Geothermal Turboexpander Redesign Success

Valencia, CA / USA – June 9, 2010 -  L.A. Turbine has completed a highly expedited redesign on one of the world’s largest Geothermal Turboexpanders. This electric-power producing Turboexpander was delivered to the customer and is back to full production; in-fact, it is now running more efficient than ever before and has set a new power output record.

The L.A. Turbine Engineering Team provided an elegant solution to a shaft attachment issue that has plagued this particular Turboexpander for years. The OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) that provided the Turboexpander/Generator to the plant years ago, has had multiple opportunities to solve the attachment issue, however, problems persisted.

The customer selected L.A. Turbine to complete the redesign work based on the experience level of the engineering team and its proposed solution. By leveraging its extensive experience in Geothermal Turboexpanders with its outstanding ability to react to a customer’s need, L.A. turbine highlights its value based Turboexpander solutions.

“This project completion showcases our ability to provide highly engineered solutions on an tight time schedule” says John Long, COO and Vice President, L.A. Turbine, “we are proud of this achievement and pleased to have solved this lingering issue for the customer”.

L.A. Turbine Corporation – The Turboexpander Company, is a manufacturer of application specific, highly engineered Turboexpanders that are utilized within power-recovery applications in industrial processes worldwide.  Additionally, L.A. Turbine provides repair, service, re-design and spare parts for all Turboexpander brands.  With a focus on Hydrocarbon Processing and Geothermal Power Generation, L.A. Turbine employs a uniquely qualified and highly experienced team of engineers and project managers capable of designing, manufacturing and repairing Turboexpanders to suit the most demanding requirements. 

For additional information, please contact: Ola Lysenstoen, Marketing Manager – olysenstoen@laturbine.com

L.A. Turbine Corp, 29151 Avenue Penn, Valencia, CA 91355  USA, Ph: +1-661-294-8290 www.laturbine.com

Need fast Turboexpander Repair?

Valencia, CA / USA – May 3, 2010 -  L.A. Turbine is committed to provide customer service excellence, and in a recent repair project involving an LNG Turboexpander, this commitment came shining through.  During an unscheduled plant shut down, and due to a nonresponsive OEM, a new customer called on L.A. Turbine to provide Field Service.  L.A. Turbine responded immediately and dispatched Field Service personnel that arrived at the Mississippi plant within 24 hours of the initial call. The damage was assessed and the decision was made to ship the MCS overnight to L.A. Turbine’s Valencia Facility where the unit was evaluated and a proposed repair was presented the customer.  Upon approval from the customer, L.A. Turbine commenced with the repair and extensive engineering support required to manufacture the needed parts on an highly expedited schedule.  Finishing ahead of schedule, the repaired unit was shipped overnight to the Mississippi customer within 8 days of receipt.  L.A. Turbine Field Service personnel were on location to assist in the installation and start-up at the plant the following day.  The customer appreciated the fast response and quick turnaround provided by L.A. Turbine, and is back to profitable operation of the plant.

L.A. Turbine Corporation – The Turboexpander Company, is a manufacturer of application specific, highly engineered Turboexpanders that are utilized within power-recovery applications in industrial processes worldwide.  Additionally, L.A. Turbine provides repair, service, re-design and spare parts for all Turboexpander brands.  With a focus on Hydrocarbon Processing and Geothermal Power Generation, L.A. Turbine employs a uniquely qualified and highly experienced team of engineers and project managers capable of designing, manufacturing and repairing Turboexpanders to suit the most demanding requirements. 

For additional information, please contact: Ola Lysenstoen, Marketing Manager – olysenstoen@laturbine.com

L.A. Turbine Corp, 29151 Avenue Penn, Valencia, CA 91355  USA, Ph: +1-661-294-8290 www.laturbine.com

High Power Turboexpander Award

Valencia, CA / USA – April 8, 2010 -  L.A. Turbine has been awarded a multi-million dollar contract from a major international oil company. The contract, which requires the engineering process to begin immediately, entails three (3) high power Turboexpanders equipped with magnetic bearings to be delivered on an expedited schedule.  The customer selected L.A. Turbine based on the experience level of the engineering team and its ability to provide high-spec, high value Turboexpander solutions.

L.A. Turbine Corporation – The Turboexpander Company, is a manufacturer of application specific, highly engineered Turboexpanders that are utilized within power-recovery applications in industrial processes worldwide.  Additionally, L.A. Turbine provides repair, service, re-design and spare parts for all Turboexpander brands.  With a focus on Hydrocarbon Processing and Geothermal Power Generation, L.A. Turbine employs a uniquely qualified and highly experienced team of engineers and project managers capable of designing, manufacturing and repairing Turboexpanders to suit the most demanding requirements. 

For additional information, please contact: Ola Lysenstoen, Marketing Manager – olysenstoen@laturbine.com

L.A. Turbine Corp, 29151 Avenue Penn, Valencia, CA 91355  USA, Ph: +1-661-294-8290 www.laturbine.com

L.A. Turbine will make use of its highly experienced engineering team in the re-design of a Frame 60 direct steam, geothermal Turboexpander-Gearbox-Generator unit.  By  leveraging its extensive experience in Geothermal Turboexpanders with its outstanding ability to react to a customer’s need, L.A. turbine highlights its value based Turboexpander solutions.

The general scope of the re-design will include a full engineering analysis, including but not limited to:

• Wheel attachment at the shaft
• Full bearing analysis
• Inlet Guide Vanes function and design
• Full coupling and lateral rotor dynamic evaluation
• Full gas dynamic evaluation
• Full Finite Element Analysis (FEA)
• Full Computational Fluid Dynamics Analysis (CFD)
• Full 3 dimensional modeling
• Complete material stress analysis

Due to the expedited timeframe for delivery, the exacting tolerances and the exotic materials involved, L.A. Turbine’s in-house machine shop will manufacture the required internal parts for this project.  The ability to utilize an internal machine shop ensures the highest quality workmanship and removes possibilities for delays.

LA Turbine has been a market leader in the Turboexpander industry for many years and continues to prove its abilities in projects such as this, where competitors have shied away.

L.A. Turbine Corporation – The Turboexpander Company, is a manufacturer of application specific, highly engineered Turboexpanders that are utilized within power-recovery applications in industrial processes worldwide.  With a focus on Hydrocarbon Processing and Geothermal Power Generation, L.A. Turbine employs a uniquely qualified and highly experienced team of engineers and project managers capable of designing, manufacturing and delivering Turboexpanders to suit the most demanding requirements.  L.A. Turbine provides repair, service, re-design and spare parts for all Turboexpander brands.

For additional information, please contact: Ola Lysenstoen, Marketing Manager – olysenstoen@laturbine.com

L.A. Turbine Corp, 29151 Avenue Penn, Valencia, CA 91355  USA, Ph: +1-661-294-8290 www.laturbine.com

Download the flyer here: GPA March 2010 Training   

Two separate training sessions are scheduled to take place in Oklahoma in March 2010, see below for details of each event:

Tulsa, Oklahoma:

Date:           Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Time:           9:30 AM – 11:30 AM

Place:          Oneok Plaza – lower level auditorium

100 West 5th Street

Tulsa, OK 74103

Cost:           Training is offered at no cost to Mid Continent Chapter members*

Please RSVP – Training is limited to 70 people

Edmond, Oklahoma:

Date:           Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Time:           10:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Place:          Enogex Edmond Office

16655 North Rockwell Ave

Edmond, OK 73012

Cost:           Training is offered at no cost to Mid Continent Chapter members*

Please RSVP – Training is limited to 45 people

Both training sessions will include:

• Turboexpander Basics
• Applications
• Thrust Forces (ATB)
• Anti-Surge Control
• Bearing Technology
• Preventative Maintenance
• Control Systems Upgrades
• Process Redesigns

Instructors:

Dr. Houman Shokraneh, LA Turbine

Mr. Richard Samson, LA Turbine

Mr. Troy Osteen, LA Turbine 

Any GPA member is invited to attend these training session and are encouraged to RSVP, as space is limited.  Certificates for two (2) PDH’s will be issued to those who complete the training session.

Reservations:

Reservations are required.  RSVP by Thursday, February 25, 2010.

Submit RSVP to: Debbie Miller at Deborah.Miller@Exterran.com, or 918.259.2201

*Non GPA Midcontinent Chapter members will need to purchase a one year chapter membership of $25.00 which will allow attendance at these events and future training events at no cost.

This machine was designed by L.A. Turbine’s highly skilled and experienced engineering team, making use of state-of-the-art technology. Using this technology, the L.A. Turbine design team was able to create and use a 3-D virtual model to simulate all potential operating conditions, before the machine was even built.

This machine will feature L.A. Turbine designed inlet guide vanes.  The nozzles are matched to the expander wheel inlet such that from minimum to maximum flow the optimum velocity vectors and maximum machine efficiency are obtained. L.A. Turbine uses a low friction coating on the contact surfaces of the nozzles between the adjusting and fixed ring to increase the reliability and life of the nozzle assembly. The most prominent feature of L.A. Turbine’s nozzle assembly is that there is no blow-by of the nozzles and thus no loss of efficiency. This accomplished by optimizing the trade-off between clamping force and potential blow-by. A pneumatic/electric nozzle actuator with positioner and a hand-indicating controller allows for precise nozzle adjustment.

Before

L.A. Turbine received the damaged mechanical center section at their France based, L.A. Turbine Europe facility.  L.A. Turbine effectively used its expert engineering resources to diagnose the problems and begin to put together a plan to re-design, overhaul and repair this machine.  This successful project confirmed L.A. Turbine’s ability to accomplish projects that require coordination across several continents and countries.

During

During this project, L.A. Turbine was able to make use of its state of the art engineering techniques, including 3 dimensional analysis.  Additionally, all of the internal parts of this machine were either repaired or manufactured in L.A. Turbine’s fully equipped machine shop – including the new titanium expander and compressor wheels which are produced in L.A. Turbine’s 5 axis CNC milling machine.  L.A. Turbine was able to leverage a strong professional relationship with the Active Magnetic Bearing supplier to produce favorable outcomes for the end user.

After

The project was completed  with an expedited timeline at L.A. Turbine’s European facility, ready to be shipped to its home in the North Sea on an offshore platform.

This machine was designed by L.A. Turbine’s highly skilled and experienced engineering team, making use of state-of-the-art technology. Using this technology, the L.A. Turbine design team was able to create and use a 3-D virtual model to simulate all potential operating conditions, before the machine was even built.

The lube oil and seal gas systems are specified and L.A. Turbine’s skid design team initiates a detailed, modeled layout to ensure the fit and function of the self-contained Turboexpander Skid.

Perhaps, equally as important, L.A. Turbine will provide full service and support throughout the life of this machine. L.A. Turbine’s field service personnel are the most experienced and most capable in the Turboexpander industry. Beginning with commissioning and training, L.A. Turbine makes sure that the customer is supplied with everything they need for their Turboexpander.

The 2 stage expander-compressor machine features 2 units that are mounted on a single skid with common lube oil and seal gas systems including a PLC control. The PLC Control System features an Ethernet link to the customer’s DCS.

L.A. Turbine was able to take advantage of its full machine shop and its complete packaging and testing facility to expedite this project. This project was completed in a record time of 32 weeks, unmatched by other suppliers and exceeding all the customer requirements.

The successful exhibition at Gastech, is one of several for LAT in 2009. LA Turbine will also exhibit at the 38th Turbomachinery Symposium and Exhibit Show in Houston on September 15th – 17th, 2009.