ROOT CAUSE ANALYSIS FOR BOILER & STEAM CYCLE FAILURES

This training course is primarily intended for experienced O&M staff working in thermal power and process plants as well engineering and management staff at the corporate level. The objective is to give attendees all the essentials for effective determination of the root cause of failures that can occur in the boiler or associated steam balance-of-plant. The principal failure modes are reviewed, with focus on those occurring in the boiler, critical piping and other key components such as pressure vessels and condensers.

 

Major emphasis is placed on analyzing how upstream events in the steam cycle process can lead to failures in downstream components. Several actual failure case histories treated by Tetra Engineering staff at plants around the world are presented, providing attendees with practical application of the presented concepts.

• Gain an overview of the most common damage mechanisms, either on the waterside or fire/gas/air-side, that can affect components in the steam cycle
• Understand how to define the problem, collect the evidence and then identify the component failure mechanism, which is not the same as the failure root cause.
• Acquire insight into the various root cause analysis methods, their respective merits and how several were applied in some actual case studies

Engineers of all disciplines, managers, technicians, design, maintenance and operations personnel, and other technical individuals who need a comprehensive introduction to practical optimization, operation and design considerations of a major combined cycle power plant.

He is currently Director of European Operations of a leading engineering and inspection consultancy in the power generation sector. Activities are now concentrated on the steam cycle in combined cycle plants, but included projects for coal, oil, diesel and nuclear plants in the past. Areas of specialization are instrumentation and controls (I&C) as well as materials science.

 

CRE S.A., Sophia Antipolis, France (1987-1991)                                                         

Lead Engineer, worked on the design and development of real-time systems for controlling diesel generators and turbines. One application involved the development of a complete monitoring system under subcontract to a major European diesel manufacturer, which was subsequently installed on a new black start diesel at a US nuclear plant.

 

Raytheon Company, Development Laboratory, Sudbury, MA. USA (1983-1987)

 

Engineering and analyses to improve resistance of defense electronic systems to spatial environments and effects of nuclear radiation. This involved designing custom test circuitry and carrying out the tests at both Raytheon and US government facilities.

 

Combustion Engineering Inc., Nuclear Division, Windsor CT. USA (1980-1982)

 

Worked in the design group responsible for the nuclear fuel reloading (enriched uranium) for the St Lucie 1 and BG&E Calvert Cliffs plants. Used radiation transport programs for simulating the physics of the reactor during a cycle.

 

Recent Project Experience

• HRSG Inspections ( more than 50 in last six years)
• Computer Simulation of Boiler and Steam Plant Performance
• API/ASME FFS-1 Fitness for Service Analysis on HRSG Components
• Coal Boiler Inspection and Life Assessments
• HRSG and Radiant Boiler Failure Analyses
• HRSG Training (annual public courses and closed session at client sites

This training course has a limited attendance for up to 20 participants only. Sessions commence at 9am on all days, with short intervals at 10.30am and 3.30pm respectively. Refreshments will be provided in the short intervals. Lunch will be provided at 12:30pm for 1 hour. Sessions will end at 5pm on all days.