POWER August 2020 - 43

PLANT DESIGN
place them, there are considerable cost
savings that can be captured over time
(Figure 3). Given that a typical 1,000-MW
power plant generates $1 million/day in
revenue, limiting the amount of time the
plant is offline or not at full capacity can
pay huge dividends.
2. Installation time of grooved mechanical joints is faster and more efficient compared to welding.
Courtesy: Victaulic
America is greater than ever, and there
is no solution to this problem on the
horizon. The truth is that if a project experiences
a labor shortage for critical activities,
such as welding, the impacts on
the project are far and wide.
Using mechanical grooved couplings is
an innovative and cost-effective method.
This technology offers advantages over
welding in that it requires no hot work,
no burn permits, no fire watch, and no
X-ray, and the simple design of the coupling
means installation can be carried
out using standard hand tools.
On a recent project, more than 120
pipefitters were trained to install mechanically
grooved couplings in less than
20 minutes. This team of pipefitters were
able to execute the complete project rapidly
and without incident. On average,
even for beginners, installing a grooved
mechanical system is 50% to 60% faster
than welding (Figure 2).
Another advantage of using mechanical
grooved couplings is that the system
can be prefabricated, which not only
delivers product consistency, but also
saves time because spools arrive at the
construction site ready to install. Prefabrication
creates greater productivity
savings and safety enhancements compared
to field assembly.
Precise installation is vital for components
in a power plant, which is one of
the reasons it is so important to make
sure the welders on the job are trained
and qualified. It is not easy to discern
the quality of a finished weld by looking
at it, and even testing or X-ray does not
always allow a weak joint to be identified.
A poorly executed weld can be extremely
costly, leading to failures over
time that can result in serious physical
and financial losses.
The visual inspectability of a mechanical
grooved coupling simplifies quality
control and enables installers with even
basic skills to verify every joint is properly
installed. This removes the additional
quality control documentation required
for weld inspection, including X-ray and/
or dye penetrant testing.
Mechanical joints also are easier to
maintain. Traditionally, repairs to welded
joints are much more time-consuming
and costlier. However, it's as easy to
change out mechanical grooved joints as
it is to install them, and because nearly
anyone working in the power plant could
be trained in a matter of minutes to reSolutions
in Action
Mechanical grooved couplings have been
used for many years on a broad range of
power plant applications at several highprofile
power generation sites. This technology
has been utilized for more than
100 years and has a proven track record.
During a tightly scheduled plant outage
at a hydroelectric power plant in New
Jersey, a mechanical grooved solution enabled
a new cooling water and fire protection
system to be installed within serious
time constraints. In a plant in Pennsylvania,
mechanical grooved couplings were
used on compressed and instrument air
lines to meet an accelerated construction
schedule; also, a plant in Arkansas used
the technology for the same reason on
its
instrument air, compressed air, deionized
water, and cooling water lines. In
a retrofit project in a power plant in Alaska
where hot work was not permitted on
the site and skilled labor was scarce, a
grooved mechanical pipe joining system
was used to upgrade the makeup system
that supplies water for the steam turbine,
providing a solution that not only met the
requirement for no hot work but also delivered
thousands of dollars in labor and
schedule savings.
The construction sector, like many
others, has been under pressure to create
greater efficiencies and cost-saving
methods. This has placed greater demands
on owners, EPCs, and contractors.
More than ever before, there is a
need to evaluate and utilize innovative
ways to successfully execute projects
within or under budget.
Delivering reliable solutions becomes
even more important when market conditions
are constrained and turbulent.
Although it might seem counterintuitive
to follow a different path in these exacting
circumstances, in fact, it is in times
like these that a traditional solution could
be the biggest impediment to capturing
savings. There is no time better than the
present to think outside the box to use
the Victaulic mechanically grooved pipe
joining system. ■
-Dan Christian is director of the Global
Power Market at Victaulic, and
3. Workers are more efficient with Victaulic's solution versus welding solutions. Courtesy: Victaulic
August 2020 | POWER
www.powermag.com
Chris Iasielo, PE is a power generation
specialist at Victaulic.
43
http://www.powermag.com

POWER August 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of POWER August 2020

Contents
POWER August 2020 - Cover1
POWER August 2020 - Cover2
POWER August 2020 - Contents
POWER August 2020 - 2
POWER August 2020 - 3
POWER August 2020 - 4
POWER August 2020 - 5
POWER August 2020 - 6
POWER August 2020 - 7
POWER August 2020 - 8
POWER August 2020 - 9
POWER August 2020 - 10
POWER August 2020 - 11
POWER August 2020 - 12
POWER August 2020 - 13
POWER August 2020 - 14
POWER August 2020 - 15
POWER August 2020 - 16
POWER August 2020 - 17
POWER August 2020 - 18
POWER August 2020 - 19
POWER August 2020 - 20
POWER August 2020 - 21
POWER August 2020 - 22
POWER August 2020 - 23
POWER August 2020 - 24
POWER August 2020 - 25
POWER August 2020 - 26
POWER August 2020 - 27
POWER August 2020 - 28
POWER August 2020 - 29
POWER August 2020 - 30
POWER August 2020 - 31
POWER August 2020 - 32
POWER August 2020 - 33
POWER August 2020 - 34
POWER August 2020 - 35
POWER August 2020 - 36
POWER August 2020 - 37
POWER August 2020 - 38
POWER August 2020 - 39
POWER August 2020 - 40
POWER August 2020 - 41
POWER August 2020 - 42
POWER August 2020 - 43
POWER August 2020 - 44
POWER August 2020 - 45
POWER August 2020 - 46
POWER August 2020 - 47
POWER August 2020 - 48
POWER August 2020 - Cover3
POWER August 2020 - Cover4
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/pwr_march-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/pwr_february-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/pwr_january-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/pwr_december-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/pwr_november-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-october-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/re-tech-supp-to-power-september-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-september-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-and-re-tech-supp-september-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-august-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-july-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-june-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-may-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-april-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-march-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-february-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-january-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-december-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-november-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/Power-October-2022-140th-Anniversary-Supp
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/Power-October-2022-and-Anniversary-Supp
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-and-re-tech-supp-september-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-september-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-august-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/Power-July-2022-Intl
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-july-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-june-2022-intl
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-june-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-may-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-may-2022-intl
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-april-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/Power-April-2022-Intl
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-march-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-february-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-january-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-december-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-top-plants-supp-december-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-november-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-october-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-september-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-august-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-july-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-june-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-may-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-april-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-march-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-february-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-january-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-december-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-november-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-october-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-september-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-august-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-july-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-june-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-may-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-april-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-march-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-february-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-january-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-december-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-november-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-october-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-september-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-august-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-july-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-june-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-may-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-april-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-march-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-february-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-january-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-december-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-november-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-october-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-september-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-august-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-july-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-june-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-may-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-april-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-march-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-february-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-january-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-december-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-november-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-october-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-september-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-august-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-july-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-june-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-may-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-april-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-march-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-february-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-january-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-december-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-november-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-october-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-september-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-august-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-july-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-june-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-may-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-april-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-march-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-february-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-january-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-december-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-november-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-october-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-september-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-august-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-july-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-june-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-may-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-april-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-march-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-february-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-january-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-december-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-november-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-october-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-september-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-august-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-july-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-june-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-may-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-april-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-march-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-february-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-january-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-december-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-november-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-october-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-september-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-august-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-july-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-june-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-may-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-april-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-march-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-february-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-january-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-december-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-november-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-october-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-september-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-august-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-july-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-june-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-may-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-april-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-march-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-february-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-january-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-november-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-october-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-september-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-august-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-july-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-june-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-may-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-april-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-march-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-february-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-january-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-december-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-november-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-october-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-september-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-august-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-july-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-june-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/accessintelligence/POWER/power-may-2010
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com