HOLZ team helps power company fix gas-turbine temperature

Proper expansion-joint installation can prevent turbine shutdown.

HOLZ Rubber Company is a leading manufacturer of standard and custom expansion joints for industrial facilities – all of which products are available in Canada via Northern Industrial Supply Company (NISCO), a distributor of heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning equipment in Pickering, Ont.

Not only does HOLZ make expansion joints and similar items; it also serves as a team of experts who can advise clients how to install and use the joints correctly. This collective expertise came in handy last year, when a large, multinational power company was having trouble with a gas turbine exhaust collector box at one of its facilities.

Keep it cool

The problem with the box was that it was causing the turbine enclosure to get dangerously hot. The excess heat was posing a risk to the efficient operation of the gas turbine, as a forced shutdown would have lost needed revenue for the company.

To deal with the issue, the power company turned to the HOLZ Rubber Company team, who quickly deduced that an expansion joint in the box had not been installed correctly. An expansion joint that is incorrectly installed, or that fails in its required service, will cause gases to leak into the enclosure of the turbine and raise the temperature significantly.

How did HOLZ solve the problem? In addition to installing the joint correctly, the company supplied multi-layer, conical-shaped, high-temperature flue ducts as a backup for the primary seals that were generating the leakage. Since then, the exhaust collector box has functioned normally, and the facility has continued to operate without a hitch.

HOLZ has earned a reputation as a top supplier of elastomer and metallic expansion joints, available in designs for piping, flue ducts, and high temperatures. Its joints last longer than other similar products on the market and are built for standard, maximum, and ultra-high movement scenarios.

About the companies

HOLZ Rubber Company, Inc. manufactures industrial rubber products in Lodi, CA.

For 30 years, Northern Industrial Supply Company has been supplying high-end heating, ventilation and cooling products, from fans to humidifiers and more, to numerous Canadian industries.

To learn more, contact NISCO.

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