Hypoid previously posted:
"Nice! I was at Cherokee station last week, saw some big housings by the gates at 62nd and Franklin.
I'm kind of confused by the turbines. I thought they were installing solar panels and getting away from coal."
They are getting away from coal all together because of some of the clean air acts that were signed into place in the last 4 years. They have already decommissioned 2 of the old steam units, and completely ripped out all of the coal mill for those units. And right now they are just into phase 1. At the moment they are going to install a 2 to 1 combine cycle plant. Which will be 2 GE 7FA gas turbines and 1 GE D11 Steam turbine. They use a HRSG( Heat Recovery Steam Generator) in the exhaust systems to make the steam for the D11 steam turbine, so the steam is "clean" produced by the heat of the exhaust in the gas turbines, running on Natural Gas.
After these new units are complete they are going to shut down 1 more of the coal fired turbines, and do the same process with the 2 to 1 power train again. So when it is all said and done they will have 4 natural gas turbines powering 2 steam turbines through HRSG's. And Once all 4 Units are complete they will shut off there last coal fired unit. The irony in this all is, one of the other main contractors i work for, actually had me put these units together to be installed at this plant. Kinda cool to be able to see the birth of a turbine from start to finish.
Also the housings you saw near the gates in the lay down area, are actually the enclosures for the D11 steam turbine. Also known as the "outer shell".
Going Back To School Sort Of
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Sounds like you've worked hard and earned success, whatever form it comes in. They'll be lucky to get you, fingers crossed for them!!
