Correction of Varnish Problems in Power Plant Turbine

This technical application bulletin addresses the correction of varnish problems in a power plant turbine. It outlines the background of a waste incineration plant with a 10 MW power capacity that experienced regular issues during turbine startup due to excessive varnish deposits in the control block. The document details the implementation of a Schroeder Varnish Mitigation Unit (VMU), which is designed to remove oil aging products from mineral-oil-based turbine oil. The VMU operates in bypass flow and offers features such as solid and gel-like oil aging product removal. The analysis conducted revealed that the customer was using an inexpensive return-line filter element, leading to oil condition issues. The bulletin presents the benefits of using the VMU, including increased oil service life from 1.5 years to 5 years, reduced oil consumption, and improved environmental footprint. It concludes with a summary of customer benefits and further application areas for the VMU.