Efficiency Extra Edition
BY TINA TOBUREN, P.E.
Announcements
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New! Read &
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LM6000 Performance
Seminar April 3rd & 4th
2008; in San Diego, CA |
Planning for Performance Monitoring
“The first rule of any technology used in a business is that automation
applied to an efficient operation will magnify the efficiency. The second is
that automation applied to an inefficient operation will magnify the
inefficiency.”
-Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft
While Bill Gates is not always the first person that comes to mind when
thinking of an efficient piece of software… he does make a good point,
especially if you are considering implementing a performance monitoring program
at your facility.
If a performance monitoring system is installed without
proper planning, it could very well lead to increased inefficiencies at the
plant; the direct opposite of what was originally (hopefully) intended.
Just to make sure we’re all on the same page, when I’m
talking about a Performance Monitoring (PM) Program, I’m talking about the
whole enchilada—from the raw data and sensors in the field, to the DCS (or
personnel) collecting and recording that data, and the analysis of the data
(again, via software and personnel), all the way to the end use of the analysis
results; which is hopefully more than just taking up space in a filing cabinet.
A complete
Performance Monitoring Program is more than just wires and software; it must, by nature, include time with site personnel
including time to read, understand and interpret the information—and, when
necessary, put the results into action.
In some cases, off-site personnel, such as a central engineering group,
must also be involved.
By its very name, PM Systems (the software piece) do not
Do anything. They simply keep track of
(monitor) what’s happening and then report that information somewhere, somehow,
for someone else to Act on.
The key to
implementing a successful PM program, is to make sure the right information
gets to the right people at the right time.
For some sites, this might mean getting a trend of
efficiency data for the last month to an on-site engineer, for analysis of,
say, the effectiveness of a new maintenance program.
For many others, it means getting that information to the
operators in a form that they can use in real-time. Knowing that the heat rate was higher
yesterday does not necessarily help the shift that’s in the control room
today. But, knowing that there is
sub-cooling in the condenser, Right Now, does help. But, it takes the operator to actually take
action on that information and reduce the cooling tower fan speeds to improve
the plant efficiency.
When planning for a
PM program, there are many questions that need to be asked, including the
following:
·
What is the main
objective of the performance monitoring program?
·
Improve heat rate
and/or capacity
·
Improve
availability and reliability
·
Reduce maintenance
costs
·
Minimize and/or
control emissions rates
·
Increase knowledge
for marketers and/or dispatchers
·
Build knowledge
base for justification of future capital projects
·
Other or All of the
Above
Who is available to
install and maintain any required software?
·
Site engineers
·
Central engineers
·
Consultants /
external resources
·
Other or All of the
Above
Will
the system be used at a single site, or will it be used (in whole or part) to
manage performance across a fleet?
- Who will be using the system?
- Site engineers
- Control room operators
- Site maintenance personnel
- Plant manager
- Central engineering group
- Asset managers
- Marketers / dispatchers
- Other or All of the Above
Understanding the answers to these
questions will get you started in planning a Performance Monitoring Program to
fit your facility’s needs.
Next Month: What to consider when choosing the Contents
of your Performance Monitoring Software System
If
you have any questions on this or any other article from T2E3, please contact
me via phone (425-821-6036) or email (tinat@t2e3.com).
T2E3
Products & Services
|
Analysis Tools |
Excel Workbooks, Macros & Add-Ins |
Training Seminars |
Performance Test Support |
Performance Monitoring System Support |
LM6000
Performance Seminar to be held
in San Diego –
April 3 & 4
Learn about the thermodynamic relationships
behind Gas Turbine performance, and how to apply this to your units and
your site.
Delve into the economics and
application of correction curves - including an understanding of Throttle
Push.
Get an overview of ASME
PTC-22, the standard on gas turbine performance testing.
Learn about performance monitoring
programs for gas turbines, what you need to look out for, and what to do if
you think you may have a problem.
Walk away with information
and ideas that you can apply to your operation immediately.
April 3 & 4, 2008 at the
Town & Country Resort in San Diego, CA; scheduled to be convenient for
attendees at the 2008 WTUI Conference (www.wtui.com).
See the T2E3 website for more
information:
http://www.t2e3.com/LM6000.php
T2E3 Provides Services
for Power Generators
Including
the following:
Analysis Tools & Software – from customized spreadsheets to add-ins for Excel or complete
compiled programs, T2E3 can develop software tools and analyses to support all
your performance monitoring needs, including integrating your existing tools
with available site data systems, to create online systems providing data and
results in real-time.
Training – both public seminars and customized options are available. Highly interactive sessions increase
attendees’ knowledge and understanding of the thermodynamic cycles,
instrumentation and analyses needed to improve equipment performance and
reliability.
Performance Test Support – if your site is
required to perform annual capacity or power purchase performance tests, having
Tina Toburen from T2E3 on site to direct the testing can lead to a smoother
test execution with more consistent performance results. Professional reports can also be produced to
communicate the results to all required parties.
Commercial Program
Design and Evaluation – For sites
interested in a more complete enterprise solution for performance monitoring,
T2E3 can support your program planning and design, including evaluation of the
various commercial products available within the industry for performance
monitoring. Choosing the correct
solution will depend on the specific goals and objectives of your performance
monitoring program.
Unlock the potential of your
operation. Call for more information on
how we can work together, today!
T2E3
Tina Toburen’s Energy Efficiency Enterprises
14260 120th PL NE, Kirkland, WA 98034
Phone: 425-821-6036
Fax: 253-550-6992
E-mail: performance@t2e3.com
T2E3 Newsletter Volume 2, Issue 1:
1st Quarter 2008
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