For more than 10 years, we have provided operations support to utility companies.
Operations support means that we use our specialized knowledge and hands-on experience when a problem arises in an energy plant. If the utility company’s operations personnel do not have the time or they wish to combine their plant knowledge with our expertise to identify the fault and decide what needs to be done, we step in.
We are called in when, for instance, a steam turbine loses its performance, a gearbox increases its vibrations, or a steam pipe bursts. Our specialists’ task is to determine why it is shaking or running irregularly and what we need to do to rectify the issue and who can repair it. It is not simple; the devil is almost always hidden in the details.
Sherlock Holmes in working clothes
To provide the best possible solution, we not only rely on our own specialized knowledge, but we also tap into our extensive network when necessary. But first, we literally roll up our sleeves. We put on our safety gear to see, hear, and feel for ourselves what is wrong before collaborating with operations personnel to analyze the available data and perhaps even disassemble machinery and plant components.
By virtually “getting our hands dirty,” we can systematically investigate whether the specific “widget” is the problem or if it starts elsewhere.
Analyses and documentation
It is crucial to document why a particular fault occurred and what can be done to prevent it from recurring. And finding the best—and quickest—solution is essential because taking a plant out of operation is expensive!
Therefore, we complement our profound, interdisciplinary expertise and experience with our in-house tools such as AVPlan, Modelica, and Thermoflex to delve into the details and identify the fault. And often we draw on our unique network of specialists and analysis institutes if for instance a pipe material must be tested.
Our top priority is ensuring that the plant problems are thoroughly analyzed and documented so that we can find the right solution for the customer and get the plant back into operation.
Sherlock Holmes - alias Frank Drinhaus - inspects a turbine rotor damaged by erosion and corrosion.
