McHale & Associates, Inc. is a specialized engineering and consulting company recognized in the energy industry as the leader in providing plant performance improvement services. We deliver innovative solutions to increase productivity, quality of operation, and profitability by providing superior quality services in the areas of risk mitigation, performance optimization, and project/technology validations through analysis and testing. Our team works closely with you, as a trusted advisor, to harness the full capacity and strength of your operation.
AES ANDRES - EMERGENCY BYPASS STACK PROJECT
In response to the emergency need for power, the Power Service Group (PSG) engaged McHale & Associates to join an engineering consortium to help AES come up with a bypass stack solution so that the gas turbines could be operated at full simple cycle base load while the damage to the steam turbine was being prepared.
- Played a lead role during the conceptual design of the bypass stack by first conducting plume modeling & stack height analysis for environmental performance compliance.
- Performed a CFD analysis of the design and coordinated with Tennessee Tech University to conduct Scale Modeling Verification.
- Coordinated and led the flow design and technical specification and integrated the construction design team with the structural design.
- Coordinated the design team collaboration, design approvals, and reviews in a highly compressed time frame.
BOCA CHICA, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
2 X 1 COMBINED CYCLE POWER PLANT
319 MW
AES VIETNAM - MONG DUONG II PULVERIZED COAL PLANT
McHale was selected on the basis of demonstrated proficiency with certificates of good execution issued by previous customers and a listing of thirty (30) previous coal-fired testing projects and is distinguished within the performance testing community, as its senior members have participated for over twenty (20) years in the ASME performance test code governing committees in developing and writing the testing codes, and continue to participate on over twenty (20) of the current test code governing committees.
- Provided Independent Expert Services to support
commissioning, fuel sampling and analysis, operation tuning, failure analysis, PTC 46 performance testing, and Commissioning guarantee testing for Units 1 & 2. - Was the Owner’s Consultant & Expert Test Witness responsible for technical review and comment on EPC-supplied test procedures, including code-level tests and capability tests on every major plant and unit subsystem.
- Helped the Owner manage (103) different test procedures and their related testing drawing on EPA standards OSHA, International Noise, ASTM, IEEE, and NFPA.
CaM PHa, VIETNAM
PULVERIZED COAL POWER PLANT
SAFI EC - IPP SAFI CENTRAL THERMAL PLANT
McHale provided Independent Expert Services to the Moroccan State Utility, who developed the independent power project (IPP). The Safi clean-coal-fired power plant, the Central Thermal Plant, is composed of two (2) ultra-supercritical units; the common facilities attached thereto, include Coal Unloading Facilities installed at the New Port of Safi. As the Independent Expert, McHale evaluated and certified that the guarantees for the PPA and the Coal Unloading Facilities were met.
- Assisted all parties involved in the commissioning & performance testing to gain agreement on the key technical points to avoid contentious disagreements afterward.
- Assisted in determining if the Owners, Operators and Investors were getting what was promised and paid for and to help achieve technical and fiscal goals.
- Provided an independent third party evaluation to the commissioning and performance testing and their results, providing surety to all parties that the reported results were legitimate, technically correct and unbiased.
SAFI, MOROCCO
CLEAN-COAL-FIRED POWER PLANT
2 X SUPERCRITICAL UNITS
693 MW
BERKPRAI COGEN - THERMAL PERFORMANCE TESTING
The facility consists of one (1) GT that exhausts to a HRSG that produces HP/LP steam to the facility header, and three (3) Gas Reciprocating Engines with HRSGs that produce steam to the facility LP steam header. Performance testing uncovered various issues for which McHale was able to complete all contracted tasks. Not only was project was able to achieve Substantial Completion, the owner of the plant also had a 20% reduction in fuel costs due to the discoveries made during the investigation into the Gas Supplier fuel meter.
- Developed a test plan for the overall facility and each of the major components to include a detailed thermodynamic model used in the production of correction curves.
- Provided and installed precision testing instrumentation throughout the facility to meet the guidance of the ASME PTC test codes.
- Conducted performance testing by coordinating operations and all commercially interested parties in the test in accordance with the test plan.
- Provided detailed analysis and reporting for the testing results and consulted with our client on the commercial implications of the testing results so as to seek compensation where appropriate
BANG PONG DISTRICT, RATCHABURI
THAILAND
GAS-FIRED POWER PLANT
100 MW
