From time to time parts need to be replaced in any industrial ventilation system. When replacing parts for a gas turbine ventilation systems, system performance, fire protection, and noise abatement all need to be taken into account. You want to have as little downtime as possible and that is why we suggest buying replacement equipment from one reputable company. Eldridge has the experience to ensure your project will run smoothly, on time, and on budget.
Heat Load
One of the biggest concerns with replacement ventilation equipment is whether or not it will move enough air to adequately remove the Heat Load being generated from the outside casing of the gas turbine. Eldridge is very experienced with all aspects of the heat removal process, from making sure the fan provided has the required flow and static pressure to calculating the actual removal of heat from the enclosure or building.
Pressurization
When purchasing replacement ventilation parts, understanding whether the turbine enclosure or building ventilation system has a positive or negative pressure is also necessary. The ventilation system will not work properly if the ventilation equipment is not configured to match the pressurization philosophy of the existing turbine package.
Static Pressure
The static pressure requirements of the ventilation system should also be considered when replacing ventilation components. For instance if a fan is replaced that produces the correct amount of flow but it does not produce the correct amount of static pressure for the system, the fan will not move enough ventilation air to properly remove the heat load being generated by the turbine casing and other components in the enclosure or building. Likewise, if other components such as silencers and ducting need to be replaced in the system it is a good idea to make sure the replacement component will not add more static pressure to the system than the original design. Eldridge has the experience and engineering tools to insure proper application of equipment to prevent static pressure problems.
Fire Containment
Gas turbine ventilation systems also include fire containment dampers that will need to be replaced at some point. These dampers are typically designed to match the ventilation systems they are placed in. It is important when replacing the dampers that the new dampers have the same operational philosophy as the original dampers. For instance if the dampers are released to close with a pressurized trip device, it is imperative that the new dampers are released with a trip device that operates in the same way and with the same gas pressure as the original device. Otherwise, the damper may not close when a fire event occurs.
Noise Abatement
Silencers in the ventilation system also have to be replaced from time to time to ensure that the system continues to operate at a sound level that is acceptable to the owners of the generating station and the neighbors. When replacing the silencers, special attention should be given to installing silencers that will not create additional pressure drop on the system and cause the fans to move less air and thus cause the temperature in the turbine enclosure to increase.
In some cases an owner will want to reduce the noise around a gas turbine package lower than the original specified sound levels. In these cases, it may be necessary to install new ventilation silencers that have a higher performance than those originally provided with the gas turbine package. However, when this occurs, it is necessary to re-evaluate the ventilation system as a whole to make sure the fans will provide the pressure and flow required for the heat load when fitted with the higher performance silencers.
Conclusion
With so many factors involved when replacing parts in your turbine ventilation system, we think it’s best practice to procure all your equipment from one source. This allows you to ensure that all the required parts will be delivered to your facility in a timely manner without having to coordinate between multiple sources. Moreover, you have one contact who can oversee the installation who is trained on all the equipment rather than multiple contractors who each come with their own service fees.
It goes without saying that power generation plants are essential to our modern society. It’s not an exaggeration to say that proper ventilation can make or break a system. We recommend calling an expert to design or retrofit your system with new parts. Eldridge has decades of experience in many types of power plants and we provide top quality, certified dampers, silencers, and fans on our projects.