Request Expert

Expert began training on marine boilers in 1978 as a cadet at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy. He added experience as an operator of stationary fire tube and water tube boilers around Boston. Expert's 20+ years of employment with the Navy has had him working with all phases in the life of steam and power plants, from establishing steam loads and providing basic plant design, to retirement and replacement of vintage equipment. As a NB certified boiler and pressure vessel inspector he has regularly conducted boiler condition assessments employing visual and non-destructive examination, and operational tests while burning coal, gas, Bunker C, No. 2 and JP-5. He has selected boilers and cogeneration systems, fuels, and auxiliary systems to meet growth or economic needs of numerous shoreside facilities worldwide, including Iwakuni Japan, Guam, Bethesda MD, Great Lakes IL, Adak AK, Rota Spain, New London CT, Everett and Bangor WA, et al. The Taiwan Navy sought his advice on shoreside steam cogeneration during a US visit sponsored by NAVSEA.

Expert's proficiencies in power plants has developed along with his boiler experience. He has experience operating and maintaining steam turbine, combined cycle, and diesel generators. He gained practical experience operating 500 kw generators aboard ships, then at a small peak shaving plant in Massachusetts. He was responsible for the comprehensive inspection and condition assessment of a power plant at telecommunications station in Cutler ME, determining the remaining life of 3 MW diesel generators, all auxiliary systems, de-icing transformers, and the fuel storage facility. His investigation of the cause of failures at a diesel generator site on Diego Garcia determined low electric loading was contributing factor. He provided the basis of design for the new 5 MW gas turbine generators at the Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, MD and at the Naval Training Center in Great Lakes, IL.

Expert has conducted economic studies for numerous steam and power plants owned by the Navy. His first study led to the decentralization of the steam plant at Naval Base Ventura County, Port Hueneme. His analysis included infrared thermal imaging of the distribution system to determine losses, and weighed plant operating costs including fuel indices, equipment efficiencies, labor costs, steam load determinations for over 40 buildings, and construction costs of satellite boiler installations. Savings to the Navy were $12M. His involvement in Government Energy Service Provider Contracts (ESPCs) has given him experience in energy audits, metering, measurement and verification (M&V), renewable energy, and sustainable green building design.

He performed a lifecycle cost analysis of a proposal from the local gas company to decentralize the steam system at Naval Station Great Lakes IL in 1999-2000. His rigorous lifecycle cost analysis demonstrated clearly that the proposal was not in the best interest of the Government. In doing so he reversed the findings of a prior analysis performed by a noted engineering firm. Expert received a letter of appreciation for his efforts from the Commanding Officer of the Great Lakes Public Works Center for his efforts.Expert did outstanding work in coalescing the work of several engineers to produce a comprehensive assessment of the NCTS Cutler ME diesel electric generator facility in 1991. He coordinated the upgrade to NFPA compliance of the antiquated fuel trains on the boilers in the steam plant at Naval Station Great Lakes in 2002.