Turbines play are an integral part in many industrial processes. They have been used to create energy to power industries and generate electricity for over a century. In fact, steam turbines have been used to produce electricity since the late 19th century.
Steam and gas turbines operate at extremely high pressures and temperatures of up to 1,200 and 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit respectively. Any mechanical malfunction when a turbine is in operation not only affects efficiency but also poses a great risk for staff.
For power plants, any mechanical issues must be detected before they can become a serious concern. Therefore, it is essential that turbines are well maintained and turbine inspection scheduled regularly. This is to ensure they constantly provide optimum service and remain safe for use.
Borescope Inspection
Regular physical turbine inspection is recommended for power generation providers. They allow the operators to have a close look at the exterior of the turbine and spot any issues.
However, to access and view hard-to-reach areas, a borescope inspection is necessary. This inspection involves the use of a borescope, a device that is used to conduct visual inspections on engines and turbines.
Borescopes inspections help unveil underlying issues within the turbine before they become worse. The benefits of using a video borescope to do a turbine inspection are
- Inspection records can be used for future reference and enable operators to notice small changes over time.
- Safe inspections can be conducted without dismantling the turbine.
- Makes visualization of hard to reach places easy.
- Foreign objects can be identified easily.
- You can know the problem before taking the turbine apart.
Types of Borescopes
Depending on the nature of the inspection or the area being inspected, different borescopes can be used.
Rigid Borescopes
As the name suggests, rigid borescopes have little to no flexibility. They are effective when there is direct access to the area that needs to be inspected.
They use traditional lenses to display images through an eyepiece. Rigid borescopes are a popular option for inspection services as they are durable and produce clear images.
Flexible Borescope
Also known as fiberscopes, flexible borescopes are used to inspect areas with curves. The eyepiece and camera are linked by a twistable rod which facilitates turbine inspection of hard to reach areas. They have the following advantages
- Enable the observer to inspect distant areas within the turbine with great accuracy.
- The use of fiber optic illumination technology helps produce clear images in dark places.
Flexible borescopes allow problems to be pinpointed without parts removal.
Semi-Flexible Borescope
Semi-flexible borescopes are used to access areas that are not necessarily difficult to reach but require some level of manipulation rigid borescopes cannot offer.
Borescope Inspection Services Are Ideal For
- Pre-commissioning turbines.
- Developing a baseline for inspections.
- Conducting time-sensitive inspections.
- Downtime prevention and outage planning.
- Dealing with emergency issues.
- Condition-based maintenance.
Choosing the Right Borescope Inspection Services
When a turbine malfunctions, it can ruin an entire process of generating power and result in time, money, labor and wastage of other resources during downtime. Also, accidents can jeopardize the plant and cause serious injuries to staff.
Therefore, power generation providers must work with a company that offers reliable borescope inspection services. This will ensure that inspections are conducted professionally and the results obtained are reliable.
To get the best service, choose a company with experience in turbine inspection and a wide range of equipment. The experience will help in providing accurate diagnosis and the equipment ensures they can conduct comprehensive inspections.
In Conclusion
Detection of faulty systems and structures well in advance will provide ample time for curative steps to be taken. Thus, accidents will be averted and operations can run smoothly. This can only be achieved if regular borescope inspections are scheduled.
To avoid any risks, find a reliable borescope inspection company to take the pressure off your hands.
