RECENT PROJECT ACTIVITY
Failure Investigations/Troubleshooting
- Failure investigation of (DC) emergency oil system which
resulted in significant damage to 14 MW steam turbine-generator
bearings and rotors.
[Click here to see photo]
- Failure investigation of 38 MW steam turbine low pressure
blading during commissioning.
[Click here to see photo]
- Investigation of thrust balance in a 53 MW steam turbine
which caused a hot running turbine thrust bearing.
- Failure investigation of 60 MW load gear for General
Electric Frame 6 gas turbine.
- Failure investigation of the high speed rotor from a main
feed pump turbine installed on a US Navy cruiser.
[Click here to see photo]
- Investigation of 18000 BHP steel mill blast furnace blower
and turbine driver [Click here to
see photo]
Failure Investigations and Repairs - Manufacturer Summary
Alstom
- 150 MW steam turbine HP blade failure due to corrosion, expert witness for
the engineering firm
- GT24 B2, failure investigation of LPT3 turbine blade, expert for
the insurance company
- 157 MW steam turbine HP stop valve diffuser failure, expert for
the utility
- GT11, gas turbine silo combustor inner liner failure,
expert for the insurance company
General Electric
- D11 215 MW steam turbine main stop/control valve seat
failure, expert for the insurance company
- Frame 7EA gas turbine failure due to foreign object damage
of the compressor section, expert for the utility
- D3 175 MW steam turbine failure of the HP nozzle partitions
resulting in significant damage to the HP steam path, expert for the insurance
company
- LM 6000 failure investigtion related to a total of five
separate compressor and hot gas path incidents all located in Asia, expert for
the insurance company
- H9/K3 325 MW steam turbine failure investigation of the
lube oil system resulting in significant bearing damage, expert for the
insurance company
Siemens and Westinghouse
- 200 MW steam turbine life assessment for application in cogeneration service in Thailand, expert for the utility
- 150
MW steam turbine failure investigation and repair of cogeneration unit
where failure due to a transient operation resulting in severe internal
rubs,expert for the utility
- 7.5 MW steam turbine evaluation to address performance deterioration, expert for the utility
- 100 MW steam turbine in cogeneration service, evaluation to address operation with high vibration, expert for the utility
- 150
MW frame RJX2606 (Westinghouse) failure investigtion of L-2 blades
resulting in significant damage to the steam path, expert for the
insurance company
- 500 MW steam turbine thrust
bearing evaluation to assure reliable long-term evaluation after
turbine generator rerate, expert for the utility
- 100
MW Alstom/Siemens - Finspang (Sweden) steam turbine in cogeneration
service, rotor repair after damage incident, expert for the insurance
company
Dresser Rand
- 33
MW double extraction steam turbine generator failure investigtion of
the HP nozzle plate bolting resulting in significant steam path damage,
expert for the utility
- 50 MW double end drive steam
turbine generator failure investigation due to (a) stage 1 blade
locking feature, and (b) solid particle erosion,expert for the utility
Expert Witness, Arbitration, and Mediation
- Failure of a 500 MW Westinghouse steam turbine during control system commissioning, expert for the defendant.
- Failure of a 10 MW steam turbine due to destructive overspeed incident while testing the unit, expert for the defendant.
- Represented
the plaintiff in an arbitration of a construction management case
involving a complete cogeneration power plant in the Middle East
Due Diligence - Chinese Steam Turbine Manufacturers
- Vendor evaluation of a 230 MW - 60Hz steam turbine
generator for a US utility, this is the first Chinese steam turbine for
a US project, expert for the developer
- Vendor
evaluation of 660 MW - 50Hz steam turbine generators (quantity = 6)
for project in India, subcritical steam conditions
- Vendor
qualification and evaluation specification for a 1000MW - 60Hz steam
turbine generator for project in Asia with ultra super critical
steam conditions and 45" last stage blades
- Evaluation
specification for a 1200 MW - 60Hz steam turbine for US nuclear power
station with the equipment supplied by a Japanese manufacturer, expert
for third party engineering firm
- Vendor
evaluation of a 600 MW - 60Hz steam turbine generator for an Asian
project, this is the first off 60 Hz design for the Chinese
manufacturer
Training
- Developed a steam turbine design course "Design andMajor
Repairs of Large Steam Turbines for Utility Applications" and presented
over 20 times worldwide to date.
- Developed a
tutorial for large steam turbines which are applied with
ultra-supercritical steam conditions and presented several times to
utility engineers and manufacturers.
Predictive Maintenance Programs - route
development
for a major boiler and machinery insurance company. Coordinated with
operating personnel to identify critical equipment for periodic
measurement of vibration and temperature to prevent failure and improve
and/or maintain plant reliability:
- Electric generating/refuse burning Steam Plant with Steam
Turbine in upstate NY
- Electric generating/chip burning Steam Plant with Steam
Turbine in upstate NY
- Electric generating/refuse burning Steam Plant with Steam
Turbine in South Carolina
- Combined Cycle COGEN with steam host in Northern California
- Electric generating/chip burning Steam Plant with Steam
Turbine in central MA
- 43 MW Central Station (Steam) in western PA
- Fully integrated chemical plant in Tennessee
Development Projects
- Large Electric Utility Project to investigate alternate
methods for repair of steam turbine diaphragms. Purpose of project is
to reduce lead time of repair and cost.
[Click here to see photo]
- Various utilities - in association with a major fluid film
bearing design and manufacturing company, work with utilities to
resolve long term steam turbine, generator, pump and fan rotor/bearing
system vibration, maintenance or operability problems.
- Chemical plant in central US, redesign centrifugal blower
rotor/bearing system and blower case to improve reliability and correct
design defects.
[Click here to see photo]
- Insurance Industry guidelines for contamination of large
utility steam systems.

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