Steam Turbines
Steam turbines are among the most critical components in many forms of power generation. They convert the energy contained in steam (produced by burning fuels, nuclear reactions, geothermal sources, or solar thermal plants) into mechanical energy.
In most cases, this mechanical energy is used to drive a generator and produce electrical power however turbines can also be employed to drive mechanical equipment.
Steam turbines are used in the majority of power generation systems worldwide. The largest turbines can produce around 1.4 GW (gigawatts, or one billion watts), while smaller turbines used in industrial processes may operate at capacities in the kilowatt (kW) range (thousands of watts).
The failure of a turbine can have catastrophic consequences. Blades and other components may be ejected at high speed, causing significant damage to surrounding equipment and potentially to structures. While property damage can be extensive, the financial impact of lost generation or business interruption is often far greater. In extreme cases, repair and recovery times may extend beyond one or even two years.
Steam turbine specialists must possess expertise across multiple disciplines, including power station operations, water chemistry, mechanical engineering, and metallurgy.
WHY APPOINT A FORENSIC INVESTIGATOR?
Our team of experts has both the theoretical knowledge and practical experience to offer the best-practice guidance to reduce the risk of failure. If a failure does occur, Hawkins can assist you in identifying the root cause of the issue and support you in returning the asset to service as quickly as possible.
- We have decades of experience both operating power plants and providing expert advice across their entire lifecycle—from new build and operation to life extension and end-of-life planning.
- We can advise on international best practice for the operation and maintenance of steam turbines.
- We can support with analysis of condition monitoring and test results.
- Our experts are highly experienced in all aspects of steam turbines, including design, metallurgy, power plant operations, and water chemistry.
- We have worked with turbines from all major manufacturers and have experience with both newly commissioned machines and those approaching the end of their operational life.
- We support subrogation and recovery efforts.
- We can help you make decisions regarding where legal responsibilities and liabilities lie.
- We have provided court reports and given evidence in international court cases.
- We provide expert consultancy to help prevent recurrence of similar incidents.
- We support the repair and restoration of steam turbines, including recommending appropriate repair strategies and trusted service providers.
Examples of Typical cases
- Catastrophic failure
- Overspeed
- Blade liberation
- High vibration
- Cracking of blades
- Bearing problems
- Corrosion and erosion of blades
Our services are flexible and can be tailored to your needs, depending on the scale and urgency of the investigation. Our services range from a free consultation through to a full investigation including a court-compliant report for the support of legal action.
If you would like to discuss how we can assist you please fill out our enquiry form or call us for a free consultation.Â
HOW DOES HAWKINS INVESTIGATE ENGINEERING FAILURES AND LOSSES?
1
Consultation
Upon receiving the enquiry, we engage with the instructing party to understand what occurred and when it took place. We then request a comprehensive set of data covering the operation and maintenance of the asset throughout its service life. This data may include video footage capturing the plant’s operating conditions before and during the event. Additionally, we may interview personnel who were present at the time to gain insight into the sequence of events leading up to, during, and following the incident.
2
Inspection
Following the collection of all relevant data and the completion of the consultation, Hawkins engineers will travel to the site or repair facility to inspect the asset. This enables us to assess the extent of the damage and identify the root cause of the failure. This step may be completed on-site or, if necessary, involve the removal of samples for detailed examination in one of our laboratories.
3
Reporting
Upon completion of the inspection, a detailed report will be issued summarising the work carried out and the findings of the investigation. Where relevant, the report may also include recommendations for operational or inspection changes to help minimise the risk of similar events occurring in the future.
SPEAK TO ONE OF OUR EXPERTS
Principal Associate, Managing Director (Acoustics)
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Related areas of expertise
Hydro Power
Hydro power generation was the first green renewable energy and battery storage facility. Hawkins forensic investigators have completed numerous investigation into hydro power plant failures.
Generators
Generators are at the heart of wind, hydro, geothermal, thermal and nuclear power stations, turning the mechanical energy of the process into electricity to be supplied around into the electricity grids. The impact of a loss of a generator can be catastrophic; the property damage is likely to be extensive, but the business interruption can be astronomical.
Geothermal
Geothermal power systems rely on the use of steam/hot water generated by the heat within the Earth’s crust and as such, the working media is significantly more aggressive than conventional steam systems. This results in more issues with corrosion and scale formation which affects the availability and utilisation of the power generation asset or heat exchanger unit.
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