President Joe Biden has signed the ‘‘Accelerating Deployment of Versatile, Advanced Nuclear for Clean Energy Act of 2024,” or ADVANCE Act. This legislation speeds up the permitting process and creates new incentives for the buildout of nuclear reactors. An article examining this significant legislative action was recently published in Power Engineering. According to the article, this act will […]
System Reliability at a Maryland University
Our Service Crew was recently called to diagnose an issue with an improper drum pressure reading at a Maryland University. What we found highlighted the importance of a small but crucial component in pressure control systems: the siphon pigtail. The Problem Upon inspection, we discovered that the transducer, responsible for providing accurate pressure readings, had been damaged. The […]
Hardening Emergency Systems: Preferred’s Submersible “Waterproof” Pumpset Performs when it Matters Most
When Hurricane Beryl swept through Texas, it highlighted the vulnerability of mission critical and healthcare facilities to extreme weather events. Power outages caused by the storm left over 2 million without electricity, posing severe challenges for 17 hospitals and additional healthcare centers due to flooding and then heat. Emergency evacuations, temporary medical setups, and the strain on healthcare […]
Preferred Day Tanks Now Approved for Florida Applications
We are pleased to announce that our 560gal and 620gal day tanks have received approval from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). This approval opens up new opportunities for providing reliable and efficient fuel storage solutions in the state of Florida. Key Features of Preferred Day Tanks: The FSC-120 controller, also approved by the Florida DEP (EQ-995), […]
Preferred Day Tanks Now OSP Shake Tested and Approved
Preferred Day Tanks have received HCAI/OSHPD OSP Shake testing approval, ensuring they meet stringent specifications for seismic activity. This means our tanks are designed to survive and perform even in earthquake-prone areas, making them ideal for mission-critical facilities. Key Features: During testing, the tanks were filled with water. A negligible amount of liquid was expelled due to the vent’s […]
Preferred Engineering’s Best Practices for Jet Pump Plugs
The jet pump plug is an essential tool used in the maintenance of Boiling Water Reactors (BWRs) in nuclear power plants. The jet pump system involves driving water through a nozzle to create a high-velocity jet, which in turn induces a lower pressure that draws additional water along with it, effectively mixing and circulating the water. Jet pump […]
Emergency Removal of a Main Steam Line Plug: A Case Study
Preferred Engineering has decades of experience in the nuclear industry with the Main Steam Line Plug, and sometimes unique situations arise that make our our expertise in installation and removal especially important. A recent project required us to employ an MSLP Emergency Removal tool during the installation process. One of the latch mechanisms on the plug jammed during […]
Fuel/Air Cross-Limiting
What is the Application? Steam supply and heating loads in a boiler plant vary throughout the course of the boiler firing cycle. In response to this, the boiler firing rate output % is continuously adjusting to maintain steam or temperature setpoint. This means that the boiler controller’s outputs (typically a fuel valve positioner, air damper positioner, and variable […]
Drum Level Control Essentials
What is the Application? As boilers convert water into steam to supply the plant’s load demand, more water must be supplied to the boiler to maintain the drum level at setpoint. In a modulating PID system, Boiler feedwater flow is controlled by the drum level controller by modulating a feedwater control valve which can be opened to give […]
Learning from Preferred’s Main Steam Line Plug Operating Experience
Preferred Engineering has extensive experience in the nuclear industry with the installation and removal of Main Steam Line Plugs. Over the years, we’ve developed a number of best practices that are key to maximizing efficiency and cutting critical path time. Here are some of the most important procedures we’ve established in recent MSLP projects: Camera Positioning Camera placement […]