March/April 2021

Technologies are emerging to perform maintenance, repairs, retrofits, and overhauls while gauging asset health remotely. Drones are being deployed for inspections. Some parts can be scarce, so plant operators are increasingly seeking alternatives.

Many attendees and speakers at the 39th Annual CERAweek wanted to know about the contemplated transition from fossil fuels to green energy. How fast will it happen? What has gone right so far? What could go wrong? Ask three energy experts, get three different answers. Ask three politicians, get nine different answers.

Turbomachinery International has been a regular visitor to the Baker Hughes Annual Meeting (AM) in Florence, Italy. But this year, a virtual format had to suffice.

There are many reasons for turbomachinery problems and failures. Resonance, for example, is often overlooked.

Many of us have to verify compressor and driver performance in the field. We do a test, read the data, and convert it to flow, head, and some other parameters. Voila, we have done a valid test and we believe our data. Not so fast!

A stable renewable-rich grid needs transmission build-out, and incentivized ancillary services.

The ERCOT grid in Texas works well with renewable energy. But increasing the volume of renewables further may not be practical. More generation of all types and greater attention to winter readiness is needed.