Power generation
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Lifetime extension, outage optimisation and outage reduction are key objectives for managers of large power plants in liberalised electricity markets. To achieve these goals, critical components such as generators, turbines, boilers and pressure lines have to undergo condition and risk assessment on a continuous basis. Most inspection work used to be carried out manually by service specialists, but in recent years non-destructive materials testing has opened up completely new options. Now there are inspection robots that are able to assess the condition of important components in a fraction of the time as humans, and much more precisely. Thanks to advances in miniaturisation, robots are now able to crawl their way into the tiniest structures, and can provide measurement data and video images or treat surfaces in environments long inaccessible to humans. Another huge advantage of inspection robots is the fact that they are insensitive to heat, dirt and other adverse conditions. This makes work much safer for the people involved. In short, inspection robots constitute a disruptive technology that massively enhances the competitiveness of service providers in the power generation business.
The power sector is a leading innovator in terms of inspection technology. This means that in the medium term, this technology is likely to be transferred to related industries as well. Alstom Inspection Robotics is ideally equipped to provide customers in the transportation, oil and gas and basic chemicals sectors with engineering and services to support them in this process.
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