Modern technology breathes new life into old turbines

Deciding what to do with aging plants is a problem that is here to stay. Retiring and rebuilding will not always be economical when customers can purchase electricity from whomever they please. Original equipment manufacturers are catering to the needs of turbine owners by offering a smorgasbord of options for retrofit, whether or not they manufactured the original turbine. Not every retrofit requires total replacement of major components, and the diagnostic tools available to manufacturers today allow them to customize separate components to fit existing equipment with the highest efficiency and capacity boost possible. Higher efficiency and capacity are typical results expected from these retrofits, but the benefits extend beyond these obvious basics. Besides lower fuel costs and lower emissions resulting from increased emissions resulting from increased efficiency, the improvements to the steam turbine can ease the stress on other aging components such as the boiler and emissions controls and reduce costs associated with ash disposal. Furthermore, the improved reliability from replacing life-limited components leads to reduced inspection and maintenance costs. Engineers are lowering overall costs by improving steam path design, controlling leakage, refining blade profiles and controlling erosion and corrosion. These areas consume most of the efficiency-loss pie.