Plant:

• A 250MW combined-cycle plant in the UK

Objective:

• Assess the effects of changing from base load to cyclic operation
• Optimise plant operation
• Identify any necessary engineering or operational changes, with particular attention to condensate problems

Solution:

• Identification of critical components
• Inspection and condition assessment
• On-line monitoring of operational conditions, with periodic off-line analysis
• Inverse design stress, creep and fatigue analysis, refined by finite element stress analysis where necessary

Benefits:

• Critical components identified, and monitoring programmes established
• Particular trouble spots identified
• Current condition of critical components demonstrated to be satisfactory
• Typical operational transients identified and analysed
• Component lives calculated, and refined by FEA as appropriate
• Design and operational factors relating to vent and drain function, condensate formation during purge cycles and start-up/shut-down procedures identified and modifications proposed