INDUSTRY FOCUS Oil & Gasy
Safeguarding AD plants from hidden causes of CHP shutdown
James Thompson, Managing Director of Gen-C, an independent CHP parts and service provider, explains how a live monitoring system can protect your engine from the five most common hidden causes of engine shutdown
C
ombined heat and power (CHP) gas engines are one of the most expensive pieces of equipment on an anaerobic
digestion (AD) plant. They are also one of the most important, as a CHP engine unable to generate electricity can lead to an immediate loss of income for the operator.
Despite this, many AD operators take a hands-off approach to maintaining their CHP, either relying on expensive locked-in service contracts that only cover mechanical issues, or waiting for a problem to occur before taking action.
Knowledge is power Today’s CHP engines are finely- tuned, sophisticated pieces of kit
that operate with precise tolerances. Correctly maintained, they will perform reliably for years to come; but, leave them unchecked and there’s a risk of underperformance, hard shutdowns and, even, catastrophic failures – all of which will reduce the volume of electricity being generated. Operators that can monitor their engine’s performance in real time, and review and compare data across a range of parameters, will be in the best position to prevent issues from happening, ensuring their CHP operates as intended.
A false sense of security This is equally important for those with an engine service contract. Despite costing thousands of pounds each
month, such contracts only extend to the mechanical function of the engine itself. If an engine shutdown is attributed to an external factor, such as a gas issue, the contract is invalid. Not only will the operator then be forced to pay for the problem to be rectified by a third party, they can also find themselves being billed by their service provider for an out-of- warranty callout. To identify and correct problems
before they affect your engine’s performance, we recommend that operators install live engine monitoring. The IGS-LOG software, which comes as standard with the Motortech open-access control panel, enables owners to understand what constitutes normal operation for their engine, and spot any downward trends or anomalies before they affect operation. Giving operators full control over their engine and ensuring the highest levels of performance, it monitors up to 25 parameters (see left), including the following five common hidden causes of engine shutdown:
The IGS-LOG live monitoring system tracks up to 25 key engine parameters
1. Gas pressure Momentary drops in gas pressure, or waning gas pressure over time, can result in a hard shutdown. Many
28 November 2020 | Automation
automationmagazine.co.uk
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