Leak Found: Early Warning Detected Enclosure Temperature Increase

Industry: Power Generation
Region: Latin America
Asset Type: Gas Turbine, GE Vernova LM2500

Beginning in mid-June, GE Vernova's SmartSignal Predictive Analytics detected a deviation in a gas turbine at a power generation site. Specifically, the digital twin of the gas turbine showed that right after starting up, the enclosure temperature increased from 128°F (53°C) to as high as 190°F (88°C) over a period of time. GE Vernova Engineering team, Industrial Managed Services (IMS) analysed the alert and sent it to Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) for evaluation. A case was created and added to the weekly report for discussion with the customer.

This proactive approach led to the creation of an APM case, ensuring that the issue received focused attention during the weekly discussions with the customer. The GE Vernova Gas Power engineering team was engaged to perform a comprehensive analysis of the situation. Their detailed investigation revealed that the unusual rise in temperature shortly after turbine startup was due to a hot exhaust gas leak within the enclosure.

This leak was traced to a compromised gasket, which allowed exhaust gases to escape into the turbine room, significantly elevating the ambient temperature. During a planned maintenance shutdown in August, the customer acted on the engineering team's recommendations and conducted a thorough inspection that confirmed the presence of the leak. Once the gasket was repaired, the enclosure temperature decreased and stabilized, aligning with the model-predicted values from the predictive analytics.

The early notification and subsequent collaborative efforts between the IMS engineering team and the GE Vernova Gas Power Engineering team provided substantial value to the customer by facilitating a timely and effective resolution of the exhaust gas leak. Addressing this issue promptly prevented the temperature within the turbine enclosure from exceeding safe operational limits, which could have necessitated the activation of the standby exhaust fan to maintain an acceptable temperature for the electronic components.

Prolonged exposure to elevated temperatures could have compromised the integrity of these components, potentially leading to operational inefficiencies or even a trip. By fixing the leak, the customer not only averted potential equipment damage but also avoided the operational and financial repercussions of a forced outage. The IMS team's ability to confirm the success of the maintenance actions through the alignment of actual and expected temperature values further reassured the customer of the effectiveness of the intervention.

The estimated cost savings from this proactive approach is approximately $152,700, based on the prevention of North American average production losses. This scenario underscores the importance of predictive analytics and cross-team collaboration in enhancing asset reliability and operational efficiency.

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