Power

Steam Turbine Control

Steam turbines can be found in almost any processing plant or power generation facility. In processing plants, steam turbines are used as the driver for other rotating equipment, converting thermal energy to rotational energy ultimately to control input speed of a driven device.

Steam Turbine Control Read More »

Turbine Bypass System Optimization

Combined Cycle Power Plant operators are under constant pressure to increase on-line availability. One of the most critical systems to facilitate this undertaking is the Steam Turbine Bypass System. Commonly used for startup, shutdown, and steam turbine trips, as plants are more frequently cycled, these systems are often being called-on to perform in low load and simple cycle operations

Turbine Bypass System Optimization Read More »

Furnace Draft Pressure Control

Coal fired power plant operators are facing regulatory pressures to reduce emissions, including NOx and SOx. At the same time generation demand is declining, plants are forced to cycle on and off as well as run at lower minimum loads to remain on line. These two objectives create challenges to a plant’s operating practices, many of which were established and refined under constant operation/base load scenarios.

Furnace Draft Pressure Control Read More »

Geothermal Condenser Hotwell Level Control

The condenser is a key component in any power plant that uses a steam turbine. Its primary function is to increase power by maximizing the pressure drop across the turbine, where efficiency is directly related to the vacuum created by condensing steam. Geothermal condensers are fundamentally different than those found in fossil fuel plants, in that turbine exhaust steam is never recycled to a boiler.

Geothermal Condenser Hotwell Level Control Read More »

Geothermal Injection Well Control

Within the last few decades, injection wells have become a necessity for maximum geothermal power generation and reservoir management. Fluid injection is one of the most important parts of this process, eliminating any environmental impact of surface disposal and providing pressure support to the well. More of a strategy now than in the past, injection encompasses many variables such as the number of required wells, locations, depths and any potential long-term effects on production.

Geothermal Injection Well Control Read More »

Geothermal Separator Level Control

In areas of the world where steam or two-phase flow are the dominant sources of geothermal energy, it is vital to remove the fluid portion of the mixture from the well. Otherwise, salts and dissolved solids will cause scaling and corrosion of the turbine and related equipment. Separators are installed to accomplish this task and are the most important component at a geothermal plant.

Geothermal Separator Level Control Read More »