Power Plant Performance Assessments

GTAnalysis improves the operating margin of electric generators facing a deregulated electric market by identifying adverse performance operation so you can take appropriate action.

Given the competitiveness of today's market, many new and existing facilities can have significant hidden costs that could be returned to the plant owners. These costs are in the form of unexpected component performance degradation, shifted control instrumentation, OEM's trying to minimize liquidated damages for output and heat rate guarantee test by manipulating the firing temperature of the turbine, faulty fuel calibrations, or taking advantage of known biased instrument measurement errors.

What can a Power Plant Analytical Performance Assessment Reveal?

A Gas Turbine and Combined Cycle Equipment Performance Analysis can reveal hidden problems such as the issues listed below. Please note the list below is a sample of actual occurrences experienced by our staff over the years.

• Fuel Flow meter calibration and Measurement incorrect

  This is a very common problem as many know how difficult it is to actually measure fuel consumption. However, by completing a thorough gas turbine cycle analysis identifies with high confidence the error level.

• Incorrect Power Measurement using Rotating Watt-hour Meter or Digital Meter

  The OEM's know very well which direction the bias error is on these meters and will specify their guarantees with significant tolerances around this measurement. You should be aware of the bias error also.

• Gas Turbine Overfiring to Minimize Performance Liquidated Damages

  With corporate programs such as six sigma, where no failure is tolerated, there is a strong tendency to manipulate this control level. It is part of the complexities of understanding gas turbine operation that the OEM's have noticed little awareness in the electric power generation industry.

• Exhaust Thermocouple Measurement Analysis Verification

  Many exhaust thermocouple material types will result in a hot shift ( an indicated measurement that is higher than the actual measurement). As a result of this inaccuracy there is a bias coefficient in the control to account for this. However, with varying quality levels from parts venders and the OEM's inability to diligently keep track of the bias, your unit may be either underfired and losing valuable generation revenue or overfired consuming hot section life and emitting higher than desired emissions.

• Compressor flow capacity loss from Extended Operation or Compressor Damage

  Flow loss is a common degradation and for the most part can be recoverable, however, damage can occur that will be masked by a flow shift. Knowing to go right to the suspected component problem can save your operations staff valuable time.

These are just a few examples of many areas of power plant equipment operation that may have a problem unknown to you. Of course there are many more, and GTAnalysis offers the expertise to identify and quantify any deficiency. Our fees will be significantly lower than any large OEM or AE firm and will be minuscule in comparison to your cost savings through problem corrective actions.