New Orleans' turbine explosion was likely human error, report says
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The December 2019 explosion that
The December 2019 explosion that knocked out a major source of electricity for the city’s drainage pumps was likely caused by operator error, according to a consultant’s incident report, contradicting the explanation given by the Sewerage & Water Board last year as it sought insurance money for turbine repairs.
A causal analysis by consultant ABS Group says the exhaust stack exploded on Turbine 5, a large gas-fired generator at the Sewerage & Water Board’s Carrollton Power Plant, because the operator likely opened the primary valve to feed gas into the turbine “late,” after already starting the machine.
“Opening the ¼ turn valve late results in an even larger opening position of the gas pressure ratio valve at the onset of firing,” the report says.
The report says the turbine operator denied opening the valve late. But the report also says the operator’s word was the only thing contradicting its conclusion that the valve was opened later than it should have been.
HJ Bosworth, an engineer with the watchdog group Levees.org, said opening that valve late would have created a rush of gas into the system that likely caused the explosion, which broke windows in nearby homes and could be felt miles away.
“The first valve that they have in the sequence of valves that power the turbine, from what I have read from that report, wasn't open until all of the other valves were busy opening and closing for no good reason,” Bosworth said. “You didn't have any gas in through those other little valves until someone decided, ‘Oh, wait, the main valve may not be open.’”
A causal analysis by consultant ABS Group says the exhaust stack exploded on Turbine 5, a large gas-fired generator at the Sewerage & Water Board’s Carrollton Power Plant, because the operator likely opened the primary valve to feed gas into the turbine “late,” after already starting the machine.
“Opening the ¼ turn valve late results in an even larger opening position of the gas pressure ratio valve at the onset of firing,” the report says.
The report says the turbine operator denied opening the valve late. But the report also says the operator’s word was the only thing contradicting its conclusion that the valve was opened later than it should have been.
HJ Bosworth, an engineer with the watchdog group Levees.org, said opening that valve late would have created a rush of gas into the system that likely caused the explosion, which broke windows in nearby homes and could be felt miles away.
“The first valve that they have in the sequence of valves that power the turbine, from what I have read from that report, wasn't open until all of the other valves were busy opening and closing for no good reason,” Bosworth said. “You didn't have any gas in through those other little valves until someone decided, ‘Oh, wait, the main valve may not be open.’”
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