SigmaCommissioning Dramatically Reduces the Time It Takes to Commission a Project Using the Highest Quality Standards 

 

SigmaCommissioning is BEST’s patented, OEM approved suite of services used on more than 100 projects worldwide. Sigma Technologies were developed to dramatically reduce the time it takes our customers to commission power plant construction projects at the very highest level of quality.

 

• SigmaCommissioning takes a holistic view of commissioning that considers the plant design, plant processes, and plant operation to increase efficiency and reduce risk.
   

• We have achieved award-winning success for our clients on the widest variety of designs in the industry using SigmaCommissioning. 
   

• With SigmaCommissioning, the milestones of conventional steam blowing have become obsolete, saving schedule time, resources, and effectively – money. By commissioning the plant to baseload during SigmaBlow more work is done in parallel. 

 

Our SigmaCommissioning technologies dramatically reduce the time it takes our EPC clients to commission a power, energy, or chemical plant from a post-construction project to a functional plant without affecting quality. 

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There Are 3 Main Processes That Most Projects Benefit from:

 

FrothFlush, SigmaClean™, and SigmaBlow™ Series 3.0 and 4.0 (Patented Breakthrough Technology)

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FrothFlush  

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BEST's technique is the most efficient pipe and complex systems flushing technology in use today. This advanced cleaning process is specifically effective for post-construction cleaning and drying of critical plant systems. Fuel Gas, Fuel Oil, Condensate, Feedwater, HTF, and Closed Cooling Water Systems can now be cleaned to a level not possible with traditional circulated flushing or air blows.

 

FrothFlush not only removes both heavy and light debris, but it also helps wash salts and other impurities
from the pipe surfaces.

 

Technical Notes:

• 1,000 feet (304.8 Meters) of 16” standard wall piping would typically be flushed at 20 FPS (6.09 MPS). This would require a pump with 350’ TDH running at 13,000 GPM. With FrothFlush, 45 FPS (13.71 MPS) flow is achieved through the piping which would be the equivalent of 28,000 GPM.

• Reynolds numbers with our FrothFlush reach into the millions, generating turbulent flow conditions at the pipe wall.

 

Learn More About FrothFlush's High-energy Techniques. 

 

SigmaClean

 

BEST's proven method of washing and passivating the waterside surfaces of the steam generators using operational chemistry while simultaneously testing the Boiler Feed Pumps to baseload. SigmaClean has the added benefit of passivating the steel of your boiler without costly external equipment setups.

 

SigmaClean can also be drained to plant drains and does not require offsite disposal.

 

Technical Notes:

• More than one project has been able to detect and resolve issues with Boiler Feed Pump operation to baseload weeks in advance of the first fire. Boiler Feed Pumps need to be tested and run-in prior to being ready for steam blow operations. 

• SigmaClean allows you to test and run them all the way to a full load condition in advance of firing.

• The formation of magnetite on the units prior to first fire, without going through acid cleaning processes to get there, has dramatically affected the water steam chemistry of the SigmaCommissioning program. 

 

Learn What SigmaClean Can Eliminate. 

 

 

We Follow Industry Standard Best Practices for SigmaClean Procedures

 

Excerpts from the VGB 513 E Guidelines:

 

“Treated surfaces shall be free from deposits and other contaminants. Residual layers shall be guaranteed to be less than 20 g/m   .”

 

“Pre-operational cleaning is the chemical cleaning of a new plant prior to initial start-up. Depending on the surface condition and start-up specifications the selection of the appropriate pre-operational cleaning procedure depends on various individual factors. Taking environmental loads, required surface cleanliness, steam purity to be obtained within a certain time, and last, but not least the economic efficiency into account, the choice may be made between various pre-operational cleaning methods. It is advised to perform pre-operational cleaning whenever the amount of deposits exceeds 100 g/m  .”

 

“Operational cleaning is the removal of deposits accumulated during operation. Depending on the extent and composition of deposits, material condition, and operational requirements of the plant user, in each specific case, shall make a choice between chemical cleaning and retuning. It is recommended to perform chemical cleaning if the amount of deposits in the evaporator exceed 500 g/m   on the heated internal tube surface of the pressure loss has clearly increased.”

 

Now, Ask Yourself These Questions . . . 

 

• What is the amount of mill scale or deposits on a new HRSG?  

• What is the specification set forth on your project for acceptable deposits on the boiler when purchased? 

• Is it possible your new HRSG, just received at the project came with < 20 g/m   of millscale?

 

Please Call Us, We Are Here to Provide You with Insights.

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SigmaBlow Series 3.0 and 4.0

Patented Advanced Technology Steam Blows (SIGMABLOW-ATSB) 

Our 15-year history has shown that utilizing SigmaBlow and the SigmaCommissioning suite of services resulted in less than 100 hours of operation to target acceptance with zero impacts and steam chemistry to steam admission limits without hydro-milling, acid cleaning or high-velocity flushing of the water-steam cycle.

 

BEST pioneered and patented condenser protection systems that allow for the safe blowing of high energy, baseload steam flow during commissioning into the air or water-cooled condensers. Enabled by inventions like the K-Shield™ Protection System and the Auto-Cleaned Condensate suction strainers, safe operation of the condenser is ensured, and trips on the plant and CTG's are virtually eliminated.  

 

A SigmaBlow into the condenser is far more beneficial and effective than simply blowing through the permanent bypasses. 

 

• Our technology safely generates the highest Kinetic Forces and CFR’s available. 

• Higher cleaning forces equate to cleaning faster, meaning lower cost. 

• BEST research has proven that bypass blows through the permanent bypasses do not generate enough forces in
  all plant designs. 

• This is a high-risk scenario for long term steam turbine integrity and plant efficiency. 

 

Permanent bypass blows require flushing the HRSG and water steam cycle at high velocity, followed by acid cleaning of the water sections and steam sections and hydro-milling as well! A final, high-velocity rinse is needed to complete the process. That's a lot of extra work required because the bypass steam blow does not have sufficient force to clean.

 

• Chemical cleaning of HRSG's is not necessary unless inspection shows evidence of corrosion.

• Hexavalent chromium (from the P91 Steel) in wastewater makes the water hazardous for disposal.

• The piping and pumping for flushing the superheater and reheaters to fluidize particulate left behind from the chemical cleaning are in excess of 15,000 gallons per minute to do it correctly.

• Hydro-milling of the main-steam piping makes no sense at all. If you cannot Hydro-mill the Superheater and reheaters that have far more surface area than the Main steam piping what good are you doing?

• No evidence exists at all that this work shortens the duration of the steam blow.

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SigmaBlow Series 3.0 and 4.0 Are Significant Advancements of Our
Original Technology

 

These blows are configured to maximize the plant output to generate massive dynamic forces to clean the entire steam and water cycle better and significantly faster.

 

Initially, the temporary piping in SigmaCommissioning 1.0 and 2.0 was cost or resource-prohibitive for some EPC’s required to fulfill the milestone.

 

SigmaBlow 3.0 and 4.0 Now Generate the Same Force and Take 80-90% Less Piping
Than Earlier Versions ​

• The benefits of SigmaBlow are now achievable with less piping than Silent Steam or Low-Pressure Continuous Steam Blows to Atmosphere – a win-win for EPC’s and plant owners looking for both time and cost savings.

• SigmaBlow 3.0 and 4.0 DOES NOT require chemical cleaning of the superheaters, reheaters, and mainstream piping prior to blows. 

• There is also no need to need to hydrolaze or hydro-milling the main steam system to blow to the condenser.

• SigmaBlow 4.0 yields superior results with much lower cost and shorter durations with less environmental impact.

 

Benefits of the Latest SigmaBlow Technology

• No Acid Cleaning or Hydro-milling to make up for weak steam blows

• No unending High-Velocity Circulation Flushes to remove solids left behind by chemical cleaning, particularly in superheaters and re-heaters

• No water consumption from a steam blow to the atmosphere. The only water required is for blowdown.

• No increased cost in piping

• Guaranteed durations and results

• Lower fuel cost

• Baseload electricity sales to the grid during steam blows

• Tune Gas Turbine during the steam blow

• Commissioning everything but the STG to baseload 3-4 weeks early

• Action Level 1 chemistry for steam turbine admission after the blows

• No ineffective degreasing boil-out with external equipment

• Lower labor costs and overall completion duration

• Recovered time reducing LD risk

 

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