New welding technology employed in unique plant repair

摘要

When a Midwest U.S. electric utility recently needed to repair high-pressure feedwater heaters at one of its facilities, it used a new power source featuring SIT welding technology from the Lincoln Electric Company to get the plant hack on line faster. The deteriorating condition of two high-pressure feedwater heaters forced the power plant to take them out of service. Instead of removing them and reconfiguring the plant, plant management decided to save downtime and expense by decommissioning them but leaving them in place and allowing the flow to pass through them. The strategy required taking the units out of service, removing the torus ring, blanking off the tubes inside, then welding the torus ring back on.