Conference: April 10-13, 2017 | Exhibition: April 10-12, 2017
McCormick Center West | Chicago, IL

PRB Conference Program

2016 Annual Meeting Program

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Sunday, April 17

10:30 AM — 12:45 PM — EEI/LCFP Executive Session (Closed Session – Officers Meeting)

1:00 PM — 5:00 PM — EEI/LCFP Loss Roundtable (Closed Session – Utility Members)

All Utility Members

5:00 PM — 8:00 PM — EEI/LCFP Hospitality Reception (Hilton Riverside)

Hospitality Suite open to all Attendees

Monday, April 18

8:00 AM — 11:30 AM — PRBCUG Best Practices Table Top Updates

Interactive round table conversations for members of the PRB Coal Users' Group. Focused on the topic areas of boiler and combustion; coal handling; safety & health, fire protection and risk management. During the interactive round table conversations, participants will be asked for input to improve current PRB Coal Users' Group Industry Best and Recommended Practices. Participants are also asked to share their best practices and successes.
  • Facilitators
    • Table 1: Boiler and Combustion
      Abstract
      Greg Krieser, Division Manager - Production Operations, Omaha Public Power District (OPPD)
    • Table 1: Boiler and Combustion
      Abstract
      Mark Mayworm, Ex. Director, Gen. Support, Westar Energy
    • Table 2: Coal Handling
      Abstract
      Bill A. Konefes, Power Plant Superintendent, Georgia-Pacific
    • Table 2: Coal Handling
      Abstract
      Paul Moran, VP, Benetech Inc.
    • Table 3: Safety, Fire Protection and Risk
      Abstract
      Johnny J. Howze, III, Plant Manager, Southern Company
    • Table 3: Safety, Fire Protection and Risk
      Abstract
      Brian Crain, Fire Protection Specialist, MX Fire Specialist
    • Table 3: Safety, Fire Protection and Risk
      Abstract
      Bob Taylor, President, CoalSAFETY,I Inc.

8:00 AM — 12:00 PM — PRBCUG Human Performance Workshop

This course will provide the principles, key insights, and foundational knowledge of Human Performance Improvement.
"Objectives:
1. Discuss and demonstrate the principles and key insights of HPI.
2. Explore additional HPI foundational concepts, including:
• Performance Modes and Related Error Modes.
• Traps, Triggers, and Tools.
• Taxonomy and Psychology of Deviation.
3. Develop and demonstrate proficiency in Error-Reduction tools:
• Phonetic Alphabet
• 3-Way Communication
• Self-Check/TV-STAR
• Pre-Job Brief
• Questioning Attitude
• Stop When Unsure
• Post-Job Review
• Peer Check
4. Explore what beyond the tools is required for long term success.
"
  • Facilitator
    • Wes Havard, Operational Excellence, Luminant

8:30 AM — 4:00 PM — EEI Loss Control / Fire Protection Task Force Main Meeting

Hospitality Suite open to all Attendees
  • Chair
    • Welcome – Introductions – Chair Report Announcements
      Abstract
      Larry Shackelford P.E., Principal Engineer-Risk Management, Southern Company
  • Speakers
    • Boiler Machinery Losses
      Abstract
      Joshua Fleischer, Vice President – Loss Control Property Operations, AEGIS Insurance Services, Inc.
    • Under-turbine Fire Protection Research
      Abstract
      Mark Boone, HES Team Leader, Chevron Natural Gas (a Chevron U.S.A Inc. division)

1:00 PM — 5:00 PM — PRBCUG Conveyor Belt Workshop

This workshop is all about what you need to know about the conveyor belt. This interactive dialog begins with learning how to select the proper conveyor belt for the application then progresses into its installation, training the belt, maintaining the conveying system for best belt performance, and trouble shooting.
  • Facilitator
    • Casey Price, Vice President, Engring, ContiTech Conveyor Belt Group

5:30 PM — 9:00 PM — EEI/LCFP Attends the PRB Coal Users' Group 16th Anniversary Celebration

5:30 PM — 9:00 PM — PRB Coal Users' Group 16th Anniversary Celebration

Celebrate the kick off of another year of using PRB Coal with hot hors d’oeuvres, open bar, music, prizes, awards recognition and networking while viewing photos from years past. Join us for our 16th anniversary event! Winner’s must be present!
  • Speaker
    • Dale Brown, Coach Dale Brown

Tuesday, April 19

8:00 AM — 8:30 AM — Welcome and Opening

Welcome and opening session of the PRB Coal Users' Group Annual Meeting.
Includes recognition of sponsors, introduction of board members, highlights of the Users' Group accomplishements in the past year, and status of the industry.
  • Speakers
    • Bill A. Konefes, Power Plant Superintendent, Georgia-Pacific
    • Larry Shackelford P.E., Principal Engineer-Risk Management, Southern Company

8:30 AM — 9:30 AM — The Time After…

At the 2015 Annual Meeting, Brad Livingston shared his story of his workplace accident. This year, his daughter Kayla will share how his accident impacted the rest of the family. A powerful moment will be created for the audience where they recognize how important it is to work safe.
  • Speakers
    • Kayla Rath, Daughter of Accident Survivor, Just A Second Ago
    • Brad Livingston, Safety Supervisor, Just A Second Ago

9:30 AM — 10:00 AM — What’s Up with Life Safety and Fire Standards?

“We help save lives and reduce loss with information, knowledge and passion.” This sums “what’s up” at NFPA. The PRB Coal Users’ Group
shares this passion. This presentation will highlight what is changing that could impact the industry in reducing losses. Hear from those
actively participating in improving codes, standards, and recommended practices related to life safety and fire and specifically our industry.
  • Panelists
    • Brice Chastain, Manager Safety and Health, Georgia-Pacific
    • Byron Ellis, Sr. Staff Risk Engineer, Entergy Services, Inc.

10:00 AM — 10:45 AM — Safely Decommissioning 3 of 5 units at North Omaha Station

The industry is decommissioning coal units throughout the United States. Safely decommissioning an entire station is one thing, but it is a bit more complicated when a portion of the station will continue to operate. Three North Omaha Station units will be shut down in 2016, while two will continue to operate. How do you safely manage: tripper operation, dust mitigation, fire protection, common systems and more. Here about the experiences at Omaha Public Power District’s North Omaha Station.
  • Speakers
    • Tim Yager, Manager Special Projects, Omaha Public Power District (OPPD)
    • Robert Becker, Sr. Mechanical Engineer, Project Manager, HDR Inc.

10:45 AM — 11:15 AM — Plant of the Year Presentation

The 2016 PRB Coal Users' Group "Plant of the Year" shares their journey of continuous improvements and industry better practices.

11:15 AM — 12:00 PM — Improving the Flexibility of Fuel Handling Operations, A Plant Scherer Case Study

Plant Scherer has seen its capacity factors fall and coal delivery unpredictability while operating the same coal handling system. This case study shares the opportunities created through a time and motion study conducted to identify efficiencies in the system to improve the handling of 12 million tons of coal.
  • Speaker
    • Andy Waldrop, Fuels Manager at Plant Scherer, Southern Company

1:30 PM — 2:15 PM — Improving Operator Awareness and Knowledge Transfer

This discussion is a case study on improving operator awareness through the PowerGraphix platform that was implemented at Plant Miller of Alabama Power Company.
  • Speaker
    • Derrick Hopper, Team Leader, I&C Design, Southern Company

2:15 PM — 3:15 PM — Lightning Round: Industry Trends and Hot Topics

Topics expressed by attendees include: addressing fugitive dust, housekeeping, coal ash constituents, and ash management. This discussion will address these hot topics.
  • Panelists
    • Addressing Fugitive Dust
      Abstract
      Keaton Riddle, Manager, Generation System Ops, Westar Energy
    • Housekeeping
      Abstract
      Floyd Mayo, Operations & Maintenance Manager, Georgia Power

3:30 PM — 4:15 PM — The Changing Landscape of Power Generation

  • Speaker
    • Mr. Grant Grothen, Principal, Burns & McDonnell Engineering Company, Inc.

Wednesday, April 20

7:00 AM — 8:00 AM — Members and Sponsors Recognition Breakfast

7:45 AM — 8:15 AM — Lessons from Yesteryear/Coal as Others See It

Highlights of the week and coming attractions you won't want to miss.
  • Speakers
    • Lessons From Yesteryear
      Abstract
      Bill A. Konefes, Power Plant Superintendent, Georgia-Pacific
    • Lessons From Yesteryear
      Abstract
      Bob Taylor, President, CoalSAFETY,I Inc.
    • Coal as Others See It
      Abstract
      Randy Rahm, President, CoalTech Consultants

8:15 AM — 9:00 AM — Using 3D Visualization to Ensure Retrofit Project Success

Retrofits require special approaches to ensure the success of the project. This case study is on utilizing photo-realistic three dimensional visualization at Georgia Power Company's Plant Scherer to verify as built data, conceptualize a solution, enable total team involvement in the design review, identify clash , and provide highly accurate fabrication inspection.
  • Speakers
    • Coal as Others See It
      Abstract
      Patrick B. Rhodes, PE, PMP, Senior Engineer, Southern Company
    • Coal as Others See It
      Abstract
      Jason B. Schwartz, President, Acensium, LLC

9:15 AM — 10:00 AM — Carbon Monoxide - Industry Practices for Early Detection

Carbon monoxide is the leading method to detect spontaneous combustion and fires. The industry practices for detecting carbon monoxide, placement of detectors, and trending methodologies will be discussed.
  • Speaker
    • Bob Taylor, President, CoalSAFETY,I Inc.

9:15 AM — 10:00 AM — Case Study – DTE Trenton Channel, Catastrophic Structural Failure of the Tail Pulley Support Structure for the Dumper Unloading Conveying System

The Trenton Team will be reviewing the conditions leading up to a catastrophic structural failure of the tail pulley support structure for the dumper unloading conveying system, the significant damage done to the existing support structure ,along with secondary damages when the pulley was released, recovery efforts and the lessons learned going forward.
The lessons learned from this event will be shared in hopes to prevent this type of event from occurring at other coal handing facilities.
  • Speakers
    • James Minnick, Fuel Supply Shift Supervisor, DTE Energy
    • Curtis Boston, Production Manager, DTE Energy

9:15 AM — 10:00 AM — Case Study: Benefits of dynamic classifiers for MPS 89 Pulverizers at DTE

In 2013, DTE investigated the potential benefits of Dynamic Classifiers to address constraints that limit the mills at the Monroe Power Plant, such as low primary air flow, significant pressure drop across the mill, fuel change impacts on mill performance, and the inability to operate at high load with certain fuel blends when a mill is out of service. Based on that analysis it was decided to install Dynamic Classifiers on seven mills of Unit 3. This presentation will detail the constraints that the plant is subject to that led to the execution of the classifier project. The presentation will also discuss the improvements offered by dynamic classifiers; including lower pressure drop across the mill, increased fuel production rate, reduced power consumption, and improved fineness values. It will touch on additional changes that were necessary, such as upgrading the mill seal air system and some electrical work. In addition to the technical considerations, this presentation will also outline the vetting process used by DTE to select a preferred equipment supplier. This presentation will include a summary of the results achieved after the classifiers have been in full operation and will review the lessons learned during the installation and commissioning process.
  • Speaker
    • Dominic Martino, Senior Engineer Pulverizer\Gearbox SME, DTE Energy

10:00 AM — 10:45 AM — Case Study: Furnace Arch Extension to Mitigate Slagging and Fouling in the Superheater

Sunflower Electric – Holcomb Unit #1 is a 385 MW wall fired unit that was designed and erected to burn coal from the Powder River Basin. From the mid 1990’s forward the unit began running at full load and found that they were developing significant slag in the SH inlet, that was proving hard to clean when operating at load. Sunflower developed their own plan of load cycling and sootblowing when at lower loads, to try and keep the SH surface clean, but that wasn’t always enough.

In 2005 Sunflower elected to complete an upgrade of the furnace design that would help shield the SH inlet from radiant heat from the furnace, and in turn reduce flue gas temperature in to the SH. To accomplish this, the furnace arch was to be extended approximately 5 feet toward the front wall.

The design was completed and material was delivered to the site for installation in the spring of 2006 and the upgrades were completed in 2007.

Following installation of the new material, Sunflower experienced much less slagging and fouling when running at the same high loads using the same PRB coals. The operational improvements allowed them to run without having to schedule load reductions for ash shedding and cleaning.
  • Speakers
    • Tom Dinkel, Generation Tech Services Supv, Sunflower Electric Power Corporation
    • Paul Reynolds, Sr. Manager, Sunflower Electric Power Corporation

10:00 AM — 10:45 AM — Case Study: Maintenance and Calibrator of Scales and Load Cells in the Coal Handling

This presentation will cover the maintenance and I & C specialist practices and procedures to maintain the reliability and accuracy of the scales and load cells that are located throughout the fuel handling system at the Monroe Power Plant. The presentation will also include the procedure used for the calibration and certification of the rail delivery weigh in motion scale, the accurate calibration of this scale is critical to the calibrated accuracy of the C-4 conveyor scale. The C-4 conveyor scale is used to calibrate all reclaim scales. The plant fuel reclaim system scales are calibrated to maintain accuracy and information to the control rooms to maintain an accurate coal blend to the plant from the reclaim plows and the coke feed conveyor. Replacement of inaccurate and failed load cells will be covered by the maintenance specialist.
  • Speakers
    • Alan Thorn, Maintenance Specialist Fuel Supply, DTE Energy
    • Michael Cousino, I & C Specialist, DTE Energy

10:00 AM — 10:45 AM — Exclusion range for dust collectors and pulverizers

Just how far away do people need to be? A question that is often asked for dust collectors and pulverizers. This presentation will explore the importance of creating exclusion zones around these known hazards and how to determine what that range should be.
  • Speaker
    • Brice Chastain, Manager Safety and Health, Georgia-Pacific

10:45 AM — 11:30 AM — A Risk Engineer’s Loss Control Toolkit

Statistics report that nearly 40% of the Power Industry workforce will be eligible to retire over the next 5 years. The loss of knowledge resulting from these retirements poses a significant threat to the efficient operation of Risk Management programs. Managing and retaining this knowledge is a primary focus across the industry. What started out as a tool to objectively score and manage risk across a fleet of power plants has morphed into a Loss Control Toolkit that can be used by experienced Loss Control Engineers to objectively and efficiently evaluate and report risk across the fleet as well as a tool for the lesser experienced Loss Control Engineer to identifying points of focus during an in-plant assessment. This presentation introduces the application of the Access based Entergy Loss Control Database.
  • Speaker
    • Byron Ellis, Sr. Staff Risk Engineer, Entergy Services, Inc.

10:45 AM — 11:30 AM — Case Study: Improved Heat Transfer Management through Intelligent Sootblowing Optimization at AECI’s New Madrid Power Plant

Proper management of the boiler heat transfer surfaces is often neglected in power generation. This leads to suboptimal boiler performance which results in lower efficiencies, nonattainment of design steam temperatures, forced outages and shortened run times. Power plants are challenged to minimize the cost of operation while maximizing unit availability. Additionally, many utilities are varying their fuel supply for units not designed for this practice. In these cases, proper, responsive sootblowing becomes even more important. Optimization of sootblowing has become an important, low cost tool for increasing efficiency and maximizing unit output.

In today’s operating environment an increasing number of plant owners are implementing advanced systems for improved boiler performance that include optimizing combustion and reducing emissions. A natural complement is optimizing the boiler heating surfaces. Performance-based intelligent sootblowing provides power plants with a cost-effective method of achieving unit cleanliness and performance while reducing costs such as fuel usage, maintenance, and tube failures due to sootblower erosion. By targeting specific areas that have reduced heat transfer, sootblowing can be applied as needed to maintain unit performance. This is achieved using a unit-specific boiler heat transfer model to calculate real-time heat transfer efficiency for every heat trap component in the unit, including the furnace.

This presentation will show how Babcock & Wilcox’s Powerclean® intelligent sootblowing optimization system has been successfully implemented on units burning PRB coal to achieve maximum heat transfer efficiency to various boilers.
  • Speakers
    • Mike Statler, Principal Performance Engineer, New Madrid Power Plant, AECI - Associated Electric Cooperative, Inc.
    • Jeremy Brown, Product Manager, Babcock & Wilcox

10:45 AM — 11:30 AM — Coal Handling Equipment Reliability Improvement

Coal handling catastrophic equipment failures can result in fire, costly repairs, forced outages and injury to personnel. Combating these failures takes a multi-tiered approach of Condition Based Monitoring (CBM) programs combined with Reliability Engineering; ensuring equipment issues are addressed in a way that improves reliability beyond what stand-alone CBM programs can achieve. This presentation will describe how Westar Energy continually develops the CBM program by adding elements of asset condition management and reliability centered maintenance to increase coal handling equipment reliability. Basic elements of CBM and Reliability Engineering will be discussed with the goal of maximizing coal handling equipment performance. Additionally, case histories from actual improvements will also be covered.
  • Speaker
    • Brad Diederich, Predictive Maintenance Analyst, Westar Energy

1:00 PM — 1:45 PM — Ameren Sioux Energy Center Silo Fill Explosion & Fire Mitigation

In December, 2013 and January, 2014, Ameren Sioux experienced two separate coal puffs which were witnessed by operating personnel on the silo fill floor. The Sioux Energy Center is a two-unit cyclone fired generating plant with a gross generating capacity of 972 MW which has been in-service since 1967. The plant burns a blend of about 80 percent PRB coal and 20percent Illinois coal. This presentation will provide an overview of the Sioux Energy center coal handling system, focus on the likely causes of the two coal silo puff incidents, and the action which plant and Ameren engineering took to mitigate explosion and fire risks on the silo fill floor.
  • Speaker
    • Mike Schimmelpfennig, Principal Engineer, Ameren

1:00 PM — 1:45 PM — Case Study: Use of ISB System which Adapts According to Coal Blend at DTE Monroe Station

DTE Energy has commissioned an Intelligent Sootblowing (ISB) system on Monroe Station Unit 2 for controlling all of the boiler’s furnace wallblowers, and long retractable sootblowers. This supercritical unit burns between 50% and 100% PRB coal, (with the balance of coal being eastern US bituminous coal) and frequently changes the blend of coal which is fired within this range. Therefore, the ISB system is designed to accommodate these different blends. This presentation will discuss how the system is designed and some of the results of its use at Monroe Station.
  • Speaker
    • James Musselman, Senior Production Engineer – I&C, DTE Energy

1:00 PM — 1:45 PM — Fire Detector Installation at the UK Tilbury Power Station

This case study discusses the actions taken after a conveyor fire at the Tilbury Power Station (UK). Another means of detecting a fire or the increasing temperature of the coal as it travels along a conveyor is IR transit heat detection. This presentation will explore what lead up to the fire and why the decision to include this technology as an additional means of early detection.
  • Speakers
    • Janusz Januszewski, UK Fire Regulation & Compliance Manager, RWE npower
    • Kelvin Miller, Sales Director, Patol Ltd

1:45 PM — 2:30 PM — Case Study: Coal Pile Management - Reducing Fugitive Coal Dust: A Holistic Approach

Fugitive coal dust emissions from power plants are not only unsightly, they are also safety hazards, an environmental concern, and source of conflict between plants and their neighbors. Unfortunately, there is no silver bullet when it comes to eliminating fugitive coal dust. Westar Energy’s Jeffrey Energy Center is addressing this problem by combining multiple new technologies and operational changes. This multi-faceted solution includes modifying train unloading, replacing coal chutes, updating coal transfer buildings, sealing an inactive inventory coal pile, installing dust collection pans under conveyors, and replacing dust collectors. This presentation will detail the implementation phase of these projects and the results to date.
  • Speaker
    • Scott Lorg, Engineer, Westar Energy

1:45 PM — 2:30 PM — Mitigating Combustible Dust Hazards at KCP&L’s LaCygne Generating Station

The LaCygne Generating Station is a two unit, 1500 MW electric generating facility. Unit 1 is an 800 MW cyclone fired boiler that burns a 90/10 blend of PRB and local bituminous coal, and Unit 2 is a 700 MW wall fired PC boiler that burns 100% PRB. This presentation will discuss measures undertaken at the LaCygne station for dealing with combustible dust and also highlight two recent projects – coal bunker wet dust extractors and enclosed crusher feeders – and the results, lessons learned, and path forward for the plant.
  • Speaker
    • Adam Ross, Sr. Engineer, KCP&L

1:45 PM — 2:30 PM — Statistical Approach to Intelligent Sootblowing

Continuous improvement in emission reductions requires evaluating contributions from every
source. One contributor, intelligent sootblowing (ISB), using boiler wall mounted
thermocouples, gas temperature sensors, and enthalpy calculations, has, for many years,
contributed to reduced NOx and CO emissions. A new, no non-sense approach, to furnace
ISB is challenging traditional methods and the frequent, but necessary, adjustments. Based on
the highly successful Griffin platform, a new ISB method evaluates the probability of furnace
cleanliness with consideration for slagging rate variation. Statistical methodologies are
employed, improving the decision of “where” to clean based on the probability of a clean
wall surface based on heat flux and elapsed time, as well as the decision “when” to clean
based on a slagging index driven by heat flux, FEGT, reheat spray flow, and unit load. For
one customer, this method resulted in a 73% reduction in water cleaning operations in the
furnace with an estimated savings of $560/day in fuel cost and a lower risk of water wall tube
rupture due to thermal cycling. The statistical approach reduces the dependence on arbitrary
set points and allows the system to easily adapt to dynamic boiler conditions and it's built on
an open platform that allows the plant engineers to easily tune the operation or even modify
the logic.
  • Speakers
    • Tom W. Ziegler, Principle Performance Engineer, Ameren Missouri
    • Wade Baumgartner, President, Constrained Optimization, Inc.

2:45 PM — 3:30 PM — Alarm Management Strategy , Building Operator Confidence at Westar Energy

Efficient and safe operation of any power plant requires that Operators have supreme confidence in the information being relayed to them. Some of the most critical pieces of information that an operator must process every day are the alarms that come in on the alarm summary. An alarm has to be valid, believable, and acted upon in a timely manner to prevent personnel injury, equipment damage, or loss of generation.

This presentation will highlight the steps, as part of an Alarm Management Strategy, that Westar has taken to build operator confidence and given them the ability to react in the correct manner. As well, some industry best practices will be discussed, including how to maintain a quality alarm system, once achieved.
  • Speaker
    • Josh Newman, I&C/Electrical Maintenance Manager, Westar Energy

2:45 PM — 3:30 PM — Case Study – Using Compressed CO2 Blasting to Clear Out Hardened Ash within a Flyash Collection Silo

The south ash silo at the St. Clair Power Plant was experiencing intermittent pluggage of ash flow to the unloader chutes. Large pieces of harden ash were continually plugging the unloading chutes to the point that the center unloader was totally blocked and made unusable. A new way of breaking up the large pieces of hardened ash was recommended by a vendor which entailed the use of compressed CO2 to blast the pieces apart. This presentation will review the actions leading up to the utilization of this new method along with the results obtained in returning the ash unloader back to service.
  • Speaker
    • Nick Harvey, Production Engineer, DTE Energy

2:45 PM — 3:30 PM — Case Study: Luminant’s Loss Control Inspection Program

Learn about Luminant’s maturing Loss Control Inspection Program and how it allows people and facilities to manage risks.
  • Speaker
    • Richard O. Babb, Safety Analyst, Luminant

3:30 PM — 4:15 PM — Case Study: Main Transformer Fires

A main transformer fails and results in fire. This presentation will examine emergency preparedness and response to main transformer fires.
  • Speaker
    • Jeff Mullins, Safety & Health Consultant, Lightstone Generation, LLC. - Gavin Power , LLC

3:30 PM — 4:15 PM — New Approach for Boiler Layup in a Changing Market for Power Generation

The variable demand for the production of electricity from fossil fueled power stations has compelled utilities to research and initiate unit layup operational best practices.
Luminant Energy has partnered with EPRI and a proprietary chemical provider in a R&D supplemental project that has established an optimal boiler layup process.
The new strategy also provides ultimate protection of the water and steam cycles of high pressure supercritical, subcritical, and HRSG combined cycle units as a continuous online treatment.
The presentation will highlight and summarize the reliability improvements observed on the Luminant units.
  • Speaker
    • Keith Pearson, Retired Luminant Chemistry Manager, Chemistry Reliabilty Services, LLC

Thursday, April 21

8:00 AM — 11:00 AM — Generating Company Roundtable

This interactive forum is a closed session for those who use coal...generating
companies, power plants, terminals employees. This year EEI Loss Control/
Fire Protection Committee members are also invited to provide additional
perspective. Surveys from past users’ group meetings have shown that
representatives value opportunities for candid discussions among themselves
and open conversations with board members on issues raised during the first
two days of the conference. This forum meets that request! Let’s converse
about what’s on your mind while you and your peers are together!

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