Gas Generator Preservation Assessment

Completed

Fossil Fuels: Oil Gas and Coal(Oil and Gas, Other oil and gas)
Other Power and Storage Technologies(Electric power conversion)
Fossil Fuels: Oil Gas and Coal(Oil and Gas, Refining, transport and storage of oil and gas)

Applied Research and Development

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY (Mechanical, Aeronautical and Manufacturing Engineering)

Not Cross-cutting

Project Contact
National Grid Gas Transmission

Network Innovation Allowance

Ofgem

01 August 2014

01 April 2017

32 months

£120,000

Technical Consultancy

London

Network Innovation Allowance

Project Contact, National Grid Gas Transmission

Knowledge from this project will allow National Grid to update the gas generator preservation strategy which will effect a reduction of natural gas venting associated with preservation techniques. Identify fit for purpose preservation technique to effect the reduction in humidity of gas generators and carry out a trial of the solution(s) to determine long term engine preservation.

Gas generators are used by National Grid to provide power for natural gas compressors, and can spend prolonged periods out of operation, leading to equipment degradation. Gas generator preservation techniques to alleviate this degradation involve a combination of solutions. Most short term measures involve injection of substances into the engine in order to reduce the impact of moisture upon internal components. While this can provide adequate results it requires significant resources to implement and reverse. As such these standard techniques are not usually implemented on our gas generators. The project seeks to reduce the rate of corrosion within gas generators by implementing new preservation techniques. To that end, this innovation project will be divided into several key phases with stage gates:1) Further research of preservation solutions and expected costs2) Implementation of short term solution for reduction of engine air humidity3) Trial possible for longer term engine preservation techniques The central aim of the first stage is to establish full costs and scope for the works. The project will then move to installation and testing of a chosen solution to implement: Measured humidity below 40% throughout engine Air usage below 20% site capacity Solution executable and reversible within 1 hour If it is seen as necessary, further solutions will be trialled to improve upon current long term engine preservation. Change control - July 2016-Initial tests have proved inconclusive due to an error in the method of conducting the test. Operations are due to rerun this test but site operational constraints on running these tests could mean they can’t be run until the end of the year. -No additional cost on top of budget as there will just be internal time incurred for carrying out the test. -If this further test also proves inconclusive, then there will be a need for an alternative approach, looking at a supplier conducting a study and / or producing a report which could result in additional cost. -This Change Control is therefore is to extend the only the time of the project to March 2017 (currently registered to complete in August 2016).Note : Project Documents may be available via the ENA Smarter Networks Portal using the Website link above

15/08/18