A combined cycle system is a gas-fired turbine that has a heat steam recovery generator attached – it is two generators operating as one unit. As the gas-fired turbine creates heat, it’s sent to a recovery system that generates steam which spins the second generator.
Lube oil is the highest fire risk within the gas-fired turbine of a combined cycle plant. We know when the surface area of the turbine is above the flash point of the lube oil, it can mean trouble. If a lube oil network of pipes and fittings become compromised, it can result in a spray fire of lube oil.
Combined cycle plants are usually managed and controlled by power generation utilities, either on the regulated side or the non-regulated side. Combined cycle plants are regulated by NFPA 850 as they fall under power generation.
We work with the plant manager who runs everything inside the fence line. Generally, the plant manager is responsible for everything from procurement to the electrical output of the power plant. We may work with the Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) officer and the fleet manager at larger plants. We also partner with the procurement team when working on solutions for a site that has multiple facets of fire protection within one facility. Some of these companies have their own fire protection engineer on staff, so we may partner with them to offer the right solution.
Having multiple contractors on site providing different elements of fire protection can be complicated. ORR provides solutions for every aspect of fire protection for the facility which minimizes risk. With ORR Protection there is only one contractor providing all the solutions for your fire protection needs.
Safety is always the number one concern in these facilities – personnel safety as well as fleet safety. Making sure that everyone, especially subcontractors or onsite personnel, are fully aware of the conditions within the space is critical to prevent injury at a site.
Many states expect power plants to produce a certain number of megawatts, and if the plant can't meet that expectation they will be fined. Power plants are faced with the pressure to produce to make revenue, but also to not go offline and be fined. It is critical for a combined cycle power plant to have a strong partnership with a fire protection service company that will be available for planned outages so the plant can be back up and running on schedule.
We understand the critical nature of the outage window, but we also understand the importance of uptime. We make sure that we can do everything we need to do without risking an outage on the turbine package itself.
One technology we employ is CO2 systems. Only a few fire protection companies understand the risk, performance, and operations of a CO2 system which makes finding a reliable fire protection partner difficult. ORR Protection offers expertise in low and high pressure CO2 systems and service.
We are also seeing a trend towards water mist being applied to gas-fired turbine applications. ORR Protection understands water mist, but we know how to design, install, and service water mist systems on a turbine package.
Learn More about Water Mist Innovation
Many turbine packages are protected with clean agent systems like FM-200 which is a very reliable option. However, FM-200 manufacturing is being reduced by the AIM Act causing some facilities to switch to low or high pressure CO2, water mist technology or other clean agent fire protection materials.
Power generation facilities, whether hydroelectric or fossil fuel, all present significant and varied fire hazards, from both the fuel and the rotating machinery. Fire also poses a significant business risk, not only because power plants are a major capital investment, but also because downtime can have serious repercussions for those who depend on an uninterrupted supply of electricity.
Like data centers, broadband facilities rely on sensitive computing equipment, they are often tightly packed, cooling is a concern, cables and network equipment are always live with electricity, and a fire would be catastrophic. Risk is accentuated when buildings are unmanned. Many are located in remote areas. In some cases, the buildings sole purpose is to house telco network equipment and fire suppression equipment is not required by the AHJ.
Rick has worked in the fire protection industry for over 35 years. He is a frequent speaker and presenter at corporate meetings, workshops, conventions, and industry trade shows related to fire protection. Rick is a master electrician and has achieved numerous certifications in both the electrical and fire protection industries.
Rick joined ORR Protection in 1991 and was elevated quickly to operations manager for the Southeast Region. He was instrumental in developing ORR’s National Accounts Program. In 2010, Rick became vice president of National Accounts and the Southeast region of ORR Protection. Then in 2018, Rick assumed the role of vice president for the Power Generation Marketplace, an ever-evolving market that includes the country’s energy storage marketplace.
Chuck began his career as a fire fighter and paramedic in Atlanta, GA. He quickly moved into industrial fire protection where he specialized in R&D as well as distributer and end-user training. Chuck went on to develop the industrial fire brigade training and special hazards awareness for the entire utility industry before taking a position at ORR Protection.
Chuck has continued to build upon his fire protection expertise over the past 15 years, working in many types of power plants and other heavy industrial sites. When he is not traveling the country supporting utility sites with fire protection solutions, Chuck spends his time at home with his wife and 6 children.
Lee is VP of Engineering and Technical Training for ORR Protection and is Chairperson of the technical committee for NFPA 75, Standard for the Protection of Information Technology Equipment. His career at ORR has been to provide technical and thought leadership in the protection of mission critical facilities.
Lee is a professional engineer in the discipline of fire protection engineering. He participates in industry committees for ORR and gives technical education sessions at conferences and seminars throughout the county.
ORR Protection are the mission critical fire protection experts--protecting people, property, and the environment. We deliver exceptional value by providing innovative solutions, unmatched responsiveness, special attention to detail, and an unwavering commitment to customers and associates.
