Rotor-bore analysis triples time between required inspections

This article describes how a steam-turbine-rotor-bore remaining-life analysis (RLA) program at Carolina Power and Light Co. (CP and L) has tripled inspection intervals for most of the utility's rotor bores and reduced the critical path of some turbine outages by one to three weeks. Another benefit is a reduction in unnecessary rotor replacements and bore inspections. The bore inspections, frequent before the new program often prolonged operational shutdowns because of water in the bore or a backing out of the bore plug. Techniques such as the ones described here are vital to utilities now that engineering decisions must be based on strict financial analysis.