|
Steampath Analysis & Audits
One of MD&A's strongest areas is in the evaluation of stationary
and rotating steampath elements.
 A
steampath audit is a physical inspection of the turbine steampath,
conducted while the rotor is on the half-shell. The purpose of an
audit is to identify and quantify performance problems due to deterioration
of steampath components. Engineers and maintenance personnel use
the results of audits to identify the most cost-effective repairs
and to justify repair recommendations.
MD&A offers both thermodynamic and structural audits. Audits are
also an excellent way to predict the return to service performance
of your machine, following repairs.
Data taken during a steampath audit can also help to:
- Measure the efficiency effects of deposits
- Assess recoverable leakage losses following repairs
- Determine losses due to surface roughness changes
- Provide quantifiable data for the review repair recommendations
- Evaluate the effects of solid particle erosion
- Calculate losses associated with foreign object damage
- Integrate decisions with alignment recommendations
- Provide historical records for future outages
Photographic Records
During an audit, photographs are taken of damage and are included
in each unit's audit report. Photographs provide a convenient method
for recording and confirming the history of repairs and the extent
of damage. Steam path audits are also a useful method to quantify
and isolate the performance of new parts. OEMs often guarantee that
certain steampath upgrades will contribute a specific percentage
to improve turbine performance. A steampath audit is an accepted
and repeatable method for quantifying the contribution of these
parts, while also determining the performance gained as a result
of other maintenance that was performed during the outage.
For more information on thermodynamic or structural steampath audits
please contact MD&A's Steampath Engineering Services division at
(518) 399-3616.
|
