OREANDA-NEWS. March 11, 2008. The Department for Technical Diagnostics and Reliability of TPP Power-Generating Equipment was established within SibCOTES’ Ural Branch Office. The specialists of the Department possess unique expertise, skills, techniques, technologies, and equipment for diagnostics and monitoring of the components of boilers, turbines, generators, auxiliary power-generating equipment at TPPs, NPPs.

“Since 80-95% of equipment in the region and throughout entire Russia has become badly obsolete by now, such specialists are in great demand, says Vitaly Agafonov, Head of the Department for Technical Diagnostics of SibCOTES’ Ural Branch Office. Moreover, recently, Chelyabinskaya CHP-2 and CHP-3 plants closed their laboratories for non-destructive testing (NDT), though the need in their services still exists…”

To ensure safe operation of equipment and whole systems it is very important to promptly and accurately assess reliability and condition of the metal elements of TPP power-generating equipment, forecast the development of its possible defects and elaborate proper corrective measures. Continuous and very accurate diagnostics makes it possible to run the equipment after its life has expired, at the same time preventing any critical accidents, e.g. like one at Kashirskaya Power Plant in 2007.

Konstantine Starun, specialist from the new department, was the third at V All-Russia Competition on Non-Destructive Testing held at the end of January, 2008. “It was very exiting for me to test myself, says Mr. Starun, Besides, I wanted to represent my Company and our new department in the best possible way. It was quite a challenge. In real life it is not so difficult to solve such tasks, since my experienced colleagues are always ready to help.”

The Department has two operating laboratories, i.e. NDT Laboratory and Reliability and Metal Research Laboratory. They allow the specialists to carry out technical diagnostics of equipment both when installing new power generating equipment, and when maintaining the equipment with expired service and individual life. To prevent emergency situations it is important to promptly and accurately assess the condition of TPP power generating equipment