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AquaLazing

A B&W exclusive service, AquaLazing is an advanced, high-pressure water jetting process that can effectively clean piping systems and critical plant components of mill-scale, construction debris and process deposits. AquaLazing can be applied to piping systems that typically require Chemical Cleaning services, reducing pre-commissioning costs and environmental impacts.

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Steam Blowing

B&W Energy Services offers the most effective and safest equipment available during Steam Blows. We maintain the largest inventory of Dry Silencers in the industry, and our extensive inventory allows us to significantly reduce project costs and environmental impact by reducing project water consumption during steam blowing, while still meeting the most stringent project noise requirements.

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Chemical Cleaning

Our team uses the lowest-risk chemical cleaning solutions on the market, and our circulation hoses are designed with the highest-quality equipment available, and we effectively eliminate all risk for leaks from our pipe spools. Plus, B&W provides custom solutions, making the most of advanced, unique equipment designs from our top engineers.

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Air Blowing

Remove water and debris from your piping systems with minimal disruption. B&W Energy Services’ Air Blow service effectively clears water, construction debris, sand and dirt from your piping systems with little disturbance to surrounding work activities. With our purpose-built air blow equipment and extensive training, you can ensure B&W’s air blow services will be performed safely and effectively regardless of project size.

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High-Velocity Oil Flushing

Lubricant contamination is the number one cause of lubricant-related equipment failure. The condition of your oil can make or break the operation of your turbines and other plant machinery. High-velocity oil flushing is essential to maintaining the health of your facility’s equipment.

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Pigging

Remove water, debris and other contaminants from your piping systems with the help of our experienced team. Maintaining clean piping systems is crucial for the success of any project, and we’re committed to ensuring that they remain in tip-top shape. B&W provides tailored support through each step of the pigging process, from selecting the ideal pig to design to execution.

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Project Management

We know project management during construction and commissioning is complex, often with millions of dollars at stake if not managed correctly. Why leave the management of this undertaking up to chance? B&W Energy Services acts as your single point of contact for all the services you need, from engineering to commissioning and everything in between. We have a great depth of experience supervising mechanical work and supplementing your commissioning team to align construction turnover with cleaning and start-up, saving you costs and schedule delays during project engineering.

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Pulse Flushing

Our Pulse Flushing equipment utilizes coded pressure-tested vessels and is built to SPEC, which incorporates safety requirements to protect our personnel and your employees. Plus, we don’t just ship equipment to your site for this cleaning event—our equipment is pre-engineered to develop the shortest, safest and quickest method for effectively cleaning the system.

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Hydrotesting

B&W can design an integrated Hydrotesting and cleaning program that eliminates wasted man-hours and unnecessary costs on repeat activities. Our qualified and trained professionals guarantee Hydrotests are performed safely and effectively, and our Hydrotests are accompanied by comprehensive engineering procedures to confirm all safety protocols are followed.

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Inspections

Our inspection services are a vital approach to ensuring the safety and efficiency of each project. We can provide you with real time data on the condition of your systems before cleaning, allowing teams to make informed decisions on best approach and cleaning techniques. We also provide documentation of results and effectiveness post-cleaning. Eliminate assumptions or guesswork regarding the condition of your systems by engaging with our team for inspections.

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Pre-Commissioning And Commissioning Services

B&W Energy Services offers the most comprehensive pre-commissioning and commissioning in the industry. From industrial cleaning services like our uniquely-designed AquaLazing to Steam Blows and Chemical Cleaning, we take care of all your service needs. Our engineering team works in tandem with the industry’s leading engineering and construction firms to develop effective and measurable cleaning programs we use on the world’s largest and most complex projects.
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B&W Energy
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281.336.9903

901 Seaco Avenue,
Deer Park, TX 77536

The Nuts and Bolts of Coal Plant Conversion

The Nuts and Bolts of Coal Plant Conversion

The Nuts and Bolts of Coal Plant Conversion

What if we told you that your plant could experience a 94% increase in capacity? If you think that’s impossible, think again – it’s exactly what happened for owners of more than 15 U.S. plants between 2011 and 2019. Their secret? Repurposing and modernizing aging coal plants to run on natural gas, reducing emissions and cutting costs in the process.

 

 

 

The ideal candidate for a coal-to-gas conversion is a unit that’s more than 50 years old, less than 300 megawatts in capacity and typically, an early generation sub-critical utility boiler (i.e., the least efficient and most expensive to operate with the lowest overall capacity). If this doesn’t describe your equipment, it’s time to consider what’s best for your operation, decommissioning and shutting down or adding additional equipment to keep your plant viable.

 

Unlike typical grass root combined cycle projects, where all equipment is new, these projects occur onsite at existing coal-fired power facilities. The options are either to convert a boiler’s fuel stream to natural gas or completely replace a boiler with a combined cycle steam generator (i.e., gas turbine + HRSG) to feed an existing (often rebuilt) steam turbine.

In short, the sooner, the better. MATS compliance is forcing producers to take a look at the older coal plants on their roster and figure out whether additional emissions control equipment is the best option to bring those plants into compliance. The former alternative was shutting those plants down and replacing them with plants that use alternative fuels. Now, the option of conversion exists – and is growing in popularity rapidly.

Most units that are prime candidates for repurposing are located in the eastern U.S because their limited-to-no air quality control systems make the cost of adding an AQCS steep. Plants west of the Mississippi River aren’t as viable because they’re often larger, more efficient and burn a cost-effective fuel with a more favorable emission profile than many eastern plants.

The initial drivers for plants to switch from coal to natural gas were stricter emissions standards, low natural gas prices and more efficient new gas turbine technology. Arguably the biggest benefit to repurposing existing plants is to avoid those old units becoming stranded assets long term. This means energy producers can continue providing generation that complies with emissions regulations and remain competitive in the market. Need a few more reasons? Think about high investment returns, significant fleet-life extensions, lower operating, capital and carbon costs and the elimination of complex mining operations.

Complexities increase when using existing equipment because systems are configured differently for connecting new equipment and systems to existing boilers. These projects require an experienced team to design an effective cleaning program, which can extend beyond an EPC’s experience level. Luckily, that’s where B&W can help. We’re proud to have been recognized as one of the most active vendors assisting with the currently high volume of coal to gas conversions.

Right now, our work includes supporting a project for Cooperative Energy’s Plant Morrow. Their aging coal units entered service in 1978 and weren’t providing competitive MISO. As coal costs rose and gas-fired generation costs decreased, the need to repower the facility became eminent. Upon completion, the plant will be equipped with a Siemens HL gas turbine plus Nooter Eriksen HRSG and re-use of an existing steam turbine. The plant is scheduled to achieve its first fire this summer and be fully commercial by March of next year. In addition to this project, B&W supported some of the conversions Alabama Power did in the mid-2010s.

If you’ve decided repurposing is the best option for your plant, contact B&W for more information today!

By: B&W Energy Services 07/19/22 Category: Blog

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CALL: 281.336.9903 FAX: 281.534.9305

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901 Seaco Avenue, Deer Park, TX 77536

B&W is an ISO9001:2015 company, which highlights our commitment to quality. Through commitment, dedication, and unmatched service quality, B&W Energy Services has positioned itself as an industry leader providing services on the world’s most complex projects. Our experience is not simply limited to the power energy sector. At B&W Energy Services our experience is vast, covering all energy sectors including oil and gas, petrochemical, power and renewable. Aqualazing, steam blowing, chemical cleaning, air blowing, oil flushing, hydrotesting, project management and engineering.

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