Fossil Fuel Prices Over Time Energy production by source over the past 70 years has seen a shift away from coal to natural gas and renewables. Read More
Combustion Turbine: Glossary of Terms Often, we find ourselves questioning what a term means in a manual, procedure, or even in conversation. And when we look up these terms via … Read More
Integrated Turbine-Boiler Control Rankine Cycle Power Plant Control Room Operators, Supervisors, and Managers must be familiar with integrated turbine-boiler control. All Rankine Cycle plants must coordinate the control … Read More
Heat Rate Cost – Part 1 The control of unit efficiency in a power plant requires a team effort from operators, maintenance personnel, engineers, and the support of plant management. Read More
Incomplete Combustion in Coal-fired Power Plants Incomplete combustion occurs in a coal-fired unit’s furnace when insufficient oxygen (O2) is available during fuel combustion. “Excess Air” is the amount of O2 available … Read More
Induced Draft Cooling Tower Cold Weather Operations When operating induced draft cooling towers during cold weather (wet bulb temperature less than 32°F), one of the prime considerations is the prevention of icing … Read More
The Importance of Operating with Proper Furnace Draft Most power plant boilers have balanced draft furnaces. This means there is a fan (or fans) that supplies combustion air to the boiler furnace, known … Read More
Supercritical CO2 and the Allam-Fetvedt Power Cycle As the US population continues to rise and the regulatory belt continues to tighten around emissions, power plant owners and operators must continue to look … Read More
Ash Ponds: Supplanting and Upgrading There is a nationwide push for the retirement of ash ponds. Since the need for ash storage remains, many plants are looking toward ash recycle … Read More