In today’s power industry, plant personnel have fewer resources and time available to quantify one of the most critical aspects of a power plant: thermal performance. GSE Engineering, Programs & Performance group (formerly True North Consulting) is highly qualified to perform routine thermal performance and equipment acceptance testing. Our engineers have extensive experience in various types of power plant testing in accordance with the applicable industry standard test codes (ASME, ATC, ASHRA, etc.)
Thermal Performance Monitoring
GSE’s Thermal System Monitoring (TSM) software will provide analysis and reporting of thermal performance of power plants, helping reduce manpower, errors, and costs in operations.
Thermal Performance Testing
Results from thermal performance tests assist plants in quantifying equipment performance, identifying and quantifying losses, minimizing or preventing future losses, and optimizing unit operation. Additionally testing can be used to meet environmental or grid controller requirements.
Our Capabilities
- Heat Rate testing
- Capacity testing
- Steam Turbine testing (nuclear, fossil, combined cycle)
- Gas Turbine testing
- Feedwater Heater testing
- Cooling Tower testing
- Boiler testing
- Pump testing
- Condenser testing
- Accurate flow testing
- Diagnostics
- Troubleshooting
- Overall plant monitoring
- Heat Exchanger testing
- Moisture Separator Reheater testing
Methodology
- Participate in an on-site kick off meeting
- Prepare information request
- Review plant schematics, P&IDs, heat balances and other plant data
- Prepare detailed test procedure in accordance with applicable test codes
- Provide sufficient manpower to properly install and validate test instrumentation
- Perform pretest analysis with thermodynamic modeling software
- Prepare test calculation spreadsheet using TP-PLUS TSM Thermal System Monitoring Software
- Prepare cycle isolation analysis using TP-PLUS CIM Valve Leakage Analysis Software
- Provide on-site test supervision, coordination and support
- Perform detailed data reduction, test data analysis
- Deliver a peer-reviewed, comprehensive final report with incorporation of customer comments
- Perform on-site plant walk down
Instrumentation
GSE uses state-of-the-art, high accuracy instrumentation, data acquisition systems and software. An additional benefit to using True North Consulting is the ability to accurately measure critical system flows with advanced cross-correlation flow measurement techniques.
Support and Additional Services
As a feature of our “total plant solution” approach, we are able to integrate thermodynamic modeling, analysis and other unique plant optimization concepts for consideration as an extension to our testing services or as an adjunct to a client’s testing program.
