Rapid completion readies Ohio city for peak seasonal demand
PITTSBURGH (May 13, 2014) — Emerson Process Management has successfully replaced the OEM turbine controls at the municipally owned City of Piqua Power System with its Ovation™ turbine control technology.
The control replacements were part of a larger project to improve the operation and reliability of the two 40-year-old peaking units. The original controls installed on the unit 8 and 9 turbines – a GE Frame 5 and Westinghouse W191 – were extremely unreliable, often resulting in unplanned downtime, according to Piqua Power System.
Emerson completed each controls replacement project in just five months, compared with the eight to nine months typical for such projects. The accelerated timetable made it possible for the City of Piqua to return the units to service in time for the upcoming peak winter and summer months.
“We had an aggressive schedule for completion of this project. Emerson was able to deliver a superior solution in a compressed timeframe, returning our gas turbines to service when we needed them most,” said Ed Krieger, Piqua Power System Director. “Emerson’s performance on this project exceeded our expectations, as they engineered, procured and installed a turn-key, best-in-class solution to Piqua’s ongoing generation reliability and performance concerns.”
As part of the turbine controls replacement project at Unit 8, Emerson also performed fuel valve and extended exhaust thermocouple replacements. During the Unit 9 controls retrofit, Emerson also replaced the pressure switch and gauge cabinet, starting diesel engine controls, ignition system, liquid fuel flow divider and vibration system.
“At Emerson, we understand that in today’s competitive power marketplace, it is more important than ever to look for ways to enhance reliability, avoid unplanned outages and reduce maintenance costs,” said Bob Yeager, president of Emerson Process Management’s Power & Water Solutions. “Our Ovation control solution for Piqua units 8 and 9 – the same technology that is being utilized on gas and steam turbines around the world – has been proven to do just that.”
