The Challenge

Crockett Cogeneration is a utility company in California, which provides energy generation and distribution services, in particular selling electricity to power companies.

The Solution

The company was finding that a combination of proximity to the coast, as well as other structures that sit upstream from the site, were causing wind effects that reduced performance of the ACC. In addition, the parameters of the structure itself had constraints that we would need to work within, at the same time as improving performance with the right windscreens.

The Benefits

We began by providing CFD analysis of the wind effects on a three-street by five-row ACC. The study resulted in an optimised arrangement of cruciform screens (M75 and M60).

Access on this roof top installation was important, so Galebreaker also provided a 3mx3m rolling door as part of the solution.

Our scope also included the structural evaluation of the existing ACC structure in order to support the new loads, and we designed the support system for the rolling door as well. We confirmed that an inlet skirt would be beneficial, so a structure was designed to accommodate a future phase.

The result was a greatly improved and stable performance with all works done within three days. The client has reported consistent feedback since then from the plant operators that the screens have helped to resolve the issue.