air-cooled condensor assessment

A utility with a relatively new air-cooled condenser was having issues with leaks at tube-to-tubesheet welds after a freeze event. Numerous tube leaks at the lower tube sheet reduced the performance of the condenser, and questions were raised regarding the fabrication of the equipment.

A contractual review was performed to evaluate weld quality against the requirements in the performance contract. In support, weld quality evaluations were performed of original and repair welds including visual examinations of the air-cooled condenser and failed welds, and metallurgical evaluations to determine both the cause of failure and assess the appropriateness of various repair methods.

At the completion of the project, guidance was provided to the utility regarding actions with the equipment supplier, and recommendations were given regarding future contractual language. Recommended good practices for future repairs were also provided.

boiler feedwater pump shaft gouging

A routine outage identified circumferential damage in a pump shaft on the inboard side of the driven end mechanical seal. As multiple shafts exhibited damage, the shaft with the most severe condition was removed for laboratory examination to determine the active damage mechanism(s) Those examinations found the gouging damage was corrosion-related. Based on the laboratory data, a comprehensive list of issues were generated for the root cause analysis team.