The modern business has much to consider – the economy, mounting legislation, the green agenda, tighter deadlines and budget restraints; the list could go on. For many, another key priority will be seeking to recoup any losses incurred due to the operational disruption caused by various national lockdowns.

One of the most pressing issues not to be overlooked is the need for heightened electrical safety standards.

Today’s businesses are using more electrical devices than ever. From electric cars and smart automation to fully digitalized businesses, the level of electrical power that workers, key personnel and the general public are exposed to is increasing every day.

Although underreporting makes it difficult to determine the true state of play, recent figures suggest a significant number of electrical incidents are happening around the world each year in line with increasing demand.

According to the Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI), 2019 had the most recorded fatal electrical injuries since 2011. In the United States alone it’s estimated that there are 350 electrical-related fatalities a year – which roughly equals to one fatality per day. ² This figure becomes much worse in developing economies where regulation is lacking and electrical accidents continue to injure and kill people at an alarming rate.

Even more concerning is the cause of these tragedies. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) estimates that more than half of electrical incidents reported in the United States are caused by direct or indirect contact with live electrical equipment and wiring, circuit breakers, control panels, junction boxes and transformers. Hereby, the tragedy is that these deaths could have been prevented if proper procedures had been followed, along with better product specifications.

In this vein, it becomes more important for businesses to govern their expanding infrastructure and pay due diligence to the integrity of protective solutions used to enable better safety. In response, leading manufacturers continue to introduce new innovations designed to take safety standards to the next level.

One example can be found with the next generation of NeoGear and the revolutionary laminated bus plate technology from ABB – arguably, the safest low-voltage switchgear ever made.

Unique to the market, NeoGear features a fully encapsulated bus plate design in a breakthrough laminated technology – which had previously been limited to use in the automotive and aerospace industries – to replace traditional horizontal and vertical busbar systems.

The result is an unprecedented level of safety with no exposure to live parts. Its revolutionary design enables an arc ignition protected zone, keeping maintenance personnel safer when performing routine works and repairs, while also reducing the risk of arcs caused by mechanical failures – one of the most serious safety risks that switchgear operators encounter. To put this into context, even if a screwdriver falls into the busbar area during maintenance work, it would be a remote possibility to ignite an arc.

Adding to its vast safety credentials, NeoGear has 90% fewer electrical joints than traditional busbar systems. As reductions in electrical joints in switchgear proportionally increases reliability this provides even greater integrity in line with overall safety measures.

Asides from its huge safety benefits, NeoGear is also incredibly efficient. Its unique technology enables better cooling efficiency to reduce heat losses by up to 20% and reduces overall operational costs by up to 30%, due to more efficient condition monitoring. It also reduces the physical switchgear footprint by up to 25%.

Future-proofing is accounted for too. In line with ABB’s wider designs on enabling the next generation of electrical distribution, NeoGear is ready to support the digital factory of the future with its cloud computing and industrial IoT features.

Amid increasing exposure to electrical power, the industry will continue to come under pressure to drive better safety across the board. Therefore, for the future-focused business, the recommendation is to take stock of the latest switchgear innovation which can help to drastically improve safety, enable easier maintenance and sustainability, and ultimately, help power better standards for all.

² The American Burn Association (www.ameriburn.org)

The post A safer bet in future electrical distribution appeared first on Power Engineering International.

The human senses of sound and touch were the first mechanisms used to detect machinery problems. Electronic sensors have since offered the ability to feel and listen to machinery with more precision, at more locations and over more time than was ever before possible. Interpretation of the electronic signals delivered by these sensors has provided the maintenance engineer with the diagnostic information necessary to pinpoint bearing faults, thus enabling a more efficient and predictable maintenance effort.

However, skilled and trained personnel have been required to effectively interpret this diagnostic information. As electronic sensors have become more sophisticated, so too have the diagnostic techniques, leading to the ability of earlier detection of failures with less required skill.

The post A new approach to predicting bearings failure appeared first on Power Engineering International.

The deal includes a multi-year agreement to provide maintenance and repair services for the plant’s existing steam turbine generators, combined with GE software to help CDEEE operate the plant reliably and achieve optimal performance.

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The combination of digital services makes it GE’s most comprehensive digital deal in Latin America with first-of-its-kind software implementation currently underway.

“With CTPC’s essential role in providing one third of the Dominican Republic’s total generation capacity, we are counting on GE’s maintenance services and digital capabilities to help us generate reliable, affordable electricity for years to come,” said Jaime Aristy-Escuder, general manager at CTPC.

“We are proud to partner with GE on the island’s largest digital steam plant with first-of-its-kind software implementation which is complemented with on-site support by GE experts with Advisory Services on operations and maintenance on the plant.”

As an island nation, the Dominican Republic can face extreme weather and other challenges in its bid to deliver continuous electricity for its 10.8 million residents.

The 752 MW plant plays an essential role in maintaining reliable power and supporting a stable grid as the country strives to increase its use of renewable energy by 25% between 2015 and 2025.

“We look forward to supporting CDEEE and helping them deliver reliable and affordable power for the Dominican Republic,” said Michael Keroulle, president of GE Steam Power.

“As a longtime service provider for the steam power industry with more than 200 multi-year agreements in place, GE is committed to helping our customers improve their profitability and competitiveness, while at the same time providing essential power to those who need it most.”

As the Dominican Republic’s most comprehensive digital steam plant, Central Termoeléctrica Punta Catalina (CTPC) will use GE’s software to help CDEEE operate the plant reliably and achieve better performance over its lifetime.

This will include the world’s first-ever implementation of GE’s Plant Efficiency Advisor to help CDEEE monitor and identify the plant’s performance gaps, as well as the Caribbean’s first implementation of Boiler Optimization and Mill Optimization software to help increase efficiency and reduce NOx emissions over the plant’s lifetime.

“GE’s partnership with CDEEE at the CTPC plant further proves that software is becoming mission-critical in helping industries solve their toughest challenges.”

Through its Predix Asset Performance Management digital technology, GE will help the CDEEE/CTPC team remotely monitor the site’s equipment to help detect operational issues before they occur as a means of avoiding unplanned downtime from operation.

In addition, an operations performance management suite will help the site run more efficiently, translating to lower fuel costs and longer operating life for its equipment.

Additionally, to avoid unplanned downtime and optimize performance, CTPC will implement digital twin blueprints across both units to detect equipment failures before they happen.

The post GE to support digitisation of Dominican Republic’s largest coal plant appeared first on Power Engineering International.

The 153-year-old Ohio-based steam boiler and power plant components company will receive up to $70m in new financing as it amends its credit agreement and extends its current revolving credit facility to a June 2022 maturity date.

B. Riley Financial Inc. is providing $30m in new Tranche A last-out loans and is committed to another $35m of incremental last-out loans, according to the release. A last-out loan is a first-lien bank loan, part of which is subordinate to other lenders in the event of a default.

The lender also could make another $5m in last-out term loans available for working capital purposes if Babcock & Wilcox request it. The company has more than 4000 employees and is committed to numerous energy infrastructure projects globally.

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“The closing of this financing agreement, during an unprecedented global crisis, is a significant accomplishment,” said Kenneth Young, B&W chief executive, in a statement this week.

“With our financial position strengthened and long-term availability to support multi-year projects, we are well-positioned to build on the momentum we have achieved over the last year. We appreciate the continued support of our lenders, customers, suppliers, employees and shareholders as we have worked through this process.”

The company has detailed intentions to amend its credit agreements repeatedly as it has struggled financially over recent years. Previous federal filings indicated that B&W could file for bankruptcy as it was weighed down by a power industry downturn that has impacted numerous companies, including McDermott International and Westinghouse in recent years.

“The entire management team, along with our experienced and dedicated employees, recognizes the critical role we play to provide essential energy and environmental products and services,” Young said.

“We are committed to continuing to execute our strategy to leverage our best-in-class core technologies, engineering and services for electric utility, power generation and industrial customers around the world, and to achieve sustained value for our shareholders.”

The company had layoffs in 2017 and only last year announced a previous revised credit agreement and a 1-for-10 reverse stock split to buoy its share price.

Earlier this year, however B&W announced a fourth-quarter raw earnings report of $19m, compared with the $114m loss in the previous year. The full-year 2019 operating income totaled a $129.7m loss, compared with a $658m loss in 2018.

The work goes on for the company even as its extends credit to stay out of bankruptcy. In April, B&W announced it was awarded a two-year service contract for waste-to-energy plants in Europe, and supplying cooling towers for a petrochemical plant in Belgium.

However, the impact of COVID-19 policies such as social distancing, border closings and remote work requirements have muted recovery efforts, according to the company’s latest earnings statement.

Babcock & Wilcox was created in 1867. It is known for steam boilers, nuclear plant components and engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) work.

This article first appeared on our sister site Power Engineering.

The post Babcock & Wilcox gains $70m credit lifeline amid power sector struggles appeared first on Power Engineering International.

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic which is pressing near-term hurdles for the wind energy industry, the market is expected to record 8 per cent growth during the forecast period compared to 2019.

The study states that US PTC phaseout post-2020 will spur demand for nearly 5000 wind towers in 2020, compelling turbine OEMs to increase tower imports into the US despite anti-dumping duties.

The more than 44 GW of combined peak wind demand in the US and China in 2020 is expected to strain the wind turbine supply.

Wood Mackenzie says higher average turbine prices and a 20 per cent growth in offshore demand reflect a 37 per cent uptick in supply chain potential, representing a cumulative value of $222 billion by 2028. Strategic capital components, such as blades and towers, present a $25 billion cumulative opportunity by themselves.

Shashi Barla, a principal analyst with Wood Mackenzie, said: “A rush in installation activity has caused a shortage of blades and bearings. The coronavirus has jeopardised approximately 10-15 per cent of production volumes in China, Spain and Italy. However, Chinese companies resumed production in early March, resulting in a downgrade of only 3 GW for 2020 installations.

“Just over $6 billion worth of turbines and component supply production is already jeopardised in Q1 2020. The coronavirus impact could worsen this if facilities continue to face delays in resuming production.

“Turbine OEMs and suppliers can mitigate the impact by increasing manufacturing during the latter part of the year and relocating supply to other markets, such as India and Mexico.”

Barla added that the US Department of Commerce “slapped preliminary anti-dumping rates on these four countries in 2020, ranging from 5.04 per cent to 65.96 per cent, to create a level playing field for domestic tower suppliers”.

“A surge in demand will force turbine OEMs to continue imports into the US, incurring additional import duty costs between $60-90 million in 2020. Turbine OEMs will be forced to absorb the additional costs and renegotiate contracts with asset owners.”

Click here for more information about the report.

The post Annual revenue for global wind turbine supply chain predicted to hit $600bn appeared first on Power Engineering International.

Renewable energy sources continue to achieve grid parity as a result of decelerating technology costs and the introduction of innovative long-term price-based instruments.

This article was originally published in Smart Energy International issue 2-2020 and appeared in the PEI ” Supplement. Read the full digimag here or subscribe to receive a print copy here.

However, the resilience of these solutions continues to be a focus as instances of outages and equipment fails in off-grid locations ” along with random surges in power demand ” can cost millions of dollars per day in lost revenue to asset owners.

Additionally, inverter failures, cable damage, installation errors, and dirty modules can lead to serious undetected generation losses. It is crucial to detect deviations in yield (even before they occur in time) to prevent both generation and financial losses.

As renewable energy investments grow rapidly across on-grid and off-grid locations, investments in the monitoring and control of these assets have gained momentum globally.

Monitoring and control systems use sophisticated data analysis across their sensors and software controls to detect any operational issues with solar PV modules and wind turbines. They can have a significant effect on optimizing the overall levelized cost of energy over the operational life of these assets.

Monitoring and control systems of renewable energy refers to more than just the software technology that monitors and controls generation of energy from these assets. It ensures that the service providers have a holistic approach to strategically manage the performance optimization of these assets.

Remote installation of renewable energy technologies has significant operation and maintenance challenges.

As a result, integrated monitoring and control systems solutions can have an economic advantage where it is logistically difficult to control and access these assets. Due to the logistics involved in operating and maintaining remote installations, integrated M&C solutions can provide an economic advantage on the total life cycle costs of the assets both across on-grid and off-grid sectors.

Non-performance of solar modules or wind turbines that rely on intermittent renewable sources of energy have costs and risks. Financial investors are keen to evaluate these assets based on a cost-benefit analysis of the risks involved.

Monitoring and control systems (M&C) solutions provide opportunities to optimize asset performance to meet a high-efficiency rating by reducing downtime. The M&C market offers a strong value proposition to OEMs and industry stakeholders and is driven by various factors.

These market drivers that effect the adoption of M&C solutions are:

ࢀ¢ Renewable assets that are nearing the end of their warranty agreements create an attractive retrofit market opportunity for M&C systems;

ࢀ¢ Achieving cost reductions while improving efficiency is one of the key strategic priorities for all asset operators;

ࢀ¢ Supply chain bottlenecks and inventory mismanagement could pose a threat to the turnaround time of the renewables equipment and considerably increase downtime;

ࢀ¢ Downtime and outages in off-grid locations can be extremely expensive;

ࢀ¢ Long-term service agreements can secure recurring revenue opportunities for OEMs and independent solutions providers.

Navigant Research recently published its Renewable Energy Monitoring and Control Market report, which analyzes the global market for the monitoring and control of solar PV and wind power assets. It analyzes market issues, including drivers and challenges, related to distributed and utility scale solar PV and wind power.

Global market forecasts are broken out by region and segments and extend through 2028. According to Navigant Research, the global revenue for renewable energy M&C is expected to increase from $4.47 billion in 2019 to $12.8 billion in 2028. Solar PV M&C systems are expected to make up approximately $9.2 billion, or 72 percent, of total revenue in 2028.

And the Asia Pacific will likely contribute $7.9 billion, or 61 percent of the total market revenue by 2028. The retrofit market is attractive for asset owners and independent service providers that provide a host of services and solutions. Software, protocols, communication system, support, surveillance, training, reports, and licence fees could all benefit from the rising adoption of M&C solutions.

Digital innovation that integrates forward-thinking technologies ” such as data analytics, robotics, and machine learning ” have made M&C solutions intelligent. Unlocking the power that data analytics can bring to asset monitoring will transform the renewable energy sector’s ability to drive up efficiency, lower emissions, and bring more flexibility and resilience to power generation.

As M&C solutions evolve and begin integrating enhanced digital features across smart connected assets, generators and operators are in a better position to optimize asset performance, guarantee efficiency gains, and maximize benefits across the operating life of these assets.

The increasing adoption of intermittent and variable renewable resources has created an important role for M&C technology solutions to integrate and optimize performance across these generating sources. However, there are some practical barriers that restrain the uptake of M&C technologies across market players:

ࢀ¢ ROI is a significant barrier as some of the benefits of deploying M&C platforms are recuperated over a longer duration over the operational life of these assets. They are difficult to measure and justify at the time of new asset investment.

ࢀ¢ Newer M&C solutions tend to be more advanced and integrate intelligent data analytics capabilities. These solutions require high upfront costs.

Since these are new innovative technologies there is a dearth of skilled resources for installing and maintaining these solutions.

ࢀ¢ Data sharing continues to be a significant challenge in this renewable energy sector. OEMs and asset

operators have differing views on data ownership and usage.

ࢀ¢ The M&C systems market is still in its early stages of development and requires continuous improvement and upgrades to the solutions, increasing further investment in CAPEX costs.

According to Navigant Research, global cumulative installations of utility-scale solar and wind energy are expected to grow at a compounded annual growth rate of 9.8 per cent per year until 2030. This will also affect the acceleration of technologies that maintain, manage, and control these assets over their lifetimes. Industry participants and asset owners are keen to streamline their value chains and reduce operational costs while optimising asset performance.

The M&C market can unlock attractive growth opportunities by offering increased value per installation to the asset operators. As solutions providers offer more integrated offerings across advanced software platforms, in the future, asset operators can drive decisionbased reporting capabilities and insights across their assets.

Cross-platform capabilities across hybrid solutions that include multiple technologies such as solar, wind, and storage offer an attractive value proposition for M&C solutions providers.

Integrating monitoring and operational insights across asset clusters can help large asset operators extend M&C solution benefits across their portfolios.

About the author

Pritil Gunjan is a senior research analyst with Navigant Research, contributing to the generation service.

The post Why monitoring and control systems could transform renewables appeared first on Power Engineering International.

The UK’s anaerobic digestion industry has experienced rapid growth over the past 10 years, with a total of 648 plants now in operation.

Despite the recent increase in biomethane facilities, most of the biogas produced from anaerobic digestion (AD) is used to generate electricity and heat, making the combined heat and power (CHP) engines that convert biogas into usable energy a vital piece of equipment.

Thisà‚ articleà‚ wasà‚ originallyà‚ publishedà‚ inà‚ Smart Energy International issue 1-2020à‚ and appeared in theà‚ PEI ” Supplement. Read theà‚ fullà‚ digimag hereà‚ orà‚ subscribe to receive a print copy here.

But with many of these engines now at least five years old, what is the impact when they fail or underperform? And is there any alternative to either costly engine replacements or expensive service contracts?

Here are my five smart upgrades that can transform any gas engine into a more efficient and profitable piece of kit.

Install an open-access control panel

Many service providers use a ‘closed’ control panel as a means to coerce the owner into a restrictive service contract. This means that you are potentially looking at your engine being down for days whenever there’s a problem while you wait for the service provider to despatch an engineer to your site ” often at an additional cost to you.

By upgrading to an intelligent, open access control panel, an operator can remotely take control of their own engine via their laptop, phone or tablet; instantly assess how their engine is performing; control their engine’s running parameters, adjusting them to match the biogas composition; and restart their engine themselves within seconds ” without even needing to be on site.

Fit a flexible fuel mixer

If an engine runs too lean it can backfire, resulting in exhaust damage, vibrations and instability, and causing parts to wear out more quickly. If it runs too rich, then too much fuel will be used, the engine can overheat, and there is a risk of parts burning out.

A flexible and fast-acting mixer enables an engine to handle variations in gas volumes and composition.

This is especially important for biogas plants treating food waste, as this is a constantly changing product. These air/gas mixers comprise a range of flow bodies to suit every feedstock type, based on a plant’s individual gas composition. If the composition alters significantly, the flow body can be changed as required, ensuring the perfect fuel mix every time.

Use an ignition controller with pulse technology

If your engine shudders during the ignition phase, replacing the controller with one using pulse technology will deliver more reliable ignition and prolong the life of your equipment.

This creates thousands of tiny pulses, the intensity and duration of which can be programmed according to the plant’s demands, and which will remain the same throughout the lifetime of the ignition controller.

Switch to a smart knocking control system

A ‘knocking’ sound usually signals that the gas is igniting too early. A sophisticated, intelligent knocking control system can detect this and automatically alter the ignition timing point. If knocking still occurs, it will then reduce the load of the engine or even shut it down, preventing catastrophic engine failure.

Specify a high-temperature speed control

The throttle actuator responsible for speed control is usually located close to the intercooler ” a part of the engine which is particularly hot. Proximity to a heat source can cause this component to deteriorate more rapidly, often leading to poor performance or failure. To counteract this, look to utilise specialist high-temperature throttle actuators, which help to prolong operational life. They also comprise an integrated throttle body which contains fewer moving parts by being directly connected to the throttle. Not only does this make for more accurate control of speed, it also incurs less wear and tear.

Take pre-emptive action. Every day that an AD plant isn’t generating electricity is a day it’s losing money, so don’t wait for your engine to fail before taking action. By scheduling an engine upgrade to coincide with any planned maintenance shutdown, operators can benefit from increased engine availability, more reliable performance, longer-lasting components and greater electrical output.

About the author

James Thompson is managing director of independent CHP parts and service provider Gen-C.

The post Industry insight: Five smart ways to increase engine efficiency on AD plants appeared first on Power Engineering International.

The contract is focused on the fuel channel and feeders assemblies with the objective of extending the operating life of the plant by approximately four years, up to 245,000 effective full power hours (EFPH) from the original design life of 210,000 EFPH.

Such an extension will enable the plant to continue operating safely until it is ready for refurbishment in 2026.

Nuclear power plant refurbishments are large and complex undertakings, requiring an in-depth assessment of the condition of plant systems and equipment. In October 2019, SNN had also awarded SNC-Lavalin and its partner Ansaldo Nucleare the condition assessment work which will determine the scope of repair and replacement of other equipment as part of the Cernavoda Unit 1 refurbishment outage.

“SNC-Lavalin looks forward to continuing our long relationship with SNN, to optimize the operation of Cernavoda Unit 1 in preparation for a refurbishment that will contribute to over 60 years of CANDU reactor life,” said Sandy Taylor, president, Nuclear, SNC-Lavalin. “Our dedicated project execution team has exceptional expertise in this area, having completed similar assessments for several CANDU clients around the world.”

“SNN is looking forward to extending the operating life of the station with an additional 35,000 hours and we are looking forward to doing this by continuing the long-term partnership with SNC-Lavalin,” said Cosmin Ghita, CEO, SNN. “We are keen on optimizing operation and production until the effective refurbishment of Cernavoda NPP Unit 1.”

Cernavoda Unit 1 produces over 700 MW of electricity, about 10 percent of Romania’s electricity demands. It was commissioned and began commercial full power operation in December 1996.

Since a nuclear plant does not emit greenhouse gases that contribute to acid rain and global warming, Unit 1 has avoided the release of more than four million tonnes per year of carbon dioxide (CO2) that would have been produced by a fossil fuel plant.

The post SNC-Lavalin awarded contract to extend the life of Romanian Cernavoda Unit 1 appeared first on Power Engineering International.

Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction announced late last month that it had signed an agreement with Korea Western Power Co. to supply a gas turbine for the Gimpo combined heat & power (CHP) plant. The demonstration project will be the first deployment of the 270-MW class turbine it has been developing in-house.

Construction is scheduled to begin on the Gimpo power plant sometime this year and be completed by 2022.

Doosan Heavy Industries plans to ship the gas turbine and install it next year. The supplier then will carry out a two-year demonstration project once construction is completed at Gimpo.

Doosan has been working on large gas turbine development since 2013, buoyed by South Korean government support. The company completed final assembly of its new product in September 2019.

In-house testing has been underway at the Doosan headquarters in Changwon.

The development could eventually position DHIC into the small, but strong group of large gas turbine manufacturers including Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems, Siemens, GE and Ansaldo Energia.

This article first appeared in our sister title Power Engineering.

The post Doosan Heavy deploys first large gas turbine at Korea CHP project appeared first on Power Engineering International.

As with all facilities, regular maintenance is required to ensure operability and any repairs need to be carried out quickly and to a high standard.

When the walls of the boiler in Lisahally Power Station, in Northern Ireland, had sustained erosion and corrosion damage, automated weld overlay technology was utilised to extend the service life of the boiler and ensure that the plant could continue to run at peak performance.

The fuels used to operate biomass power plants cause corrosion and erosive wear in boilers. In fact, biomass can release contaminants, such as alkali metals, chlorine, sulphur and other corrosive chemicals, when burned.

As a result, regular maintenance is fundamental to maximize the lifespan and reliability of equipment in these power stations as well as ensure plant availability, performance and efficiency.

In an effort to increase the durability of its essential assets, maintenance planners at the power station wanted to repair the boiler walls with a long-lasting solution that could be completed with minimal disruption.

Fuelling plant efficiency and preserving equipment health The plant, located in Londonderry, Northern Ireland, was built and is operated by Burmeister & Wain Scandinavian Contractor (BWSC).

The facility uses recycled wood as the main feedstock to generate 6 MW of heat and 18.2 MW of power, 15.8 MWe of which is then used to power 30,000 local homes and businesses.

The key piece of equipment at the Lisahally plant is the two-pass biomass grate boiler, which generates high-temperature, high-pressure steam by combusting the wood-based material fed to its furnace. The steam is then transferred to a turbine, coupled with a generator to produce electricity. Waste steam is condensed into water and fed back to the boiler via a closed-loop system.

As corrosion and erosion were affecting the integrity of Lisahally Power Station’s heat exchange system, the plant managers contacted Sulzer to help them conduct the necessary repair work.

As an economical and sustainable alternative to replacing the existing structures within the boiler, it was decided to cover the damaged membrane walls with layers of Inconel 625 to repair and protect the membrane wall. This is an austenic nickel-chromium-based superalloy that is particularly resistant to corrosion and oxidation, even in harsh environments with elevated temperatures, such as in furnaces.

The additional Inconel layer would enable the boiler to efficiently maintain high steam pressure whilst protecting the surfaces from future corrosion and erosion.

The homogeneous deposition of Inconel onto the corroded and eroded surfaces was carried out onsite by automated weld overlay.

Using advanced automated technology, highly accurate welding operations were carried out for structures such as boilers, furnaces, vessels and towers.

CladFuse, the technology in question, uses a carriage that travels along a laser levelled track system fixed to the wall that needs repairing. On the carriage, a robotic index arm moves the welding torch and the oscillator in order to create weld Inconel beads with an overlap of approximately 50 per cent between adjacent weld beads. All the weld overlay process parameters, e.g. carriage speed or bead thickness, are controlled by a programmable logic controller.

Operators can communicate with it and adjust the parameters manually using a human-machine interface.

In addition to offering a cost-effective and high-quality method to repair damaged metal surfaces, the solution is extremely fast. This was particularly important for managers and operators at Lisahally, who needed the welding to be completed by the end of a scheduled outage for regular maintenance activities.

The post Case study: Fast boiler repair at biomass plant appeared first on Power Engineering International.