POTENTIAL COSTS BENEFITS
of Plant Condition Monitoring
(PCM)
Excerpt of section 4.3 POTENTIAL BENEFITS reprinted from IEEE draft standard P1438/D1.5,
“Guide for Applications of Plant Monitoring for Hydroelectric Facilities”
Copyright © 1999 by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc.
The IEEE disclaims any responsability or liability resulting from the placement and use
in the described manner. Information is reprinted with the permission of the IEEE.
G26-A
P1438, Draft 1.5, January 1999
4.3 Potential Benefits
The value of a comprehensive hydro-electric generating station machine condition monitoring
system may seem to be intuitively clear. However, many of the tangible and intangible benefits
are often extremely difficult to quantify in monetary terms. Each of the following potential
benefits should be evaluated when preparing an economic justification. The actual value of these
benefits will depend greatly on the individual circumstances involved, but by considering each one
the utility engineer will be sure to maximize the economic benefits.
•
Reduced Inspection Outage Frequency
Presently, many utilities schedule periodic inspection outages to allow for more detailed
observation of plant equipment. The installation of a plant conditon monitoring system can
reduce or eliminate the need for these outages as the system has the potential to deliver a better
indication of overall equipment condition without the need for an inspection outage. Benefits
will result from not only saving the direct cost of the outage but also from not experiencing the
associated loss of revenue due to the generation loss. An intangible benefit is the reduction of
risk associated with reducing machine exposure during inspections to unintentional intrusion of
foreign objects capable of causing subsequent damage.
•
Reduced Maintenance Outage Frequency
Presently, when a generating unit is taken out of service for scheduled maintenance, a
significant portion of the time-scheduled, “calendar-driven” maintenance work can be found to
be unnecessary. An effective hydro-electric plant condition monitoring system, enabling
“condition-driven” maintenance, has the potential to reduce maintenance outage frequency by
helping to ensure that maintenance work is in fact necessary when performed.
•
Reduced Maintenance Outage Repair Time
Just as an effective hydro-electric plant condition monitoring system can be utilized to reduce
maintenance outage frequency, likewise when such outages are necessary the system has the
potential to reduce overall outage time. By utilizing the system to determine the actual
condition of plant equipment, maintenance work can be effectively scheduled and repair parts
can be made available prior to actual outage time.
•
Reduced Forced Outage Frequency
The information provided by a plant condition monitoring system will allow operations and
maintenance personnel to make more informed decisions concerning plant equipment. By
using this information to trend and predict potential equipment problems, many times minor
corrective actions can be taken before the problem becomes severe and thereby eliminating a
future forced outage.
•
Reduced Spillage of Water
Water is sometimes spilled when there is excess water behind a dam, or when generating units
are out of service for maintenance or repairs. The potential exists for hydro-electric plant
condition monitoring to enable both planned overloading of the generating units and reduced
maintenance and repair down-time. This could permit more water to be run through the
“monitored” generating units, thus providing increased energy output and reduction of spilled
water.
Copyright © 1999 IEEE. All rights reserved.
This is an unapproved IEEE Standards Draft, subject to change.
P1438, Draft 1.5, January 1999
•
Reduced Maintenance Hours
All of the above reductions will ultimately result in reduced staff-hours for maintenance of the
units which are being monitored. This can result in reduced overtime costs or in some cases
actual reduction in the number of maintenance personnel required. Either way substantial
savings can be realized.
•
Increased Generating Unit Operating Efficiency
The information provided by a plant condition monitoring system can allow operations
personnel to maximize the operating efficiency of the generating equipment. By comparing the
actual power output and fuel usage of the generating unit to theoretical optimum values, the
operations personnel can adjust unit output maximizing unit efficiencies.
•
Increased Generating Unit Capacity
The potential exists for hydro-electrical plant condition monitoring to enable planned
“overloading” of generating units. The information available from units which are
“monitored” can be used to ensure minimal impact on equipment life and maintenance costs
as well as adding to overall system peak capacity, thus avoiding the incremental cost of
acquiring new generating capacity.
•
Improved Equipment Safety
The information provided by a plant condition monitoring system can be utilized to allow
operation of plant equipment in the safest manner possible while realizing all the potential
capacity of the equipment. Advance predicition of potential degraded equipment condition will
allow utilities to operate the equipment for longer intervals wihtout jeopardizing the health or
safety of the equipment.
•
Improved Personnel Safety
Additionally, by allowing the plant equipment to be operated in the safest manner possible, the
plant condition monitoring system can reduce the hazard to operating and maintenance
personnel from catastrophic equipment failures.
•
Reduced Spare Parts Inventories
By installing and utilizing a plant condition monitoring system, utility operators can minimize
the need for spare parts inventory. Condition monitoring of plant equipment allows
maintenance personnel to predict impending equipment problems in advance and allows
additional time to locate spare and replacement parts prior to necessary maintenance outages.
•
Improved Operational and Maintenance Skills
The data provided by a plant condition monitoring system can be utilized by operations and
maintenance personnel to make more informed decisions on plant equipment. Operations
personnel can use the information to maximize the output of the equiment under all conditions
whithout jeopardizing equipment health. Maintenance personnel can use the information to
make more intelligent decisions about the health of the equipment and take minor corrective
measures prior to equipment deterioration.
Copyright © 1999 IEEE. All rights reserved.
This is an unapproved IEEE Standards Draft, subject to change.
P1438, Draft 1.5, January 1999
•
Increased Plant Life Expectancy
It should be obvious that a major benefit and the ultimate goal of a plant condition monitoring
system would be plant life extension. Many of the benefits mentioned before all lead toward
this goal. Such a system will allow for operation of plant equipment in areas where wear is
reduced thereby extending life. Additionally, operations and maintenance personnel can
monitor the equipment for signs of deterioration and take minor corrective actions as necessary
delaying or eliminating major rehabilitation in the future.
•
Unattended Operation of Units
Many utilities are looking to reduce operating costs by installing new control systems which
allow unattended operation of the generating units. The use of machine condition monitoring
systems have the potential to yield significant benefits and allow safer operation by providing
remote operations personnel with a real time assessment of equipment condition. The
information provided by the machine condition monitoring system can either be presented to
the remote operating personnel for interpretation or through the use of expert systems can be
presented as recommendations for operational restrictions.
Copyright © 1999 IEEE. All rights reserved.
This is an unapproved IEEE Standards Draft, subject to change.