... For over five decades HARCO has been a manufacturer of sensors and interconnects for aerospace and cogeneration gas turbine engines. Products and designs include high temperature Thermocouples (2500 Degrees F), pressure, oil, speed and RTD...

Software, plant performance.(Supplier's Showcase)
September 1, 2004... * Cost-effective, industry-standard performance test procedures and calculation templates (Excel) for: [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] * Boilers & Air Heaters (Coal/Oil/Gas) * Compressors & Pumps * Condensers & Feedwater Heaters *...

Transition piece.(Supplier's Showcase)
September 1, 2004... Power Systems Mfg. invests significant time and resources in the design and manufacturing of our parts. Instrumented engine testing, analysis and metallurgical testing on key components of the 501F has allowed PSM to offer an improved...

Tube Cleaning.(Supplier's Showcase)
September 1, 2004... Goodway Technologies Corporation manufactures and distributes a complete line of Surface Condenser Tube Cleaning Systems and Projectiles as well other Tube Cleaners, Duct Cleaners, Drain Cleaners, Vacuums, Pressure Washers, and Vapor-Steam...

Tube cutter, multi-function.(Supplier's Showcase)
September 1, 2004... Wadsworth, OH -- A revolutionary cutter design has been developed by H & S Tool. Named the Multi-Prep, the cutter either removes membranes from between panel tubes or cleans corrosion and scale from the outside of the tube while placing a O.D....

Tube plugs.(Supplier's Showcase)
September 1, 2004... Torq'N Seal Heat Exchanger Plugs provide a mechanical contact seal when installed into the tubesheet area of a leaking tube. With just a 3/8" drive torque wrench and 400 in. lbs. of applied torque, a Torq'N Seal plug can ensure positive sealing...

Water filter.(Supplier's Showcase)
September 1, 2004... Orival Filters protect heat exchangers and prevent clogging of nozzles, tubes and other narrow passages by removing dirt particles down to micron size, of any specific gravity, from once-through and recirculating cooling water systems. Line...

Water treatment.(Supplier's Showcase)
September 1, 2004... New brochure on USFilter's PowerMax[TM] Series describes the features and benefits of these reliable, cost-effective systems, which can be provided on either an equipment supply or turnkey basis, depending on customer requirements. Designed...

Water treatment resins.(Supplier's Showcase)
September 1, 2004... Are performance and efficiency important in your water treatment system? Sybron Chemicals Inc., a Bayer Company, offers a complete line of both gel and macroporous uniform-particle-size resins to meet your application and budgetary demands....

Wear plates.(Supplier's Showcase)
September 1, 2004... CRODON[R] Wear Plate is a more durable alternative to ceramic and AR plate. Made of the proprietary CRODON surface and a steel base metal, CRODON Wear Plate can be fabricated into sheets, strips or rolled to unique dimensions. Its nonstick,...