O&M

Researchers say hydrogel coating a possible solution in the fight against scaling

A joint research team from ETH Zurich and the University of California, Berkeley say the tiny ridges on this new hydrogel coating help reduce crystal contact – making micro foulants easier to remove.

Boiler field service success depends upon adherence to best practices

Boilers are under tremendous strain and are integral to so many processes within a facility, and small problems can quickly escalate due to the pressure extremes they operate under.

Attendees consider benefits of remote operations at POWERGEN

“What got us to where we are is not going to get us where we need to be,” said Brian Roth, vice president O&M with PROENERGY.

Evolving regulations for wind turbine end-of-life

Representatives from Colorado are proposing that wind energy companies should be required to remove decommissioned wind turbines from leased land before becoming eligible for federal tax credits.

Condenser performance monitoring (Part 2)

The second half of this two-part series outlines fundamental methods in condenser performance monitoring.

Digitalization key to mitigating wind industry challenges

Technology advancements in predictive analytics and digitalized operations and maintenance are critical to improving long-term cost-efficiency, according to a new report from ONYX Insight.

Emerson’s James Fraser on automation, optimizing data from renewables

Emerson is touting its Ovation Green platform, which the company says will drive faster, more informed decisions surrounding renewable assets.

Babcock & Wilcox awarded $11 million maintenance contract for Newfoundland oil-fired plant

The Holyrood Thermal Generating Station is a major source of Newfoundland and Labrador’s energy, generating between 15% and 25% of the island’s electricity every year.

O&M

Emerson is touting its Ovation Green platform, which the company says will drive faster, more informed decisions surrounding renewable assets….

The Holyrood Thermal Generating Station is a major source of Newfoundland and Labrador’s energy, generating between 15% and 25% of the island’s electricity ev…

The importance of accurate dissolved oxygen condensate/feedwater monitoring

This article aims to serve as a reminder of issues related to flow-accelerated corrosion and that dissolved oxygen monitoring is an important tool for any chemi…

Steam vent silencers: An important but overlooked boiler component

Safety vent silencers are an important component of steam generators and will fail without regular inspection and maintenance….

Half of U.S. large-scale solar projects are in ‘good’ or ‘excellent’ condition, per report

While 47% of U.S. solar plants require varying degrees of service to obtain a ‘good’ or ‘excellent’ rating, less than 2% are in truly distressed condition….

The importance of wind turbine nacelle design and turbine protection heading into 2024

An important consideration for engineers when designing ever taller wind turbines is reducing, where possible, the size of installations inside the wind turbine…

Condenser performance monitoring (Part 1)

The first half of this two-part series examines basic ideas behind the importance of condenser heat transfer….

Researchers say new coating could boost efficiency at coal and gas plants

The coating will now be tested under industrial conditions at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Abbott Power Plant….

Trace metal analyses for corrosion monitoring in cogeneration condensate systems

A revisit of several steam generator feedwater iron analyses and why copper monitoring is needed at cogeneration facilities….

Climate change is hindering U.S. solar generation, study says

Conventional modeling methods use historical data but omit climate trends, over-estimating solar generation from new projects by 5–12%, Sunairio says….

Establishing treatment processes for reliable high-purity makeup in power and co-generation boilers (Part 2)

Co-gen chemistry personnel often face additional challenges over those encountered by their power plant counterparts. Careful planning and good vigilance are n…

Report on the 2023 Electric Utility Chemistry Workshop

The annual workshop features discussion on topics like steam generation chemistry, cooling water treatment, makeup water production and wastewater treatment….