Welcome to this audio overview on process safety performance indicators (PSPIs). In the process industry, while personal safety is crucial, preventing major incidents requires a strong focus on process safety management. Major incidents like fires, explosions, or significant releases of hazardous materials can have severe consequences. To effectively manage and reduce the risk of such incidents, organisations implement process safety management systems, which rely on various barriers like physical systems, instrumented systems, and management/people systems.To understand how well these systems are functioning, organisations use process safety performance indicators (PSPIs). These metrics can be categorized as leading indicators, which precede a system failure, and lagging indicators, which follow a failure. This audio overview is based on a position paper aimed at defining standards for a set of PSPIs specifically within the oil, gas, and petrochemical industry. The information presented here can help in understanding the role of PSPIs in supporting risk improvement efforts and gaining better insights into process safety performance.
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29:18
Power Plant Sequential Trip Logic Explained
In this overview, we explore power plant sequential trip logic, focusing on a setup where the generator field breaker stays closed until a reverse power permissive is detected. This controlled shutdown process protects turbine-generator systems by ensuring the prime mover, like a steam or gas turbine, has stopped driving the generator before de-excitation. Reverse power—when the generator draws energy from the grid instead of producing it—acts as the key signal, confirmed by a relay after the turbine slows down. The sequence begins with a triggering event, like a steam loss, followed by turbine shutdown, reverse power detection, and then the field breaker opening, isolating the unit safely. This method prevents mechanical stress and grid disturbances, though it adds complexity and slight delays. It’s a smart safeguard for large synchronous generators, balancing equipment safety and system stability.
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14:35
Steam Turbine Overspeed Testing
Steam turbine overspeed trip testing is essential for safety, with different methods depending on whether the system is electronic or mechanical. Electronic systems can be tested more safely by temporarily lowering the trip point below the normal operating speed. This allows for verification of the trip mechanism without reaching dangerous speeds, followed by resetting the trip point to the standard higher value. In contrast, mechanical systems have a fixed trip point that requires the turbine to reach a higher speed for testing, which carries more risk. Regardless of the system, thorough preparation, adherence to industry standards, and consultation with manufacturers and insurance providers are crucial for safe and effective testing. The cited sources offer detailed guidance on these procedures, highlighting the specific steps and considerations for both electronic and mechanical overspeed protection systems.
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13:49
New Nuclear and how it's insured in the US
This audio overview discusses the status of several new nuclear power plant projects planned or under development in the United States as of March 2025, including their locations, technologies, and progress toward construction. It also outlines the insurance landscape for these nuclear projects, explaining the roles of private insurers like American Nuclear Insurers (ANI), government-backed mechanisms under the Price-Anderson Act, and the mutual insurer Nuclear Electric Insurance Limited (NEIL) in covering construction, operational, and liability risks. The overview highlights the challenges and trends in insuring advanced reactor designs and suggests the likely insurance providers for each specific project based on current information and industry practices.
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14:56
Solar Plant Risks
The audio overview of the sources is a two-part series from the YouTube channel "Energy Risk Engineering Lessons" focusing on risk management for solar energy. The first video, "Solar Power for Risk Engineers," provides an overview of common risks associated with solar farms, including:•Snake bites 1•Hail damage 2•Wind damage 3...•Flooding 5•Fires originating from both natural sources and the solar equipment itself 5...•Microcracking 2...•Cable damage8•Transformer failures 8 The video discusses the causes of these risks and strategies for mitigating them, including:•Hail and wind stow systems 3...•Vegetation management 5...•Regular inspections and electrical testing 11•Proper maintenance of electrical equipment 12...It emphasizes the importance of addressing these risks to prevent energy loss and ensure the longevity of solar facilities. The video also includes a detailed example of a large hail loss event, and the challenges faced in sourcing replacement panels and managing the claim process.The second video, "Solar Summer School 2024 - The Year of Fire and Ice," summarizes key learnings from site visits to numerous solar facilities across the United States. It highlights the effectiveness of hail stow systems in preventing damage from severe hailstorms and provides insights into managing vegetation to mitigate wildfire risk, including the use of gravel roads as firebreaks and the potential of sandbags as a fire suppression tool....The video also addresses the issue of PV fires originating from the solar equipment itself, emphasizing the importance of:•Addressing mismatched connectors Inspecting jumpers for tightness and potential rubbing. Maintaining air filters and fans to prevent overheating. The video explores emerging technologies like thermal scanning robots and drones for proactive risk management, as well as the role of standards and testing in ensuring the reliability and resilience of solar equipment...
Where we discuss all topics related to all energy sources and their risks. These discussions are built with AI and my Intelligence. They are fantastic ways to consume large amounts of information. Dig in!
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