Energy is an essential part of every electrically powered civilization. It is a mark of a civilization’s step into a more technologically advanced race. But how do you get it? By generating it. Believe it not, electricity is not caught by holding a jar out during a thunderstorm and hoping lighting strikes the jar. No, instead, the generators use materials like gas and steam. In fact, steam turbines have a long history of being used as an electricity producer, as far back as the 1880’s. Can you imagine having electricity then? But like all machines, they need their maintenance.
You would be putting it lightly if you said gas turbines were absolutely crucial to the energy division. Most places, if not all, all over the world have been using machines as a means to generate power. Entire communities are home to industrial plants, schools, office buildings, and your home, to name a few, have used gas turbines to varying degree.
The use of these machines, however, come at a price: the slow degradation of the gas turbine. Entropy starts to take over and, eventually, the machine breaks down. It can then no longer provide energy in its current state. But, there is a solution: inspections.
Inspections provide an opportunity to determine the current state of a gas turbine. Routine inspections are absolutely key. A gas turbine is housing dozens of parts, both small and large. Even the smallest of piece out of place can cause a domino effect of issues. It is not just a matter of safety for the employees, but the building as well. Lack of inspections can cause serious damage to the energy plant as well as itself.
The problem comes from the elements. Salt, for example, does not play well with gas turbines. Salt plays dirty. Once it makes its way into the machine, salt particles get stuck somewhere inside and over time, the salt particles pull other particles towards itself. Another domino effect that leads to clumping of dirt and grime and eventually lowering the turbine’s power out by as much as 15 percent. You would not want the compressor, combustion, and turbine models getting salted, considering those the three primary modules.
It goes without saying, proper maintenance from frequently scheduled inspections may cause you a pretty penny now, but it is a far cry from what you will end up paying if a gas turbine goes down with a fantastic end because it was never inspected, fixed nor cleaned.
