Background:
Background:I began my career with General Electric® working in generator manufacturing and repair technology focusing on lean manufacturing, six sigma, new process & tooling development, and rapid prototyping. When I joined MD&A, I shifted to steam turbine performance, where I conducted steam path audits, performance simulations, and performance testing. This role provided exposure to a wide range of turbine equipment, industries, and operating philosophies. It also allowed me to gain considerable experience in thermal and fluid dynamics, performance simulation software, and plant construction in this position.
What do you do here at MD&A? What aspect do you enjoy most about your role at MD&A?
After five years in the steam division, I transitioned to MD&A’s gas turbine division. As a Senior Performance Engineer, I focus on gas turbine performance testing & analysis. Gas turbine thermal performance is more complex than steam turbine performance due to the changing makeup of the gases passing through the unit, the varying thermophysical properties of these gases, and the challenges in measuring key operating parameters directly. I enjoy this role because it has a significant impact on our customers and MD&A’s business, and it offers opportunities for growth.
What is the most interesting performance challenge you have come across at a jobsite?
Each jobsite and customer are unique in their operational needs and performance requirements. One of the most interesting projects I worked on involved supplying heat balances and performance estimates for a customer converting their coal fueled steam turbine into a natural gas fueled combined cycle plant using gray market equipment. The project required modeling the existing steam turbine, a new gas turbine, and an HRSG individually and then as an integrated system under off-design conditions. This effort helped the plant remain operational under stricter emissions regulations while significantly increasing its output, supporting a remote yet rapidly growing region of North America.
What is a Thermographic Survey and what can it detect?
A thermographic survey or infrared thermography captures “thermal photography” in the infrared electromagnetic spectrum. It’s essentially a temperature map. Infrared cameras provide non-contact temperature measurements in a two-dimensional overview in real-time. For example, in the photographs below, both the gas turbine IBH and steam drain header appear ordinary to the naked eye. However, using an infrared camera during pre-outage inspections and startup, we identified that some of these pipes were hot, indicating hot fluid flow or leakage. This kind of survey provides a new perspective that can help pinpoint operational inefficiencies or potential issues.
MD&A is growing and training for the next generation! What training have you taken? How has MD&A helped you in your career development?
MD&A has invested significantly in my training and education. I’ve attended nearly all of MD&A’s training classes, FLIR’s Infrared Training Center courses, and various thermodynamic software workshops. MD&A also supported me in pursuing further education at Clarkson Graduate School, where I earned a Business of Energy Certificate. Additionally, they assisted me in obtaining my professional engineer (PE) license.
What is your personal moto?
“Trust but Verify” and “Garbage In = Garbage Out.”
