Power plants fueled by coal or oil produce exhaust gases and ash. Natural-gas-fueled turbines produce nitrogen oxides. Diesel engines burn oil. Emissions include nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, sulfur oxides, particulate matter, volatile organic compounds, organic hydrocarbons, and trace metals. Cooling, process, and storm water could carry chlorine, heavy metals, and thermal pollution into surface waters. To keep your power supply operating reliably at full capacity, contact the experienced, trained, certified professionals at Bodine Services.
It is easy to take for granted the value and importance of a reliable supply of electric power. Just ask Bodine’s Evansville employees who lost power for several days after an ice storm. We are conditioned by experience to expect the lights to come on when we flip the switch or the coffee maker to start when we push the button, not to mention the comfort of a warm home when the mercury drops. All of these conveniences of life, and many others, are directly attributable to the producers of electricity.
In the United States today, there are over 1,500 plants producing electricity utilizing energy sources such as coal, gas, oil, nuclear, hydroelectric, wind and solar. Through November of 2008 (the most recent information available from the Department of Energy), coal-fired plants contributed 48.4% of the nation’s power while natural gas accounted for 21.4% and nuclear 19.4%. The remaining 10.8% came from other sources.
Clean air heater basket. |
The outstanding reliability of our nation’s electric grid is in large part due to the efforts of the thousands of utility workers operating these plants and maintaining the associated distribution network. Each of the Bodine companies is proud to count some of the nation’s premier electricity providers as valued clients. Over the years, Bodine has worked exceptionally hard to collaborate with these firms in developing better methods to clean and maintain their plants so they operate at peak efficiency.
A typical coal-fired plant conducts one or two scheduled outages annually lasting from a few days to several weeks depending on the amount of work to be done. During this turn-around period, a small army of contractors descends on the plant and begins a well-orchestrated process of cleaning and repairs with the goal of bringing the plant back on-line before the target completion date. Shutdowns are generally scheduled for spring and fall periods so the plants are prepared to run uninterrupted during the peak energy demand times of summer and winter.
Clean SCR screen. |
Clean air standards require plants to control emission levels of particulate and gaseous compounds generated from the combustion of coal. These emission control components include Scrubbers, Precipitators and Selective Catalytic Reducers (SCR’s). Strict oversight from regulatory bodies require that levels of Sulfur Dioxide (SOX), Nitrous Oxide (NOX), Mercury and other contaminants are within specified levels. The burning of coal also produces fly ash which must be cleaned from the boilers, air heaters and economizer tubes for the plant to run efficiently. Bodine has invested heavily in recent years, both in equipment and personnel training, to be a premier provider of shutdown cleaning services to coal-fired electric generators.
Bodine’s fleet of over 30 industrial vacuum trucks and growing number of high-flow water blasters are kept busy throughout shutdown season, often moving from one plant directly to the next to meet the rigid scheduling necessary to bring the plants back up, given a client’s time constraints. Bodine took delivery of another two “High-Flow Pumps” in mid March 2009. These 525-horse power Gardner Denver pumps can deliver up to 200 gallons per minute and, at lower flow rates, can generate pressures up to 10,000 psi.
High-flow water pump. |
With the advancements in equipment technology and the automated blast heads and nozzles, more work can be accomplished in less time, with fewer people, and the cleaning operations can be achieved with a much greater level of safety. Bodine continues to challenge their people to find innovative ways to provide “Best in Class” solutions for our clients and to raise the bar on safety and professionalism. Next time you flip that switch and the lights come on, give a little thought to the thousands of men and women in the power generation industry who make it possible on a daily basis.
