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A 460MW generator failed suddenly and without warning. The unit was running at full load (445MW) when a phase B to phase C fault occurred in the stator leads and the unit tripped off-line in approximately four cycles.
RTI performed a site investigation and inspection and provided a team of engineering metallurgists and electrical engineers to determine the cause of the failure.
The Electrical Power Research Institute (EPRI) was tasked to provide generic guidelines for the life extension of fossil fuel plant electrical equipment and systems as an alternative to constructing new plants. They sponsored an in-depth research project and contracted with RTI to develop and produce the guidelines document.
There were catastrophic failures of two large generators, one at the Turkey Point Plant, and the other at the Martin Power Plant in Florida. Electrical breakdown and massive electrical arcs destroyed huge laminated iron stator cores, which had to be replaced at great and occasioned even greater expense from the replacement power costs.
Over thirty years of engineering experience in electrical and electronic engineering investigations, including all aspects of the design, fabrication, production, and operation, patent infringement analysis, reverse engineering, product teardowns and failure analysis of electrical and electronic devices and products as well as computer systems, hardware and software.
He has extensive experience in consulting and forensic engineering services for attorneys and insurance companies regarding fire origin and cause (O&C) investigations, lightning investigations, telecommunication/data network engineering, industrial automation and control products/applications and electrical product testing and compliance (UL, CE and FCC) in the design phase, and in post-design product failure analysis, including power and signal line surge analysis.
Has also served as an expert witness and forensic engineer on many cases involving a wide variety of electrical and electronic devices and applications. Some projects have focused on fire hazards, and others dealt with shock and operator safety. He has also analyzed designs in reference to user abuse and unintended operation, which is often an overlooked aspect in most product safety reviews.
A Senior Electrical Engineer with many years of experience in the field of electrocutions, antenna and microware engineering. Currently a professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at a distinguished university . He has an impressive list of honors and recognition for his contributions to research and education, as well as numerous funded research projects, service activities and published books and articles.
Senior Electrical/Mechanical Engineer with many years of experience with power system protection and controls in engineering and construction. Has managed all aspects of engineering design and drafting, power flow and fault calculations, relay calibrations, field installation testing, instruction manuals development, testing and development and power plant engineering (including nuclear) of the following systems: protective relaying, automatic switching controls, Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems, telemetry equipment, cables, capacitor controls, Digital Fault Recorders (DFR), fire protection systems, generators, meters, motors, Sequence of Events Recorders (SER), switchgear, transformers, voltage regulators, and communications equipment associated with these systems. As a Senior Mechanical Engineer, this expert has specific knowledge of compressors, electro-mechanical systems, fans and blowers, HVAC equipment, OSHA codes and standards. He is also an experienced instructional materials writer and presenter, as well as teacher on topics of Power Systems Theory and Protective Relaying. As a member of IEEE, he participated in writing tutorials and the standards for substation integration architecture and distributed generation, including substation communication protocols.
This expert has testifying experience in cables and testing and developing lines.
Electrical Engineer and Utilities Operations consultant with many years of forensic, utility and project management experience. He is an experienced investigator, engineering reviewer, and engineering manager. He has extensive experience as a senior project engineer with substation design, construction management, customer engineering and system planning experience.
Mr. Simpson has experience with all phases of utility operations including design, distribution, transmission, substation, relaying, generation, plant accounting, systems planning and materials management. He designed and built the first multi story SF-6 gas bus substation involving 69 kV high pressure oil filled pipe type cable supply in the Washington, DC area.; and oil and paper supply feeders include 13kV paper and lead, 34kV and 69kV low-pressure oil filled cable, 69kV, 138kV, and 230kV high-pressure oil filled pipe type cable. Experience also includes a number of 34kV and 69kV low-pressure oil filled cable river crossings involving armored cable, divers, long high-tension pulls and very critical time schedules. Construction scheduling and coordinating at project and corporate levels. Computer system development for construction scheduling and materials management systems. Materials management experience includes corporate purchasing, stores, inventory control, investment recovery, materials systems and disposal of hazardous waste.
Has acted as an arbitrator and given testimony in depositions and in court.
Senior Electrical Engineer who specializes in all phases of substation design and operation, including protective relaying, controls, wiring, grounding, cable and conduit, SCADA equipment, and interfaces, as well as physical electrical arrangement of equipment in substations. More than 38 years of extensive experience in the electrical engineering and utility fields. He is an expert in all phases of substation design and operation. Managed SCADA system designs for the overhead distribution systems (auto loops and unit substations) as well as the extensive underground low voltage network systems which provided near real-time data from more than 25,000 network transformers while serving as Department Manager of SCADA Systems for a major gas and electric utility.
In his position as Chief Electrical Engineer at an architectural and engineering company that designs and retro-fits electrical substations, generating stations, and industrial facilities, this expert was responsible for overseeing substation design in the power delivery group and his duties involved management of all electrical engineering and design requirements including calculations for battery systems, lightning, voltage drop, grounding, AC and DC station distribution, high voltage bus, and all equipment installations. He has designed, and still continues to provide consultation on, many of the ground grid designs for substations ranging in voltage from 4 kV to 500 kV, and has participated in the conductor and grounding design of a 500 kV transmission line using monopoles.
Senior Electrical Engineer has over 35 years of investigative experience in accident investigations, evaluations, damage assessments and fire investigations involving electrical distribution, construction, farm, medical, and computing equipment, as well as appliances and power tools.
Cases investigated have ranged from residential wiring and small appliances to automotive systems, large industrial machinery, shipboard equipment, electric power generating equipment, and electrical distribution systems including transformers and substation equipment. Issues addressed have included operation of electrical distribution network protection, electrocutions, burns and shocks, and NEC/NESC and OSHA requirements. He has also served as a consultant to other forensic investigators and accident re-constructionists in complex cases.
Qualified as an expert in over 20 different courts, including local and federal courts.
With a total of over forty years of college level teaching experience and professional interaction with experts in other fields of engineering and science, this expert retired after 38 years from a tenured professorship at the U. S. Naval Academy. He has authored numerous papers regarding electrical equipment for use aboard U.S. Navy vessels (both classified and unclassified documents). He has also authored or co-authored six published papers relating to electrical/electronic engineering test design for electrical and electronic components exposed to unusual ambient conditions.
He is a Certified Fire and Explosion Investigator (CFEI). Certification is based upon experience plus time-limited, proctored, written examination.
Professional Engineer and forensic consultant having experience as a contract service provider of military component source verification and the holder of a Secret Security Clearance. He has provided residential, marine and marina, and commercial forensic investigative services pertaining to electronic equipment failure; fire; and structural considerations. His expertise includes investigations associated with commercial, industrial, residential facilities, public utilities, and marine and marina weather related insurance claims. Also proficient in the investigation and analysis of electronic equipment interconnect, failure, and fire including printed circuit board fabrication, component assembly and manufacturing process quality control. His other areas of experience include but are not limited to, management of military and commercial customer technical and business relationships with organizations in China, the Pacific Rim, and U.S. assembly operations, and backplane and PCB facilities; electroforming, multilayer PCB fabrication, through-hole, surface-mount, and system hardware-assembly, and outsourcing; materials and metallurgical failure analysis, and procurement specifications; materials and process development including explosive bonding pertaining to precious metals, ferrous, and non-ferrous metals; stainless steel heat treatment, surface hardening, and corrosion; and fixture development eliminating hydrothermal grown Quartz lattice structure flaws.
