Station:
- Coal-fired, 4 x 650MW, located in the far east
Objective:
- Comprehensive life assessment of HP-IP-LP turbines, prior to possible corporate re-structuring
- Evaluation of start-up/shut-down procedures
Approach:
- Detailed finite element analysis of all thermal and mechanical loads during steady running and current hot, warm and cold starts
- Creep and fatigue life assessment in conformity with R5 methodology
Benefits:
- Established that remaining life exceeds operational requirements
- Confirmed that current start-up/shut-down procedures are relatively innocuous and do not need to be changed to extend life
- Components ranked by life consumption
- Future inspection prioritised by critical location