Power Plant Efficiency Up 20%: How NTVAL Delivered Critical Valve Solutions

Introduction

In June 2021, Company C, a power plant in Brazil, faced an urgent issue with their aging steam control valves. These valves were crucial to maintaining consistent steam flow to their turbines, but they had begun to fail intermittently, threatening the plant’s overall operation.

Client: Carlos Mendez, Maintenance Supervisor of Company C, a power plant located in Brazil.

Current Problem: Company C was facing significant operational risks due to failing steam control valves, which threatened their turbine system with costly unplanned shutdowns.

Demand: The client required immediate replacement valves to avoid the financial burden of plant downtime, estimated at $500,000 per shutdown. With no available off-the-shelf solutions, they sought a partner capable of reverse-engineering

Current Situation of Company C

Mr. Mendez’s company, a well-established power plant in Brazil, had relied on their aging control valves for years to regulate the steam flow essential to their turbine system’s operation. However, as these valves began to fail intermittently, the plant experienced a drop in efficiency. Their turbine system became increasingly vulnerable, with the potential for catastrophic shutdowns looming.

The situation became even more complex when Company C discovered that the original manufacturer of these valves had ceased operations. With no direct replacements available, they faced the costly and time-consuming process of redesigning their system around entirely new components — an option they were keen to avoid.

In-Depth Investigation for Demands

NTVAL recognized that the demand went beyond simply replacing the valves. After thoroughly analyzing the situation, we identified that Company C required reverse-engineering expertise to create a direct valve replacement compatible with their existing system. The challenge lay in reproducing the obsolete valves while improving their durability and performance.

Our investigation revealed that the existing valves were subject to extreme wear due to the high-pressure steam environment. This was causing progressive degradation in the sealing and operational mechanisms, leading to the irregular steam flow and subsequent efficiency drops. We conducted detailed measurements of the turbine system and valve interfaces, ensuring the new valves would meet the exact specifications required.

What Did We Do?

Reverse-Engineering the Obsolete Valves: We utilized advanced reverse-engineering techniques to design and manufacture a fully compatible replacement set of valves. This ensured a perfect fit with Company C’s turbine system, avoiding any need for major system alterations.
Upgrading the Valve Material: Based on our investigation, we upgraded the material to a more durable alloy that better withstands the high-pressure, high-temperature steam environment, reducing future wear and tear.
Precision Manufacturing and Fast Delivery: We committed to delivering the valves within a tight five-week timeframe. This rapid turnaround minimized downtime risk and ensured that Company C could swiftly resume full operations.

More Reliability! More Savings!

$500,000 in Downtime Losses Prevented: The new valves eliminated the risk of unplanned shutdowns, saving Company C from potential revenue losses of up to $500,000 per incident.
100% System Reliability Restored: After installation, the plant reported zero interruptions in turbine operation, ensuring consistent performance and preventing costly disruptions.
15% Reduction in Maintenance Costs: The enhanced valve material increased durability, reducing the frequency of valve replacements and lowering maintenance expenses by 15%.

Testimonial

“We were on the brink of a major shutdown when NTVAL came in with a solution. Their team quickly understood our challenge, designed new valves, and delivered them in just five weeks. The improvement in our plant’s efficiency is remarkable. NTVAL’s expertise and fast response made a world of difference for us.”