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Moog Inc., a worldwide designer, manufacturer and integrator of precision control components and systems, has announced several product enhancements designed to complement the upgrades being made by gas turbine manufacturers to extend service life in power generation applications.
- Extended Life 2.0 hydraulic gas control actuators that incorporate an improved thin dense chrome (TDC) cylinder bore plating process.
- A 64k process valve upgrade, including a Stellite alloy sleeve in the valve stem and self-adjusting Enviro-Seal packings.
- A Power Generation Optimized (PGO) Servo Valve upgrade, designed to resist contaminants and varnish to reduce forced outages.
Moog said its extended life gas control actuator technology can be used across all combustion turbine models and product lines, including GE, Siemens and Mitsubishi.
“When plant operators upgrade older turbines with an OEM’s new control system, the demand on the gas control equipment often exceeds the original specs,” said Steve Beddick, market development manager for Power Generation at Moog. “OEM retrofits to a turbine generate higher dynamics on its fuel system, creating a more aggressive motion profile, which translates to increased oscillations. Left unchecked, you have a potential failure point or reduced service life.”
With the growth of wind and solar farms as well as hydropower, fossil-fuel turbines powering the grid must be more dynamic since renewable power fluctuates by nature. Plant owners are also working to maximize efficiency and reduce their carbon footprint. To meet these concerns, turbine makers are offering upgraded control technology as retrofit packages.
Yet to improve fuel economy, Moog said turbine operators must also upgrade their unit’s control dynamics, specifically the gas control actuator and valves, as OEM upgrades can place greater demands on legacy components designed for lower dynamics. Moog said that combining any retrofit with its fuel control technology package gives plant owners more robust process valves and wear-resistant actuators that allow scheduling of major inspections at 64,000-hour intervals.