Articles on Power

For most power plants, 70 to 80% of their production costs are fuel expenses. Hence, any improvement in fuel efficiency can have a significant impact on a plant’s profitability. 

When it comes to commercial power generation, cogeneration (combined heat and power) or operating packaged boilers for process steam production, the recovery and storage of condensate plays an important role in overall operational cost and efficiency.

Industrial gas turbines are used in plants throughout the power industry. While these turbines can be very effective in generating power, fouling on the compressor blades of a gas turbine can diminish performance of the turbine and reduce the power output of the plant.

The benefits of any condensate recovery system are well documented in industries relying on steam generation for their processes. Condensate has real value in that every gallon recovered spares the cost of additional makeup water, makeup water treatment and/or wasteful discharge to municipal or other systems

Technologies historically used for boiler and steam drum level control rely on inference or buoyancy to determine the level. This in itself leaves them vulnerable to process dynamics (specific gravity, pressure, temperature, etc.) or limits their ability to precisely manage the level for improved fuel economy.

Magnetrol® has been producing high-quality level and flow instrumentation for over 80 years. Many of our products are still providing reliable control even after years of usage in the field. Here’s a story, recently shared with us, of how one of our products has withstood the test of time and half a century of hard work.