Papers

List of submitted papers and abstracts (updated on an ongoing basis):

Jerzy Król - ENEA Elektrownia Połaniec sp. z o.o. Jerzy Trzeszczyński - Pro Novum sp. z o.o.
MAINTAINING THE TECHNICAL CONDITION OF POWER UNITS AT ENEA POŁANIEC POWER PLANT TO ENSURE COMPLIANCE WITH LEGAL REQUIREMENTS AND ADAPTATION TO NEW OPERATING REGIMES

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Jerzy Trzeszczyński – Pro Novum sp. z o.o.
FAILURE AS A PROBLEM AND A SOURCE OF KNOWLEDGE – FAILURE ANALYSIS AS A SYSTEM

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Krzysztof Brunné, Adrian Sobczyszyn, Marcin Solecki - Pro Novum sp. z o.o.
DIRECT AND INDIRECT CAUSES OF FAILURES OF BOILER HEATING SURFACE

The heating surfaces of steam boilers are among the most highly stressed pressure-bearing components. This results from their operating conditions, including exposure to an aggressive flue-gas environment at high temperatures, as well as, frequently, inadequate water quality and high pressure of the working medium. Failures may be caused by various factors acting individually or in combination, including improper operation, poor-quality fuel, inadequate physicochemical parameters of feedwater, installation errors, and others. An increasingly important factor contributing to failures is the more frequent load-following operation of power units. Knowledge gained from post-failure investigations, based on appropriately selected examinations, makes it possible to identify not only the direct but, more importantly, the indirect causes of failures. This is one of the simplest and most cost-effective ways of preventing their recurrence. Immediate repair measures that do not take indirect causes into account do not provide a long-term solution. Instead, they may contribute to further failures and damage on an even larger scale.

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Paweł Woszczyk - Towarzystwo Gospodarcze Polskie Elektrownie
ASSESSMENT OF THE TECHNICAL CONDITION OF JWCD POWER UNITS

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Jacek Kocięcki – Urząd Dozoru Technicznego
ACTIVITIES OF THE POLISH OFFICE OF TECHNICAL INSPECTION IN THE POWER GENERATION SECTOR

The presentation will focus on the activities of the Polish Office of Technical Inspection (UDT) carried out for the conventional power generation sector, with particular emphasis on operating coal-fired power units rated at 200+. The principles governing the operation of UDT-accredited laboratories and the performance of special inspections required under technical inspection regulations will be discussed.
The presentation will also cover UDT guidelines, which provide a set of technical standards supporting the safe and efficient operation of power generation equipment, as well as advanced inspection methods developed and implemented by the Central Laboratory of Technical Inspection.
Participants will also learn about possibilities for monitoring equipment operation using the ET Inspektor application and about Fitness-for-Service assessments carried out in accordance with API579-1/ASME FFS-1.

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Patryk Puławski - CCGT Ostrołęka sp. z o.o.
FOUR TASKS – ONE GOAL

The presentation will describe the implementation of the combined-cycle gas turbine (CCGT) power plant project in Ostrołęka. The Ostrołęka CCGT project is being implemented through four major tasks. These include the provision of water and fuel as well as power evacuation, all supporting the core of the investment – the combined-cycle power unit with a heat recovery steam generator (HRSG). The highly optimized generating unit will provide 745 MWe of capacity, significantly strengthening and stabilizing electricity supply to the Polish power grid.

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Daniel Berek, Dr. Christian Ullrich - vgbe energy e.V.
FROM DAMAGE PATTERN TO ROOT CAUSE: ANALYSIS AND REPAIR OF A HEAT EXCHANGER IN A CONCENTRATED SOLAR POWER PLANT

Molten-salt heat exchangers are key components of concentrated solar power plants and are exposed to high thermal and corrosive stresses. This presentation focuses on the investigation of a damage case in such a heat exchanger with the aim of identifying the underlying failure mechanisms and evaluating them in the context of operating conditions. The damage analysis is conducted using a systematic, multi-step approach that includes macroscopic inspection, non-destructive testing methods, and further material investigations in the laboratory. Particular attention is paid to evaluating the interaction of thermomechanical stress, material degradation, and manufacturing-specific influences. This presentation will outline the results of the damage analysis, describe the methodological approach, and discuss strategies for damage remediation and future damage prevention based on these findings.

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Wojciech Murzynowski, Radosław Stanek – Pro Novum sp. z o.o.
WHEN DAMAGE CANNOT BE REPAIRED

One of the more widespread Pro Novum diagnostic services of an intervention-oriented nature, which has recently been gaining increasing importance, is the conditional operation of damaged components when their repair or replacement is technically impossible and/or economically unjustifiable. This approach makes it possible to ensure the availability of thermal-mechanical equipment and power units while maintaining the safe operation of boiler and turbogenerator components.
Such a service is always preceded by a safety analysis, while supervision of safe operation is carried out in real time and remotely, using a proprietary remote diagnostic supervision system.
The methodology and procedure for assessing the safe operation of damaged components whose repair or replacement is not possible are presented. Selected examples of diagnostic supervision of the conditional operation of boiler and turbogenerator components until their scheduled replacement are also presented.

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Cezary Kolan, Tomasz Bijak– Pro Novum sp. z o.o.
REVITALIZATION OF CAST-STEEL TURBINE COMPONENTS AS PART OF DAMAGE REPAIR AND LIFE EXTENSION

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Marek Ustarbowski -VEOLIA Energia Poznań SA
PEAKING OPERATION OF GAS-FIRED POWER UNITS UNDER VARYING DEMAND FROM THE POWER GRID

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Grzegorz Łaskawski - EIB SA
INSURANCE AGAINST THE RISK OF EQUIPMENT FAILURE AND BUSINESS INTERRUPTION CAUSED
BY FAILURE

Despite advanced diagnostics of machinery and equipment and the use of quality control systems, serious failures of critical machinery and equipment continue to pose a significant risk in the energy sector. The failure of a critical asset can result in major disruptions to business operations and, consequently, significant financial losses. The presentation will outline the benefits of using specialized insurance products, including Machinery Breakdown Insurance and Business Interruption Insurance resulting from machinery breakdown.

It will also cover the types of events covered by the insurance policy, as well as options for extending the standard scope of coverage with additional clauses tailored to the specific nature of operations in the energy sector.

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Paweł Gawron - Pro Novum sp. z o.o.
PHYSICOCHEMICAL CAUSES OF DAMAGE TO POWER GENERATION EQUIPMENT

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Michał Rawecki - Reversesolutions Sp. z o.o.
SEEING FAILURE BEFORE IT HAPPENS – 3D TECHNOLOGIES IN DIAGNOSTICS, SERVICE AND MAINTENANCE

Modern 3D scanning technologies offer a completely new perspective on the diagnostics of equipment and machine components. The presentation will demonstrate how 3D scanners can support damage identification, wear assessment, deformation measurement, and the analysis of geometric changes occurring during operation. Practical examples will show how 3D data can be used to compare the actual condition of a component with technical documentation, a CAD model, or previous measurements, making it possible to detect early warning signs before they develop into a serious failure. Particular attention will be given to the application of 3D scanning in service, overhaul, and maintenance activities in the power generation sector.
The aim of the presentation is to demonstrate that 3D measurement is not merely a quality-control tool, but also a means of predicting potential problems, supporting maintenance decisions, and increasing equipment reliability.

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Mariusz Banaszkiewicz, Huascar Lorini, Frank Biesinger

GE Vernova’s experience in identifying damage and pursuing to prevent steam turbine rotor incidents

Damage to steam turbine components, including rotors, can occur both during normal operation and under off-design conditions. In the former case, this is primarily due to the exhaustion of the component's life and the continuous increase in the probability of component failure over the course of service life. When operating under off-design conditions, damage can appear earlier and lead to sudden failures. Steam turbine rotors are among the most heavily loaded turbine components and are subject to wear due to numerous mechanisms such as creep, low- and high-cycle fatigue, erosion, corrosion, fretting, etc. age resulting from some of these, such as creep, can be assessed using computational methods and material testing methods (non-destructive and destructive), while others, such as those caused by erosion or corrosion, can only be reliably assessed based on non-destructive testing. GE Vernova’s approach to helping to ensure reliable operation is based on a program of inspection and maintenance performed cyclically at established intervals, assessment of the service life of critical turbine components, analysis of operating conditions, and the use of fleet experience gained from overhauls, diagnostic tests, fatigue analyses, and life assessments.