Entries by Mike.Lake

When a water wash fails to recover efficiency…

If a combustion turbine experiences reduced power output and heat rate, the usual suspect is compressor fouling. But what if cleaning the compressor through on-line and off-line wash is not enough to recover lost compressor efficiency? Some users experience no gain in gas turbine output or improvement in heat rate even after a Major outage. […]

Steam Turbine Contamination

Contaminated steam can seriously impair the performance and reliability of the turbine. Dissolved minerals can cause an accumulation of deposits on surfaces, impeding fluid flow. A deposit thickness of only 3 mils on the convex surface of buckets can cause an increase of 1 to 2 % in the fuel bill and a 1% reduction […]

Install Flux Probe with Generator Rotor-In

TGM® has developed a process to install a magnetic flux probe without removing the rotor from the generator. A flux probe can detect the degree and location of shortened turns in generator rotor windings, down to a specific pole and coil, without taking the generator off line. An installed flux probe allows generator specialists to […]

"Off The Job" Safety

We emphasize a lot of “on the job” safety, but what about “off the job” safety? We have a responsibility to use what we learned in all of our safety training and apply it to everyday safety. A large part of safety training is to help you form a safe attitude – to encourage you […]

RTD vs Thermocouple – Which is Best?

Both RTDs and thermocouples are sensors used to measure heat in scales such as Fahrenheit or Centigrade. Such devices are used in a broad range of applications and settings, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. Resistance Temperature Detectors (RTDs) The electrical resistance of metals rises as the metals become hotter, and falls as heat […]

Overhead Loads

A young construction worker was killed the same day his wife was coming home from the hospital with their first child. How did this occur? A crane was transporting a heavy, bulky section six or seven feet in the air to clear other objects. The load was guided by tag lines which were used by all […]

Correct Gap Critical to Rotation Speed

Maintaining the correct gap between the sensor and the rotor is critical to correctly measuring turbine rotor speed. Setting the gap can be problematic if the correct gap is unknown or if it cannot be accessed with a feeler gauge. First a little background on why the sensor gap is critical: The sensor, or “pickup”, […]

Heat Stress

 It’s that time of year again – summertime – hot and unbearable weather. This year is starting off in pretty much the same pattern as years gone by. All over the U.S we are seeing extremely high heat temperatures, especially in the western portion where temperatures are reaching an average of 112° to 128° degrees. […]

Common Sense Safety

Contrary to popular opinion, all workers can prevent themselves from getting hurt. The easy way to avoid pain is to observe how others have taken risks and been injured, rather than learning the hard way–from your own injury. That’s common sense! By avoiding unsafe acts and practicing common sense, your work will go smoother, with […]

Copper Resistance Testing

General. The typical generator stator winding consists of three independent circuits or phases. These circuits must be as symmetrical as possible with one another to achieve maximum generator efficiency. This symmetry includes the cross section of each conductor as well as the length or distance from main lead to neutral lead. The Copper Resistance (or […]