In the second of our three part series penned by Jeff Bause, President & CEO of Groome Industrial Service Group, Jeff shares a case study example showcasing the benefits and results of routine cleaning using kinetic energy. If you missed Part 1 of the series, read it here.
The benefits are clear for two separate locations that each completed routine cleaning and maintenance with kinetic energy technology.
This first case examines two facilities that had utilized various methods of cleaning in the past, notably ice blasting. A deeper clean – meaning truly comprehensive maintenance services for HRSG tubes – was desired by plant ownership. If the cleaning was done correctly and thoroughly, this would then translate into both fuel savings and improved overall plant performance.
One facility, located in the Midwestern part of the United States, has four 7FA gas turbines equipped with Aalborg HRSGs, in a 2×1 combined cycle configuration. The other location, on the East Coast of the U.S., has two 7FA gas turbines equipped with Aalborg HRSGs, also in a 2×1 combined cycle configuration.
A patented kinetic energy technology was utilized at each facility to clean tube bundles. The scheduling of such work needed to take place in a way that would reduce the amount of downtime at each plant. To accomplish this, teams of between six and eight workers on the job worked around the clock in consecutive twelve-hour shifts of cleaning. In addition, another criterion was to have the work completed in a completely turnkey manner with every detail and every logistical task taken care of by the maintenance team. For example, the hauling away of debris should be handled by a trained team to ensure that any negative impact to the environment is mitigated.
The results for the maintenance work completed at both facilities with kinetic energy exceeded customer expectations:
- At each location, more than four tons of waste was removed.
- There was no recorded damage to any piece of equipment.
- In the months after the maintenance work was complete and the customers were back up and running, both the Midwest and East Coast facilities reported substantial yearly fuel and energy savings.
Also important to note is that the ROI for these locations is 12 months or less.