Category: plant maintenance

How Reactive Maintenance Drives Up Costs at a Facility

An industrial plant lives or dies by its equipment. When machinery is running as it should, the plant prospers. When it isn’t, the plant suffers due to rising costs and downtime. In order to keep a facility running properly, it’s important to maintain the equipment on a regular basis. But… Read More

Preventing Damage in a Rotary Kiln

Rotary kilns are an essential component of many industrial systems, which means that maintaining and protecting them is extremely important. A properly maintained rotary kiln will assist with process efficiency and will help to extend equipment life, which can help reduce costly repairs. When they’re taken care of the right… Read More

Dealing With Steam Turbine Damage Caused By Cycling

Combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) power plants in the U.S. have undergone several major changes in operating methodology over the past 20 years. Many of these changes – such as the shift to higher ramp rates – have been due to more competitive markets and market demand. For example, many… Read More

What Is a Turnkey Service Provider?

The phrase “turnkey service provider” sounds great – it brings to mind a provider that’s already ready to work with you and has an understanding of your industry. The allure of partnering with a company that doesn’t need to be told what you do is certainly understandable, but how can… Read More

Streamlining a Scheduled Shutdown: Tips for Success

Considering the cost of equipment maintenance and the lost production time, it’s easy to see why scheduled downtime can quickly become more expensive than you expected. Fortunately, there are a few things you can do to streamline the process and keep costs as low as possible. Read on for a… Read More

How Much Efficiency Can Coal Plant Retrofits Achieve?

In the coal industry, from a power plant perspective, improving efficiency is the name of the game. In the U.S., coal plants just aren’t being built anymore. The only new coal plant under construction currently is the Kemper County energy facility in Mississippi, originally slated to be completed this past… Read More

The Perils of “Shoddy Maintenance” for Power Plants

Last fall, a legal battle was initiated when a unit of Marathon Petroleum Corp. sued BP subsidiaries over alleged “shoddy maintenance,” as reported by Industry Week. The charges? According to Marathon, BP failed to adequately maintain and repair a refinery in Texas City before selling it to Marathon for $2.5… Read More