Case Study on the Remaining Life Analysis of a Power Generation Valve

Many components in power plants are nearing the end of their useful life. Management of cracking in these components can be critical to the successful management of many power plants. The work here presents a case study of a success story of the analysis of one of these components. The paper here discusses the study of a valve that was originally scheduled for replacement during a recent outage. The work comprised of the examination and accurate sizing of the cracking inside the valve, stress analysis using cutting edge modeling for quick turn around, and advanced creep-fatigue life prediction calculations to give accurate predictions regarding the remaining life of the component. The project culminated in the ability of the valve, with proper care and monitoring to be continued in service for many years and eliminating the need to extend the previous outage.