Turbine Blade Cleaning

Scottish and Southern Energy benefits from FastIce™

Summary

Tube Tech International was asked to take advantage of a brief shutdown period at a Lincolnshire power station to clean turbine blades.

Challenge

• Gas LP and HP turbine blades in power stations pick up deposits while in service.
• This coating of scale upsets the delicate dynamics of the blades, creating an imbalance which slows the turbine.
• In extreme cases this imbalance can lower output and increase power plant maintenance and operating costs.

Solution

• With a short shutdown period the station needed a quick turbine blade cleaning solution from Tube Tech International which recommended its FastIce™ system.
• This is an operation which uses bespoke CO2 pellets propelled using both compressed air and a very fine mist of water at extremely high pressure to remove scale deposits adhered to the turbine blade surface.
• This turbine blade cleaning method is very efficient and with its many and various accessories can penetrate into even the most awkward of positions or corners.
• It is also more efficient and time-saving over slow traditional dry ice and manual cleaning methods – proving to be around 10 times faster.
• The Tube Tech method does create minimal surface abrasion but does not upset the delicate balance of the blades which means clients are saved the cost of re-profiling them.

Tube Tech Comment

Scott Donson, Technical Sales Manager: “The FastIce™ surface preparation and blasting system was developed for this and other applications where a controlled, waste-free cleaning environment is required and has proved successful in many other similar contracts. While the Tube Tech system removes the scale deposit build up, customers do not have the added expense of secondary waste disposal or mess.”

In summary

• Faster cleaning method than traditional dry ice and manual operations
• Zero secondary waste as all the cleaning medium evaporates
• Clean steam turbine blades improve efficiency and output
• No profiling or damage to turbine blades
• Production downtime savings