Expert Details
Turbomachinery
ID: 108347
Rhode Island, USA
Expert has experience with the design and manufacture of steam turbines and application of all types of turbomachinery by industries including electric utilities (fossil and nuclear), marine, and pulp and paper. He has specific knowledge of weld repair of pressure castings, conversion of rotor/bearing systems to improve rotor dynamic stability, blading and diaphragm repairs and troubleshooting of installed turbomachinery. He has developed repair standards for use by manufacturers and owners of turbomachinery.
Expert has expertise in all aspects of impulse turbine design, manufacture, repair, and applications. He has performed development and field testing of all sizes of steam turbines (mechanical drive through central station). He has designed complete steam turbine product lines for industrial and nuclear applications. He is knowledgeable of control systems, valves, lubrication and gland seal systems, bearings, couplings, and materials for conventional and severe duty applications.
Expert's career has been focused on steam turbine design, manufacture, and repair. He has designed complete steam turbine product lines from concept through marketing. He has expertise in materials, rotor dynamics, bearings, controls, gland seals, and lubrication systems. He has developed repair standards for reconditioning turbines and extending useful life. He is familiar with application of steam and gas turbines by the electric and gas utilities, steel, pulp and paper industries, and the U.S. Navy.
Expert has expertise in root-cause failure analysis of steam turbines and other turbomachinery. He has consulted with the marine industry and the U.S. Navy on failure of mechanical drive and marine generator drive steam turbines. He has knowledge of materials used by U.S. and European turbomachinery manufacturers. His knowledge of control and emergency trip systems contributes to reliable failure analysis. Expert's design of complete steam turbine product lines and his significant development and field testing experience provides him the foundation for meaningful and beneficial failure analysis.
Performed failure investigations for a major insurance companies involving claims for damaged LM6000 (48MW) and LM2500 gas turbine packages.He conducted a power plant condition assessment of major turbomachinery including the steam turbine generator and boiler feed pump train. This activity included developing capital expenditure programs and identified major maintenance for use by lending agencies. Plant size ranged from 50MW to 800MW. Performed a failure investigation of a 150MW steam turbine in a large utility installation, and did subsequent consulting for the utility to assist/direct the repair effort.To improve reliability and reduce maintenance, Expert did a redesign of a 300 HP centrifugal blower used in chemical plant service.He investigated fluid film thrust and journal bearing failures and performed redesign for improved reliability and design margin.
Education
| Year | Degree | Subject | Institution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year: 1988 | Degree: M.B.A. | Subject: . | Institution: University of Rhode Island |
| Year: 1974 | Degree: M.S.M.E. | Subject: Mechanical Engineering | Institution: University of Pennsylvania |
| Year: 1971 | Degree: B.S.M.E. | Subject: Mechanical Engineering | Institution: University of Rhode Island |
Work History
| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
|---|---|---|---|
| Years: 1992 to Present | Employer: Undisclosed | Title: President and Technical Consultant | Department: . |
Responsibilities:Develops and conducts all technical programs related to turbomachinery consulting including failure investigations, design improvements, insurance loss control, insurance causation (root cause analysis), and training. He has significant experience with litigation support including preparation for trial, expert testimony for arbitrations and mediation. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 1987 to 1992 | Employer: Imo Industries Inc./CentriMarc Division | Title: Regional Manager | Department: . |
Responsibilities:He provided technical and marketing consultation related to turbomachinery projects. These included process, chemical, and electric utility industries and primarily related to the application and major maintenance of turbomachinery including steam and gas turbines and centrifugal compressors. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 1974 to 1987 | Employer: Terry Corporation | Title: Engineer and General Manager | Department: Marine Division |
Responsibilities:Developed new steam turbine products for the commercial applications and the U.S. Navy. He provided technical guidance to the corporation prior to his assignment as the General Manager of the Marine Division. He is very familiar with U.S. Navy and commercial nuclear power generation, particularly the emergency feedwater systems and auxiliary equipment used in these systems. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 1971 to 1974 | Employer: Westinghouse Electric Corporation | Title: Engineer | Department: Power Generation Division |
Responsibilities:He contributed to the design of new steam turbines used by the power generation industry. His area of expertise included stress analysis and fluid flow analysis. |
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International Experience
| Years | Country / Region | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| Years: 2000 to Present | Country / Region: Japan, Germany, China, El Salvador, New Zealand | Summary: Was a technical coordinator for a joint-venture partner (steam turbines) in Japan which manufactured turbines for Japanese nuclear power. He was also involved with corporate alliances in Italy and Germany for the sourcing of turbine components such as pressure castings and for the manufacture of steam turbines for the European market. He has investigated insurance claims internationally, performed due diligence assignments for qualifying offshore manufacturers of large utility steam turbines. |
| Years: 2000 to Present | Country / Region: Thailand | Summary: He investigated large gas turbine failures for a major insurance company. He reviewed the plant and interviewed operating personnel and worked with the insurance loss adjuster to determine cause of failure and allowable repair costs. |
| Years: 2000 to Present | Country / Region: Germany | Summary: He provided source inspection services for major insurance companies as related to repair of major turbomachinery failures and damage. |
Career Accomplishments
| Associations / Societies |
|---|
| Expert has been elected to the grade of Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, and is a member of both the American Society of Testing and Materials and its F-25 Committee. |
| Licenses / Certifications |
|---|
| He is a Registered Professional Engineer in the State of Rhode Island. |
| Publications and Patents Summary |
|---|
| Expert has a patent involving a steam turbine valve and another related to an exhaust hood flow guide. |
Additional Experience
| Expert Witness Experience |
|---|
| Expert has been deposed five times on disputes involving steam and gas turbines. For one case, he demonstrated the design basis for the diaphragms, including material selection. For another, he provided design data for a turbine case for a suit involving an improperly installed valve that resulted in personal injury. He has provided expert witness support for several arbitration involving steam turbines located in South America and Europe and also aeroderivative gas turbines (LM-2500, LM-6000). He has provided expert technical support for the international commerce commission arbitration involving steam turbine and power island in geothermal and nuclear power plants. |
| Training / Seminars |
|---|
| He provides training to users of turbomachinery equipment including steam and gas turbines, blowers, fans, and compressors. He developed a large steam turbine design and major maintenance and has presented this worldwide over 30 times to manufacturers and electric power utilities engineers. |
| Vendor Selection |
|---|
| He has experience locating vendors of: steam and gas turbine blades and vanes; fluid film bearings; gas turbine repair specifications; and, previously used turbomachinery and rerating for new operating conditions. |
| Marketing Experience |
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| Expert has expertise in the marketing of turbomachinery, and turbomachinery components. He has performed over 10 due diligence assignments related to offshore suppliers of large steam and gas turbine generators for large engineering, electric utility companies and lenders to these projects. |
| Other Relevant Experience |
|---|
| He has significant overseas experience with training, root cause investigation and analysis, major maintenance and condition assessment and expert witness and litigation support. This diversified experience in overseas locations has proven extremely valuable to his clients. |
Fields of Expertise
turbomachinery, turbine repair, impulse turbine, steam turbine, turbine, steam turbine failure analysis, nuclear utility, root cause failure, European sourcing, rotor stability, bearing system, fluid film bearing, turbine component coating material, turbine technology, field testing, steam turbine blade, steam turbine efficiency, reaction turbine, hood design, hood performance testing, turbine lubrication system, bearing design, repair welding procedure, steam turbine gland seal leak-off system, turbine evaluation, turbine selection, turbine design, energy-efficient turbomachinery, energy-efficient turbine, energy-efficient steam turbine, axial-flow turbine, lubrication process, bearing selection, rotor blade, marine engine, turbomachinery flow, regenerative pump, geothermal turbine, turbogenerator, turbine generator, turbine standard, thrust bearing, sleeve bearing, radial bearing, journal bearing, hydrodynamic fluid film bearing, seal gland, failure analysis, exhaust hood, bearing, ball bearing, antifriction bearing